Just as Samsung has begun putting its Galaxy Note7 battery issues behind it, the company is in the spotlight again over 21 reported cases of “exploding” top-load washers.
According to a statement issued yesterday by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the agency is working with Samsung “to address safety issues related to certain top-load washing machines” manufactured between March 2011 and this past April.
Front-load washers are not affected.
The statement was prompted by an ABC News report that aired yesterday on “Good Morning America” (GMA), in which two owners described how their washers “flew apart”:
According to an attorney representing several owners suing Samsung, the problem stems from the support rods that hold the washers’ tubs in place. He said the rods can become unfastened during the spin cycle, dislodging the rapidly spinning tubs and causing the washers to burst.
Samsung said that customers have completed “hundreds of millions of loads without incident since 2011,” but acknowledged that in rare cases “affected units may experience abnormal vibrations that could pose a risk of personal injury or property damage when washing bedding, bulky or water-resistant items.”
Samsung and the CPSC are recommending that consumers with affected models use the lower-speed delicate cycle when washing those types of loads, which “lessens the risk of impact injuries or property damage,” the agency said.
Both are working on a remedy, and Samsung has established a web page and a hotline to help owners determine if their models are affected.
