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A design defect in Samsung remote controls cause batteries to overheat and leak acid, according to a class action lawsuit.
Plaintiff Kim Sherwin of Illinois alleges the power supply in certain Samsung remote control units may cause their batteries to overheat and leak their acidic contents.
The remote controls at issue are Samsung’s double-sided QWERTY remotes. These remotes have typical TV-controlling features on one side and a full QWERTY keyboard, directional pad and ten-key number pad on the other, allowing the user to use the Smart TV more like a computer.
Sherwin says Samsung started shipping these remotes with some of its Smart TVs in 2011. Smart TVs that featured these particular remotes were priced higher than those that didn’t, she says, representing a premium that purchasers paid to get these feature-rich remotes.
Instead of using older infrared technology to communicate with the Smart TV, these Samsung remote controls are designed to connect via Bluetooth. Sherwin says the more constant connection involved in Bluetooth technology draws more power from its power supply than does infrared technology.
What Samsung allegedly failed to do was to design an adequate power supply into these Bluetooth Samsung remote controls. Sherwin says most Bluetooth devices use a robust rechargeable battery to provide a steady and adequate source of power.
These Samsung remote controls, however, use only four disposable AAA batteries. Sherwin says that with normal use of the Samsung remote, the battery compartment produces excessive heat, causing the remote to fail and the batteries to leak. Even during normal function, Sherwin says the batteries are exhausted in a matter of weeks.
Samsung owners have voiced similar complaints in online product reviews, Sherwin says, reporting that their Samsung remote controls have been “sizzling,” “popping” and “leaking.”
The Samsung class action lawsuit, which was filed this summer, quotes a QWERTY remote owner who reported that after one set of batteries leaked battery acid all over the inside of the remote, the next set of replacement batteries did the same thing after a few days of use. Another owner says the batteries in her Samsung remote got hot enough to melt the battery holder.
Compounding the problem is the fact that the Samsung remote is the primary means of controlling the TV, according to Sherwin. So when the remote fails, the owner is allegedly stuck with a TV with impaired functionality, she says.
Sherwin seeks to represent a plaintiff Class consisting of all individuals in the U.S. who purchased a BN59-01134B Samsung remote or a Samsung TV packaged with such a remote control.
She seeks a damage award including statutory and punitive damages, litigation expenses and attorneys’ fees, and pre- and post-judgment interest.
Sherwin is represented by attorneys J. Dominick Larry and Benjamin H. Richman of Edelson PC and Stefan L. Coleman of the Law Offices of Stefan Coleman PA.
The Samsung Remote Control Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Kim Sherwin v. Samsung Electronics America Inc., Case No. 1:16-cv-07535, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
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25 thoughts onSamsung Class Action Claims Remote Controls Cause Batteries to Leak
My SAMSUNG 55″ TV remote (no key-b’d) also makes the batteries leak.
My SAMSUNG Tablet [10.1] was sent in for 1st repair @ $89.00 after only one-year and now it needs another repair @ $99.00 [2nd repair] plus the original cost @ $349.00 = SAMSUNG BETTER GET A GRIP ON QUALITY CONTROL (or the new & improved USA will start making these things).
ps I have a 1985 BIG BOX JVC 35″ TV that STILL works great after 30+Years while most of these new tech BIG NAME products crap-out after one/two-years and PRINTERS are the worst, what the USA needs is tougher CONSUMER PROTECTION LAW$ that make it mandatory for tech companies to have better warranties without the consumer getting suck-into the ‘extended warranty’ attachment. IMHO
You are not likely to win this case.
First of all, most common dry batteries are alkaline batteries. It would be interesting to argue alkaline batteries leak acid.
Secondly, the cause for overheating can be due to environments (salty, humid, or dusty), or contamination due to leak from of low quality batteries.
The manufacturer should be able to prove that the power design of the remote is adequate. This is particularly true if the remote performs well in the beginning but started to overheat overtime.
I too have this remote and it eats up batteries like crazy! I pop open the battery compartment after I turn off the TV, hoping it will lessen the drain on the batteries. I really don’t think that it helps. Every couple of months I am putting 4 new batteries in it. Expensive and frustrating. Now I understand why, a design flaw.
Count me in as well!
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I have this remote and it leaks as well. What now ?
Ours was due for fresh batteries so I replaced them with brand new all matching batteries. Once I put the battery pack back inside the remote there was a loud snapping noise. I pulled the battery compartment back out and the batteries had exploded, leaked all over the inside of the remote.
I have one it does leak n destroy the remote. It leaked in my hand. So I took batteries out n put remote up. Cause it don’t work.
I have this exact remote and there is definitely an issue. It’s the only remote control that has leaked in my house.
I have this remote and it leaks as well.
This isn’t specific to the qwerty remotes. My Samsung smart tv remote has no keyboard and also leaks. The batteries die much faster than normal, the remote itself works only a third of the time and each time I open it up there’s acid all over the bottom end of the remote. It’s gross and annoying.
Wow, I didn’t realize this was a universal problem until I read this. I have a regular remote & the same thing happens to me, too.
What kind of remote do you have? And to what TV?