With recent incident.
Samsung Australia has investigated the circumstances surrounding an incident that occurred on Friday July 8. The incident involved a Samsung washing machine owned by Glenhaven, NSW resident Phoebe Teitzel (pictured below), who has reportedly sustained minor smoke damage.
She believed her Samsung top loader was safe to use because one year earlier she was told her machine, despite being on the recall list, had already been repaired before she bought it.
In response to an email from Teitzel in May 2015, a product safety officer assured her that based on the serial number, her unit was manufactured after February 28, 2013, and therefore had been “modified”. This assessment was incorrect as the machine was manufactured in January 2013 and the fault had never been repaired.
In a statement supplied to Appliance Retailer, the company said: “Samsung can confirm the top loader washing machine under investigation was manufactured in January of 2013, and was not modified or reworked in connection with Samsung’s ongoing top loader recall.
“Post a thorough investigation, Samsung has determined that Ms Teitzel was incorrectly advised via email in 2015 that her appliance was not part of the recall. Samsung unreservedly apologises for this error and the potential risk to Ms Teitzel and her family.”
Following the incident, Samsung has undertaken a full review of its associated processes to ensure that no other consumer has been affected, and to implement relevant improvements to ensure that this error does not occur again.
The latest program summary of Samsung’s ongoing product safety recall for six models of its top loader washing machines reveals that 79% of machines have been resolved (reworked, refunded or replaced).