270,000 Maytag, Samsung washers recalled

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, along with Maytag and Samsung Electronics, issued a recall Thursday of 270,000 front loading washers that pose an electrical hazard to users.

The front loading washing machines have been known to leak water onto the electrical connections to the machine's thermal sensor, which could cause an electrical short and ignite a circuit board, causing a fire, the CPSC said in a release.

Maytag front loading washer

The recall covers 250,000 Maytag washers and 20,000 Samsung (down $7.14 to $614.91, Charts) brand washers.

All the washers were made in South Korea and sold in U.S. department and appliance stores nationwide from April 2005 to August 2006, according to the release.

Maytag machines affected have model numbers beginning with MAH9700 or MAH8700. The Samsung washers have model numbers beginning WF306BHW and WF316, although not all serial numbers are subject to the recall.

Consumers can learn more detailed information about the recall by visiting Whirlpool (down $0.09 to $86.42, Charts)-owned Maytag's Web site www.washerrecall.com or Samsung's at www.samsung.com/washerrecall.

The companies compete with GE (up $0.14 to $34.91, Charts)'s Consumer & Industrial division and LG Electronics.

------------------------------------------------------

Consumer Reports adjusts after flawed car-seat tests

Honda to recall 166,000 cars