Samsung sent cable guy to fix recalled washing machine
TAMPA (FOX 13) - Got car problems? You call a mechanic. Leaky roof? You get a roofer. So when a couple had a recalled washing machine, they expected a washing machine repairman.
But that's not who some people are getting for their Samsung washing machines -- which need a fix for tops that can fly violently off.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said Samsung received more than 700 reports of washing machines shaking or having the tops detach. Injuries included a broken jaw and an injured shoulder.
When Joyce Martucci saw video on the news of the damage that can occur, she thought one thing: "Oh my god; that might be our machine."
Sure enough, her machine was one of the 34 models recalled. Like everyone impacted, they were simply told not to use the highest cycle until Samsung could rebalance the machine. But the fix has spun a new cycle of problems.
“I took good care of it,” Joyce complained. “And this is what I'm getting now from Samsung: A dent and scratch special.”
They were particularly baffled by who showed up to make the repairs.
"Dish Network!” Her husband Armando exclaimed. “Which we even questioned the guy when he came over: Why Dish Network?”
A spokesperson for Samsung told us that to try to respond faster, they "ramped up" their network of authorized service partners nationwide and Dish is one of those partners.
“He came in from digging a ditch for putting cable in for the Dish Network -- filthy, dirty. Then did our repair -- supposed repair,” Joyce continued.
“I asked him how he trained: 'Are you trained to do all this stuff?' And he said, well, they sent videos to everybody. An hour and a half video. And that was it," Amando added.
When asked about the video training, Dish told us they also include hands-on experience, but Joyce was doubtful as she pointed out damage.
“Here's a scratch and he somehow scratched the whole side here.”
Samsung would only say they "work their partners to ensure that their teams are properly trained to do the repairs."
Armando said their experience was a far cry from that. “He doesn't disconnect anything in the back; no wires, hoses. So he leaves it hanging, so I had to help him.”
After we contacted them about this damage, both Samsung and Dish apologized for the inconvenience and frustration and said they are reaching out to learn more and fix the situation. But Armando doesn’t trust the fix “because it wasn't an experienced washing machine repairman who did it.”
Joyce agreed. “This is not a fix. This is the rigging of a machine that should be totally recalled and replaced with something that isn't going to blow up or fall apart."
Since hearing from us, Samsung has now provided a washing machine repair worker to install the parts that are supposed to rebalance the washer. They’ve also offered to refund the cost of the machine. But the Martucci family bought the machine three years ago, so that isn’t enough money to replace it with a similar model today.
They’re still negotiating.
Their message, in the meantime: You need to double check with Samsung who is doing the repairs to make sure you don’t get hosed.
REPORT: Samsung washer recall details