Sounds like the old GE refrigerators that used what I think was called a "black powder" compressor. Right around the early 90's. A move to a powdered lubricant away from liquid compressor oil. (Heck sounds like the same problem here). And they didn't last. It was so bad GE was replacing folks' compressors a year past the 5-year warranty just as a PR saving attempt. Finally all the black powder units had been replaced or retrofitted and things moved on. No lawsuit as I recall.
They are just cheapening everything so much these days. Everything. It's no wonder young folks can't seem to get ahead. Used to be I could buy a car, toaster oven, multimeter, whatever and the stuff lasted. Things lasted and then could be fixed. Nowadays you buy stuff and it fails before you're done paying it off. Everything's becoming disposable. And repairs are prohibitively expensive. In this regard I feel for the younger generation.