LG appliances washing machines

The reports, as CPSC published them

1. No one hurt

   Made Aug 21, 2013 · , sent to the company Aug 29, 2013 · , published by CPSC Sep 13, 2013

   The product, in the report: Washing nachine LG Model WT 510-1HW

   I purchased a LG Model WT 510-1HW washing machine in February 2011. In February of 2013 there was a “software update” for excessive vibrations. From 2011 to 2013, my machine would occasionally suffer from an unbalanced load, which would be difficult to clear. The machine would try to fill the tub with more water to correct the imbalance, usually unsuccessfully. After the software update, the occasional imbalance would still occur. In August of 2013, the machine made a terrible noise, which turned out to be the agitator completely unattached in the tub. The mounting bolt had become completely undone, in spite of a substantial lock washer, designed t prevent that from happening. The gear on the drive shaft is metal and the gear on the agitator is plastic. The plastic gear on the agitator was stripped. I called the LG service man who had done the original software update. He came out and said he had never seen an agitator come unattached before. He ordered the part. On August 19, 2013, [REDACTED] from Tony’s Appliances, returned to install the new agitator. The cost of the repair was $189.75. As [REDACTED] was leaving, I checked my mail and discovered a letter from LG Appliances informing me of a recall on Model WT 510-1HW washing machines due to excessive vibrations. I called LG appliances and requested reimbursement of the repair costs. After numerous calls, I received the following e mail:

   From: [REDACTED] To: [REDACTED] Cc: customerservice@lge.com Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2013 6:26:51 PM Subject: Re: LG CASE#[REDACTED]

   Dear [REDACTED], I also spoke with [REDACTED], from Tony’s Appliances. While his description of your call was much more involved then your brief description, he agreed that the agitator coming loose was a very unusual occurrence. (Did you really ask him if he “could prove in a court of law, beyond a reasonable doubt, if the software update would cause the agitator to become loose”?). WOW! Seriously, we are talking about a washing machine subject to a recall due to excessive vibration, not a felony! [REDACTED] did describe the numerous problems that have been occurring with LG washing machine models WT500 and WT510. My specific problem was not the the agitator was “cracked” as you describe. My problem was that the agitator became loose due to the mounting screw coming undone. This caused the plastic gear in the agitator to become stripped and unattached in the washing machine tub. In fact, the agitator was completely loose and bouncing around in the tub. As your engineers can certainly verify, the lock washer on the mounting screw is designed to prevent this from happening. Clearly, something very unusual caused this to “shake loose” and become undone.

   I believe it is more than a casual coincidence that this model is now subject to a recall for “excessive” vibration. I will be forwarding our communication to the Consumer Product Safety Commission with whom I have filed an incident report. I will also be posting the details of my experience with LG Model WT510, and LG’s response to inform others of LG’s commitment to stand behind their appliances.

   Sincerely, [REDACTED]

   From: [REDACTED] To: [REDACTED] Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2013 4:52:50 PM Subject: LG CASE#[REDACTED]

   Hello [REDACTED], I spoke with [REDACTED] from Tony’s Appliance he advised me he did the software update in January . He also confirmed the replacement of the cracked agitator was not due to excessive vibration nor the result of the recall. Having said that, LG will not consider reimbursement for an out of warranty repair that is not a manufacturing defect. Thank you [REDACTED] LG Electronics Alabama, Inc.?P.O. Box 240007 |Huntsville, AL 35813? [REDACTED] I believe the documented excessive vibrations of this machine caused the agitator to become loose and I think LG should issue a recall on all of these machines for the dangerous situation they create!

   [REDACTED]

   Model

   WT 510-1HW

   UPC

   ?

   Serial number

   012KWSB01390

   Bought from

   Best Buy

   Bought

   Feb 1, 2011

   Where

   Wyomissing, Pennsylvania: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 64, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand LG appliances, made or sold by LG Electronics, USA

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Incident, No Injury

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources