Samsung Hit With Class Action Over Faulty Smart TV Remotes

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Samsung Electronics America, Inc. was hit with a class action lawsuit, alleging that the remote controls that come with Samsung Smart TVs cause batteries to leak acid.

Plaintiff Luis Bravo alleges in the Samsung class action lawsuit filed in a California federal court filed on Feb. 26 that the two-sided remote control, which comes with traditional remote control features on one side and a full “Qwerty” keyboard on the other side with a small display and a track-pad are too powerful for the AAA batteries that are supposed to power the remote.

The features on the remote control allow the TV to be used like a computer — allowing users to peruse the internet and install applications. It also uses the wireless technology Bluetooth to communicate with the television.

“Yet, these added features require additional power,” the Samsung Smart TV class action lawsuit explains.

“Instead of following industry norms by using a robust, rechargeable battery to power the device, Samsung defectively designed and manufactured the remote’s power supply to use four common AAA batteries that are housed in a sealed, recessed compartment within the remote,” it adds.

The problem is that “Samsung designed its Qwerty Remote’s battery compartment to be sandwiched in the center of the remote.”

As a result, “Samsung’s defective power supply leads to excessive heat and premature device failure. Worse, Samsung’s defect can cause the remote’s batteries to catastrophically fail and leak their harmful acidic contents,” Bravo explains in the class action lawsuit.

“Samsung itself previously warned purchasers about its other remotes regarding the ‘leakage of [a battery’s] internal liquid’ ‘may cause fire, personal injury or damage,” the class action lawsuit says. “In so doing, [Samsung] acknowledged the dangers presented by leaking batteries in its products.”

However, Bravo alleges that Samsung “refuses to acknowledge, fix, or even warn of the safety defect in its Qwerty Remotes, leaving thousands of individuals with broken and dangerous remotes and thousands more who still use remotes that are prone to leaking a hazardous fluid.”

He says that he filed this Samsung class action lawsuit to stop Samsung from selling the allegedly defective remotes as well as to recover damages for those who purchased the remotes.

The Qwerty Remote was introduced with Samsung Smart TVs in 2011, and “Samsung increased the price of its Smart TVs that included the Qwerty Remote, meaning consumers paid a premium over other televisions to obtain the remote,” the Samsung Smart TV remote control class action lawsuit claims.

Bravo is looking to represent a nationwide class and a California class of individuals “who purchased a BN59-01134B remote control or who purchased a Samsung television packaged with a BN59-01134B remote control.”

Bravo is charging Samsung with violating the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, the California’s Consumer Legal Remedies Act, California’s Unfair Competition Law, breach of implied warrnty of merchantability, the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, and breach of express warranty.

Bravo is represented by Samuel M. Lasser, Rafey S. Balabanian, Benjamin H. Richman, J. Dominick Larry and Amir C. Missaghi of Edelson PC and Stefan L. Coleman of the Law Offices of Stefan Coleman LLC.

Counsel information for Samsung was not immediately available.

The Samsung Smart TV Remote Control Class Action Lawsuit is Luis Bravo v. Samsung Electronics America Inc., Case No. 3:15-cv-00885, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.