NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 21, 2007
Release #07-135

Maytag Recall Hotline: (800) 868-5109
Samsung Recall Hotline: (800) 515-7902
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Maytag and Samsung Brand Front Loading Washing Machines Recalled Due
to Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in
cooperation with the firms named below, today announced a voluntary
recall of the following consumer products. Consumers should stop using
recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: Maytag and Samsung Brand Front Loading Washing
Machines

Units: About 250,000 Maytag-brand units and about 20,000 Samsung-brand
units

Distributor: Maytag Corp., of Newton, Iowa, and Samsung Electronics
America Inc., of Ridgefield Park, N.J.

Manufacturer: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., of South Korea

Hazard: Water leakage onto the electrical connections to the washing
machine's thermal sensor could cause an electrical short and ignite a
circuit board, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Maytag has received five reports of incidents
involving ignition in the circuit board. Samsung has received one
report of an incident involving ignition in the circuit board. No
injuries, fires or property damage outside the washing machine have
been reported.


Description and Models: The recall involves certain Maytag and Samsung
brand front-load washers. The Maytag washers have model numbers
beginning with MAH9700 or MAH8700. The Samsung model number WF306BHW
or a model number beginning with WF316. Not all serial numbers are
subject to the recall. The model and serial numbers are located on a
tag at the bottom of the door opening. Maytag models with a serial
number ending in the last two letters identified below are subject to
the recall:

2005: GA GC GE GG GJ GL GN GP GR GT GV GX
2006: JA JC JE JG JJ JL JN

Sample Maytag Serial Number: 10123456GN

Samsung models with the six-digit number 100001 through 799999 prior
to a letter at the end of the serial number are subject to the recall:

Sample Samsung Serial Number: 230854AL300026B

Sold at: Major department and appliance stores nationwide from April
2005 through August 2006 for between $1,000 and $1,200.

Manufactured in: South Korea

Remedy: Consumers should immediately contact the firm for information
on how to receive a free repair. Consumers should not return the
washing machine to the retailer where it was purchased.

Consumer Contact: For more information, consumers can call Maytag
toll-free at (800) 868-5109 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET Monday
through Friday, or go to Maytag's Web site at www.washerrecall.com -
Samsung customers can call (800) 515-7902 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET
Monday through Friday, or go to Samsung's Web site at
www.Samsung.com/washerrecall

Maytag Media Contact: Monica Teague, (269) 923-7405 or


Samsung Media Contact: Deborah Szajngarten at (201) 229-4090 or


To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the
recalled products, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07135.html