After Phones, Now Reports Of Samsung Washing Machines Exploding

By Sowmya Venkataramani - 30 Sep '16 17:19PM

Samsung's woes just got worse. Close on the heels of the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, Samsung has a new problem - exploding washing machines.

A federal class action suit has been filed against Samsung for selling washing machines that explode.

The lawsuit alleges that Samsung was aware of the problem but did nothing to warn customers. The plaintiffs in the case are demanding that the product be recalled, a safety warning be issued, and the manufacturing and distribution of the product be ceased.

According to the company, the problem occurs while washing certain kinds of items although it didn't specify which models were affected. It has said that the problem is confined to top-loading washing machines manufactured between March 2011 and April 2016 that have been sold in the US.

A statement released by Samsung and the Consumer Product Safety Commission states 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."

The Commission has stated that it is actively working with the company to handle the safety concerns and arrive at a "remedy".

In the meanwhile, the company has advised customers to use in the lower-speed delicate cycle to wash items that may cause the vibrations. Samsung also pointed out that customers have "completed hundreds of millions of loads without incident since 2011."

The lawsuit however highlights a scary picture. One of the plaintiffs Melissa Thaxton states in the lawsuit that she was next to her machine when it exploded, sounding like "a bomb went off."

One complaint available on the SaferProducts.gov shows how dangerous it can get. According to the user, the machine, during the spin cycle, simply "broke free, throwing itself against walls and throwing parts and water everywhere. Had someone been nearby they could have been severely injured."

Samsung has provided a resource for consumers to check if their washing machines have the serial numbers that are affected by the defect.