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Samsung has confirmed it is in talks with US consumer watchdogs after a lawsuit against the firm over "exploding" washing machines.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned of problems with some of Samsung's top-load machines.

It comes as a US law firm filed a suit against the South Korean firm, saying the fault can lead to injury or damage.

Models sold outside North America are not affected by this issue, a spokesperson said.

The problems follow Samsung's global recall of its Note 7 smartphone over "exploding" batteries.

Both Samsung and the CPSC said that certain top-loading washing machines from March 2011 to April 2016 were affected.

"In rare cases, affected units may experience abnormal vibrations that could pose a risk of personal injury or property damage when washing bedding, bulky or water-resistant items," Samsung said.

Check your serial number

The company advises consumers with affected models to use the lower-speed delicate cycle when washing those materials.

Samsung does not name the models, but allows customers to enter the serial number to see whether their machine is among those affected.

The firm also faces a suit from a US law firm which alleges that some of its "top-loading washing machines explode in owners' homes," leading to potential injury or damage, according to attorney Jason Lichtman.

"Users have reported Samsung top-load washers exploding as early as the day of installation, while other owners have seen their machines explode months or even more than a year after purchase," the firm said in a statement.

Image copyright Ariel Gonzalez Image caption A burnt Samsung Galaxy Note 7

The faulty washing machines come right as Samsung is in the midst of a global recall of its flagship smartphone Galaxy Note 7.

The company was forced to urge 2.5 million phones to be returned because of faulty batteries causing some phones to catch fire and users reporting "exploding devices".

Samsung said on Thursday it would start selling new Galaxy Note 7 smartphones in South Korea this week.

The revamped smartphone will start being sold in other markets, including some European countries, on 28 October.

A Samsung spokeswoman said: "We would like to reassure everyone that new Note 7 phones are operating properly and pose no safety concerns."</s>One Georgia mom was pulling clothes from the dryer, with her 4-year-old son nearby, when she heard the boom and saw the damage. Another woman thought something had crashed through her roof. In one instance, metal shards flung into a hallway and ripped holes in the wall. Laundry rooms have flooded. A whole house shook.

The cause of this carnage, according to a federal class action lawsuit filed last month, is another exploding product made by Samsung.

It’s not the sort of explosion, as with the lithium ion batteries in phones, caused by chemical reactions. Some washing machines, the suit alleges, vibrate violently under heavy loads causing the tub to “become unfastened, resulting in a dramatic centrifugal explosion that destroys the machine and nearby property.”

The lawsuit alleges that Samsung has known of its exploding washing machine problem for years and did little to warn consumers. The plaintiffs — three women from Texas, Indiana and Georgia — demanded, among other things, the immediate release of a safety warning about the top-loading washing machines in question.

On Wednesday, more than a month after the lawsuit was filed, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a statement about “safety issues” with Samsung washers.

In a statement released on its website, CPSC said it is “actively and cooperatively working with Samsung to address safety issues related to certain top-load washing machines made between March 2011 and April 2016.”

It did not specify which models are potentially dangerous, but the lawsuit alleged there were at least 11.

This warning comes just weeks after Samsung recalled its Galaxy Note 7 cellphone after the gadget began exploding in consumers’ pockets, vehicles and airplanes.

The news of another exploding Samsung product offered the internet plenty of fodder.

One person tweeted, “I’ve got to be honest. I’m kind of into Samsung’s new EXPLODING design trend. It takes risks, it’s not afraid to think different.”

Samsung, for its part, declined to comment on pending litigation, according to CNN, but released a statement on its website addressing the CPSC warning.

As of right now, the CPSC and Samsung advise owners of the company’s top-loading washing machines to use lower speeds, such as the delicate cycle, when washing bedding, bulky clothes or water-resistant materials.

“There have been no reported incidents when using this cycle,” Samsung said in the statement.

Most of the exploding machine examples documented in the lawsuit — from the plaintiff’s experiences, news articles and complaints on the CPSC website SaferProducts.gov — occurred in 2015.

In its statement, Samsung called these incidents “rare” and said affected units “may experience abnormal vibrations that could pose a risk of personal injury or property damage.”

“It is important to note that Samsung customers have completed hundreds of millions of loads without incident since 2011,” the Samsung statement said.

The lawsuit, however, paints a far more dire picture.

Photos included in the filing show the tops blown entirely off the washing machines. Some lurched so violently, the lawsuit alleges, that the machines spun and jumped from their original positions. Holes were punched into drywall, and nearby appliances were dented or scratched.

Melissa Thaxton, a plaintiff from Dallas, Georgia, was standing next to her washing machine, unloading clothes from the dryer, when it exploded. Thaxton said it sounded as if “a bomb went off,” according to the lawsuit. Her 4-year-old son was playing nearby.

One person wrote that the affected machine was washing a partial load when, during the spin cycle, it “broke free, throwing itself against walls and throwing parts and water everywhere. Had someone been nearby they could have been severely injured.”

Another woman said she heard a “violent sounding commotion” coming from the laundry room one night. She yelled for her husband and found her 2-month-old washing machine “lying on its side, the lid completely blown off, the sides of the machine expanded outward, the internal drums now thrown behind the machine on the floor, the machine itself thrown across the room, and shards of metal and plastic lying everywhere.” The floor was covered in water, according to the complaint, and the garage door was dented from the force of the exploding materials.

“Samsung knowingly, affirmatively and actively misrepresented and concealed the true character, quality and nature of the washing machines and sold the washing machines into the stream of commerce as if they were safe for use,” the lawsuit alleges.

It called on Samsung to take “corrective action” by, in addition to releasing a consumer warning, issuing a national recall, discontinuing the manufacture and distribution of the affected machines and informing the public of the pending class action lawsuit lodged against the company.

The lawsuit also accuses Samsung of destroying evidence related to the defective washing machines.

In its statements Wednesday, Samsung and CPSC said they are working on a “remedy” that will “help ensure that there are no further incidents” but gave no further information.

The safety commission said additional incidents should be reported at SaferProducts.gov, and Samsung provided a link for consumers to check if their serial number matches the models deemed defective.

“Your safety is our top concern,” the company said.</s>Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said it was working with a U.S. consumer product safety regulator to address safety issues related to some of its top-load washing machines.

The world's top smartphone maker is already reeling from a global recall of at least 2.5 million Note 7 smartphones in 10 markets due to faulty batteries causing some phones to catch fire.

Samsung said it was in "active discussions" with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to address potential safety issues of some of its top-load washing machines manufactured between March 2011 and April 2016. bit.ly/2db232k

"Affected units may experience abnormal vibrations that could pose a risk of personal injury or property damage when washing bedding, bulky or water-resistant items," the company said.

CPSC said it was advising consumers to only use the delicate cycle when washing bedding, water-resistant and bulky items.bit.ly/2cDhpxx (Reporting by Subrat Patnaik in Bengaluru; Editing by Sunil Nair)</s>Samsung Electronics, which is already reeling from a global recall of its Note 7 smartphones, said on Thursday it is in talks with a U.S. watchdog to address potential safety problems related to some of its washing machines.

The South Korean tech company’s comments came as the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned of problems with some of Samsung’s top-load washing machines, following media reports that they had exploded.

Certain top-load washing machines made between March 2011 and April 2016 were affected, both the company and the CPSC said.

“In rare cases, affected units may experience abnormal vibrations that could pose a risk of personal injury or property damage when washing bedding, bulky or water-resistant items,” Samsung said on its website.

The company said consumers with affected models should use the lower speed delicate cycle when washing those materials.

Samsung did not mention the models impacted but asked customers to enter their washing machine’s serial number to determine if their machine is affected.

It was not immediately known how many units were involved, but a Samsung spokesperson said models sold outside North America are not affected by the issue.

Samsung is also facing a lawsuit from U.S. customers who, according to a filing in a New Jersey court on Aug. 12., said their machines “explode during normal use.”

Samsung, the world’s top smartphone maker, announced on Sept. 2 a global recall of at least 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 smartphones in 10 markets due to faulty batteries causing some phones to catch fire.

Its shares seemed to have shrugged off the latest setback for the company, rising 3.2 percent as of 0327 GMT on Thursday, versus the wider market’s 0.9 percent gain.</s>Samsung, which is already in the middle of a massive recall of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, has confirmed the company’s washing machines are now catching fire as well.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a statement on September 28 warning consumers about exploding washing machines from the Korean giant.

“It is important to note that Samsung customers have completed hundreds of millions of loads without incident since 2011,” Samsung said in a statement, following the CPSC warning.

Samsung and the CPSC said the affected units are all top loading-washing machines manufactured between March 2011 and April 2016.

“In rare cases, affected units may experience abnormal vibrations that could pose a risk of personal injury or property damage when washing bedding, bulky or water-resistant items,” Samsung said on its website.

Samsung advised consumers with affected models to use only the delicate and lower speed cycle when washing these items.

Melissa Thaxton, 32, from Georgia, US, said she was standing next to the running machine when it exploded in a special report aired on ABC News.

“It was the loudest sound. It sounded like a bomb went off in my ear. There were wires, nuts, the cover actually was laying on the floor,” she said.

CPSC and Samsung are working on a remedy for affected consumers but neither have specified the cause of the explosions.

It was not immediately known how many units were affected and whether the problem is limited to the United States.

Consumers should report any incidents to CPSC via their website www.SaferProducts.gov.

A lawsuit filed in New Jersey in August, claims that the company “has moved aggressively to collect and destroy all evidence of the defective machines” after they exploded.

US authorities officially recalled one million Samsung phones earlier this month after dozens of the devices blew up.

Samsung had previously issued a voluntary recall of the flaming phones, but US regulators have taken matters into their own hands, after almost 100 cases of the phones catching fire, causing injuries and destroying property.</s>The South Korean tech company's comments came as the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned of problems with some of Samsung's top-load washing machines, following media reports that they had exploded.

Certain top-load washing machines made between March 2011 and April 2016 were affected, both the company and the CPSC said.

"In rare cases, affected units may experience abnormal vibrations that could pose a risk of personal injury or property damage when washing bedding, bulky or water-resistant items," Samsung said on its website.

The company said consumers with affected models should use the lower speed delicate cycle when washing those materials.

Samsung did not mention the models impacted but asked customers to enter their washing machine's serial number to determine if their machine is affected.

It was not immediately known how many units were affected and whether the problem is limited to the United States.

Samsung is also facing a lawsuit from U.S. customers who, according to a filing in a New Jersey court on Aug. 12., said their machines "explode during normal use".

The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Samsung, the world's top smartphone maker, announced on Sept. 2 a global recall of at least 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 smartphones in 10 markets due to faulty batteries causing some phones to catch fire.

Its shares seemed to have shrugged off the latest setback for the company, rising 3.2 percent as of 0327 GMT on Thursday, versus the wider market's 0.9 percent gain.</s>TORONTO — Samsung is warning consumers to take care when using its top-loading washing machines, which can explode during normal use involving large items like bedding.

The company, which is working with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to address the safety issues, said certain machines made between March 2011 and April 2016 may be affected.

The warnings come amid claims that some Samsung washing machines have shaken apart or exploded when heavy loads cause the tub to vibrate dramatically, posing a risk of injury or property damage.

The company advises consumers to use the delicate cycle because of the slower spin cycle.

A class-action suit filed Aug. 12 in a U.S. district court in New Jersey has three named plaintiffs in the states of Texas, Indiana and Georgia seeking to represent U.S. residents who purchased the machines for household use.

Among other things, the suit filed by the law firm Lieff Cabraser seeks declarations that the machines are defective, a recall or warning to prevent injuries and damages, and financial compensation for losses and costs associated with the machines.</s>Samsung, maker of the troubled Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, has another problem on its hands.

U.S. regulators on Wednesday warned owners of certain top-loading Samsung washing machines of "safety issues" following reports that some have exploded.

The warning, from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, covered machines made between March 2011 and April 2016. It did not specify a model.

The commission suggested people use only the delicate cycle to wash bedding and water-resistant and bulky items because the lower spin speed "lessens the risk of impact injuries or property damage due to the washing machine becoming dislodged."

The agency said it is working with Samsung on a remedy.

The warning comes more than a month after Samsung was hit with a federal class-action lawsuit by customers who said their machines had exploded during use.

Customers in Texas, Georgia and Indiana all said they were washing clothes when they heard a violent boom.

A washer belonging to a McAllen, Texas, woman "exploded with such ferocity that it penetrated the interior wall of her garage," according to court filings. A woman in Dallas, Georgia, said it felt and sounded as if "a bomb went off."

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New Jersey, references similar reports collected by local news and filed online with regulators. It also claims Samsung "has moved aggressively to collect and destroy all evidence of the defective machines" after they exploded.

Related: Samsung customer says his new Note 7 phone burst into flames

Samsung declined comment on the litigation. It directed CNNMoney to a statement on its website that says the company is talking to U.S. authorities about how to address potential safety problems.

"In rare cases, affected units may experience abnormal vibrations that could pose a risk of personal injury or property damage when washing bedding, bulky or water-resistant items," the statement says.

Samsung also said its customers "have completed hundreds of millions of loads without incident since 2011."

A call to the law firm that filed the complaint was not immediately returned.

Samsung (SSNLF) earlier this month said it would replace 2.5 million of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones after reports of battery fires. And this week, a tech worker in China, which was not part of the recall, told CNNMoney that his device burst into flames while charging.</s>Samsung is in discussions about “potential safety issues” concerning some of its washing machines after a class-action lawsuit complained the appliances were exploding, the company said Wednesday.

The news comes after the South Korean electronics giant recalled millions of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones following a series of battery explosions.

Samsung is “in active discussions” with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission on issues with top-load washing machines manufactured between March 2011 and April 2016, a company statement said.

“In rare cases, affected units may experience abnormal vibrations that could pose a risk of personal injury or property damage when washing bedding, bulky or water-resistant items,” it said.

Samsung recommended consumers use the “lower speed delicate cycle” when washing bedding or bulky items until it can offer additional information or remedies.

The safety commission confirmed it is in discussions with Samsung and that they are “working on a remedy for affected consumers.”

A US law firm has filed suit in New Jersey “alleging that some Samsung top-loading washing machines explode in owners homes,” leading to potential injury or damage, attorney Jason Lichtman said earlier on Wednesday.

“Users have reported Samsung top-load washers exploding as early as the day of installation, while other owners have seen their machines explode months or even more than a year after purchase,” the firm said in a statement.

Samsung — the world’s largest maker of smartphones as well as mobile phones in general — suffered a major blow to its prestige when it was forced to recall some 2.5 million of its flagship smartphones after some users complained that batteries had caught fire while charging.

The recall affects phones sold in 10 countries, including around one million sold in the United States.</s>Samsung says it is working with Health Canada to address potential safety issues with certain top-loading, high-efficiency washing machines that can vibrate to the point where they could pose a risk of injury or property damage.

The company says washing bedding, bulky or water-resistant items at certain settings may cause the washers to experience abnormal vibrations, and it is advising customers to only use the delicate cycle when washing those items.

The warning applies to washers that were manufactured between March 2011 and April 2016.

Samsung says some machines sold under its name and the Kenmore brand may be affected.

On its website, Samsung says people can enter their 15-digit serial number located at the rear of the washer to verify whether their washing machine is part of the notice.

There have been no reports of personal injury in Canada.

Samsung’s Canadian arm also provides a toll-free phone number and links to two special websites with instructions for Samsung and Kenmore machines.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns that Samsung washing machines may explode if washing heavy load items at high speeds.