WAS LINKED TO 10 LISTERIA CASES
INCLUDING THREE DEATHS.
>> Reporter: AN IMPORTANT
ALERT FOR ANYONE WHO OWNS A
FRONT-LOADING WASHING MACHINE.
>> IF THIS SOUNDS TOO FAMILIAR,
BOB SIEGEL SAYS YOU MIGHT BE
EVEN TITLED TO A BIG CASH
PAYOUT, BUT YOU HAVE TO ACT
FAST.
>> WHEN I BOUGHT THESE THEY WERE
THE LATEST, GREATEST, NEWEST
THING.
IT WAS $3,000.
REPORT RRP KAREN WAS EXCITED
ABOUT HER KENMORE WASHINGTON AND
DRYER.
BUT WITHIN A FEW MONTHS SHE
DISCOVERED SOMETHING STINKS.
>> IT'S ALMOST LIKE A SEWER GAS
SMELL. >> AT FIRST IT WAS THE WASHING
MACHINE, BUT THEN IT WAS KAREN'S
CLOTHES. >> YOU CAN SMELL THE FOUL OUR
SMELL -- FOUL SOUR SMELL.
THEN I FOUND IT'S THE DIRTY
LITTLE SECRET WOMEN DON'T WANT
TO TALK ABOUT, THAT'S THAT THEIR
WASHING MACHINES SMELL.
>> WITH THREE YOUNG BOYS SHE
WASHES TWO OR THREE LOADS OF
LAUNDRY A DAY.
BUT SHE SAYS WASHING ANYTHING IN
THIS WASHING MACHINE IS LIKE A
TRAIN WRECK.
>> IT SMELLS LIKE THE LOAD HAS
BEEN SITTING IN THERE FOR DAYS
OR A WEEK.
>> JEN AND KAREN OWN FRONT LOAD
WASHING MACHINES, WASHERS THAT
ARE PRONE TO MOLD AND MILDEW.
>> LOOK AT THE MOLD IN THERE.
>> IT'S BLACK MOLD IN THERE.
>> YOU HAVE TO GO IN AND START
SCRUBBING, AND GETTING THE MOLD
OFF.
I SPEND MORE TIME WASHING THE
WASHING MACHINE THAN I DO
WASHING MY CLOTHES.
>> AND IT'S NOT JUST THE SOAP
DISPENSER.
>> I WOULD RECOMMEND REPLACING
THIS.
>> THE RUBBER GASKET IS A
BREEDING GROUND FOR MOLD AND
MILDEW BECAUSE WATER GETS
TRAPPED INSIDE.
ZACH CROW DEALS WITH THIS EVERY
DAY.
>> WE SEE THIS ALL THE TIME.
THIS MOLD ISSUE.
YOU PUT YOUR CLOTHES INTO A
STINKY WASHER AND YOUR CLOTHES
WILL BECOME STINKY.
>> THE ODOR OFTEN DOESN'T GO
AWAY, EVEN IF YOU USE WATER TO
MASK THE SMELL.
>> THIS IS AN EPIDEMIC AND THIS
HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 10 YEARS.
>> Reporter: KAREN DECIDED TO
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
SHE AND OTHER FRUSTRATED WASHING
MACHINE OWNERS.
IT CLAIMS KENMORE, WHIRLPOOL AND
MAY TAG KNOWINGLY SOLD MILLIONS
OF WASHERS WITH A SERIOUS MOLD
PROBLEM.
THE COMPANIES DENIED ANY
WRONGDOING.
BUT THIS WEEK A FEDERAL JUDGE IS
EXPECTED TO GIVE FINAL APPROVAL
TO THAT SETTLEMENT.
IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THOSE
AFFECTED WASHING MACHINES YOU
CAN CLAIM A CASH PAYMENT OF $50,
A 0% REBATE OFF A NEW WASHER OR
UP TO $500 IN REIMBURSEMENT IF
YOU CAN DOCUMENT OUT OF POCKET
TO REPAIR OR REPLACE YOUR OLD
MOLDY WASHING MACHINE.
IF YOU OWN EAP A
IF YOU OWN EAP -- IF YOU OWN A
FRONT-LOADING WASHING MACHINE
MADE BY LG, THAT'S A SEPARATE
LAWSUIT.
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE QUALIFY FOR A
CASH SETTLEMENT.
AND KAREN WILL SOON BE BUYING --
A NEW WASHING MACHINE.
NO MORE $3,000 WASHERS AND
DRYERS FOR THIS HOUSE.
>> SO FAR LESS THAN 5% HAVE
FILED A CLAIM.
TO GET A REBATE, CASH PAYMENT OR
REIMBURSEMENT UP TO $500.
IF YOUR FRONT LOAD WASH WERE IS
A WHIRLPOOL, KENMORE OR MAY TAG
YOU HAVE TO FILE BY OCTOBER 11.
FOR THE LG THE DEADLINE IS
OCTOBER 10.
JUST GO TO wthr.com.
WE HAVE A DIRECTLING SO YOU CAN
FILE A CLAIM ON LINE.
YOU WILL FIND EVERYTHING YOU
NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHICH
SPECIFIC MODELS ARE INCLUDED AND
WHAT DOCUMENT YOU NEED TO SUBMIT
WITH YOUR CLAIM.
IF YOU ARE DEALING WITH MOLD AND
BAD ODORS WE HAVE TIPS FOR YOU