Exploding Samsung Electronics washing machines to receive free door repairs

Explosions of Samsung washing machines have been shared online. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Samsung Electronics will start free repair services for its Bespoke Grande AI washing machines after numerous reports of the product exploding were made in recent months, causing injuries to consumers.

The Korea Consumer Agency (KCA) and Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) announced Monday that Samsung Electronics will repair the doors, exploded or not, of all Bespoke Grande AI products produced from last September to May this year for free.

Repairs will take place from Monday Aug. 22 until Nov. 30 and will be overseen by the KCA and KATS.

Consumers can request the complimentary repair of washing machine door through Samsung’s customer service hotline.

Numerous reports of the Samsung washing machines bursting apart were posted on online communities and reported by local media in recent months. Cases reported the doors of machines flying off or the door glass shattering with loud explosive sounds, even causing injuries to users.

According to one media report, a consumer in Incheon called emergency services after being injured by shattered glass from the washing machine's door on Aug. 11. The consumer first called the customer service hotline but was told no engineer could come and help, resorting to the emergency services call.

Numerous other online users also posted pictures of their Samsung washing machine's door exploding.

The manufacturer responded on Aug. 18, explaining that the exterior glass of the door may have slipped and caused the explosion if any foreign substance remained stuck on the glass after attaching the exterior glass to the door cover.

"There have been some cases recently where the door glass of some Samsung Electronics' drum washing machines came off due to poor adhesion," said the company on its website on Aug. 18.

"We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and trouble."

A total of 106,173 Bespoke Grande AI machines have been produced so far, and 91,488 of them were sold.

BY JEONG HYE-JEONG, CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]