Samsung Charged $113 for a Plastic Dishwasher Door Latch

In June 2020, I purchased a Samsung dishwasher with model number 60M5042FW. Shortly after the warranty expired, the racks began peeling and the door latch broke. When it broke the first time, I thought it might be user error, so I purchased a new latch and installed it myself; however, in less than a year, the hook section in the middle of the same latch broke again, and this issue has occurred a total of three times. Most recently, when the latch broke again about 15 days ago, I contacted Samsung Istanbul service on January 14, 2026 via 444 7 711. I was informed that the door latch part alone costs $113, that parts are not sold directly to consumers, and that I must open a service request and have the replacement performed only by an authorized service center. As a retired consumer, I find it neither reasonable nor affordable to be forced to pay $113 plus service fees for a simple plastic part, especially when similar parts from other brands cost between $3 and $7. Because I could not purchase the part separately, I made a metal attachment myself to reinforce the broken area; however, this caused another issue where the latch automatically closes every time I open the door, making the appliance difficult to use. I am now attaching photos of this modified latch to clearly document the situation. These experiences have seriously shaken my trust in the brand and have made me regret not choosing Arçelik, Beko, or another brand instead. Many appliances in my home—including my TV, refrigerator, and vacuum cleaner—are Samsung products. Considering that the same dishwasher currently sells for approximately $460, requesting $113 for just the door latch—nearly one-third of the product’s value—defies logic and reason. The extreme pricing of this latch compared to competitor brands, combined with the complete restriction on selling spare parts directly to end users, is a highly consumer-unfriendly practice. My expectation from Samsung is that the price of this part be reduced to a reasonable, affordable level, that spare parts be made available to end users who can prove ownership with an invoice or warranty document, and that the door latch issue I am experiencing be resolved promptly at a fair cost. Additionally, I request that your pricing policy be aligned with competitor standards and that these plastic components be redesigned using higher-quality materials.