SaferProducts incident

Failure type

Fire / ignition

Incident narrative

SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20231115-3CED7-2147343994. Severity: Incident, No Injury. Product: Samsung WA55A7300AE (Samsung 5.5 cu. ft. Smart High-Efficiency Top Load Washer with Impeller and Super Speed in Ivory, ENERGY STAR Model # WA55A7300AE Serial # 01H057BW104413E). Incident: Samsung is refusing to replace my washing machine that actually caught on fire. The technician came out and said that the washing machine control panel was part of their 2021-2022 software recall, and had to do a video call with the Samsung representative who decides whether or not the technician has to replace the parts or replace the unit. Even with obvious fire damage, black smut and melted plastic and wires, proof that the representative was shown over the phone, the representative told the technician to just replace the damaged parts. To top it off, he replaced the burned up control panel with another control panel that is part of the same recall!!! The technician actually told me to take a picture of the part number for future reference because he said that it is probable that a fire could occur again. He also said that he wouldn't feel safe having the washing machine plugged into his own home, and he instructed me not to wash clothes at night or while I am not home. The professional technician himself claimed the product is not safe and that the representative from Samsung made the wrong decision not to replace the unit entirely. Once the technician left, I called 1-800-SAMSUNG. After speaking with 5 different samsung representatives, several dropped calls and refusal to allow me to speak to a supervisor or manager, I have no resolution to my broken washing machine. One representative claimed that my washing machine was not part of the ones that were recalled, even though the technician said that it definitely was. And several others said that they couldn't replace t