Samsung would certainly rank amongst the biggest one hundred manufacturing companies in the world and there is an expectation that when one of it's products develops a fault that can cause property damage - and even loss of life - the full resources of that company would swing into action to remedy the fault and preserve the company name and image.
Six washing machine models made by the company are capable of catching fire if water enters an internal control panel - and 140,000 of these machines have been sold in Australia. Samsung issued a recall in 2013 and yet at least half of these washing machines have not been repaired, and so far the fault has resulted in over a hundred house fires. Fortunately, no loss of life - so far.
This is certainly throwing the spotlight on the laws we have in place to provide consumer protection. There is no doubt that owners of these washing machines can call on Samsung to correct the fault by exercising what are termed "the three R's " - Refund - Repair or Replacement, with that option being the choice of the consumer.
The sticking point seems to be the area of responsibility. This recall has been widely advertised, but at least half the owners have totally ignored the warning and it seems that the machines are still being used - despite the risk. There could be a hundred and twenty thousand time bombs ticking away in suburban laundries and this may continue indefinitely unless consumer laws are strengthened.
Just to add to this problem, there is mounting concern at the repair method that seems to be approved to rectify the fault. Instead of replacing the faulty control panel it is being encased in a plastic bag that is taped in place. There is doubt in some minds that this meets the longevity requirement because washing machines may have a service life measured in decades.
Fault recalls are a common recurrence. They are usually advertised in newspapers and the onus is on the customer to take the necessary action. Food and small items need a return to the point of sale and bigger items - such as these washing machines - require notification for a tradesman to call and make the repair or for the "three R's " to apply at the point of sale. The situation then loses clarity if the end customer fails to respond to the recall.
The whereabouts of these washing machines is easily traceable. Most would have been invoiced to trading firms like discount warehouses and electrical stores and their invoices would pinpoint end customers. At the very least, there is an expectation that the owner of every machine would receive personal mail from Samsung advising of the fault and urging rectification.
Obviously, rectification involves a huge cost but that is part of the risk factor that applies to all forms of manufacturing. The car industry has faced recalls that have run into the millions of units involved and is still sorting out an air bag problem that ranges over the models of various manufacturers.
The fact that this washing machine recall is now two years old and has only garnered about half the faulty units in people's homes is a matter of concern. No doubt recent publicity will spur more owners to seek rectification, but it seems inevitable that a vast number will just drop off the radar and never be repaired. There is the expectation that house fires may be a consequence for many future years.
The ball is firmly back in the court of the Consumer Affairs people. Perhaps recalls need a grading that determines risk to people's lives - and that at the highest risk ratio the manufacturer is required to actively seek out the product and carry out a repair. It seems that our present consumer protection laws are in urgent need of an upgrade !
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