Douglas County

Few technicians available to handle Samsung washer recall

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News has learned hundreds of repairs across Atlanta are already scheduled to deal with a huge washing machine recall.

Channel 2's consumer investigator Jim Strickland learned only one repair shop is currently signed up for the job, and there are few technicians to do the work.

"We've been scheduled for 500 calls in just three days," said Brannon Harris, owner of Dependable Repair Service in Douglasville. His technicians will install two extra steel plates in recalled Samsung top-loading machines.

"We're just re-enforcing the top part of the machine right here from where it shakes," he said.

Samsung and federal regulators are recalling nearly 3 million of the machines for violently shaking and breaking apart when spinning heavy loads.

"We're talking about 730 reports of a very serious hazard; of the top of these machines completely blowing off," said Elliot Kaye, Consumer Product Safety Commission chairman.

Harris says the wait for owners who want the repair is approximately four weeks.

"The goal I've seen is they want to get it done in 60 days. Nationwide, that's 46,000 units per day. For skilled labor that know how to work on appliances, I just don't see that happening," said Harris.

Samsung refused to comment on the availability of technicians or how they're administering the repairs.

Most owners haven't even received a letter yet notifying them there's a problem.