Maytag and Samsung Brand Front Loading Washing Machines
CPSC Recall #07-135 — March 20, 2007
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 07-135 |
| Recall Date | March 20, 2007 |
| Remedy Type | Repair |
| Units Affected | About 250,000 Maytag-brand units and about 20,000 Samsung-brand units |
| Manufacturer | Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., of South Korea |
| Manufactured In | South Korea |
Where It Was Sold
| Major department and appliance stores nationwide from April 2005 through August 2006 for between $1 |
| 000 and $1 |
| 200. |
Product
Maytag and Samsung Brand Front Loading Washing Machines
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Maytag Corp., of Newton, Iowa, and Samsung Electronics America Inc., of Ridgefield Park, N.J., are voluntarily recalling about 250,000 Maytag-brand Front Loading Washing Machines and about 20,000 Samsung-brand Front Loading Washing Machines. Water leakage onto the electrical connections to the washing machine's thermal sensor could cause an electrical short and ignite a circuit board, posing a fire hazard to consumers.Name of product: Maytag and Samsung Brand Front Loading Washing MachinesUnits: About 250,000 Maytag-brand units and about 20,000 Samsung-brand unitsDistributor: Maytag Corp., of Newton, Iowa, and Samsung Electronics America Inc., of Ridgefield Park, N.J.Manufacturer: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., of South KoreaHazard: Water leakage onto the electrical connections to the washing machine's thermal sensor could cause an electrical short and ignite a circuit board, posing a fire hazard to consumers.Incidents/Injuries: Maytag has received five reports of incidents involving ignition in the circuit board. Samsung has received one report of an incident involving ignition in the circuit board. No injuries, fires or property damage outside the washing machine have been reported.Description and Models: The recall involves certain Maytag and Samsung brand front-load washers. The Maytag washers have model numbers beginning with MAH9700 or MAH8700. The Samsung model number WF306BHW or a model number beginning with WF316. Not all serial numbers are subject to the recall. The model and serial numbers are located on a tag at the bottom of the door opening. Maytag models with a serial number ending in the last two letters identified below are subject to the recall:2005GAGCGEGGGJGLGNGPGRGTGVGX2006JAJCJEJGJJJLJN Sample Maytag Serial Number: 10123456GNSamsung models with the six-digit number 100001 through 799999 prior to a letter at the end of the serial number are subject to the recall:Sample Samsung Serial Number: 230854AL300026BSold at: Major department and appliance stores nationwide from April 2005 through August 2006 for between $1,000 and $1,200.Manufactured in: South KoreaRemedy: Consumers should immediately contact the firm for information on how to receive a free repair. Consumers should not return the washing machine to the retailer where it was purchased.Consumer Contact: For more information, consumers can call Maytag toll-free at (800) 868-5109 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or go to Maytag's Web site at www.washerrecall.com - Samsung customers can call (800) 515-7902 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or go to Samsung's Web site at www.Samsung.com/washerrecall.Maytag Media Contact: Monica Teague, (269) 923-7405 or [email protected] Media Contact: Deborah Szajngarten at (201) 229-4090 or [email protected]
Hazard
Water leakage onto the electrical connections to the washing machine's thermal sensor could cause an electrical short and ignite a circuit board, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
Incidents & Injuries
Maytag has received five reports of incidents involving ignition in the circuit board. Samsung has received one report of an incident involving ignition in the circuit board. No injuries, fires or property damage outside the washing machine have been reported.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately contact the firm for information on how to receive a free repair. Consumers should not return the washing machine to the retailer where it was purchased.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Repair at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Repair) at no cost to you.
If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident — they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.