GE Recalls 62,000 Front-load Washers Citing Injury Hazard

[joe_in_philly]

Unfortunately, I can't seem to find any pictures of washers that have suffered this fate. -Joe

(RTTNews.com) - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday that General Electric Co. (GE) has voluntary recalled 62,000 GE Profile front-loading washing machines, citing an injury hazard.

The CPSC noted that the washer's basket can separate during the final spin cycle, which in some instances can break the washer's top panel and pose an injury hazard to consumers.

GE has received 19 reports of incidents where the washer baskets separated during the final spin cycle, including ten reports of top panel breakage. However, no injuries have been reported.

The recall involves GE Profile front-load washing machines with model numbers beginning with WPDH8800, WPDH8900 and WPDH8910. All serial numbers with these models are included in the recall.

The model number is located on the washer's right side near the bottom and behind the door near the door frame visible when the door is opened.

The washing machines, manufactured between April 2008 and October 2010 in China, were sold in gold, red and white colors.

The washers were sold at Best Buy Co. Inc. (BBY), Lowe's Companies Inc. (LOW), Sears Holding Corp. (SHLD), Home Depot Inc. (HD), and other department and retail stores nationwide, from July 2008 to August 2011 for between $1,199 and $1,599.

The CPSC said that consumers should stop using recalled products immediately and contact GE for a free repair.

GE closed Wednesday's regular session at $22.91, up $0.12 or 0.53 percent on a volume of 32.93 million shares.

 

[arbilab]

Exploding basket seems going around. Anyone kept track of what brands it has NOT happened to?

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

What is the other brand this is happening to??

 

I know the problem with the LG HE top loader is due to user error.

 

Kevin

 

[tecnopolis]

Yes, LG was foolish enough to emulate GE's suspended tub principle, but instead of using STEEL attachment points, they used plastic!

 

[tecnopolis]

The model affected is the heart or Vick's lozenge shaped door models. I knew it had to be those machines made by SWAn for GE. This is what happens when you outsource to CHINA.

 

[arbilab]

What other brands?

Don't quote me, but Hotpoint and Candy just for two.

Please specify what user error can make baskets explode. The story I recall was defective welds. I seem to have deleted my photo of one such.

Photo above is of a broken suspension. Are we talking about that, or structural failure of the basket under centrifugal force?

 

[ozzie908]

Indesit

Was one over this side that made a lot of press a few years back.

Austin

 

[revvinkevin]

Don't quote me, but Hotpoint and Candy just for two.

 

 

Is this for models sold in the US or the EU?

 

As for the user error issue, from what I've seen and read on the LG top load machines here in the US (note: I have NOT read everything about this) it sounds like the majority time the user is washing "bulky" items on a "normal" cycle.   The machine spins too fast on the "normal" cycle for "bulky" items, especially if they're only washing one item.   In these instances it's a problem with the suspension breaking due to being out of balance at too high of a speed, not the tub welds failing.

 

[Iowegian]

Hopefully when GE gets their U.S. manufacturing operations built back up, they can avoid this kind of problem.

Perhaps most people are oblivious or just don't care, but personally I'd be P.O'd to find out my Profile (premium line) appliance was made in China. Adding insult to the recall injury...

At some point though the "spin RPM war" is going to have to end. Or else they'll have to put special containment devices in like the bellhousings and scattershields that drag racers use to keep clutches/flywheels/torque converters/flexplates contained when they grenade.

 

[washer111]

Personally, I hope all the top-notch executive bastards trying to sell bullshit own these washing machines... Thats right Mr. LG guy. AND Mr GE guy. I hope you have a washer explosion that RUINS your house. Maybe then you'll wake up!

Because of LG's ethnic/national background, I question whether it may be a weapon of its near, locked away, unfriendly neighbour... Located to the North of its original country...

 

[ovrphil]

how many times do we need examples of the results of China's outsourcing? Plastic attachment points - wtf!? W-T-FFFFFF?

Soon you can drive across the Bay on a Chinese made bridge..maybe they perfected the plastic hangers by now? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...ridge-built-in-China-to-be-shipped-to-US.html

Profit at any Cost(Jack Welch), eh?

 

[Iowegian]

There seem to be some signs that corporations are learning that outsourcing to China, Mexico and other places isn't the great money-making deal they thought it was going to be.

GE is making a big investment (somewhere near $1 billion) in their old Appliance Park facility in Kentucky, and Whirlpool has stated they will no longer import Mexican made washers here.

Ford is expanding their Kansas City plant to assemble the Transit Van, which will be replacing the old Econoline. Not so long ago, that might have been done in Mexico rather than Kansas City. Ford's investment in that plant is also north of $1 billion.

I hope that's just the beginning of a bigger trend.

 

[combo52]

GE FL Washer Problems

I wounder what the fix will be as it would be very expensive to replace the wash tub with a stronger one. I would not be surprised if they didn't do something like add a reinforcement under the top so when the washer flies apart it just contains the flying pieces, LOL.

 

This is one of the problems with importing major appliances from far away places, as the shipping costs eat them alive and they have every incentive to make then as thin and light weight as possible. You can really see this in the LG and Samsung appliances now once you get past the shiny exterior they are very thin and cheap, always ask the guy that works on them, LOL.

 

[pulsator]

Other machines exploding...

Looks like it's becoming a bigger problem than we think. Even Mieles have exploded! Granted, it could very well have been user error...

Consumer watchdog investigates exploding washing machines

Families are reporting exploding washing machines that have led to doors shattering and shards of glass covering their kitchen.

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[Iowegian]

Is, "Which?" the UK version of Consumer Reports?

Or are they just a big timewaster site like "http://laundry.reviewed.com/"?

 

[ovrphil]

Iowegian: Hope so, TOO. We'll see if it's more than skin deep, in action.

 

[Iowegian]

@ovrphil:

The best we can do is vote with our wallets - mine isn't as fat as I wish it was, but I still get to decide where it goes. Our desire to save a quarter on a tube of toothpaste doesn't justify moving production of Colgate to China and putting someone out of work in Indiana, IMO.

I should stop there since I'm a noob here and don't want to cross any forum boundaries.

 

[arbilab]

Unable to find a more specific description of the failure, the press releases are pastes of each other. They do show the 'lozenge' door model and one release said that was the model in question.

From the (limited) descriptions of the GE damage, the baskets are not coming unwelded as they did in Euro models. Only about half the GEs knocked the top cover loose. Basket separation literally destroys the machine like dynamite would.

 

[rinso]

Ooooopsy-Daisy, Mr. General Electric. Between this and your igniting dishwashers, (one of which I owned) it looks like the executives of your company will likely send a bunch of sacrificial, non-decision-maker, middle-management lambs to the guillotine (for eyewash and blame), while taking no responsibility themselves.