Plastic drum damaged by coin but not covered under guarantee?

[scottt]

Hi. After several call outs and repairs on washer, (loud banging, jumping about and travelling across floor), 18 months later hoover replaced seal etc and turned washer on and water poured out. After having the machine in bits he found a large hole at the bottom of the plastic casing, this he said was coin damage, and not covered for repair.

Have checked out your forum and can find no dints or damage in the metal drum, no coins have been found.

Having checked out reviews (after purchase!!) This model appears to have problems!! Any advice appreciated.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

If the machine is only a month or so old it's not likely to be one of the "exploding" washing machines if that's what you mean (at least not one of the known ones). They are all from the past (Exploding washing machines).

If no coin was found, and no dints on the drum, I can understand your suspicion that the hole was not caused by a coin. The coin punching through the plastic outer tubs is something I've been warning about for years, however, it's hard to imagine how a coin could be punched through the tub (outer drum) without dinting the drum. It is possible the drum is dinted on a part which can't be seen from inside though, so unless the drum is out it can't be 100% examined.

If it is, and there's no sign of any damage to the drum I would ask them to explain how it's possible. It may be they can't prove it was caused by an object left in a pocket but you can't prove it wasn't unless they accept lack of drum damage. Unfortunately, a piece of the tub coming away can only really be caused by impact from something inside unless you can see some flaw in design where a section has dropped off. The lack of a coin isn't proof it wasn't a coin either, this is because when punched through the outer drum at force they can fly out and get lost out of site.

Have you a photo?

[scottt]

No photo, unfortunately unable to access damage, hole is approx 3 inches by 1 inch and located on the front of the plastic casing just under the drum (can just reachto locate it). Dispute coin damage, engineer said it would have gone down through the seal, but feel that if seal was not on properly as he said at beginning of repair, this could be the main factor in the damage. Previous machine was a nightmare and very noisy, so just assumed that this was just how this model was.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Coins go down the small gap between the revolving drum and outer tub. The minute a door seal came loose or detached water would flood out as soon as any water went into the machine. At the very least it should leak at the front if it was loose, so if it wasn't leaking prior to the flood it probably wasn't causing a problem, maybe he was too hasty in his diagnostics.

Unfortunately, unless by any chance the plastic was punched in to the drum (implying the drum hit something and got damaged (then damage to the outer drum where something forced its way out is going to be viewed by them as an obstruction (not necessarily a coin) which got into the machine.

If a nut and bolt holding the door seal on had come undone (never known it though) and fallen into the drum it could account for it but then the engineer would have found tit missing and would be unlikely to have a replacement.

[scottt]

OK, thanks for taking time to reply and explain things. Think maybe I am smarting at the way hoover are dealing with it and the fact that its just five weeks old (albeit a replacement) Just going to have to accept they not going to sort it and never buy a hoover product again!!!.

Again thanks for your help.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Thanks, it's always tricky in cases like this. Check your home contents insurance to see if you have accidental damage cover, it may be worth claiming a new washer if possible.