It's hard to characterize in a single sentence, so I'll just break it down into its constituent parts.
The Beep
When the laundry cycle finishes it does the following:
- It beeps super loudly for 5 seconds
- If you don't run to switch it off, it will wait 30 more seconds and then continue to beep super loudly for 5 seconds
- If you switch it off whilst it's beeping, it will continue to finish its beeping
- There is no volume setting nor any way to switch this off.
The Door
When it's finished. It does not release. That beeping sound from earlier to tell you to come get your laundry? No no no, that was just the "come and watch me drain" alarm.
- Switching it off has no effect on the door release.
- It releases whenever it wants. It could be 5 minutes, it could be 20.
- When it does release, all you will get is a sound, so you better be around to hear it.
- If you miss this sound, it will lock itself again 10-15 minutes later and rotate your clothes.
- It will then repeat the release process.
HELP ME. HE-ELP ME.
Good luck. This is probably in your imminent future:
That's called the "spider arm," and is the only part in the entire machine that's exposed to water but made of non-corrosion-resistant metal. It is very obviously designed that way for planned obsolescence.
If your machine starts making a loud thunk and the drum stops turning, that's the part you need to replace.
Nice. I just fixed my Samsung dryer. The drum was binding or something, about 50% of the time it would make a buzzing noise when started and it wouldn't spin. One of the wheels inside was hard to turn when I took it apart. Replaced 2 wheels, belt, tension arm thing, and motor. Was like $80 in total. I did that yesterday and so far so good. I've had the set for about 10 years too so I'll remember this if the washer stops working.