Whirlpool washing machine recall: half a million UK appliances potentially dangerous

This is the latest in Whirlpool recall news (Photo: Shutterstock)

This is everything you need to know about the latest major recall from the manufacturer.

The new recall

About 20 per cent of Hotpoint and Indesit washing machines since 2014 are affected by a fault that can cause the door locking system to overheat, creating the risk of a fire.

Whirlpool explained, “When the heating element in the washing machine is activated, in very rare cases a component in the door lock system can overheat, which, depending on product features, can post a risk of fire.”

According to Whirlpool (owner of the two brands) 79 fires are thought to be attributed to the fault, which develops over time.

Full list of affected models

This is the full list of models affected by the recall:

FML 742P UK Hotpoint

WMAOD 743G UK Hotpoint

WMAOD 743P UK Hotpoint

WMAQB 721P UK.M Hotpoint

WMAQC 641P UK.M Hotpoint

WMAQC 741G UK Hotpoint

WMAQC 741P UK Hotpoint

WMAQC 741P UK.M Hotpoint

WMAQF 621G UK Hotpoint

WMAQF 621P UK Hotpoint

WMAQF 641 P UK.M Hotpoint

WMAQF 721G UK Hotpoint

WMAQF 721P UK.M Hotpoint

WMAQL 621G UK Hotpoint

WMBF 742G UK Hotpoint

WMBF 742K UK Hotpoint

WMBF 742P UK Hotpoint

WMBF 742P UK.M Hotpoint

WMBF 763P UK Hotpoint

WMEF 722 BC UK Hotpoint

WMEF 742 P UK Hotpoint

WMEUF 722P UK Hotpoint

WMEUF 743G UK Hotpoint

WMEUF 743P UK Hotpoint

WMFG 741P UK Hotpoint

WMFG 741P UK.M Hotpoint

WMFUG 742 P UK.M Hotpoint

WMFUG 742G UK Hotpoint

WMFUG 742P UK Hotpoint

WMFUG 842P UK.M Hotpoint

WMJLF 842P UK Hotpoint

WMJLL 742P UK Hotpoint

WMSAQG 621P UK Hotpoint

WMXTF 742G UK Hotpoint

WMXTF 742K UK Hotpoint

WMXTF 742P UK Hotpoint

WMXTF 742P UK.M Hotpoint

WMXTF 842P UK.M Hotpoint

WMYL 7151PS UK Hotpoint

XWA 81252X K UK Indesit

XWA 81252X W UK Indesit

XWD 71452X K UK Indesit

What to do if you think you own an affected washing machine

Whirlpool has created a model checker website to allow customers to see if their appliance is affected, however at the time of publication (Tue 17 Dec), this website is unavailable.

Customers who bought a Hotpoint or Indesit washing machine after October 2014 would need to enter the model and serial number of their appliances to see if it was one of the recalled models. The model and serial number can be found inside the door or the back.

Alternatively, there is a free Whirlpool helpline that you can reach on 0800 316 1442.

If it turns out you do have an affected appliance, Whirlpool says that it should be unplugged and should not be used until it has been repaired by a trained engineer. As an alternative, those affected will also be offered a safe replacement.

When will machines be fixed or replaced?

The repair or replacement process won’t begin until early January of next year at the earliest.

This could leave households without the use of their washing machine for an unknown period of time. Whirlpool is refusing to offer refunds to customers.

Whirlpool stated that owners could still use their machine, despite the potential danger, and instead use it on a cold wash cycle at 20C or less, which reduces the risk. A cold cycle means that the heating element would not be activated.

Vice president of Whirlpool Jeff Noel said, “We know this will cause some concern. We especially understand that the washing machine is so important to family life, and in the Christmas holiday season it will be even more of an important matter and, for that, we apologise.”

Tumble dryer recall

Earlier this year, Whirlpool issued a recall of tumble dryers after admitting that as many as 800,000 faulty tumble dryers were sold in the UK.

A group of MPs released a report criticising the company for its slow response in modifying or replacing faulty machines.

They initially launched a full product recall involving 500,000 dryers after being ordered to by the Office for Product Safety and Standards. Owners who have not yet had their dryers modified or replaced are being urged to get in touch “as a matter of urgency”.

You can see the full list of affected tumble dryer models here.