Samsung have had to organise a “home-visit & repair programme” to deal with a potential fire risk in their RS21 and RS60 range fridge freezers. Their own announcement on their web site said that “in very rare cases, there is the potential for internal sparking to occur and in consequence, damage to the appliance.”
However, some press articles used more dramatic phrases (Which have since been removed from their web sites)
Latest update
As of March 2014 Samsung have extended this safety notice to include ALL RS21 and RS60 fridge freezers no matter when it was made. Initially it was only for models made within a certain date range, this was extended to include more models later and now Which? are reporting it’s all of these models regardless of purchase date plus the models listed below. You may also want to try this telephone number 0800 988 0123
These are the models either affected directly, or as Samsung say, use a similar defrost system so should also be checked –
- RS21
- RS60
- RSE8
- RSH1
- RSJ1
- SN62
If you have a Samsung fridge freezer
To be sure if your model is affected you should check the model number (where is the model or serial number on a fridge or freezer?). According to Which? the Electrical safety council have advised anyone with one of these model which hasn’t been modified by Samsung should stop using it immediately and contact Samsung.
Unfortunately all my links to help on the Samsung site have had to be removed. This is because it seems all manufacturers take these pages down as soon as they think they can get away with it. This is understandable to a point but it’s disgraceful.
Only today (Feb 2017) I’ve had an email from a consumer who has one of these affected fridge freezers. She was shocked to find this page whilst researching a different fault – especially as she registered the appliance with Samsung.
This shows that many people can slip through the net and continue to use a dangerous appliance. Manufacturers should be obliged by law to leave (and not move) notices about potentially dangerous appliances for at least 10 years.
mr bowers says
i have the affected model and contacted samsung through the web but heard nothing yet 3 weeks ago!
Neil Jones says
Hi,
Phone them, don’t wait.
See my previous post from April – I know the web page tells you *not* to phone them, but I don’t think anybody at Samsung actually monitors the page anymore. I originally booked a callout through the web page last year, but when I didn’t hear anything after a few days I rang them. They didn’t have any record of my contact, but sorted a call-out with me over the phone and engineer was round within a couple of days.
Neil
Sarah says
Oh my god i have found my way to this site after looking for a way to put a new motor (that i recently bought from ebay) in my Samsung fridge freezer i can’t believe what i have been reading and am now scared to death that my fridge freezer is a potential sure risk, i have also discovered that the motor can’t be replaced due to toxic cfc gases is this true?? Please please can someone help me or give me as i don’t have a clue if my kids and my home is safe
Washerhelp says
Sarah, you can’t replace the motor (I presume you mean compressor?) on a fridge without specialist equipment. You need to send it back for a refund under the 7 day cooling off period if you bought it on line new.
You also need to check the serial number and model number on the fridge as described in this article to see if it’s affected or not and contact Samsung if it is.
Emmett says
I’ve a RSH1DBRS which according to the Samsung web site is not affected however its recently started showing the same issues as described on here, i.e. fan scraping something noise, not cooling properly etc, etc. Think I’m going to insist on them repairing it FOC even if it has only just turned 3 years old.
jo mann says
have all the same problems as those above, has anyone fitted a repair kit brought from ebay?
if so who was the seller and was there any problems or did it cure the symtoms
how easy is it to fit ?
Washerhelp says
jo mann: If you have an affected appliance you need to get Samsung to fix it free of charge. I wouldn’t recommend diy on a specific safety issue with a potential fire risk.
smythe says
RSH1DBRS just started the fridge scrapping noise (stops when fridge door is opened) Samsung sent engineer out condemnd it to the grave yard as unrepairable, both sides have no cooling, not 4 yrs old yet, bought from comet (not there fault) .this car`nt be right can it? £800 and lasts under 4 yrs and then unrepairable. Comet or Samsung must replace surely? and after reading everyone is having the same problems is this not a design fault ,i`m now waiting for Samsungs responce.
Washerhelp says
Hello smythe: If you are lucky, Samsung may try to salvage you as a customer by offering to compensate you. If they won’t, then presumably you’d never buy another product from them and would advise all you know to do the same.
In law, only the retailer you bought it from has any legal responsibility so if Samsung aren’t interested you will be wasting your time with them. It’s the place you bought it from you would need to fight with for compensation. I would say you have a very good case that at a cost of £800 it has not lasted a reasonable time, and it may even have been sold with an “inherent fault”.
smythe says
well contact today from samsung,and they say there will be compo and i should recieve it in writing within 10 days(would`nt say on phone or didnt know) just wish they would would replace with one with same/equal spec or give us the option of adding to a better spec modal,so far so good,lets hope its a fair amount ????