Troubled white goods maker Whirlpool in Peterborough adds three more washing machine models to its recall

The company, based in Morley Way, says it is looking to recall an extra 5,000 washing machines in addition to the 500,000 it announced on December 17 last year it wanted to trace.

The new problems came to light as its product safety team carried out further analysis of its washing machine portfolio, which has included a comprehensive manual audit of manufacturing and sales data.

As a result, Whirlpool identified three additional product variations which are affected by the safety issue and which have now been added to the recall model list.

Approximately 5,000 units of these variations - Hotpoint and Indesit makes - were manufactured between October 2014 and February 2018. Hotpoint and Indesit

The new models are WMAQC641PUK, WMAQG741PUK and WMFG741GUK.

The company warns that the problem centres on when a heating element is activated in an affected washing machine and then in rare cases a component in the door lock system can overheat, which, depending on product features, can pose a risk of fire.

It says that no serious injuries have been reported.

Owners of these three additional models should contact Whirlpool or visit its dedicated recall website to check if their appliance is affected, even if they have previously done so. Customers who do not own products with any of these three model numbers do not need to re-check.

Whirlpool says that nearly two million people have contacted it to check if their washing machines are part of the recall since the company announced the safety issue in mid-December.

More than 90 per cent of these people, its says, have been given peace of mind that their appliances are not affected.

More than 165,000 of the appliances that were on the recall list have now been registered with the company which is remedying the issue for thousands of customers.

Whirlpool says that in the interests of safety, it notified customers of the potential risk with certain Hotpoint and Indesit washing machines on December 17 as soon as it became aware of the precise nature of the issue.

All registered owners of these models are being contacted directly by Whirlpool or through its retail partners to notify them of this update. Whirlpool is also raising awareness through media, via its online and social media channels, and through numerous third parties.

Jeff Noel, Vice President of Whirlpool, said: “We are hugely grateful to everyone who has already come forward and we urge all remaining owners to please get in touch with us as soon as possible.

“With more than 30 per cent of the affected products now accounted for, this campaign has already surpassed the UK average for a product recall campaign by a significant margin.

“While this is good progress, we know there is still work to do. That’s why we are working seven days a week to look after our customers and running a widespread campaign to raise awareness.

“We are deeply sorry to our customers for the inconvenience this recall may cause but we are taking action because it is the right thing to do for people’s safety. We will do whatever it takes to put the situation right.”

All owners affected by the recall are entitled to a replacement washing machine or a repair to their existing appliance – both provided completely free of charge.

Customers can choose the date of their remedy appointment, with slots available seven days a week.

More than 70,000 cases have now been resolved – including over 2,000 customers who were prioritised as being vulnerable and needing special assistance.

A further 50,000 customers have already scheduled a date to receive a remedy in the next few weeks or have been invited to select a convenient date. All remaining customers – those who have only just registered under the recall – will be contacted by the end of next week.

Whirlpool aims to complete the remedy process for all consumers currently registered within a matter of weeks.