There is a saying that goes, “misfortunes never come singly,” and this seems to be the case for Samsung Electronics Co. this year. Less than a month after the worldwide recall of fire-prone Galaxy Note7, Samsung announced on Friday (local time) a voluntary recall of certain top-load washers sold in the Northern American market since March 2011.

The recall involves 2.8 million units of washing machines across 34 different models. There have been 733 reports of washing machines experiencing excessive vibration or the top detaching from the washing machine chassis, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). This is said to occur when a high-speed spin cycle is used for bedding, water-resistant or bulky items and presents an injury risk to consumers.

“Our priority is to reduce any safety risks in the home and to provide our customers with easy and simple choices in response to the recall,” says John Herrington, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Home Appliances, Samsung Electronics America. “We are moving quickly and in partnership with the CPSC to ensure consumers know the options available to them and that any disruption in the home is minimized.”

Samsung is providing a few options for its customers that are affected by this recall: a free in-home repair that includes reinforcement of the washer’s top and a free one-year extension of the manufacturer’s warranty; a rebate that can be applied towards the purchase of a new Samsung or other brand washing machine, along with free installation of the new unit and removal of old unit; or a full refund for consumers who purchased their washing machine within the past 30 days of the recall announcement.

Any consumer who opts for another Samsung washer as a replacement will receive an additional loyalty incentive up to $150.

Additionally, Samsung will send every single known washer owner a Home Label Kit that includes warning labels, a new control panel guide and instructions for applying them to the machine.

Owners of the recalled washers are advised to only use the delicate or waterproof cycles when washing bedding, water-resistant or bulky items, as the lower speeds lessens the risk of injury.

By Lee Dong-in

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