In what might be the worst timing for any recall ever, Whirlpool has issued a call back on some of its Indesit and Hotpoint machines. At least it’s not the dishwasher…
A fault has been discovered that could affect a number of machines sold between 2014 and 2018. Describing the issue, Whirlpool said: “When the heating element in the washing machine is activated, in very rare cases a component in the door lock system can overheat, which, depending on product features, can pose a risk of fire.”
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Customers should be able to check if their HotPoint or Indesit machines are affected by the issue by going to this site – but it wasn’t working when we checked. Alternately, they can try ringing the helpline on 0800 316 1442.
The replacement machines should be rolling out from January. According to the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) affected customers should unplug their machines until then and register with Whirlpool for a replacement.
So far Whirlpool hasn’t confirmed a timeframe for a resolution of this problem, which means that customers could be stuck with a useless machine for months on end. The company isn’t entertaining the idea of dishing out direct refunds either, so you can’t take matters into your own hands and buy yourself a new one.
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It’s not the first time that Whirlpool has been in hot water with customers. The company sold faulty tumble dryers between 2004 and 2015 and had to recall half a million machines. These machines were a serious fire risk and Whirlpool were criticised at the time for being slow to recall them.
The new fault is unrelated to this previous issue, but still poses a potential fire risk to customers. We’ve reached out to Whirlpool to ask them when customers might be able to expect a replacement and if there is any compensation available.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
