Some Fear Samsung Washing Machines Are 'Time Bombs'
BOSTON (CBS) - Samsung has discontinued the sale of its fire-prone Galaxy Note 7 smartphones but it's not the only device with safety issues.
The company is also dealing with reports that some of its washing machines have exploded during use.
Andrea Gardner of Weymouth recently learned her washing machine is among those at risk of breaking apart mid-wash and she wants the company to find a solution fast.
"This is a no-brainer folks. You get these machines out. They're time bombs," she told WBZ-TV.
The affected washing machines have not been recalled even after a handful of washers have broken apart during the spin cycle.
A federal class action lawsuit claims Samsung has known about the issue for years.
Samsung says the potential safety issues are related to certain top-loading machines made between March 2011 and April 2016. Samsung is now working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission to address the safety issue.
In a statement Samsung said "customers have completed hundreds of millions of loads without incident since 2011."
Until a fix is found Samsung and the CPSC recommend using the delicate cycle.
"That's not a solution," explained Gardner.
To be on the safe side the Weymouth grandmother is no longer doing laundry during the weekly visits from her young grandson.
"Those of us who have these have potential bombs in our laundry rooms. We just need to fix this," she said.
