When a washing machine switches over to its spin cycle to wring out the water from the clothes it is washing there is a lot of stress put on the frame. Unfortunately for Samsung, their top-loading premium machines developed cracks in the bracket welds, allowing the top to violently fly off, causing damage to property and causing injuries, including several people getting broken arms.
At first, Samsung tried to put a sticker to prevent people from using one of the automatic cycles. This didn't go over well, and they were finally required by the US Government to have a recall on their washing machines. There has been an ongoing dispute with Samsung and LG, both South Korean companies, dumping washing machines on the US market, and this recall cost them a lot of money. People could either get a replacement Samsung or they could get a $400 coupon towards any other brand. Many people went with the coupon.
One thing that Samsung didn't want was a bunch of dangerous washing machines sitting in a warehouse, so they didn't require people to turn them in. The company, in their settlement, said the owners were responsible for disposing of their old machines. After people got their coupon to replace their machines their old ones started showing up on Craigslist. If you see a great deal on a Samsung top-loader with a tempered glass lid, make sure you check the serial number to see if it was one of the recalled machines. If someone already used their recall to get a new one or to get a coupon, they could be held responsible for selling a known dangerous washing machine.
Iron Noder 2017