Ise Ceased Trading

[ColinS]

However, the handle came off and we couldn't get the filter out. The Uk white Goods man said we would have to smash the filter to get it out but we have been told by the engineer that there is a shortage in parts!

Any chance you can advise on how the filter was removed - I'm having exactly the same problem with an ISE 1607W bought barely two years ago. The plastic filter handle seems to have sheered off so the filter can't be removed. Its been the most problematic appliance I've ever owned and I'm inclined to write it off now with news of ISE's demise, but it seems daft to scrap the machine for the sake of a stuck filter.

I had to recently remove the pump filter on one of these machines and it was a real struggle. From memory I had to tease it out with a pair of pliers and with lots of tugging after, I believe, rotating the cover anticlockwise to unlock it. Nothing was jamming it, there were a couple of small coins only inside once I removed it.

I was trying to trace an intermittent rubbing noise which actually turned out to be one of the top drum support springs which had worn through on it's mounting point.

[ColinS]

On 06/01/2015 at 11:37, Washerhelp_Whitegoodshelp said:

Yes, I find it hard to believe that no one will be able to get spares. The major reason the ISE brand was created was so that independent engineers had appliances out there that they could repair and maintain. The ISE brand are not unique appliances created only for ISE, they were created using standard parts used by Beko or Asko. Any spares company should be able to get them. I will definitely keep an eye out for any developments and post here if they become available.

Spares seem to be available from UK Whitegoods who are owned, I believe, by the same parent company as ISE Limited.

I spoke with them today as I need a door seal and they tell me the part is available, albeit not for a week or so. I guess they are importing them direct from the manufacturer?

Ise washing machine spare parts

[theboss]

However, the handle came off and we couldn't get the filter out. The Uk white Goods man said we would have to smash the filter to get it out but we have been told by the engineer that there is a shortage in parts!

Any chance you can advise on how the filter was removed - I'm having exactly the same problem with an ISE 1607W bought barely two years ago. The plastic filter handle seems to have sheered off so the filter can't be removed. Its been the most problematic appliance I've ever owned and I'm inclined to write it off now with news of ISE's demise, but it seems daft to scrap the machine for the sake of a stuck filter.

I had to recently remove the pump filter on one of these machines and it was a real struggle. From memory I had to tease it out with a pair of pliers and with lots of tugging after, I believe, rotating the cover anticlockwise to unlock it. Nothing was jamming it, there were a couple of small coins only inside once I removed it.

I was trying to trace an intermittent rubbing noise which actually turned out to be one of the top drum support springs which had worn through on it's mounting point.

Thankyou both.

It transpired that the plastic handle had 'snapped off' the front of the pump filter leaving the body wedged tightly inside the pump. By screwing the handle back into its thread tightly I managed to get it to click back onto the filter, then I could unscrew in the usual manner, but it was very difficult to get the filter out - about 5 minutes of wiggling it a few mm at a time. When it did come out a 50 pence piece was clearly causing problems but even with that removed, the pump filter was a very tight fit. I don't think it helps that we live in a very hard water area as some scaling was present in the pump, no doubt increasing friction.

Despite fixing this we still get frequent 'F10' errors and the machine fails to spin at the end of a wash until a rinse/spin cycle is manually selected and started. The machine seems to drain without any problems when it does work.

We'll run a few descaling tablets though it and see if that helps.

We have also replaced the rear balancing springs about 6-7 times (and have about 5 spares sat around), however I believe these were breaking because they weren't being fitted properly by repair engineers. I haven't had one break for a while now since I fitted it myself.

[Sophie's Mum]

I bought my W288 ECO in March 2013. Like so many others I thought I was paying more for a robust machine that could be easily repaired via a sound network in the instance of a supposedly high quality machine going wrong in the first place. I am not an experienced researcher of WMs as my old Bosch lasted nearly thirty years & the repairs in the last 5 yrs of it's life such as belts hoses were done ourselves. However I read all the blurb & thought I was doing the right thing. Due to the demise of the company I am now the owner of something that if it does fail is probably beyond us to repair loaded as it is with all manner of stupid electronics.

One annoying fault is the intermittent leak of water from under the dispenser. I reported this several times. The quite rude receptionist blamed me, too much conditioner, not the right sort, not keeping the drawer clean etc. None of which was true. They replaced the dispenser drawer when I really stuck to my guns.... with an identical one that they had hacked a few mm of the syphon mouldings off! Hardly the work of good engineers!

So if any others out there have this "leak" check under the dispenser drawer, if its wet, especially with conditioner/liquid detergent take the insert out & file some of the plastic upright tube off, the bit that is the male to the removable female bit. I suggest this only if the owner of this excellent site concurs & you as owners also feel that there is no other way that you will get anything sorted if it is this design fault causing the leak. Normally such action would invalidate a warranty(?) but it looks like we have none.

Wish I'd bought a Miele.

I don't believe it washes as well as the old one due to the water saving measures, which of course have resulted in the use of far longer running times using energy generated by burning fossil fuel. Who dreams these "eco savings up"

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hi Sophies mum. Yes there has been an issue with leaking from the soap dispenser which has been cured by trimming the siphon tube level with the back edge of the drawer though such a leak can be caused by several other factors. Check the instruction book too as many of those ISE machines (the expensive ones made by Asko) have the ability to be configured to use more water.

[Sophie's Mum]

Hi

Thank you for your reply. I didn't know the original maker of these models. That could be very useful as time goes on.

And thanks for the info re the water level. I knew it was there but somehow never really focused on it. I will try a quick cycle with a normal load & compare results. At 45 mins v 1hr 40 there is a big energy use difference as well as the time to get laundry out on the line during short days (the wind is free) or another load done.

I live in a very hard water area & have always added a spoon of washing soda to the detergent to help with the hardness. I trust this is in order? I also do a regular (every 2-3 weeks) service wash at 60-80 degrees depending on what fabric is in there to keep bacteria down. There's only two in the house but it still has almost daily use with large sheets etc.

Many thanks

[Sophie's Mum]

I have just been looking at Asko's home site from Sweden. They offer the 10 yr motor guarantee but I wonder where we stand when they were re-badged ISE? No doubt legalities mean they have no liability but is it worth a try to find out where UK customers of their machines (which is what they are) stand?

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hello Sophie's mum. In theory you should never have to add anything extra to cope with hard water. All washing machine detergent is designed to cope perfectly adequately with hard water at varying levels. All you need do is make sure that you use the quantities suggested by the detergent manufacturer for hard or very hard water. I would also ensure you use good quality detergent by one of the major brands and definitely not liquid detergent. However it might not be such a bad idea to add some of the washing soda during occasional maintenance washes as recommended here - maintenance washes reduce washing machine smells

If you actually use the correct quantities, but then add an extra product you could over soften the water which could cause excessive choose to. This could lead to leaks, and or reduced quality of washing due to the cushioning effect of the soap suds.

If you do add extra products to soften water then you would need to reduce the amount of detergent used to that of moderately hard or normal water. However, you couldn't be sure that the spoonful of washing soda is adequately compensating for the reduced detergent. It's a little bit of an inexact science so to speak.

Basically detergent is designed to wash laundry properly and to protect the washing machine from the effects of lime scale. People who have excessive limescale are almost certainly not using enough detergent. It might be possible to argue a case for using third-party products such as Calgon but only in conjunction of reducing detergent.

If you have time this is all explained in detail on my article here - do I need to use Calgon?

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

I have just been looking at Asko's home site from Sweden. They offer the 10 yr motor guarantee but I wonder where we stand when they were re-badged ISE? No doubt legalities mean they have no liability but is it worth a try to find out where UK customers of their machines (which is what they are) stand?

Yes Asko are technically the actual manufacturer, but ISE was the legal manufacturer in the same way that many household name manufacturers may have their machines built by other manufacturers to their specifications.

The ISE washing machines were somewhat customised for ISE according to their requirements but essentially they are still Asko appliances.

It would definitely be interesting to see what Asko's attitude is to helping ISE customers in the UK. I see no reason why they shouldn't be very helpful because ultimately they are their machines. I suspect that it won't be too long before there is good source of ISE spare parts once the dust has settled.

[Sophie's Mum]

Noted, I have always reduced the powder by the recognised formula "that's probably about right" & never had too much build up nor any sudsing. Many thanks & all taken on board.

[Mrsbbeg]

Hello All! Our Ise washing machine's seal came off during a wash yesterday, I've emailed Kenneth Watt with a photo and haven't heard back then emailed David Quinn of UK Whitegoods saying Kenneth didn't get back is it safe to use the machine and how would we get it fixed no replies so decided to look on ise's website for a phone number and I've had a shock this morning!! I can't believe it! Then I found your forum thread..

Like many others, I was bought into this, I had thought lets not but Miele, let's back up our own people and having bought both the wm and tumble dryer and spent a fortune and read what you wrote above I'm shocked to hear and feel quite worried that our 10 year warranty means nothing now!!! I bought them in 2011 with a Coutts MasterCard, do you think I could get anywhere if I phoned them.. Or shall I try calling David Quinn as I bought the machines from him and still has the invoice...??

As you can see from the photo I think it's just cosmetic and doesn't affect the machine but I'm worried that more things might go wrong..

[Mrsbbeg]

Here is the photo

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Yes it's a great shame, we needed a brand like this, they were truly unique and had a vision to change things for the better but I suppose it's just impossible to change the status quo without millions of pounds behind you. I would instinctively think the first point of call should be the people you bought it from. They should be fully aware of the full picture because it's affected them so much too. Unfortunately if a company has ceased trading then all of its infrastructure has gone. I don't know if the main people behind it will be able to help or will respond, but imagine if you'd bought the machine from Comet who also ceased trading - would there be much point emailing the former managing director? The company no longer exists so it's all gone and to be honest I'm not sure if there are legal restrictions on what they can do once it's wound up. I'm sure it will be possible to get these machines repaired in the future but the guy who sold it and (presumably) would have maintained it under warranty should know what options are available now.

As for the credit card, it's surprising what obligations credit card companies have, so it might be worth looking into further. According to Money Saving Expert the credit card company shares responsibility with the retailer -

"It's here that the section 75 rule above really comes into its own, if you have paid by credit card. That's because you have exactly the same rights with a credit card as with the retailer, which includes a breach of your statutory rights as well as administration, so you can ask it for a refund along the same lines. If you bought on a debit card or it was for under £100, it's also worth trying Chargeback procedures."

However, this looks like it's referring to when a retailer has gone bust. It's very hard to find any clear advice on what happens if a manufacturer ceases trading and the product can no longer be repaired under warranty. You need to seek more specialised consumer advice.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Here is the photo

That looks like a seal between the outer and inner casing which presumably just dampens down noise. I can't see how it should stop it being used but I'm not familiar with those machines.

[ColinS]

Hello All! Our Ise washing machine's seal came off during a wash yesterday, I've emailed Kenneth Watt with a photo and haven't heard back then emailed David Quinn of UK Whitegoods saying Kenneth didn't get back is it safe to use the machine and how would we get it fixed no replies so decided to look on ise's website for a phone number and I've had a shock this morning!! I can't believe it! Then I found your forum thread..

Like many others, I was bought into this, I had thought lets not but Miele, let's back up our own people and having bought both the wm and tumble dryer and spent a fortune and read what you wrote above I'm shocked to hear and feel quite worried that our 10 year warranty means nothing now!!! I bought them in 2011 with a Coutts MasterCard, do you think I could get anywhere if I phoned them.. Or shall I try calling David Quinn as I bought the machines from him and still has the invoice...??

As you can see from the photo I think it's just cosmetic and doesn't affect the machine but I'm worried that more things might go wrong..

I had exactly the same part come off my machine. This was the only occassion I have ever called out an 'engineer' as ISE were still trading at the time. The engineer duly arrived and spent about 230 minutes trying to figure out how to fit it. In the end I had to show him! He glued it back in place and made an awful job of doing so as the excess glue oozed out and stained all aroud the seal.

From memory it's just a push fit but a few tidy spots of glue may help.

[Mrsbbeg]

ColinS, we tried everything today to push it back in and it doesn't go back...I think it has to be glued somehow....I haven't heard back from D Quinn of Uk Whitegoods today so I might give him a call and ask if he could get an engineer out...

[Chorisia]

The Swedish made machine had an excellent reputation,as good as the older miehle, sad they have closed. The £400+ ISE AW23 however was overpriced and prone to breakdown,for sure the one I have has been,retired as a spare we now use a (bought ex leased second hand) Bosch Classix 6 1200 much superior in all respects. I am advised by an engineer that the expensive washing machines are not really a good investment due to the prohibitive cost of spare parts.

We used the ISE Aw23 again recently waiting for a new door seal for the bosch,The ISE made a banging noise at spin cycle start.

Had the top and bottom panel off to discover the single right hand drum support has failed,second time this has happened(there are two on the left hand side). For sure this is the worst washing machine I have ever had the misfortune to own,it will be left in the front garden for the local 'Roma' to appropriate!

[theboss]

I wanted to give my own personal update to this sorry story - my own 1607W bought three years ago for just shy of £1k, has been constantly problematic during and after the demise of ISE. In the last 6 months or so we've had constant F10 / F11 drainage related errors despite doing everything I reasonably could to ensure the machine was cleared out. It also regularly stopped rinsing and spinning meaning that cycles required frequent manual intervention to force these stages. I really wanted to believe that it was simply blocked in some way but after thoroughly cleaning and flushing the machine out, checking filter, hose etc. I couldn't find a problem, furthermore the behaviour was sporadic and it would work perfectly for one cycle and then stop the next.

I have now replaced the machine with the Miele that I should have bought 3 years ago, which is performing flawlessly. I intended to keep the ISE and offer it to anyone here for parts as it seemed mechanically sound, however the Miele chaps were offering free fitting/disposal and with all of the aggro experienced I told them to take it away.

So the expensive, 20 year lifespan 'heavy duty' machine designed to replace cheap throwaway tat, is now sitting in a landfill at three years old!

Best of luck to anyone who still owns one of these - I hope you get more use out of it than I did.

[shanedandy]

I bought my W288 ECO in March 2013. Like so many others I thought I was paying more for a robust machine that could be easily repaired via a sound network in the instance of a supposedly high quality machine going wrong in the first place. I am not an experienced researcher of WMs as my old Bosch lasted nearly thirty years & the repairs in the last 5 yrs of it's life such as belts hoses were done ourselves. However I read all the blurb & thought I was doing the right thing. Due to the demise of the company I am now the owner of something that if it does fail is probably beyond us to repair loaded as it is with all manner of stupid electronics.

One annoying fault is the intermittent leak of water from under the dispenser. I reported this several times. The quite rude receptionist blamed me, too much conditioner, not the right sort, not keeping the drawer clean etc. None of which was true. They replaced the dispenser drawer when I really stuck to my guns.... with an identical one that they had hacked a few mm of the syphon mouldings off! Hardly the work of good engineers!

So if any others out there have this "leak" check under the dispenser drawer, if its wet, especially with conditioner/liquid detergent take the insert out & file some of the plastic upright tube off, the bit that is the male to the removable female bit. I suggest this only if the owner of this excellent site concurs & you as owners also feel that there is no other way that you will get anything sorted if it is this design fault causing the leak. Normally such action would invalidate a warranty(?) but it looks like we have none.

Wish I'd bought a Miele.

I don't believe it washes as well as the old one due to the water saving measures, which of course have resulted in the use of far longer running times using energy generated by burning fossil fuel. Who dreams these "eco savings up"

Hi Sophies mum. Yes there has been an issue with leaking from the soap dispenser which has been cured by trimming the siphon tube level with the back edge of the drawer though such a leak can be caused by several other factors. Check the instruction book too as many of those ISE machines (the expensive ones made by Asko) have the ability to be configured to use more water.

Hi, Like many other I have just discovered I no longer have a warranty, what a Christmas Present! Washer now 2 years old and I also have the leak from the draw which has been discussed but I am unsure which part if any may need filing / trimming. Is it the bottom white part of the removalble tray (on top of which the blue part fits)?

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

The first thing to do is ensure the washing machine is level front to back and not slightly sloping forward. Also try reducing the water pressure by turning the cold tap to it down a little. Remove and clean all the drawer including the top of the dispenser above the drawer. Also make sure it isn't overloaded. Other than that there are multiple possible causes but an engineer should be able to work out why it's leaking.

[shanedandy]

Thanks for the advice, I will have a look over the Christmas period. To be honest I thought my days of washer repair where over (at least for a while). My previous hotpoint lasted 12 years with me repairing it almost yearly after the first 7 or 8. I only went for the ISE because I had had enough of doing repairs, not a lot I can do about it now though, like everybody else I disapointed to have paid for a service I will not get.

[Tinbum]

I have just come on here after some time and I'm not in the slightest bit surprised to read that they have ceased trading and it looks like the guarantee isn't worth anything.

It was the worst mistake I made buying 2 of their machines, a washing machine and a dishwasher.

One was replaced under warranty within the first year but that took a great deal of effort by me. The replacement machine, which was the same model but the manufacture was slightly different had the typical leak from the soap dispenser draw and even the modified part didn't cure that. ISE didn't sort that and it still does it. I also found out that the retailer wasn't paid for some of the warranty repairs by ISE.

ISE always blamed the faults on myself or the detergent- it was never their fault. The faults were always unique to me- even the leaking dispenser (even though they manufactured a modified part).

I'm sorry to see them gone but hopefully at least it stops them selling anything else to unsuspecting customers. I have never met such an awful company with regard to customer service in the way they treat customers.

[Sophie's Mum]

Morning all,

Here I am again on this thread that I have a sneaking suspicion could run for quite a while. I still have the intermittent leak & I am 99% certain in my case it is the lousy design of the detergent drawer & that if the water pressure (which does fluctuate) is just that much higher it will whoosh out. Just like a tap hitting a spoon in the sink! Yes we've all done that.

Yesterday I decided to take out the drain plug & give it a thorough clean. It was stuck! I know several of you have had this happen. I had a think. I live in a very hard water area, straight through the chalk Downs & out of bore holes. My old Bosch had no problems in 30 years with that. A solid housefrau she was. This diva is high maintenance.

I drained all remaining water. re-tightened the drain & poured about half a pint of white vinegar into the drum. I then left her to stew.

2 hours later I unscrewed enough for a dribble of vinegar to be let out around the thread. Another half hour & i gently unscrewed the whole thing that slid out. The narrow channels top & bottom of the drain hole where the protruding moulding of the plug slide in had just enough scale to have jammed it. Job done without any force or snapped bits. Plenty of fuming about ISE of course,

I have the W288 ECO.

 

[Mrsbbeg]

I'm back on here that the tumble dryer which I had paid £900 5 years ago has died:( it was problematic and I paid an engineer to look at it a few moths ago, he didn't have a clue but it kept working on one setting only...last few cycles it was so extra warm and burning smell came out so I stopped using it....it's been 3 weeks I turned it on, it started but just stopped after a minute or so and doesn't come on at all now........I feel so angry and stupid that I bought into this and didn't buy a Miele at the time.......

Washing machine seal was stuck back by the engineer but it doesn't wash very well and it's already rusting:( the detergent drawer which I keep cleaning religiously is so rusty and the enamel is peeling off already....If this was a premium brand that was supposed to last for up to 20 years, I'm Marilyn Monroe!!!! 

[Sophie's Mum]

Despite all the odds my machine is still going without as yet any major faults. I kept on having the quite frequent leak though. Not all the time & luckily as I have Vinyl flooring a nuisance rather than damage.

 

I don't know why I didn't do it earlier as I have always suspected the stupid design to the detergent drawer. So I took out the blue moulded insert.

 

No more leaks. & I do not believe it alters the order of the dispensing at all. And if you use the new pods straight into the drum it's irrelevant.  So for those still soldiering on & have a leak this may be the answer.