Samsung to recall 2.8 million washing machines in US

WASHINGTON: Samsung is recalling 2.8 million washing machines with a potential for a dangerous detachment of its top lid, the South Korean company and US safety officials announced Friday.

The recall delivers a new blow to the electronics giant, which has scrapped production of its flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphones due to risks of overheating batteries that can catch fire.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a statement the Samsung washing machine top “can unexpectedly detach from the washing machine chassis during use, posing a risk of injury from impact.”

Samsung received 733 reports of problems with the machines. Nine of those incidents involved injury, including a broken jaw and injured shoulder.

Samsung said in a statement the recall affects models manufactured since 2011 due to “reports highlighting the risk that the drums in these washers may lose balance, triggering excessive vibrations, resulting in the top separating from the washer.”

John Herrington, senior vice president of Samsung Electronics America, said, “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.”

Consumers with a recalled washer will be offered a free in-home repair or a rebate that can be applied towards the purchase of a new washer from Samsung or another brand.

Samsung faced a class-action lawsuit that claimed some of the washers were “exploding,” leading to potential injury or property damage.

The company, the world’s biggest maker of smartphones, recalled some 2.5 million Note 7s in 10 markets following complaints that its lithium-ion battery exploded while charging, and then had to expand that as reports emerged of replacement phones also catching fire.