New Recall Headache For Samsung: 3m Washing Machines

In another black eye for one of the world’s leading consumer brands, U.S. authorities announced a recall last week of nearly 3 million Samsung washing machines following several reports of injuries - including a broken jaw - due to “excessive vibration.”

The recall comes a month after the South Korean manufacturer recalled millions of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones from consumers around the world, because of a mysterious problem that caused the phones’ batteries to overheat and catch fire. Since then, the company stopped producing that device entirely, while estimating the debacle will cost it $5.3 billion.

Samsung said Friday that its washing machine recall would also extend to models sold in Canada, although it said no injuries had been reported in that country.

The company launched an earlier, unrelated recall of washing machines in Australia in 2013, after authorities said an electrical problem in certain models was causing fires. Australian authorities last year called that problem “a major safety failure,” after receiving complaints that the company was offering repairs but not a refund or replacement, as required by Australian law.