Exploding Whirlpool Washer in MN.

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Looks to be a 1400RPM model. Is there a reason why all WP Duets sold are now only 1200RPM? The "Whistling" sound indicates to me that it was ramping up to its full final 1400RPM when this took place, it is possible an article shifted or it just went into spin unbalanced and somehow managed to reach 1400rpm possibly loosening the shocks, judging by the position of the tub, the front shocks let go.

Nonetheless, Its good to see Whirlpool stepping up and buying them a new washer and dryer no questions asked...unlike Samsung and LG.
 
Given that she didn't load it with something waterthight, and that she heared a high whisteling sound, this could verry well be a bearing issue.
Or, thinking about it, maybe its the balancing ring?

However with these stories I am always somewhat hesitant. Such dramatic failures are extremly uncommon for bearings.
 
I cringed when I saw this story.Thankfully WP did step up and do the right thing. I know there are those of us who hates Whirlpool for "destroying" other companies but I have had good service from all the products I have purchased from them over the years. I hope they correct their problems quickly.
 
but did Whirlpool respond because of the issue, and will start a recall?...

or did they step up because of KARE-TV 11 News?....

note they didn't respond to KARE-TV right away....as mentioned, they had issues trying to get a response from Whirlpool....

I think Whirlpool should have responded way before KARE-TV even called....
 
Exploding Top Loaders?

The above comment has aroused my curiosity: are there any recent episodes of top loading washers exploding? Not counting the top and front loading Samsungs...
 
It could have been a bearing failure that caused the tub shaft to fail spectacularly like when wheel bearings seize up and cause a wheel to leave a car or trailer because everything gets so hot the spindle sort of melts/breaks. If the tub shaft had broken, it would explain why the tub dropped back, wrecking the machine and blowing bearings all over. That could be a new euphemism for any number of disgusting bodily functions. I wish there had been a security camera filming this. That door boot sticking out looked like it had given birth several many times to oversized somethings.
 
Until a few years ago I'd never heard of washing machines that violently disintegrate during the spin cycle. Maybe it's part of the new eco-intuitive design. When the machine decides to terminate itself to make way for an updated, more eco-friendly replacement, it goes bananas and rips its own guts out.

Unless, someone is able to hack these machines from Russia or some such place and make them explode. Imagine millions of washing machines all exploding at once throughout the developed world. Spectacular!
 
I believe there were also two cases in Texas and another one in Arizona and at least one Maytag Maxima (Duet sibling) that exploded.

But I don't have enough details about them, just news like the above case.
 
Someone will die

We have been over this like at least 10 times by now...

There are literally millions of FLs out there.

There have been lets say 100 cases of them failing in that way.
In at least half of them there was enough doubt about loading, maintanance and other faults that were there beforehand which could have contributed towards such a failure that it was safe to say that it was not manufacturers fault.

In the rest, there was the verry reasonable possibility that it was manufacturing defect.

Before I am scared of dying by unplanned rapind disassembly of a washing machine I am scared of my car airbags or by salmonella.
 
Our vintage machines don’t explode.They usually shut off if improperly loaded. Our old front loaders were often bolted to the ground or were so heavy it didn’t matter. Facts are facts. I don’t know what German machines do. If they don’t explode, good for you. I’m done with this stupid argument. If you all want to carry on about it, fine. I don’t care!
 
Exploding FL's #'s

There have been a total of 5 WP Duets that have exploded. One of which was actually an older WP duet with the belt drive. 5 Maytag Maximas. 2 Samsung FL'ers which have also blown up, 1 LG and 2 GE's as well.

These were sourced from safer products, Youtube, an Amazon review and news feeds.

One GE explosion cited the spider blowing apart during its high RPM spin caused the machine to blow up.
 
Looks like manufacturers feel they crossed a line allowing these giant-capacity machines and their huge drums spin at 1400 rpm. I loved spinning huge loads of bath linens at 1400 in the Maytag 8100, but often wondered if the stress of spinning a BobLoad at that speed was putting an undue amount of stress on the suspension, etc.

My top-loading Speed Queen spins at a leisurely 720 rpm, but since the dryer reaches temperatures rivaling the surface of the sun, loads of towels dry surprisingly quickly, LOL.
 

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