Samsung Galaxy Recall Irks US Consumer Safety Officials

Samsung‘s recall of its Galaxy Note 7 over concerns that its batteries could ignite or explode has U.S. consumer protection officials worried.

According to Recode, South Korea-based Samsung may have been quick to issue the recall, but it didn’t follow standard procedure when it decided not to involve the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in the process.

A federal official told the outlet that working with the CPSC can ensure that consumers are aware of the risks with continued use of a recalled product and that they understand their rights. A representative from the CPSC, however, declined to comment on the matter.

Officially, the CPSC is asking Samsung to collaborate on an official recall. Reports said that, while major U.S. carriers have stopped selling the Galaxy Note 7, other retailers could still be stocking the product.

“Samsung should immediately initiate an official recall with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, given the serious nature of the safety problem it identified with the Galaxy Note 7,” said Maria Rerecich, Consumer Reports’ director of electronics testing, in a statement. “We are particularly concerned that phones continue to be available for sale today.”

Reports said Samsung has notified consumers that it will replace all Galaxy Note 7 devices but hasn’t informed them whether it is safe to continue use of the phones already purchased until they receive their replacements.

Customers have the option to immediately trade their Galaxy Note 7 devices for a Galaxy S7, while U.S. carriers have also offered their customers to obtain a refund or exchange for their Note 7s.

Reports of exploding Note 7s surfaced earlier this month when Samsung confirmed several dozen instances of batteries exploding while the device is charging. The issue emerged only weeks after the device was launched.

“We have received several reports of battery explosions on the Note 7 … and it has been confirmed that it was a battery cell problem,” said Samsung’s president of mobile business, Koh Dong-jin, in a statement. “There was a tiny problem in the manufacturing process, so it was very difficult to find out.”