Whirlpool users rush to register in first week of recall but up to 443,000 ‘dangerous’ machines still out there

THOUSANDS of people with “dangerous” Whirlpool washing machines have registered them for a repair or replacement in the first week of a massive recall scheme launching.

But despite some 76,000 affected washing machines being registered under the recall, there’s still up to 443,000 dodgy products out there.

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Whirlpool launched a recall scheme for an estimated up to 519,000 fire-risk washing machines on January 9, after first admitting problems back in December.

The manufacturer said 42 different Hotpoint and Indesit models could be affected by a flaw that can lead to them overheating and catching fire.

Its washing machines have been linked to 3,000 fires in the past decade.

Whirlpool is now offering like-for-like replacement machines or free repairs to affected customers who register online.

To check your appliance, you’ll need to know the model number, which should be found on the front or back of the machine, or in the recess of the door.

Enter these details into the website’s search engine and it will tell you if your machine is a potential risk.

Whirlpool says 1.6million worried customers have been in touch about their washing machines, with 76,000 affected models reported.

Of these 76,000, 62,000 have been offered appointments for repairs or replacements with 7,000 of these now completed.

But Whirlpool is yet to reach out to those with the other 14,000 affected models, saying it will do so over the next week.

And this still means thousands of fire-risk machines are potentially being used.

Whirlpool says those with affected models should unplug them or only use them for cold water cycles of 20C or lower while they wait for a refund or replacement.

It adds that there’s still plenty of availability in January.

Consumer group Which? has called on the manufacturer to offer refunds instead of replacements and repairs.

It follows previous Which? research of Whirlpool’s repair and replacement programme for fire risk tumble dryers, which started in 2015.

We spoke to one mum whose Whirlpool tumble dryer caught fire after it had been modified by the manufacturer to fix a fault.

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