Some parts on a washing machine are definitely designed to break. For example, the couplings [1] on a washing machine are usually made of a plastic material. They are designed to break when introduced to various amounts of stress. Breaking under stress protects the motor from damage (which is a lot more expensive to replace). It's definitely frustrating when the washer breaks down for this reason, but the repair is extremely cheap (< $5 for the actual part, more for labor) if you do it yourself.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coupling