WASHINGTON (CBS) – Samsung is recalling nearly 3 million top-loading washing machines amid fears that they can explode.
The recall affects 34 models of washing machines. So far, there have been 733 reports of washers “experiencing excessive vibration or the top detaching from the washing machine chassis.”
Read: Samsung Washer Explodes
Nine people have been hurt by the machines, including one report of a broken jaw.
In one reported incident, a man says his washing machine “exploded” after his wife put in a small load of laundry.
“After a few minutes, she felt what she explained to me as ‘a car driving into our house,’ the ‘whole house shook,’” he wrote.
Samsung says the risk is elevated when the high-speed spin cycle is used for bedding or bulky items.
“Our priority is to reduce any safety risks in the home and to provide our customers with easy and simple choices in response to the recall,” Samsung said in a statement.
More Recall Information
The machines were sold at Best Buy, The Home Depot, Lowes and Sears nationwide from March 2011 to November 2016 for between $450 and $1,500.
Anyone who bought a washing machine can contact Samsung for a free in-home repair kit, a rebate for a new machine or a full refund for those who bought their washer within 30 days of the recall.
Here's how the options break down:
FIX: If you let Samsung fix the washer you'll get a one-year extension of the manufacturer's warranty.
REBATE: If you choose the rebate, you can use it towards a new washer from Samsung or another brand. Samsung will install the new washer and take out the old one. The rebate amount is based on the manufacture date and model of the recalled washer.
REFUND: If you bought your washer within the last 30 days you can get a full refund. To verify your washer was recalled get the serial number off the back.