DETROIT — Sears Holdings Corp. must face a group lawsuit by consumers in six states claiming the company’s Kenmore-brand washers have a defect that causes mold, an Appeals Court said Tuesday.

The US Court of Appeals in Chicago reversed an earlier ruling that barred consumers from pursuing their claims as a class, or group, action. The plaintiffs contend the front-loading machines, made by Whirlpool Corp. and sold by Sears under the Kenmore brand, don't clean themselves adequately, leading to mold.