same water ?
same city water, well water, water conditioner, etc ....

I had a Kenmore TL. Not sure if it was an elite, but pretty much all of the drums for the top loaders are made the same way. I had only had mine about two years when it started to rust around the little drain holes. Unless she was washing bags of coins there is really nothing she did wrong. Zippers, buttons, and snaps on clothing should not have done the damage. The Tide detergent would not have eaten away the glazing either. Good quality detergents, like Tide, have anti corrosion ingredients in them to prevent such issues. Washing machine drums are usually quality tested for that stuff.

It is just a manufacturing error. The glaze wasn't put on efficiently so it has worn out faster. She can try to pull out the drum and put new glaze on. They sell it for bathtub repair. Otherwise, not much else can be done except replace the drum or buy a new washer. She, like I, just inadvertently got a lemon for lack of a better term. It happens, and because the machine is 5 years old I seriously doubt the manufacturer will replace it unless it is under an extended warranty that covers this type of problem.

I would not recommend doing a lot of washing in it till it is fixed. She will start noticing rust spots on her clothing. I wish I could tell you something different, but it's better to tell you straight than have all of her clothes ruined with rust stains.

HTH

I recently refurbished a 10-year-old Kenmore 90 toploader that a friend was going to dump for a broken drive coupler. Part of the refurbish included replacing the basket due to rusting. There was a lot of sludge/scum residue in the outer tub and outside of the (original) basket, possibly due to the previous user's (the friend's niece @ college) laundry habits. Cold water and liquid detergent, perhaps. But I suspect the porcelain quality has been reduced as well from 15+ years ago.

Replacing the basket is not difficult, but does require a tool (which I already had) to properly handle the spanner nut. A chisel and hammer can be used as a workaround for the tool, but there's a risk of damaging the spanner nut. I found a basket on eBay for a reasonable price.

My original washing machine way back in the '60s said to leave the lid of the washer open after using it. I think it was so the basket would dry out and not rust. Decades later when our kids came home from college and did their wash, they would shut the lid after using the machine, and I didn't make a point to reopen it. Well, before long we finally had rust in the drum for the first time ever. So I am very careful to always open the lid if anyone shuts it, and we have no problems.

Thanks for the suggestions and info.
I have forwarded to my friend.

I believe a few years ago Whirlpool/Kenmore heavily advertised the advantages of their porc.enamel wash tubs and even had a "lifetime" or "limited lifetime" warranty on them. You might check with Sears or even call Whirlpool to check this out.

About the Tide: I have heard 4 different service techs say(3 of them were Sears repairmen) that Tide was "harder" on washer parts(especially the pump) than any other brand detergent. One of the Sears guys recommended Cheer, another Sears guy recommended the Sears detergent and the independent service tech recommended Wisk. The other guy from Sears didn't recommend any brand, just made the remark about Tide. The tub may have just had thin enamel that is wearing down. Would still check on the warranty.

Dadoes: Do you remember this enamel tub warranty from a few years ago?
Have you ever heard that Tide is more corrosive on parts?

I don't recall any specifics about long warranties on porcelain baskets/tubs, although it's possible. More likely that would apply to stainless steel than to porcelain. I do know that Whirlpool Calypsos (can't say about Kenmore) have a "limited lifetime" warranty on the stainless inner basket (10 years on the plastic outer tub). "Lifetime" is usually up to the discretion of the manufacturer ... the lifetime is over if parts are discontinued.

I have heard mention of Tide being corrosive, but I think that's largely anecdotal and related to pumps of yore that were metal instead plastic as they are nowadays. All detergents are similarly alkaline.