Had a Sears water heater installed in 03 with a 12 warranty. Fast forward to 10/14/17 my 4th one started leaking. They said even though this heater had only been in 4 years the warranty goes back to the date the first w one was installed. Do the math, 4 failures in 14 years. Needless to say there wont be another Sears in my house.

Installed a Kenmore gas water heater Monday November 25th. Left for Thanksgiving and found the drain pan full of water on Sunday December 1st. Checked water connection on top of heater, control connection into tank, and overflow valve. All dry. Sears sent technician to confirm what I told them on phone. Technician called to order replacement and Sears service denied the order until the original installer could confirm their technicians opinion. This will cost me 2 and maybe 3 days of work to stay home and wait for another confirmation to an unfixable water heater issue. This is unacceptable service and Sears is either hiring the wrong people or they have lost their way in servicing their customers. I am officially an ex-Sears customer. 2 stars instead of one star because I am more annoyed than angry. I wont tolerate companies that think the sale ends once they have your money and sell you an extended service agreement. I will spend my money with companies that earn their customers business. Goodbye Sears.

February 2nd Sears techs came out 5 times to check the water heater. They replaced the gas valve, thermopile, and we replaced a 3/8 gas line to a 1/2 inch. They claimed it was low gas pressure afterward.P. G.&E checked. It is 9.0wc. 10 blink cont. And they still have not replaced it. We still have no hot water. It is less than 1 year old purchased June 2015.

Sears and Kenmore, once a reputable and reliable company selling quality products such as Kenmore, are now in my opinion in cahoots with each other and have degraded to scam artists out to rip off consumers. I am now completely skeptical with their business practices. I purchased a Kenmore 50 gallon 12 year water heater from Sears last year in June 2013 for $730. My second water heater purchase from them because my last water heater lasted for 9 years and never gave me any problems so I figured why not buy from them again. The 1 year warranty expired so I called my plumber to come out and fix the issue of the thermostat shutting down due to high temperatures for some reason. (The heat dial was never changed or adjusted.) My plumber came out and said he couldnt fix it because it was an electronic thermostat that he wasnt familiar with so I called Sears to ask about the product I purchased and that my plumber couldnt fix the problem. The Sear representative said that if I were to use another outside technician that the parts would not be warranted by Kenmore. (Okay why?) So I called Kenmore to ask about their warranty on the parts and was given the runaround with the automated system which always led me back to a Sears customer service representative. It was frustrating that I couldnt speak with someone from the Kenmore manufacturer.Since time was going by, I had no other choice but to get a Sears service technician out there to fix the problem because my tenants had no hot water. Sears said that any of the parts would be warranted and replaced without charge but there would be labor costs. When the Sears technician arrived, he notified me that the thermostat needed to get replaced with a new thermostat. I asked him what kind/brand was the old thermostat and what kind/brand is the new one because I wouldnt want the same one if the last one was defective or unreliable. He then went on to tell me that he wasnt actually going to be replacing the thermostat, but resetting it and needed to flush out the system due to build up of sediment. He also suggested that this sort of maintenance should be done every year. This ended up costing me around $280 for the reset and flush.I have never had to do this in the past with my water heater appliance. Not only am I pissed that this wastes a ton of water, but I’m also upset that a product like this was even designed and made. When did I buy an oversized Brita Filter for my house that needed flushing? The technician suggested that I purchase the Sears warranty so it wouldnt cost so much in the future. I ended up succumbed to buying a warranty because I supposedly have 9.5 years left on this product.I will never purchase a Kenmore product without reading the Consumer Affairs report on it. I did some investigation and further found out that my situation wasnt a special case. There were a number of complaints from other consumers who experienced the same exact thing. I filed a complaint (#**) with Sears and I will also report this to the Federal Trade Commission as suggested from another consumer post. I feel that this was worth sharing with others in case anyone is in the market of buying a new water heater. DO NOT BUY KENMORE or SHOP AT SEARS.

Same problem as many with Kenmore water heater, only 6 years old, with 9-year warranty. Pilot light goes out, then have to re-ignite pilot, heats up water, then goes out again. Service tech will come out today, probably will experience similar issues as other posts. Hopefully will have part and not leave us positioned by the unit to reignite 3 times a day or so. Name brands dont signify much these days. Thats why many solid and reliable companies from the past tend to fade away.

My daughters Kenmore water heater stopped working. The code indicated a bad gas valve. I called my plumber, who told me he had just gotten a call from another customer with the same model of water heater with the same exact problem on the same day. Sounds like there may be a failure date programmed into the circuit board! Warranty was a nightmare. I was 4 years into a 6 year warranty, and Sears didnt want to honor the warranty. Both my son-in-law and I were told that the water heater wasnt under warranty. Last Kenmore Product Ill ever buy.

Purchased a Kenmore model # 153330200 water heater that quit after 15 months. When we inquired with Sears about repair, we were told since we purchased the product at OSH they would not acknowledge the warranty. Although the water heater says 6-year warranty, there is no labor coverage. I Googled the model # and found so many of the same complaints. I cannot believe that Sears would even want their name on this water heater. Its junk, that has wasted much of my time restarting the pilot. I plan to cut my losses and never buy another Kenmore product again. Such a bad product and a waste of money.

I had the Survivor installed by a neighbor in 1998. Never drained the tank, never had a service call, nor never replaced any parts. The day before I replaced the tank I measured the water temperature and it was 130 degrees F. I did not replace the tank because it was leaking, did not meet temperature, nor any reason other than it was 16 years old and I did not want a flood in the basement. Replaced with a Kenmore.

I purchased a water heater by phone with a **, he assured me that the WH would be installed the same day. I received a call from Eyman Plumbing who couldnt install for 4 days!! ** should have ckd to make sure the WH could be installed before making that statement and taking my money. My money cannot be returned for 7-10 days and water is destroying my laminate floor. Every # I called, no one could help and passed me to the next person. Sears has fallen from grace and I do not wish to ever do business again with them.

I ordered a hot water heater from Sears with the same day install and Sears failed to do the job. In fact, I had to call Sears to see why no one had called me about my install. Then, by the Sears install personnel, I was informed that they could not do my install and I would need to schedule an appointment to do the install. No, they did not offer an install for Saturday.

Purchased a 40 gallon gas water tank in May of 2014, in September of 2014 no hot water, called Sears for repair. It took a week for the appointment, out he came and told me it was the thermocouple and had to be ordered. Told me after I received it to call and make an appointment for tech to come out and install. Took 4 days for thermocouple to arrive and another week for tech to come out to put in. So far 3 weeks with no hot water. Now he puts it in and it works for 2 days. Called Sears again and again. I am without hot water for another week till they can get out to me. I am waiting for service tech to show up and I know he will tell me that I need another thermocouple and that will take another 3-4 days for it to get to me, and then I will have to call sears again for another appointment which will take another week or two. I am on a warranty with Sears and under that no cost to me, but they will replace the tank if after 4 visits it cant be fixed, so if I add it up correctly it will be six months of cold showers before they replace this defective water tank, at 65 what the heck. I am thinking of contacting the attorney general and having Sears and Kenmore investigated with hopefully a lawsuit being filed. Too many people are having problems with Sears and Kenmore that something needs to be done. If they can recall cars, why cant they recall water heaters and fix the problem. There is also the federal trade commission, that complaints can be filed and let me tell you they do investigate and get things done. I suggest everyone who has had problems file with the FTC enough complaints and this will make the FTC take notice and fix the problem. There is also facebook, twitter and social groups that the news media will start to pay attention. Sears isnt what it use to be, and cutting corners by knowingly selling defective products isnt going to keep customers, and Yeah I am sorry I didnt get a tank from Home Depot. I wont shop at Sears again.

Will never buy another Sears product. Our went out and it was just over a year old. We were told by Sears a repair person couldn’t come out for a week and a half (meaning I would worry about our safety considering it was a gas water heater and would spend the Christmas holiday with company and no not water). I looked on Sears website and it says if your gas hot water heater goes out, it should be looked at immediately. Very concerned we called a local company in our hometown and they came right away. They said it was a (Sears) manufacturer defect and it actually caught fire and we were lucky our house did not catch fire. I had the hometown company fix it of course. I called Sears to tell them we had it repaired and wanted reimbursement.To make a long story short, there have been many phone calls and transfer of calls when I was finally able to get a response that Sears will take care of it but I needed to fax my repair receipt. I faxed the receipt over a month ago and no response. I called again yesterday and today and another hour or so on the phone, Sears tells me they won’t reimburse me because I didn’t order the parts from them! So I guess I was supposed to risk my house burning down and go a few weeks without water so that I could order their part?! Unbelievable. Please, please, please everyone do not buy Sears products. I have now figured out this could very well be a thing where Sears purposely delays the repair so that you have it repaired elsewhere and they get out of providing the repair and costs them nothing. I was given a list of different Sears department phone numbers and I called all of them and got nowhere. My last number to call is the Corporate office but I don’t think I have the energy to call again and Sears has already took hours of my time. I have always been a good Sears customer but I am done with Sears. It is obvious they don’t care about their customers or their safety. This probably would have cost Sears less than $100.00 so I am not sure why they went through such lengths to not reimburse me. I rarely post on Facebook but I thought it was worthy enough to warn people. I do care about the customers safety and fair treatment unlike Sears. So long Sears... hope it was worth the $100 you saved.

We purchased one of the high efficiency Kenmore Hot Water Heaters in 2005. After almost two years, the pilot light began to go out. We called Sears and were informed that this was not covered under the warranty. The heater needed replacement parts, which increased the cost. We have had to get the heater lit at least twice a year since that time. We are now waiting on the repairman to come again, since the pilot light went out on New Years Eve. I am extremely frustrated at Sears, and will never purchase Kenmore again.

The Kenmore Water heater I installed 2 and a half years ago. A year ago the pilot light started going off on its own every few weeks. Id light it and get the hot water. Finally the pilot light went off and lighting it wont work. No hot water but pilot is on with four flashes followed by a pause. The manufacturer told me this indicates the Gas Control Valve/Thermostat has failed requiring a new one. The manufacturer has nothing to do with replacing the part so she referred me to Sears Part Department. The Part Department agreed to send a part only after their tech (mine wont do) comes to my house and diagnose the problem, order the part and do the repair. A tech visit to the house cost $79 not including parts or the repair work. His diagnosis was completely different from the manufacturers. His diagnosis and suggested flushing the tank and resetting the pilot light indicator wont guarantee the sudden turn off of the pilot. For that he recommended I purchase a year or two up to five years warranty anywhere from $50 to $200. This on top of the cost of his controversial diagnosis which would cost $188. I have paid $500 for this Kenmore less than three years ago. When I insisted on the necessity of changing the Gas Control Valve/Thermostat he agreed to write a second diagnosis. This time the cost would be $214 guaranteed for 90 days only. Again suggested purchasing a service warranty. I said no thank you and dont expect me to pay you for this visit since the problem is misdiagnosed.I talked with the customer service department about five or six times. They reassured me I can get the part under warranty for free after Sears technician diagnoses the problem and order the necessary part for me then I can have my own technician do the repair. The Parts Department insisted that there is no such thing. The water heater carries a 9-year warranty on parts but only one-year warranty on labor. It is a good thing I have a second 40-year old heater that is still working perfectly. This gives me time to deal with the Kenmore problem. I am shopping for another water heater but definitely NOT A KENMORE. Never again Id buy anything from Sears either. Dealing with Sears on this issue turned out to be a nightmare. I am considering small claims court.

This would have been the second Kenmore Water Heater with a 12-year warranty that I have had to replace in six years. I was told by the store that I could call this 800 number and receive an authorization to pick up a new tank. Upon calling, I was told a technician would have to come out, and that they could not give me a definite appointment time, only a 4-hour span. Both my husband and I work and cannot be there for a technician. This item is warrantied and should be replaced without hassle. I will be taking my business elsewhere and will not buy anything from Sears or Kenmore in the future, but now I am out at least $400!

When you buy a product that has advertised as a 12-year warranty, you expect all the parts to be covered. At least thats what the book that came with it says, Covers all defective manufacturers parts. My water heater is 2 weeks past 5 years old and suddenly, we dont have hot water. I checked the pilot light and it is on, so I called to set a service call. I was told immediately that my burner warranty had expired 2 weeks before (1/5/13) and I called yesterday (1/23/13). The 12-year warranty only applies if the tank is leaking. I told them it doesnt say that in the manual. I was told that a minimum charge of $75 for the service visit + parts and labor, and a 4-hour window this afternoon. So I have to waste 4 hours of my time to hear the bad news. Why even call it a 12-year warranty?

I purchased a Kenmore Water Heater in Aug 2015, this past week 11-16, the water heater control panel burned up - wires, sensors, etc. Called and was told a technician could not come out until Saturday 11-18. The technician came out - said there was nothing he could do - it would need to be replaced and someone would call us. We received no call from Kenmore, and when we called we got the runaround. First we were told the technician hasnt closed the service order yet and until he does, they cannot see anything on their end. We called several times after that and were finally told that someone from Kenmore would contact us in 24-48 hours (Sunday not being a business day) to let us know what steps to take. We have been going on 6 days with no hot water... along with 6 days with no resolution from Kenmore. After this experience, I will never buy any type of Kenmore product again. They put warranties on their product, but when their product becomes defective during the warranty, they do not back their warranty.

Called for service on a nonworking Kenmore water heater. Appointment set for Tuesday. No call, no show. Called service center and come to find out representative scheduled accidentally on different day. No apology and missed work. Rescheduled appointment for Thursday. Customer called to confirm and appt was confirmed. Near end of appt time was called by repair person that they would not make it and we would have to reschedule. Called service center to make it right. Got an apology this time and a guy named ** but he could only offer to reschedule a third time for next Tuesday. Missed out on work. Informed ** they lost a customer to purchase Kenmore products for life since he could not correct situation. Fyi... Based on my experiences I think the call center is outsourced out of the country which does not bode well for existing and future customer satisfaction in the US.

Kenmore has a variety of gas, electric, and hybrid heaters; each of the models has different specifications in terms of space occupied, capacity, efficiency, power, and overall cost. Based on these features, different models are best suited to different needs.

I created an account simply to post another warning to consumers considering Sears or this Kenmore Water Heater. I purchased an electric Power Miser 9 Water Heater and had it professionally installed in 2012. Now, (late 2016), the thermostat is dying (thermal breaker tripping off daily). I called my electrician to ensure it wasnt tripping off due to house electric issues. It wasnt ($125 spent). I then called Sears as the unit is still under the 9 year warranty. After being transferred around a few times, I was informed that yes, the unit was under warranty, but that it cost $80 to have a repair person come to the house (a diagnostic fee). Fine. Annoying money-grab, but what can you do. At least its still being repaired under warranty, right? Wrong. When the repair guy arrives a week later, he spends about 5 minutes looking at it and says Yeah, its the thermostat. Parts are covered under warranty, but labor isnt. Its going to cost $200-$300 to replace. The wife stalls him while I do a couple of quick online searches. The part costs $50-$60. The repair looks like it will take all of about 5 minutes. I tell the guy to GTFO. Ill do it myself. So weve spent over $200 (so far) to have a water heater *not* repaired under warranty. What a piece of junk. This will be the last Sears appliance I *ever* buy. And Ill make darn sure to tell anyone looking for appliances about my experience. Good riddance, Sears. You may have been good in the 1950s, but today, youre garbage.

In 2015 I purchased @Kenmore hot water heater. In March 2019 my water wasn’t getting hot and after several failed attempts to light the pilot I was told the thermocouple needed to be replaced. I paid for the part and labor. That was less than a year ago and I’m having the same issue and @Kenmore wants to charge me to have a technician come to assess the issue, charge for labor and delivery. I don’t think it’s right that I need to purchase the same part and pay for labor every few months in order to have hot water! Kenmore Gas Water Hearer Model# 153.576310 garbage!!! The customer service rep told me to just buy another water heater. WOW.

In September 2015, I had a Kenmore water heater with a failed element, resulting in the tank leaking all over my basement. That unit was 5 years old. Now, after only 2 years, the replacement heater failed. I just paid $79 to be told what I already know - that their water heater failed - and am without hot water going on 5 days now. My basement got flooded, requiring my basement carpet to be replaced.

I purchased a Kenmore water heater (model number 153.331350) in February 2014 and it was installed in March 2014. It started leaking last week (March 2016) and the service technician said the backup valve needed to be replaced because there was no expansion tank on the unit. He said these water heaters are now installed with expansion tanks and that the leak would continue until I contracted a plumber to install an expansion tank. I spoke to a Sears service rep today and he said their install technicians cant install the expansion tank because it requires a plumber. So, essentially, they installed a water heater that was destined to leak because they had no way to install it properly.

I was surprised by all the bad reviews. My present Power Miser 9, 50 gal, electric, was purchased exactly 12 years ago. In that time, at year 8, the thermostat had to be replaced that was free, but I paid $100 for a 1-year service contract. Prior to this one, I had another Kenmore. I can't remember the warranty years (10?), but at 15 years I decided to change it. The only thing that went wrong in 15 years was a heating unit burned out at about 13 years which was easily replaced by a Home Depot universal unit for a few dollars. Being a big spender, I replaced both elements. Previously, I used Kenmore heaters at other places and other times and never had a problem.

Have to replace a Kenmore water heater purchased at Sears. Its still under warranty so no big deal. Even if it wasnt under warranty, I wouldnt be upset with having to replace it because its 8 1/2 years old. What is frustrating is when I called the warranty number, I was told by the rep that a repairman will be coming TODAY between 1-5 pm and will call 30 minutes before arriving. I asked specifically if he said today and was told yes.At 4:40, when I did not receive a call, I called the warranty number again and was told the work order by the first rep stated the appointment is set for Oct. 12th. Based on Sears practice of setting a four-hour timeframe for a repairman to come to the home, it is my opinion they are not customer friendly. Because they failed to have the repairman here today as I was told, they have lost my future business.

I bought a Kenmore 30 gal water heater from Sears back in 11/19/12. Less than 2 years it failed twice on me. First time I was able to get it fix but I have to pay for the labor. Second time I have to call Sears technician and was told that I cannot order part directly from AO Smith, the manufacturer. I had to get Sears to come out to fix it. This is how Sears ripped off consumers by not letting customer to order parts directly from manufacture and the heater was still under 6 years warranty at that time. Ill never buy anything from Sears again.

The Kenmore 58250 is a sturdy, 50-gallon electric water heater with anti-corrosion features to lengthen its life. These features include two anode rods in the water tank, as opposed to the single one in most tanks.

Purchased a Kenmore model # 153330220 water heater that quit after 48 months. I called our local gas company and the service man stated the burner was cracked. The water heater came with a 6 year warranty. When I inquired with Sears about warranty repair, Sears stated the warranty only covered parts... no labor. I was told a service call would cost me $79. When the service man came, he stated the burner was cracked due to an excessive amount of dust in the burner area. I put my hand in the cavity and rubbed my finger on the bottom of the cavity. No dust on my finger. Cannot see any dust on bottom of cavity. Service man refused to repair under warranty, says we didnt keep dust away from burner assy. Gave me an estimate to replace the burner assembly for $828. I paid $420 for this water heater brand new... Why would I now pay $828 for repairs? I cannot believe that Sears would put their name on this water heater, since its junk. I will never buy another Kenmore product again!

BUYER BEWARE!!! This water heater worked fine until recently - only the 6th year we owned it. It suddenly would shut off and be locked out according to the error code, requiring the gas control valve to be replaced. No problem, right? Only the part (without labor included) is nearly $400 - which is HALF the price of the water heater! Sears kindly offers a deal for repair (parts were only covered for 1 year), but for me, this is about principle and QUALITY! Which is why we will replace this water heater with ANYTHING OTHER THAN A KENMORE (our original water heater lasted more than twice as long - is it any wonder that the Sears in Sandusky Ohio closed its doors?!?). From this day forward, we will not purchase ANYTHING with the Kenmore (or Sears, for that matter) name attached to it. And you would be wise to do the same. Our next water heater will be tankless. Goodbye Kenmore!!

We bought a power miser 12 year warranty water heater in October 2006. In July 2012 it started leaking from the top. We called a sears tech to come look at it. We paid him $89 to tell us we needed a new tank. He said they could install a new one for free since it was under warranty, but it would be 3 weeks until they could get a new one in. Not wanting a flood in my home, my husband called a sears store 135 miles away that had one in stock. He drove the 4 hour round trip so we could have it installed the next day. Now 4 years later in Oct 2016 the new one is leaking from the bottom. Thank god we have a pan it sits in or wed have water on our floor! Since its under warranty we called Sears. They said they can have someone come out in 4 days to look at it and if we need a new tank, it will be the end of Oct before a new one can be put in. The 12 year warranty is a joke. It starts when you buy the first water heater and keeps carrying over to the next, etc. Since we bought our first one in 2006, we only have 2 years left in warranty until 2018 even though this would be our 3rd tank! We are taking this piece of crap out and spending the money to have a Rheem installed. I will never buy another Sears product as long as I live!

Sears replaced my leaky water heater (as it was covered under warranty) with a new one. It was the Kenmore 40 gal natural gas model #57941. I went to the closest store, which is 45 min away, and brought the new one home. Our plumber unboxed it and noticed a very large dent by the gas valve and couldnt use it. So, we had to drive it back to the store and pick up a new one. The plumber got it installed for us to find out that this one was defective too because the igniter and pilot light do not work. Hoping someone can come fix it soon! 2 Defective water heaters in one day???

After five years, my water heater failed. It was a Sears Kenmore 40 gallon, natural gas, with a 12 year warranty. It was leaking water all over. I called the number on the water heater and was told that the earliest a technician could come out and verify that the tank was leaking would be 9 days later; it would cost me $75. Then if he verified it was leaking, I could get a new tank. So I have to pay to get warranty service? I called a local plumber and had it replaced today. This would be the last business I will ever do with Sears and the last Kenmore I will ever buy.

We purchased a 50 gallon Kenmore water heater. Thinking that a 6 year warranty and a Kenmore was a good brand. However less than 18 months later, we had a flooded basement and learned of Sears warranty coverage. They will pay for the $19 part to repair the water heater if I pay the $200 trip and labor charges for a $350 water heater. I can purchase the part on my own for $30. I would rather go to a competitor and purchase a new one than spend an additional $200 for a 6 year warranty defective appliance.

Kenmore Power miser 12 electric water heater. Every couple of years the thermostat goes out. The part is under warranty, but will cost $181 to have Sears fix it.Tried to call manager in service about - 6 times, just kept getting transferred and dropped. Shouldnt this be considered under the lemon law for appliances. 4 times in less than 10 years! And I cant get anyone to talk to there. Called two different 800 numbers. Such a rip off. My next water heater will NOT be from Sears or a Kenmore that is for sure. We drain and do the proper maintenance every year for this. We never had any issues with our old water heater with the thermostat.

Several times a week the pilot light goes out and must be relighted. This is due to a design flaw according to my plumber who states the filter is clogged. The filter cannot be cleaned or replaced because it is not accessible. Solution? Buy a new water heater (not a Kenmore, of course).

My mother-in-law called me Saturday to let me know that the Sears hot water heater I installed in August of 2008 had failed!!! The tank is leaking around the Vent pipe area. We called them and they want 90.00 to come and tell us that it can’t be repaired, before they replace it under warranty!!!!! Sears is a bunch of con artist, thieves. Won’t purchase any more form Sears and encourage everyone else not to also!!!!!

We purchased a Kenmore elite water heater from Sears 3 years ago. Everything was until it stopped working. It turned out that the Sears installer had installed it with a small leak in the supply line connection, which dripped into the heater and rusted out the tank. Kenmore charged us $75 to send someone out. He said talk to the store; they said call the national service line. They transferred us to another service line. They sent us to the Water Heater Hotline. They told us there was nothing they would do. We just bought a new GE water heater from Home Depot. I understand now why Sears is going to go bankrupt.

I bought the water heater at Orchard Supply (now owned by Sears) and after 2 1/2 years of light duty, it stopped working. The display showed a high temp. shutdown. Figuring that it had a 6 year warranty, I made the mistake of calling Sears. The Sears representative said a tech could come out for a fee of $79. I agreed, stipulating that any parts would be free under warranty. When the tech came out, he said it would be $190 to drain the tank and reset the control. At this point, I told him I would drain the tank, and just show me the reset. Tech said it was against policy. I said what the heck was the warranty for if I had to pay $190? Because I was not at the site and my tenant needed hot water, I agreed to pay. I will never buy a product from Sears or Orchard Supply Hardware again.

I installed this myself 16 years ago. For most of that time there have been 2 people living here, but the house has a possible 5 bedrooms, which is why I got an oversize water heater (and, I am sure, because it was on sale). We have somewhat hard unconditioned well water and I drain some water from the bottom every couple of years, but have seen no sediment.

We had purchased a Kenmore 40 gal water heater from Sears in Aug 2013. This purchase was not needed at the time, but we figured we would keep it in the basement as an immediate replacement for our aging water heater. One year later Aug 2014 our water heater broke and I had put in the pre-purchased Kenmore. Things were fine until Dec 2014 (Christmas Weekend). That is when our heater stopped producing hot water. The blinking light code was a #4. Four beeps. Overheated! Reading up on this, I learned that generally two things cause a # 4 failure indicator... 1- If the temperature was set above Hot. Or, 2-The lime build up inside the heater was too much. Well, at only two years old, and the heat being drained of 3 gallons of water every six months. I really doubt lime build up was the issue. Secondly, the temperature was set on Hot. Not above!Long story short, this Valve/Thermostat is not easy to find for purchase for an immediate repair. I searched many stores to no avail. I checked with Sears Parts and was told they can order it for $180.00 and it would take 3-10 days to receive. Well, I kind of need a shower NOW! I went home, logged in to Sears Parts website and purchased it for $180.00 plus an expedited 2 day delivery fee of $35.00. LUCKILY, I will be able to replace it myself, but what if someone is not very mechanically inclined. Here would come a two hour plumber charge Im sure. I find it ridiculous that after only 2 years of use, this valve would go bad. Even MORE ridiculous is the idea that many people are facing the same problem at the 2 yr mark. Somewhat ironic I feel! Almost appears as though they are designed to fail at 24 months. Be careful of Kenmore and even more careful of these Honeywell Gas Valves/Thermostats. Model # 9007890.

Our Kenmore water heater had a catastrophic failure last September resulting in tens of thousands of dollars of damage to my home. Fortunately my insurance company covered the expenses for a new floor, walls, paint and housing for my family for the 2 months we could not reside in the home. However, Sears and Kenmore refused to reimburse me for the cost and installation of a new water heater citing that the warranty had lapsed by four months. However an independent engineering company retained by my insurance company deemed the failure was due to manufacturer defect. This was the second failed Kenmore water heater in my home. I will never do business with Sears and Kenmore again.

I need hot water now. Tank started leaking badly. Called Sears. Will send technician in 5 day for $79. Have to order new tank which would take another week. Labor is on me. I have someone coming tomorrow to install a new one for $2053. Forget buying anything from Sears again, especially water heaters. It lasted 8 years with a 12 year warranty.

I purchased the Mizer12 for warranty and peace of mind in 2011. While it worked it worked until the center rusted over the pilot and dumped water over the pilot and began leaking at an alarming rate in my basement. 45 minutes on hold the first time left me with someone will call within 72 hours to set something up, meanwhile no hot water or pressure to bathroom shower, called back in afternoon to see where things were at, they hung up on me because he wanted me to place a paper towel under it and see how long it takes to get wet when I told him I am standing in water and when I told him immediately he hung up on me, the third guy put me on hold, on hold again and then hung up on me, I called the complaint department and they put me on hold for another 45 minutes. Broken water heater and broken promise with 3 years of warranty left. I think this is a call for the attorney general.

We purchased a water heater from Sears and, after several weeks, it failed to heat up the water. We waited 5 days for it to be repaired only to have it break down the following month. We waited 8 days for repair as they had to order a part. We are now presently without hot water AGAIN, as the water heater is not working again. This time we are told that it will be 9 days before anyone can get out here. Needless to say, I will not be purchasing anything from Sears ever again!!!!

Into the 3rd year of owning this water heater, which I really loved, the water only SOMETIMES heated up. We started dreading taking a shower in the early morning because we never knew if the water would heat up beyond lukewarm! I thought it was a fluke at first, but now were coming up on our 3rd year anniversary with it and nothing has changed in the disappointment area. Very dissatisfied with this water heater.

In 2007 I purchased and installed a Sears WaterMiser 12. After 7 years and 351 days it started to leak from the top. A call to Sears (please note it is NOT 24 hours service) for a warranty claim. I was told it would be $85 for the service call. The service would be between 8:30AM and 4PM. Night before service, an automated message was left claiming the service would be between 12noon and 4pm. Service called at 10:30AM. Service confirmed, yes it is leaking. He took many photos and ordered the part he thinks is faulty.Part (9003487) is covered under warranty. However, to replace the part another $85 service call is needed. The cost of the part is $40.04. Based on a search of this issue, the anode is the problem but it is the beginning of the end for the water heater as corrosion has set in and it will (according to others and the service rep) leak from other places on the top of the tank.

Have a Kenmore electric water heater model 153.320551 that needs a new lower heating element. Went to HD and purchased a Universal Element for less than 10 dollars. Well the threads wont engage since the Universal Element is slightly smaller. Great. Ordered an element from Sears Direct for almost 70 dollars (tax and shipping). How Sears thinks a replacement part should cost 7x as much is unbelievable. Sears is sinking fast when they lose a 40 year, faithful customer like me. Next time this heater gives me a problem, will go to the local plumbing supply and purchase a heater they stock parts for. No more Kenmore products.

This maybe the most disappointing review I have ever written. I grew up with Sears. I have always been a loyal and trusting customer. First of all Sears is no longer Sears. Now it is Sears Holdings (think Chrysler before Fiat bought them). My Story, I purchased a top of the line Sears Kenmore water heater from Sears Montclair 3 years ago. It was warranted 12 years. Over the Thanksgiving weekend 2014 it failed. It blew out all the hot water onto my garage floor. It occurred during the late evening on a weekend. I purchased a new top of the line water heater from Home Depot before they closed and had it installed by a plumber. When I went to return the old water heater to Sears the fun and games began. I started off going to the Montclair store where I purchased it in person. Zero help. They knew nothing and could only refer me to an 800 number. From there I went to 3 more numbers before sending me back to Sears Montclair. The last contact through Montclair referred me to another 800 number Sears is not Sears of old. This is probably my last business transaction with Sears or their partner Kmart. Sears no longer has a reputable service dep’t and should not be trusted for large purchases. I must note that the workers were kind and pleasant. I call it business confusing or intent to cause chaos and frustration with a smile on their face. I wish I could recommend some other store but I have found out that they all sub contract service and routine wait for appliances.

We purchased a 40-gallon capacity Kenmore Water Heater Model# 153.330220 from Orchard Supply Hardware almost 2 years ago. We chose to purchase a Kenmore water heater since Kenmore generally has a good reputation for making quality appliances. In December 2013, the water heater stopped working so we called the Kenmore Sales & Service number listed on the unit. They sent out a Service Technician who told us that the unit had a Code 4 due to the sediment that had accumulated at the bottom of the tank. The sediment was from the hard water in our home - despite the fact that we have a water filtering system. He explained that the sediment was setting off the Code 4 since the unit was detecting that the water temperature was extremely high. He replaced a valve & flushed the unit. The parts & service were covered because it fell within the 1st year of warranty for parts & service. Then again, on 7/23/14, the water heater again stopped working & displayed a Code 4 yet again. This time when we called for Kenmore service, we were informed that we no longer had a Service Protection Plan since the unit comes with a 6-year warranty for parts, but only 1 year for service. However, we could purchase a Sears Protection Agreement-Smart Service Agreement for $199, which would cover all parts & service/labor for 1 year. Since we need hot water, we paid $199 & scheduled a Repair Appointment for today. The Service Tech came out today & said the same thing that the last tech had said - the accumulated sediment at the bottom of the tank is setting off the Code 4. He informed us that we needed to have the tank flushed, which would cost an additional $42.50 (since this was considered Maintenance & not covered by the Service Protection Plan). He explained that he needed to flush it first then reset the unit in order to remove the Code 4. If after flushing the unit, it would not reset, then he would replace the valve. In the end, he flushed & reset it but did not need to replace the valve. However, the Service Receipt that he gave me details the following Labor Performed - Protection Agreement: E.C.O. Replace - $176.00. When I asked the tech why it stated Replace when nothing was replaced, he explained there is no option to indicate a Reset & that $176.00 was the starting price for having a Repair Tech come to our home to diagnose & do any repairs. He did recommend that we flush out the tank 1-2 times a year.So after spending $241.50 today on a unit that cost us approximately $460 almost 2 years, I feel very cheated & taken advantage of, as a consumer. Im fairly certain that in another 6-8 months, the unit will have another Code 4 or something else wrong with it. What an absolute piece of garbage we bought & what lousy customer service we have received from Sears/Kenmore! They have found a way to make money off a defective product that is obviously very high maintenance - maintenance which coincidentally is not covered by their wonderful Service Protection Agreement. We will never buy another Kenmore!!! Sears/Kenmore are complete crooks...Buyers beware!! Shame on you, Sears/Kenmore! By the way, Sears/Kenmore will not consider replacing the unit unless there are 4-5 service repairs on file for the unit or unless their Service Tech recommends it.

Same as everybody else - Bought Kenmore water heater from Orchard. After one year gas control/burner unit died. 4 blink status. Replaced, $175, another year went by and its done it again. Im going give up and buy another NON-KENMORE water heater. Thanks for building total garbage and wasting my time.

In Feb 2013 I bought a water heater Kenmore Model 153.330250, with 9 years warranty on parts and tank. After 1st year (Oct.2014) a Sears technician replaced the main gas valve module controller ($176.00) and charged for labor another $140.00 (LED flashing 4 times fault). Called again Sears on Jan 14 2016 for same fault on control module. This time he was lucky, had to reset the thermostat only and charged another $150.00. Please dont buy any Kenmore products and stay away of Sears service!!! Dont be a loser buying these lemon products!!!

My Kenmore hot water tank began leaking. I called Sears and was told that the one year warranty had expired. I researched Kenmore water heaters online and discovered that the warranties lasted from 6 to 12 years. I called Kenmore and was told that my unit had a 12 year warranty. I was transferred back to Sears who told me that a serviceman could not look at the unit for 3 weeks. I talked to Kenmore and Sears a total of 6 times. No one seemed to understand that I could not wait 3 weeks for my hot water to be restored. I explained that I have a chronic illness and that my handicapped granddaughter needed to be bathed daily by my wife. No one cares. I was told that there was only one technician for the state of Ohio and I had to wait 3 weeks.I called the Sears Corporate Office and the nasty person who answered the phone said that I could not speak to anyone there. Finally, I called the office of Ohio Atty General Mike DeWine. They patiently listened to my complaint and told me that they would contact the Sears Corporate Office. In less than an hour, I received a call from Sears saying that someone would come out the next day. The technician diagnosed the problem and told me it would cost $152 in labor to replace the valve. I purchased this water heater because I thought Sears made quality products and that they honored their warranties.First they told me it only had a one year warranty. Then, I discovered on my own that there was a 12 year warranty. The date of purchased listed by the company was 3 years older than the actual purchase date. Lastly, they tried to deliberately have me wait an extended period so that I would hire a plumber to replace/repair the tank. The repairman was the only professional person that I dealt with in regards to this matter. I will not buy another Sears product.

I do repair work. I was called out to help because a family had issues and their plumber was busy. I replace, on average, one hot water tank a month. Warranty is not what they claim at the store. The tank was manufactured in July 2010 with a 6-year replacement warranty. But when you call, you need to pay to have their service person come out to verify the problem. The earliest appointment is June 6th. This is Tuesday (almost 1 week from Memorial Day). Towel test was done to verify no leaks around fittings including the elements. The tank is defective. I was transferred to 5 different people (90 minutes on phone until the rude, older person and I got disconnected). Their response: We know it is not right, but we could fit you in the Tuesday after Memorial Day. Everyone agrees they are sorry and they would not want to be without hot water, but should I make you the appointment for you or can I help with anything? Really **. So I want everyone, when they need a hot water tank, to run to Sears.

I bought a Sears heater a year and a half ago and now the pilot light is going out. They came out and fixed it cost me $180 to clean a filter. Less than a month later having the same problem!! Going tomorrow to buy one from Lowes. What a joke!! :( When I had the pilot fixed they left and didnt give me a receipt. They told me they would send it to my email, didnt. It is in a rental that I own now. I cannot even take it on taxes because they didnt send the receipt. Please buy your hot water tank some place else...

We purchased our home in 2006. The home had a new Kenmore Power Miser 9 50 gal Hot Water heater. Within a few years we had a leak and Sears sent someone who replaced at no charge citing manufacturers issue. Fast forward a few more years leaking again. Sears sent someone out to verify the leak at a cost of $75-85. Not that the puddle under the tank was an indicator. We were then told they would replace the water heater for free but there would be a $700 charge to install. We picked up the water heater and had our plumber install for much less. This was 2013. Fast forward to 10-2016 - leaking again!!! We went with our plumber and picked up a new hot water heater NOT Kenmore. After 3 Kenmore Power Misers in 10 years it goes without saying NEVER AGAIN! The young woman at Sears was very nice but their policy is to replace with the same model. True definition of stupidity - doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Guess that goes for them and for me... glad we wised up!

I bought a Kenmore Power Miser 12 from Sears, suppose to be the best they had. I had it replaced two times because of faulty tanks, and the tanks were leaking. Got the third and now it is leaking again. Checked the elements and it was not the cause, leaking behind the insulation. Cannot get a live person at Sears on the phone. Went by and they want to set up an appointment for a tech to come verify it is the tank for 109 dollars. I think I am thru with Sears products, unless they email and get this resolved today. Please do not buy a Power Miser 12 hot water heater from Sears. Now I have a floor full of rusty water to clean up. I wish they would contact me today 6/2/2015. No wonder they are have hurting finances.

This complaint will be redundant but I want to add my voice to the crowd. Bought a water heater a year and a half ago (gas), and now there is no power. Obviously, it has in internal power source, which is out. No indicator lights, no pilot light, nothing. A friendly, difficult to understand Sears representative set up an appointment for next week, so that a tech can look at it and confirm what I already know. Ive replaced them before under warranty. But we will have to pay the obligatory $75 for a service that is under warranty, and then wait for parts and a new appointment to install them. I have to leave for the week, leaving my wife and two daughters to deal with it. But Sears has no sympathy or ability to deal with that. It sucks to be us. And this all started off on the bad foot. When I bought the heater, the water heater was damaged inside an undamaged box. I didnt even take it off of the truck. I called my local Sears, who PROMPTLY accused me of damaging it and saying they would do nothing about it. After three (3) 50-mile round trips to the Sears store, they ordered me a new heater and admitted that it had been damaged before being boxed up. But it cost me dearly in trips and time off to deal with it. Sears has no interest in doing what is right or being an above the crowd business. As a customer, I am a nobody. Perhaps, other businesses are like that. Time will tell. But they will get their chance. This is my last purchase from Sears. The two things that frustrate me the most about dealing with Sears on this: 1) Paying $75 for something that isnt my fault, but should be under the warranty. If the Sears product failed, Sears should be paying that to the technician, not me. 2) The mechanism for dealing with this is too big for any personal service. I cant speak to someone who knows fluent English. I cant speak to a technician and possibly work through it without spending money or having to wait a week or two without hot water, and ultimately, I have no assurance that Sears cares about me as a customer. I am a commodity to them, nothing else. There is no substance left to be loyal to. Sears is no different anymore. They dont stand out.