Washing machine broken glass!

[Deleted User]

JJ_Egan wrote: »

My cracked WM glass was due to an item in a pocket .

Yes, usually coins or keys. The OP has apparently "carefully checked" the clothing for such foreign objects, but it's likely any such would now be caught in the filter or water outlet. This would be easily detected by any engineer employed to give a report.

As others have said, four years on, it's probably wiser to just replace the part than to risk the cost of an engineer's report not in the OP's favour.

Honeylife

richpoortyke wrote: »

Hi I hope someone can help


Yesterday my washing machine while on one of its last spins started making a terrible noise (crack) and I walked in to notice a large crack appearing on the glass part of the door. I quickly stopped the washer to avoid it getting any worse.
On inspecting it afterwards I noticed the crack was almost end to end and feels very fragile. Also a hole has appeared at the top of it. Obviously very concerned from a safety point of view as if id left it any longer that could have been a lot worse.
Now I have a washing machine (4 years old) that I cannot use and through no fault of my own
I live alone so only use the washer once or twice a week and im meticulous when placing clothes in there as in not to overfill and also checking for any foreign objects.
I checked the clothes that came out of the washer and nothing in there as expected to cause any damage.
Im very shocked a washing machine break in this way.
Any advice on how to go forward with this please? Its out of warranty but feel I have a genuine case of a product that has failed to live up to safety standards as well as failing after what is relatively a short life based on the amount of usage.
Thanks for any help

My experience:

My washing machine (just a month out of guarantee) blew up/Exploded and scattered glass all over the kitchen embedding a dangerous shard in the fridge opposite! The clothes within were shredded! Fortunately we had a year before re-wired and put all the electric switches above the counter near the door so was able to carefully reach in and turn the still spinning machine off.

Complained to the manufacturer - yes Beko - who sent someone around the next day to look at it but they offered no resolution. Contacted Trading Standards, BBC Watchdog, Which Consumers, the Local Paper and the Seller - John Lewis Partnership. Was literally swinging between Hysterical and or Angry as have two very young grandchildren regularly visiting and who usually play in kitchen so can keep an eye on them when am in there. Went online and discovered loads of others who had experienced similar exploding washing machines, it had been happening to in the past 10 years. Various manufacturers, but Beko was well known with one of the highest episodes.

https://www.which.co.uk/news/2016/04/hundreds-of-exploding-washing-machines-uncovered-by-which-440091/
and this
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/shortcuts/2016/nov/09/how-dangerous-is-your-washing-machine

Told John Lewis that the local rag was coming over to do a feature and would be publicly blaming them for not making sure their product was fit for purpose and safe.

Twenty four hours later, some head honcho agreed to a brand new replacement machine of my choice plus a reasonable cheque (I refused to accept JL vouchers) to compensate for the ruined clothes. Also insisted the new machine had a five year guarantee included and they take the blown up machine away at no charge.

Was told by Trading Standards that the new machines have thinner door glass and the higher spins on the machines are not conducive to work well with this thinner glass. The manufacturers try to persuade the consumers that it is their fault ie something like a coin was in the machine. This is totally inaccurate.

Now never use the 1400spin on the machine. Also never go in the Kitchen when the washing machine is on!! :eek::eek:

Take loads of pictures. Contact your local Trading Standards explain that you were terrified it could have exploded and caused a serious injury. Make sure you know what you want before you start any negotiations and complaints.

1. New machine replacement?
2. Just a new door replacement?
3.. Compensation
4. What?

KatrinaWaves

My experience:

My washing machine (just a month out of guarantee) blew up/Exploded and scattered glass all over the kitchen embedding a dangerous shard in the fridge opposite! The clothes within were shredded! Fortunately we had a year before re-wired and put all the electric switches above the counter near the door so was able to carefully reach in and turn the still spinning machine off.

Complained to the manufacturer - yes Beko - who sent someone around the next day to look at it but they offered no resolution. Contacted Trading Standards, BBC Watchdog, Which Consumers, the Local Paper and the Seller - John Lewis Partnership. Was literally swinging between Hysterical and or Angry as have two very young grandchildren regularly visiting and who usually play in kitchen so can keep an eye on them when am in there. Went online and discovered loads of others who had experienced similar exploding washing machines, it had been happening to in the past 10 years. Various manufacturers, but Beko was well known with one of the highest episodes.

https://www.which.co.uk/news/2016/04/hundreds-of-exploding-washing-machines-uncovered-by-which-440091/
and this
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/shortcuts/2016/nov/09/how-dangerous-is-your-washing-machine

Told John Lewis that the local rag was coming over to do a feature and would be publicly blaming them for not making sure their product was fit for purpose and safe.

Twenty four hours later, some head honcho agreed to a brand new replacement machine of my choice plus a reasonable cheque (I refused to accept JL vouchers) to compensate for the ruined clothes. Also insisted the new machine had a five year guarantee included and they take the blown up machine away at no charge.

Was told by Trading Standards that the new machines have thinner door glass and the higher spins on the machines are not conducive to work well with this thinner glass. The manufacturers try to persuade the consumers that it is their fault ie something like a coin was in the machine. This is totally inaccurate.

Now never use the 1400spin on the machine. Also never go in the Kitchen when the washing machine is on!!

Take loads of pictures. Contact your local Trading Standards explain that you were terrified it could have exploded and caused a serious injury. Make sure you know what you want before you start any negotiations and complaints.

1. New machine replacement?
2. Just a new door replacement?
3.. Compensation
4. What?

Jesus what a world we live in.

Glass cracks and we have to lie and say we were ‘terrified it would have exploded and killed all our children’ Acting hysterical and angry over grandchildren who were unharmed!?

Youre old enough to have grandchildren, you are old enough to know better!!

Your washing machine exploded. The OPs cracked.

You’re conflating a faulty indicator with an engine fire on the motorway.

Stop it. That post is awful and exactly the people that get laughed at 'in the local rag' with their compo faces.

Honeylife

KatrinaWaves wrote: »

Jesus what a world we live in.

Glass cracks and we have to lie and say we were ‘terrified it would have exploded and killed all our children’ Acting hysterical and angry over grandchildren who were unharmed!?

Why An inaccurate/made up quote! Who said Lie? Why sneer at a poster on MSE! Why belittle other consumers successful resolution on a faulty product? Not very MSE kind.

It was exceeding dangerous like a bomb exploding and there was large shards of glass every where in the kitchen it was frightening!

Thankfully had local Trading Standards supporting me and followed their excellent advice and suggestions for my discussions with John Lewis, not dis similar to MSE suggestions on product failure to satisfactory resolution.

Cracks on the glass door of a washing machine are an indication of product failure which is to be taken very seriously.

With the increase in cracks in machines and machines exploding, Trading Standards are pressing the washing machine manufactures to rectify with this evident fault and if the consumers and sellers add to that pressure, then safety hopefully, will improve.

Am grateful I was old enough to take the advice and guidance from the exceedingly professional officer at Trading Standards.

LilElvis

Honeylife wrote: »

My experience:

Thank you so much for your warning!

I bought a Bosch washing machine less than one month ago - spookily also from John Lewis, scarily also with a spin of 1400 rpm :eek:

John Lewis are being very annoying in not answering the phone - even though I let it ring for act least 30 seconds before I gave up. They clearly want to avoid me knowing that they've sold me a death trap (and I've got a young child!). Husband has disconnected the machine and taken it to the local tip because we're not prepared to accept the obviously very real risk of being maimed or killed. I've written a Letter Before Action to John Lewis demanding a full refund and an all-inclusive holiday in order for me to recover from the shock and worry they have caused me. I've included photographs of the empty space in my utility room as proof.

From now on I'm going to do all of our laundry by hand, just to be on the safe side, and my husband has said that he will buy me some novelty rubber gloves to make the task more enjoyable (he's such an angel!).

Thank you once again for the heads-up - I'm just amazed that there haven't been dozens of threads like this one as washing machines are exploding by the thousand by the sounds of it!

macman

At least we know that the grandchildren are safe and weren’t struck by flying glass. As, mercifully, they weren’t in the kitchen. Or even in the house...possibly not in the same county...
But they might have been, so surely some compo is due?

LilElvis

Honeylife - I've read the Which? report and, though I'm sure your experience was quite frightening, it doesn't warrant a scaremongering approach. 280 reports of doors shattering in a six year period, given the tens of millions in use, is a miniscule number of incidences. No definitive reason for these failures could be identified - and user error is one of the likely causes.

Mr_Singleton

LilElvis wrote: »

280 reports of doors shattering in a six year period

Of which over 40% where from that well known quality brand.... Beko!

Other quality brands i.e. Miele use a plastic shield in front of the (no doubt high quality) glass to help prevent any potential injury. Not that I'm suggesting that it never happens to quality brands. Unsurprisingly when your catering to the cheap and nasty end of the market plastic shields are too much of a drain on profit margins to implement.

hollydays

Ive got a miele, it wasn't cheap, but this has now got me thinking about the damage things like metal stud buttons and buckles could do if I had a cheaper machine.
Buyer beware if you use the 1400 spin for jeans.
I've got a Beko tumble dryer and only use it when I'm at home, as I would with any make now after realising any make can catch fire in theory.

Mr_Singleton

I'd wash things with metal buttons i.e jeans inside out. Just checked and the standard spin speed for the cottons wash is 1600. Never had an issue.