Product review (1 stars): Whirpool Duet Washer - cleans out your wallet!
Just like other reviews, we had the dreaded error code 70/71 problem. Purchased this expensive, supposedly excellent reliability model (as rated by Consumer Reports) new from Sears and on the 4th anniversary, the washer stopped working and locked our clothes inside. Service technicians said it would be $500 plus to make a repair and hope to solve the problem with the faulty electronics....we plan to buy another brand with none of the complex electronic options. I have since read so many other consumers who had the same problem with Whirlpool and also heard about a class action lawsuit against Whirlpool; I hope it is expanded to include our model.

1/15/2012 UPDATE: Just before trashing our Duet Unit and purchasing a new non-Whirlpool replacement, I decided to strip the unit open and give it a once over myself. I knew what the technicians who inspected our machines said, and I was suspicious after reading all the problems on the Internet that this was not just a control board issue. Replacing the boards themselves means removing each wiring harness and reseating and the sporadic communications problems between the boards with error codes 70 and 71 also made me suspect poor connections. I took out each cable from their perspective control board and each from where they plugged into the various components. I then sprayed each part with electronics cleaner and reseated firmly in their correct locations while also checking all wiring for damage.

After spraying all connections and reseating the harnesses properly, the unit came back on and has so far been working normally again. No parts were replaced even though the technicians assured us the error codes meant new control boards had to be ordered...while it has been only 24 hours, the machine wouldn't even turn on before I did this and now we have been running load after load with no malfunctions.

I suggest anyone with error codes 70 or 71 try this before dropping $500 plus into new boards. Faulty connections can mimic the conditions of faulty electronics.

Hope this helps some others who have been experiencing the same horrible design defect of the Whirlpool Duet line.