Samsung Electronics Recalls 2.8 Million Washing Machines in U.S.

(Bloomberg) -- Samsung Electronics Co. is recalling about 2.8 million washing machines in the U.S. amid reports that the top of the machine can become detached during use, adding to the company's product-related woes.  

The recall comes about a month after the company said it is discussing potential safety issues with some of its washers with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Samsung has received 733 reports of washing machines experiencing “excessive vibration or the top detaching from the washing machine chassis,” according to a Nov. 4 statement from the U.S. commission. There have been nine related reports of injuries, the commission said.

Samsung said in a Nov. 4 statement that it will offer consumers a free in-home repair of the machine, or a rebate that can be used when consumers buy a new machine. For more recent purchases, consumers can get a full refund.

This is another setback for the company, which has recently ended production of its flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphone following a global recall, a debacle estimated to ultimately cost more than $6 billion. 

Samsung also said Friday that about 85 percent of its recalled Galaxy Note 7 smartphones in the U.S. have been replaced. The company announced an expansion in the U.S. of a software patch intended to encourage the return of the remaining devices.

Samsung said that the patch caps the Note 7's battery life capacity at 60 percent and frequently notifies users of the recall. The company has urged the return of the phones since early October, when reports surfaced of the devices overheating and catching fire. The patch has already been issued in Europe and South Korea.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jiyeun Lee in Seoul at jlee1029@bloomberg.net. To contact the editors responsible for this story: Brett Miller at bmiller30@bloomberg.net, John McCluskey, Keith Gosman