When the Whirlpool tumble dryer alert relating to machines at risk of bursting into flames was first announced about four years ago, I followed its advice to check the model and serial number on the company’s website. It was an Indesit, purchased in 2012, (model number IDCE 845 UK). The response was “no further action needed”. Since then I have used the dryer assuming it to be safe.
But following the recent official recall I decided to check again only to find that the model is, indeed, unsafe. The call handler at Whirlpool said the information would be passed to his supervisor. It was all rather nonchalant.
My concern is there may be many others who have had that false reassurance and won’t bother to check again. I was given no explanation about why the original check was misleading. However, given the large number of owners who have yet to come forward, could this be the reason?
AK, Bingham, Nottinghamshire
Earlier this month Whirlpool announced a national recall of about 500,000 potentially faulty machines which had not yet been modified – all sold under its Hotpoint, Indesit, Creda, Swan and Proline brands – after being ordered to do so by the government in June.
This was the latest twist in a story we have been following since November 2015 when the US-owned company issued a safety warning after some models under these brands had a fault that could make them catch fire. It then launched a programme to modify an estimated 3.8m machines, but the company faced criticism over its decision not to go ahead with a straightforward recall of models at risk of fire.
It initially told customers they could continue to use their tumble dryer while awaiting modification, provided it was not left unattended. But the Guardian revealed its change of advice in February 2017, when it told owners of the “at risk” machines to unplug the appliances and stop using them until they were repaired.
Whirlpool said it had logged 54 fires in its tumble dryers in recent years, and said three of the models involved had already been updated. Its latest figures revealed there have so far been 1.7m products modified.
Owners are now being given the choice of a free replacement, an upgrade to a superior model from £59, a repair or full refund dependent on the machine’s age.
We asked Whirlpool how someone like you could have fallen through the net.
It says: “We apologise for any distress caused by this situation. The safety of our customers is our top priority so we are deeply concerned by the point AK raises. We have investigated this as a matter of urgency and can confirm that the model AK owns is one of those subject to the recall. We have contacted her to ensure that her appliance is remedied. We have investigated the potential reasons for her appliance being initially identified as unaffected, but it is very difficult to determine the exact cause without evidence of the date inputted into the system.”
We asked Electrical Safety First (ESF) for its view. Chief executive Phil Buckle says: “While we’re yet to hear of any similar reports of dryers that have changed status in Whirlpool’s database from ‘safe’ to ‘affected’, the fact that one owner’s machine appears to have done so is concerning … ESF would urge any owners of Hotpoint, Indesit, Swan, Proline or Creda branded tumble dryers to double check their machines are safe with the model checker on the Whirlpool website, or over the phone on 0800 151 0905.”
If Whirlpool does find that its model checker at one point did not account for all affected models, it must communicate this clearly so that no consumers are left under the false presumption that their tumble dryer is safe.
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