Washer Dryer Recalls and Safety Alerts

Shopping for a new washer and dryer is a bit more complicated than it once was because manufacturers update their products a lot more often. There are new washers and dryers hitting the market almost as often as there are new smartphones and flat-screen TVs.

The analogy is not all that far-fetched. Washers and dryers aren't the clunky old appliances of yesteryear but today are driven by technology and sophisticated electronics.

Today, most consumers shop for these appliances at big box stores – home improvement centers like Lowes and Home Depot and electronics chains like Best Buy and HHGregg.

New features

Just as each generation of smartphone has new capabilities, appliance manufacturers are also constantly adding new features. Since the last time you bought a washing machine, for example, manufacturers have added heat and steam functions to washers to remove dust mites and pet dander.

The new machines are also quieter. Many use advanced sound-reducing material to dampen the noise. Some have a feature to reduce the vibration during the spin cycle.

Have you ever washed a load of clothes and forgotten about it until several hours later? Some new washers take that into consideration, venting in fresh air and occasionally tumbling the clothes to prevent the kind of odors that can develop when wet clothes sit for hours.

Over the last few years many washer manufacturers have added steam capability that can help root out tough stains. Some use oxygen-based cleaners to brighten clothes without bleach.

Dryers

Dryers have also added features, including sensors to automatically shut down when the clothes are dry. That helps prevent over-drying and shrinkage and can extend the life of the fabric.

Sometimes you don't really need to wash an item of clothing, you just need to freshen it up a bit. Some dryers come with a steam feature that allows you to relax wrinkles and remove odors, saving a rewash.

Need to dry something in a hurry? You can if your new dryer has an express cycle that uses a large blower to increase the airflow, drying the clothing faster.

These features appear on a wide array of washers and dryers from major manufacturers. Among the largest companies making these appliances are GE, LG, Whirlpool,Samsung, Electrolux, Frigidaire, Bosch, and Maytag.

It's a good idea to read consumer reviews for all the brands you're considering because, in the past at least, some models have drawn a large number of negative reports from consumers. In 2005 Maytag settled a class action suit over its Neptune washers.

Mold problems

According to documents filed in a suit heard in Illinois, many Maytag consumers complained of their machine functioning improperly and clothing being covered in mold, as a result of problems with the door latch, wax motor, motor control, and related circuit boards.

There are still negative reports about Maytag and other brands. Donna, of Molino, Fla., writes in a ConsumerAffairs posting that she had a problem with her three-year-old Maytag Legacy and called her repairman, whom she knew to be very honest.

“When I called and told him what type washer it was he was surprised it was working at all,” Donna wrote. “Seems they had a problem with water leaking into the transmission. Apparently I was lucky that mine had worked for as long as it did.”

Veronica, of Calgary, Alberta, had problems with her new Samsung washer.

“There was never enough water,” she writes. “Like some others, I often fill the washer with buckets of water. Though the capacity looks huge, forget trying to fill the machine, it simply won't work. If it's heavy at all it will go off balance and quit. It takes probably two to three times longer to wash a load than my old Maytag.”

Veronica notes that when she called Lowes, where she bought to machine, to complain a customer service rep told her she needed to learn how to properly operate the appliance. That could well be an issue with a number of problems consumers report with their new washers and dryers. These machines are a lot more sophisticated than previous models and may, in fact, be harder to properly operate.

Both Donna and Veronica wished they had their old washers and dryers back and there might be a lesson there. Considering what a new washer-dryer combo costs these days, if you are in the market for laundry appliances, perhaps picking up good used washers and dryers, at a fraction of the price and much simpler to operate, could fill your needs.

Maytag has announced a massive recall of 1.6 million fire-prone refrigerators. The recall includes Maytag, Jenn-Air, Amana, Admiral, Magic Chef, Performa by Maytag and Crosley brand refrigerators.

The company said that an electrical failure in the relay, the component that turns on the refrigerator's compressor, can cause overheating and pose a serious fire hazard. Maytag has received 41 reports of refrigerator relay ignition, including 16 reports of property damage ranging from smoke damage to extensive kitchen damage.

The recall includes certain Maytag, Jenn-Air, Amana, Admiral, Magic Chef, Performa by Maytag and Crosley brand side by side and top freezer refrigerators.

The recall follows reports by consumers like Christopher of Castaic, Calif. "I was awakened this evening to the smell of electrical smoke. I traced it to the motor of my fridge," he told ConsumerAffairs.com last month.

Kim of Sandy, Utah, had a similar experience.

"Our Maytag side by side refrigerator model no. MSD2756AE started to smoke out of the control panel in the door for the ice and water dispenser. I took the control panel so I could unplug it to stop the smoking," Kim said in a December 2008 review. "The solenoid was so hot it melted all the surrounding plastic to a point it was dripping. We were very lucky to be home when this started so it did not start a fire or cause more damage."

"I contacted our local Maytag repair shop and the technicain said there were no recalls and this sort of thing happens all the time with refrigerators," Kim said.

The problem is hardly a new one. Consumers have been mentioning it for years. In November 2008, Phyllis of Wendell, Mass., reported her Maytag refrigerator had caught fire.

"Thick yellow/brown smoke (was) billowing from refrigerator. After getting it outside and cooled down, saw that controls in back top of refrigerator unit had totally melted," she said.

Model numbers

The affected refrigerators were manufactured in black, bisque, white and stainless steel. They have model and serial numbers printed on a label located on the top middle or left upper side of the refrigerator liner and have the following model and serial number combinations:

Refrigerators with freezers on the bottom are not included in this recall.

The refrigerators were sold at department and appliance stores and by homebuilders nationwide from January 2001 through January 2004 for between about $350 and $1600. They were made in the United States.

Consumers should immediately contact Maytag to determine if their refrigerator is included in the recall and to schedule a free in-home repair. Consumers should not return the refrigerator to the retailer where it was purchased.

For more information, contact Maytag toll-free at (866) 533-9817 anytime, or visit the firm's Web site at www.repair.maytag.com

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

March 21, 2007
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of about 270,000 Maytag and Samsung front-loading washing machines because of a fire hazard.

Water leakage onto the electrical connections to the washing machine's thermal sensor could cause an electrical short and ignite a circuit board, the agency said.

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.

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:

Sample Maytag Serial Number: 10123456GN

Samsung 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: 230854AL300026B

The machines were sold by major department and appliance stores nationwide from April 2005 through August 2006 for between $1,000 and $1,200.

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

Whirlpool Corp. has won approval of its $1.79 billion purchase of Maytag Corp. The Justice Department today agreed the merger would not significantly reduce competition. Canadian authorities approved the merger March 14.

"We are pleased with the decision ... that the global home-appliance industry is open and competitive," said Jeff M. Fettig, Whirlpools chairman and CEO. "This transaction will result in better products, quality and service, as well as cost efficiencies, which will enhance our ability to succeed in the competitive global home-appliance industry. Consumers will benefit from a combined Whirlpool and Maytag business."

The Justice Department said that although the combined company will be producing half of the dishwashers in the United States, an investigation by its Antitrust Division found that at least five other companies are well established in the U.S., thus making it unlikely the merged company would be able to drastically raise prices.

The combined entity is expected to control more than 70 percent of the clothes washers and dryers.

Whirlpool is the largest appliance manufacturer in the U.S. Maytag is number three, behind GE Consumer products.

Whirlpool had agreed not to complete the transaction until March 30, to give the Justice Department time to review the deal.

February 1, 2006
Maytag is recalling about 2.3 million Maytag and Jenn-Air brand dishwashers because of a fire hazard.

Liquid rinse-aid can leak from its dispenser and come into contact with the dishwasher's internal wiring which can short-circuit and ignite, posing a fire hazard, the company said.

Maytag has received 135 reports of dishwasher fires, resulting in product and/or property damage. Four injuries have been reported, including three reports of smoke inhalation and one serious hand laceration when operating a fire extinguisher to put out a fire in the dishwasher.

The recall involves Maytag and Jenn-Air under counter or portable plastic tub dishwashers. The dishwashers have black, white, almond, bisque and stainless steel front panels. The following model and serial numbers are printed on a label located on the dishwasher's plastic frame on top of or to the left of the door opening. Consumers should contact Maytag to determine if their dishwasher is included in this recall.

The units were sold by department and appliance stores and by homebuilders nationwide from July 1997 through June 2001 for between $370 and $800.

Consumers should immediately stop using these dishwashers, disconnect the electric supply by shutting off the fuse or circuit breaker controlling it and inform all users of the dishwasher about the risk of fire. Contact Maytag for either a free in-home repair, or a $75 cash back reimbursement following the purchase of a new Maytag, Jenn-Air, Whirlpool or KitchenAid dishwasher. Consumers should not return the dishwasher to the retailer where it was purchased, as retailers are not prepared to take units back.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Maytag Corporation at (800) 675-0535 anytime, or visit the firm's Web site at www.repair.maytag.com

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The Maytag repairman will be lonely no more. By an overwhelming vote, Maytag shareholders have approved a proposal to join forces with rival appliance maker Whirlpool.

Maytag said the proposal was ratified on a yes vote by nearly 70 percent of the voting shareholders. The proposal only required the approval of 50 percent of the shares outstanding.

The merger is currently under review by the Justice Department. In order to facilitate the review, Maytag and Whirlpool have agreed not to close on their deal until February 27, 2006, unless the department concurs before then. Both companies say they believe the deal will be ratified in the first quarter of the year.

Maytag is a $4.8 billion home and commercial appliance company focused in North America and in targeted international markets. The companys primary brands are Maytag, Hoover, Jenn-Air, Amana, Dixie-Narco, and Jade.

By joining forces with Maytag, Whirlpool will hold about 46 percent of the market for major appliances, well ahead of General Electric, which currently controls about a quarter of the market. The acquisition is likely to get a close review by the U.S. Justice Departments anti-trust regulators.

Maytag is based in Newton, Iowa, with about 20,000 employees. Whirlpool has 68,000 employees, and produces kitchen and household appliances under the Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Roper and Admiral brand names.

Consumers writing to ConsumerAffairs.com have consistently complained about some Maytag appliances, including dishwashers and washing machines.

In April of this year Maytag settled a consumer class action suit alleging odor, mold and mildew problems with Maytag Neptune Washers. More than two million consumers were included in the class, and may receive repair reimbursements, replacement costs up to $500, and/or washing machine purchase certificates up to $1000.

September 27, 2005
Maytag is recalling about 5,000 front-loading washing machines. If the front-load washer is operated at maximum load capacity, the spinner could malfunction and break apart, posing a safety risk to consumers.

The recall involves white Maytag front-load washers with model number MAH9700 and a serial number from 10188468GA through 11683946GJ. The model and serial numbers are located inside the door opening and below the rubber boot.

The units were sold at major department and appliance stores nationwide from April 2005 through May 2005 for about $1,300.

Consumers should use care not to exceed the listed capacity of their machines, and should contact Maytag for a free in-home service call to replace the washer's control board.

Consumer Contact: Consumers can contact Maytag at (800) 462-9267 anytime, or visit the companys Web site at www.maytag.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Maytag has settled a consumer class action suit alleging odor, mold and mildew problems with Maytag Neptune Washers.

More than two million consumers are included in the class, and may receive repair reimbursements, replacement costs up to $500, and/or washing machine purchase certificates up to $1000.

According to documents filed in the Circuit Court for the State of Illinois, many Maytag consumers have complained of their machine functioning improperly and clothing covered in mold, as a result of problems with the door latch, wax motor, motor control, and related circuit boards.

"The stench was awful," said Anne of Treasure Island, Fla., in a complaint to ConsumerAffairs.com. "I was told to wash the boot and the gasket in the door once a week. Use only a certain detergent. Wipe the door and the inside down with bleach once a week and then leave the door open for 2 hours after each washing."

"I was washing my washer more than I was washing my laundry," she said.

Under the settlement, those who purchased a Maytag Neptune Front-Load Washing Machine (any model, including stackables) any time between April 1, 1997 to August 9, 2004 are entitled to one or more of the following remedies:

a) Repair Reimbursements, defined as any reasonable out-of-pocket costs related to repairs prior to August 9, 2004 for problems mentioned in the suit.

b) Replacement Costs of up to $500, subject to depreciation, for each Maytag customer who replaced their Maytag Neptune Washer prior to August 9, 2004 as a result of the problems mentioned in the suit.

c) Washing Machine Purchase Certificates of up to $1000, if class member suffer the problems mentioned in the suit, and Maytag can't repair the condition. The value of the certificate is based on the age of the machine. The certificates may be used for the purchase of a new Neptune Washer. Maytag will also cover delivery of the new machine and disposal of the old unit.

What To Do

To qualify for a remedy, consumers must complete and send in a claim form. Claim forms can be obtained by calling 866-288-0515 or visiting the class action website, www.maytagfrontloadsettlement.com. All claim forms must be sent back in by August 9, 2005.

February 25, 2005
About 162,000 Whirlpool and Kenmore dishwashers are being recalled. An electrical defect in the motor wiring poses a risk of the motor overheating and possibly catching fire.

Whirlpool Corporation has received three reports of overheated wash motors. There are no reports of personal injury or property damage.

The recalled products are Whirlpool brand and Kenmore brand (made by Whirlpool Corporation) under-the-counter, plastic tall tub dishwashers. The dishwashers come with black, white, biscuit, or stainless front panels. They have the following model and serial numbers located inside the tub on a tag near the left side of the door opening:

Department and appliance stores and homebuilders nationwide sold the dishwashers from June 2004 through January 2005 for between $350 and $600.

Consumers with one of these dishwashers should immediately stop using it, disconnect the electric supply by shutting off the fuse or circuit breaker controlling it, and inform all users of the dishwasher not to use it due to the risk of fire.

Call Whirlpool Corporation to schedule a free, in-home repair. Please have the serial number and model number of the dishwasher available for the call. Please do not return the dishwasher to the retailer where it was purchased, as retailers are not prepared to take them back.

If you own a Whirlpool brand and Kenmore brand under-the-counter plastic tall tub dishwasher and have had service on your wash motor between August 2004 and January 2005, please call Whirlpool Corporation to determine if your unit is included in this recall and to schedule a free, in-home inspection.

Call Whirlpool Corporation toll free at (866) 769-7260 anytime, or go to the firms Web site at repair.whirlpool.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).