SaferProducts incident

Failure type

Fire / ignition

Incident narrative

SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20241007-AB5AA-4932222. Severity: Incident, No Injury. Product: Kenmore 20232 (Type 587-20) (top-load, washing machine). Incident: 10/6/2024: The washer became stuck in the drain cycle. He can hear the vacuum motor, but the washer will not move. He tripped the breaker for a few minutes, unplugged the washer and plugged it back into the wall outlet. When he turned the washer back on, it was stuck on that same cycle. He then repeated those steps for approximately 15 - 20 minutes, but the washer was still stuck. If this was left unattended, the washer�s motor could run continuously and possible lead to a fire. When he first noticed the issue, he had no idea how long it was stuck on that cycle. However, he started his last load of clothes nearly 2 hours prior to discovering the issue. 10/7/2024: He called the manufacturer�s Customer Service Number. Their rep. told him that they could send a technician out for $119.00 to diagnose the issue. The consumer noted that he did not want to pay for this repair, because he did not cause it, and the machine was purchased last year. He asked to speak with a higher authority. He was told that he would be directed to their Escalations Department but was not able to speak with a person. The consumer later called a number for the brand name company and spoke with [REDACTED], who suggested that he call CPSC�s Hotline.