I bought a 50-gal. Whirlpool electric hot water heater about 6 years ago from Lowes. About every two years, something goes bad. So far, I had to replace electronic control board that sits on top of heater twice. Then the heating element went bad. Well, this time, the electronic control board started to smoke and melt. I was home so I smelled something melting and found it. What would have happened if I was not at home? I have dogs that are like my kids; they could have been killed. Whirlpool wants to send the replacement parts knowing this part is no good. Do not buy a Whirlpool electric water heater! Now, Im scared the next time I wont be at home to find the thing smoking. I dont have money to buy a new one. How many other people have the same problem?

Talked to tech & checked the manual for testing the thermocouple on my natural gas water heater. Everything checked out fine but pilot wouldnt stay lit. Tested thermal switch.... everything. They said replace the valve/thermostat. Still no dice. Turns out the thermocouple was cracked on the inside near the burner assembly & would give passing readings on the voltmeter 9 out of 10 times. If you have any pilot problems, replace the thermocouple first. Was only 10 bucks. I keep a spare now. Dont forget to vacuum any dust from the fine mesh screen on the very bottom. Fresh air supply.

Our water heater pilot light has started to randomly shut off leaving us with cold water to shower in on numerous occasions. We hired a local appliance company that we are familiar with to come out and look at it. The tech thought that replacing a part would fix it. It didnt (which I will take up with them). After doing what Whirlpool asked us to do it still is not working. I called them back to warranty the tank and the rep keeps repeating it is a limited warranty so basically I have to pay the service call and labor charges to look at, repair or replace which is going to cost nearly as much as it will to just buy a new one.

After years, the gas hot water heater model fg1f5040t3nov went out. The plumber had me get a new part. 2-3 weeks ago, it went out again. I am trying another new igniter assembly. If it goes again, Im getting a new heater - not a Whirlpool! My plumber says he can get me a new one for a little more than I spent on the Whirlpool, and its much more dependable.

We bought a whirlpool water heater about two and a half years ago and started having problems with the pilot light going out. The gas company said that these have been recalled but he was wrong its the 2005 year. Sure we will have to buy a new water heater soon.

I have the model FG1H5040T3NOV water heater and had found this message board. I called the number posted by Chris with American Water Heater and provided them with my serial number. They shipped me the replacement assembly next day and after about an hour, I had it installed and working again. Im not too happy with the fact that it failed, but it does appear they have their act together in getting the replacement parts distributed.Based on the discussion with the person on the phone, my only real gripe is this: the cause of the component failure was potentially caused by a dirty-flame trap that supposedly needs to be cleaned regularly. Since the trap is underneath the water heater and is in no way really accessible, relying on people to see the fine print in the manual (which hardly anyone reads) isnt sufficient. At an absolute minimum, a very clear and apparent sticker should be included on all water heaters indicating this needs to be cleaned and a clear description of how to clean it properly to prevent this sort of unnecessary headache in the future.

My water heater was installed in 2007 (model BFG2J5040T3NOV). It has required 3 repairs in 4 years because part failures make the pilot light shut off. The gas controller was replaced in 2008. The manifold/burner assembly was replaced in 2010. This month (August 2011), I have replaced the thermocouple, which did not fix the problem. Now I am having to replace the gas controller again. The part is failing, but not completely inoperable, so occasionally when on the phone with customer support, the pilot light would stay lit. When this happened, the tech would act as if the problem was solved and tell me to call back if the pilot light went out again. The next day, the pilot light would go out again. Thus, I have spent several hours on the phone with customer support running the same tests and answering the same questions over and over again.

Purchased a brand new Whirlpool hot water heater, but it has never worked properly. The 1-800 help line has been no help at all. Every call results in another step we have to complete before they can fix the problem. Bottom line - never, ever, ever buy a Whirlpool product. They dont know the meaning of customer service.

I bought a Whirlpool water heater in March, 2008. Last time (not sure if its last year or 2 years ago), I had an issue of the water not heating. They have someone came in to replace a part. Recently a humming sound (scary one) keeps on coming on from time to time. It took me some days to find where the sound is coming from, and there it is, my fairly new whirlpool water heater.They said it has something to do with the orifice. Since I am not a handyman, they recommended a service guy to come in, and I have to pay. I wonder how much more I have to spend on this heater? Yes Im saving gas consumption, but it will be spent for service anyway, and I have the added bonus of frustration. It is not worthy having it. I spent $1,400 for the heater and labor.

I brought a water heater from Lowes in 2011 and I had a 6 year warranty on it which will end November 2017. Well now the water heater is leaking and they wont replace it because of the location of the water heater and they saying I need to get a direct water heater. Well what is the use of having a warranty if I cant get another water heater. I will never buy another water heater from Whirlpool! I cannot afford to get a direct water heater.

The Whirlpool water heater I bought 2 years ago at Lowes has had continued problems with its thermocouple causing the water heater to shut down. At first I would have to relight it about every 2 weeks, now I had to do this everyday. I was going to replace the thermocouple until I read numerous sites explaining that several people did this and experienced the same problems.

This is my second water heater in three years. The problem is the thermocouple thermostat. Also, when I drain the water, it comes out of the heater black because of the corrosion in side. I spoke to people in the company, and they were nasty to me. This happened to my two heaters in 2 1/2 years. Please, do not buy a Whirlpool heater.

I bought an electric hot water tank from Lowe’s less than 3 months. No hot water so I called Whirlpool. They give me service dept over 150 miles away. They will not come. I need hot water and need help. The hot water tank is half way in the attic and half in the closet.

I bought my home four years ago with a Whirlpool 50-gallon water heater in it. It was installed in December 2002. Well, my hot water went out. After being told I could go to Lowe’s because they would supply the part free of charge because there was a recall on the thermocouple unit. I went to Lowes. No luck there. They told me they didnt carry the whole replacement unit and I would need a number from Whirlpool. The guy at Lowes was very nice but said I was the fifth person to come in this week.I called Whirlpool and was told because I was not the homeowner that had purchased the item that there was no warranty on the product and that I would have to pay for the part. It cost $34.98 plus shipping, which was another $30.00 because I had it shipped overnight. Two days with no hot water was enough. Well, I got the part and hopefully there is nothing wrong with it as it was shipped in a box twice as big as needed with no packing what so ever.I just got off the phone with them again but this time spoke with a supervisor that told me there was no need for packing. There was no part of the entire assembly that could have been damaged. Will I ever buy anything with the Whirlpool name on it? Not only no, but ** no! Will I tell everyone I know about this? You bet. I am also going to write to Lowes and ask why they are continuing to sell inferior appliances such as these. I have to tell one realtor friend about this and just placed a call to another to tell him. The first had no idea that appliances that were marked still under warranty did in fact have no warranty at all if its a Whirlpool. I may write a letter to the editor of our local newspaper and hope that they will publish it to inform anyone reading the paper about these inferior products.

Replaced an old water heater with new Whirlpool 40 gal. short natural gas water heater N40561-403. Good instruction, very clear directions. Also purchased at Lowes was a Utilitech universal gas water heater installation kit. The nipples provided in the kit screwed very loosely into cold water inlet and hot water outlet. I used teflon tape and finished the installation. When I turned the water on both fittings leaked. I couldnt tighten the nipples any further so I shut the water off and drained the tank a bit and reinstalled the nipples with at least 8-9 wraps of teflon tape. Im not sure if that is normal or if nipples were under size or if the cold water inlet and hot water outlet were larger dia. than normal. FYI.

I purchased a new water heater in August 2013. The pilot light started going out in October/November of 2013. After calling the Tech Support phone number, (877) 817-6750, I was advised to clean the burner screen. First this is very difficult to do because the burner screen is underneath the water heater and almost impossible to access. Second the closet the water heater is in did not show any signs of debris that could clog the burner screen. I did as they recommended. Several calls, and several weeks later, they finally authorized a technician to come and service water heater. He performed a cleaning even though he couldnt find anything to clean; and he replaced the control module. The new control module worked through the spring and summer seasons and then I started having issues again in the fall, late October. Started calling the same phone number and was told again to clean the burner screen. I convinced them to send out the technician again. The A and E Factory technician came out and only cleaned the burner screen and left before I had a chance to get home. This happened several times and I called Whirlpool every time. The next A and E technician told me to try changing out the draft vent chimney to a different size, which I did. Problem happened Again! I finally asked for another plumber and they sent me 3 names of their authorized plumbers. I called Phil, Philco Plumbing. He told me that I needed to have more ventilation, so I added more ventilation, even though I later found documentation stating I already had more than what was required by the manufacturer. Again, a week later, started having problems. Call back and asked to have my personal plumber come out. This time the rep told me that I have always been free to choose any plumber I wish (why wasnt I given that option the first 10 times I called?). My plumber came out and replaced the control module and the thermocouple, but wasnt convinced that these were faulty parts, he honestly couldnt figure out why I am having this problem, but it was worth a try. That lasted about 1 week and now I am having the problem again!!Whirlpool will FINALLY authorize a new water heater, but they will not authorize installation for the new water heater. I have already spent money on recommended repairs that have not worked. I have taken 15+ hours off of work to watch plumbers do nothing that has rectified my problems. And now Whirlpool wants me to deal with installing the unit myself, OR pay to have it installed! They say they wont cover installation because I purchased it more than 1 year ago. They seem to be missing the fact that I have had trouble with it the ENTIRE time I have owned it!This Flame lock system is garbage. I found on Consumer Affairs that a few years ago a class-action lawsuit settled, dealing with the same issues. I think it is time for another round! I KNOW that I am not the only one dealing with this problem because the plumbers I had out all had similar complaints from many of their clients. Whirlpool wont fess up to the problem, but the problem is real.

I bought an American US Craftmaster water heater in October 2006. I have paid a plumber 3 different times to work on this and the pilot light will not stay lite. I used the replacement parts they sent, followed their technicians directions over the phone, etc. Nothing seems to work. Christmas was not pleasant at my house this year. I’m still taking cold showers.

In 2008, I purchased the 40-gal. Whirlpool electric water heater to replace the original unit in my home that had lasted 14 years without issue until it died of old age. After about 2 1/5 years, it died and I was given authorization to return it to Lowes at my insistence. Now after another 2 1/5 years, this one has died. So far, I have replaced both elements, lost a days work, missed out on a date because I could not take a shower and now Im told I have to replace the electrical box on top which wont get here until Monday. Its Saturday and I havent been able to take a shower in my home for 5 days now.The first CSR (Crystal) I spoke with implied that since I had 2 consecutive failures, this was a site problem, not a product problem. Theres nothing special about my site, and my old unit made it 14 years with zero repairs. I would argue that since both of the units only lasted 2 1/5 years, that the product is substandard. I asked to speak to a manager but was told no because they were all busy (no doubt) and her demeanor was unapologetic and unsympathetic. The second CSR (Nick) I spoke with was very nice and at least sympathetic. That goes a long way in customer service, but I was still not allowed to speak with a manager.I am going to try and repair it one more time, but I have zero confidence in Whirlpool and would never buy another Whirlpool product of any sort again. If I get it working, and after all Ive read here I doubt that I will, I will only be using it for the time it takes to get a replacement of another brand. This was my first experience with a Whirlpool product and you can be sure it will absolutely be my last.

Purchased a Whirlpool water heater (model ND50T122-403) through Lowe’s in Dec 2013. Later discovered online it fraught with breakdown issues. 11 months later ours broke down. Whirlpool Customer Service first told us We dont have any authorized plumbers in your area. Went to Lowe’s the next day - they called on their hotline and we got a call back from Whirlpool that afternoon. Told us part would ship out immediately (arrived next day - no complaints there) and gave us an authorization for 2 plumbers. Both are over 35 miles away and one is out of state. Called once the part arrived... First one said hed try to get to us in the next 4-7 days; second one said We get to warranty work as fill-in work. Well put you on a list and call if were going to be in your area. While we did a bit of web research before buying this water heater, we really should have taken the model number, gone home and googled it before buying. Wish wed gone with a unit from a real plumbing supply place. They were a lot more expensive but you get what you pay for.

I have Whirlpool 40 gallon heater 5 years ago. The pilot light went out and I replaced the parts. This has happened three times and I have replaced the entire thermocouple assembly three times. The last time, the parts came straight from Whirlpool. This time, the pilot light will not stay lit. I am on my way to buy another hot water heater for my family because I have had enough.

I have had too many problems with the thermocouple beginning about two years after I purchased the water heater in 2003. Whirlpool keeps replacing the thermocouple, but I have to pay for the plumber to come out and repair the unit. This runs me about $180 each time. The thermocouple has burned out three times since September of this year. The plumber didnt charge me anything the second time it went out. But it went out for the 3rd time today and he recommended that I replace the unit. Of course, it is out of warranty and Whirlpool was happy to tell me that I could purchase a new thermocouple at my own expense from them. I have paid for this water heater three times over with repairs. Whirlpool knows that there is a defect with the design of the water heater. There is no way that a regular consumer can get inside the water heater to clean it. I will never purchase any Whirlpool products ever! I advise anyone reading this to follow suit.

On May 25, 2008, I bought a Whirpool Model# BFG1J4040T3NOV 40 gallon natural gas hot water tank. The pilot light went out today, Sept. 26, 2011, and it will not re-light. This was bought at Lowes and was rated as a 12-year warranty on the tank and parts. This is premature failure of a product that is listed as 12 years. Due to all the other similar complaints of this Whirlpool hot water tank, I would like my money back ($455.81) plus installation or a new tank installed.

The damper switch at the top of my water heater, one I purchased at Lowes stopped working. I talked to someone at the local store, and I was told I had to contain the manufacturer. I called the number on the front of my unit. The tech talked my husband through the restart process...not once, but on two separate occasions. We were told that because it was intermittent, something they decided Over the Phone, they could do nothing. They would neither send a replacement part nor a technician. By the time we had to call back two days later, restart was impossible. JUST to get the part, a specialty piece, we now have to pay for expedited shipping! And either install ourselves, or wait 5 days After Arrival (!!), to get the stupid thing fixed! If they had sent the part out originally when we asked, we wouldnt have to wait for hot water or pay anything for a warrantied piece! Its a racket. Stay away!!!

I just wanted to post a quick response to a problem that so many people are having with their Whirlpool FG1H5040T3NOV Hot Water Heater. The biggest problem is the Pilot Light Wont Stay Lit. Ive had this water heater for many years now (since 2005) and two days ago we didnt have any hot water. I checked the heater and found that the pilot light was out and that when I lit the pilot light with the igniter, it wouldnt stay light. This could have been a number of problems causing this issue but heres what I did to get it fixed. I looked around on the internet and saw that many people had this same problem and several years ago Whirlpool gave out warranty replacement upgrade kits to fix it. I called Whirlpool support, gave them my serial number and mentioned the upgraded kit. Unfortunately, my 9-year warranty expired a few months ago and I am no longer able to get the upgrade kit for free. Apparently this upgrade kit was part of a settlement for this water heater that was sold through Lowes. The upgrade kit has a few enhancements including an adapter to allow the use of a standard right hand threaded thermocouple as well as a larger pilot light window and added safety thermal switch. This is definitely an improvement over the old.Anyway, I looked at Lowes website for this upgrade kit and their description and internal part number is slightly different but it is the same thing as confirmed by Whirlpool. Whirlpools part number is 6910813 for the conversion kit. Lowes calls this part American Water Heater Company Gas Enhancement Kit 5040T NG. This kit is only $35 which isnt bad. So, I went to Lowes, purchased the kit. The instructions are included and are even good for a novice. It took me about an hour to complete the changeover. Youll need to remove the old burner and orifice to use them on the new kit. I then checked for gas leaks. I lit the pilot and when I turned on the heater, the burner lit right up. All is good now!

I purchased a 40-gal Whirlpool water heater model 40t91-403 last week and paid a plumber to have it installed. The old one (GE 40 gal) worked fine except for a leak. The new one used all of the old connections except the 2-inch in and out pipes. Same connections, hot, cold and gas. At first I got about a quart of hot water and then all cold. Whirlpool changed the valve and cold water pipe (inside the tank) and still the same. They are trying to tell me that the tank is fine - I have a plumbing problem. Two plumbers have told me different, but still they insist. Yes, I am upset. The old GE, even with a leak, performed better!

We bought the Whirlpool water heater and not long after, it quit heating. After many phone calls, we finally got a response and were told to get the replacement thermocouple. We did this and it was the wrong part. We found out that we had to have a right hand thread thermocouple. Now, the heater is out of warranty and we cannot keep it lit at all. It takes at least 3-4 times before it will light once and then it goes out every time the hot water is used.

I bought a 50 Gallon Whirlpool Gas Water Heater with an extended warranty from Lowes, it has not been delivering hot water as it should. I checked with Lowes and they told me I needed to call Whirlpool first and get a number from them before they could do anything. I called Whirlpool and they had me do a water volume and a hot water time test. By their own time test guide, my water temperature fell 30 degrees in 13 minutes and 52 seconds, when it should not have dropped 30 degrees until 18 minutes. When I reported this to Whirlpool I was told that there was nothing wrong with the water heater. I then lodged a complaint with the representative but it sounds as if nothing was going to be done.So I am out $999 for a faulty water heater and an extended warranty. Will update if anything changes. One of the reasons we bought this product was it said: MADE IN AMERICA. We wont buy any product made by Whirlpool again, We feel they dont stand behind their product.

Water heater was defective from the factory with a pinched wire between the thermostats. After replacing everything on the heater Whirlpool would not reimburse any parts or labor for the unit... Whirlpool is dead to me now, and forever and I love to tell my story to prospective buyers of their products!!! So far, to date I have cost them about 14 sales of major appliances (and still counting!!!). After reading some reviews… Im (sorry, I omitted the personal insults) in respect of your review guidelines.

I purchased a Whirlpool water heater and after working fine for about 2 1/2 years, I began having problems with it staying lit. I dealt with troubleshooting beginning in January of 2012 and finally in March of 2012, I was sent some replacement parts. The unit worked fine through the summer and once the weather started getting cold in October of 2012, I began to have problems with the unit again. After a couple of months complaining and threatening to file a BBB complaint, I was sent all of the parts left to change on the water heater. And I was told after the parts were changed if the unit still did not work, that it was probably a venting issue and that I would be responsible for that issue and the unit was not defective. I received the parts on 12/04/12 and they were changed out the same day. Now the unit will light when I hold down the button to light it but once I let go, the pilot light goes out. At least before changing out the parts, the unit was able to be turned on and sometimes it would work and other times it didnt, but now it will not light at all. This is very frustrating because the unit is under warranty and Whirlpool has for an entire year fought me tooth and nail just to send me the parts for the unit, only for the unit to still not work. I have a family and it is discouraging to not know when you are going to have hot water, having to constantly fix the unit or to call Whirlpool to troubleshoot and finally for the unit to still not work after replacing the parts. It looks like I will not have any hot water at all now.

My wife and I bought a Whirlpool water heater NU50T121-403, SER# 0733323 as we researched online the best efficient water heater for the money... which was actually more than we budgeted for. We purchased it from LOWES and our Plumber had to return the first heater due to a huge dent on the outside of the body once it was removed from the box. LOWES replaced it, no problem and he installed it. GREAT, HOT water for about six (6) months. Pilot light went out and has continued failing after relighting numerous times! Now we have the four (4) blinks indicating that the Honeywell gas control needs to be replaced only after 27 months of use. Whirlpool offers 12 year warranty on tank & parts, but come to find out, not this part. We were both raised on Whirlpool products and thought we based on our parents successes of various Whirlpool products, we were buying quality brand. We were soon disappointed and will never buy another Whirlpool manufactured Brand again!!

Having multiple apartments I have some experience with water heaters, with that being said, old school water heaters would last 30 years with basically no maintenance. Since those old, manual no BS flashing light codes were replaced with Whirlpool brand, I see constant problems. Honeywell valve/motherboards was the worst thing that could have been put on any equipment. More or less they all failed within few months past warranty expiration date. Replacement part is cost almost half of what brand new product costs. When called customer service, they are aware of said problem but will not help, or recall above product. There are plenty of videos and forums of people complaining about the same issue. Being poorly treated by customer service, I know that I will no longer be spending my money on whirlpool brand. 3 years off of the water heater is a joke.

Purchased a 40 gallon gas water heater from Lowes. Installation was a nightmare trying to get the 3/4 pipe nipple fittings to seal. Once getting the two nipples to seal using extra thick Teflon pipe wrap, found the tank was leaking also. The return with Lowes was painless. Got another Whirlpool to replace, but angry about having to do the job twice. Wish I viewed this site first. Never would have purchased Whirlpool.

The 12 year warranty, means nothing. The heater only worked for 30 months, and then its upper sensor fault code flashes, and the heater shut down. I called Whirlpool, and they have me use an ohm meter to help troubleshoot the problem. So if you are not handy, you are out of luck. They decided it was my control unit that is defective. They will send me the part free, but I have to pay shipping and installation. What a deal, and what kind of management would dream up of this. The heater is marketed as a 12 year warranty model (only on the tank). Would anyone, having been through this, buy another Whirlpool product?

I bought this piece of junk heater (serial no. 0804T411536) from Lowes and had their contract plumber install it in or about 2008. Since that time, I have had nothing but trouble with it. It just doesnt stay lit. Every plumber who works on it tells me that they have numerous problems with them and they cannot repair them - the customer has to get the part from Whirlpool. And today the woman I talked to told me that I had to pay the shipping charges, which vary according to how quickly one wants hot water! I personally find that a true rip off. If you cant guarantee the product you put on the market, then dont put it out there. I will never buy another Whirlpool appliance or shop at Lowes!

We purchased a Whirlpool water heater from Lowes in 2011. Everything was fine up until June 2015. We got the dreaded 4 flashes. We called for service to come out, that costed us around $300. December 23rd of 15 it goes out again. We called Whirlpool instead of a service company and the part was under warranty. We paid for overnight shipping but because of the holiday it was not guaranteed. We told them we are fine with Sat. delivery. In the meantime we had to cancel a holiday party scheduled at our house the 24th. We waited around all day Sat. for the part to show and nothing. We called Whirlpool to get the tracking number and we find out that the other service rep didnt mark our package for Sat. delivery. I am very close to just buying a new heater. I am trying to tell everyone I can about how horrible Whirlpool is. I feel sorry for any suckers that buy based on the name and dont do their research.

People should consider themselves lucky to get 2 yrs, 1yr, 6 mos out of these pieces of junk. Mine replaced an 8 year old Bradford White that was originally installed when the house was built. Funny thing, we had the exact same BW in our last house. Same problem after exactly 8 years - tank leaked. Anyway, this Whirlpool 40 gal gas was installed by a professional plumber ($200) and ran fine for 6 days before the pilot went out the 1st time. In the next 10 days it went out 9 more times until it wouldnt stay lit at all. I would light the pilot and it would be out in 5 min or less. I watched for the error code the last time - 2 flashes which indicated thermocouple low voltage. This is totally ridiculous. After research - which I should have done before I bought - it looks like a total bad design problem with associated customer service nightmares and much additional cost to the customer. AND EVERYONE WHO MAKES AND SELLS THESE THINGS KNOWS ABOUT IT. Attempting to fix this thing - even IF labor was included - looks like throwing good money after bad. When are these companies going to be held accountable for producing cheap poorly designed products and then let the consumer foot the cost of labor and/or replacement. You can say all you want about less government but this is just a small example of what you get when you have less government. Doing further research, it looks like NO manufacturer of gas water heaters can produce a reliable product now. So now, Im installing a Bradford White ELECTRIC water heater. Thats and extra $250 for the electrical service that needs to go in. AND additional for the actual install by a plumber. At least Lowes is not giving me a hard time about getting all my money back for the Whirlpool since its less than 30 days since the purchase. I guess I should consider myself lucky it malfunctioned almost immediately. Total out of pocket on the initial Whirlpool install: $560. Total out of pocket with reinstall of BW Electric: $1000. My time spent on this mess: priceless. At least we will have hot water, even though it will cost more per month in electricity to do it. Thanks Whirlpool - stay classy.

On May 15, 2017, I purchased a new Whirlpool Water Heater, unknowingly made by American Water Heater Co., from Lowes (receipt attached). Model Number ES40R10-55 with a 10 year warranty. The water heater was installed using the directions in the owners manual. Upon turning on the current to the water heater after it was filled with water and all air removed from the plumbing, the module gave a code stating the top element was not working. Called the Technician Assistance Hotline and they gave me a RA number to get a new top element from Lowes. Got that on May 16 and had to call the plumber that is contracted by American Water Heater Co. to come to the house and inspect the heater to make sure it was installed correctly.The water heater worked once the new element was installed. On Oct. 3, 2017, had more issues with the module stating the top element was not working. Called the Tech. Assistance Hotline and they gave me another RA number to get another top element. On Oct. 4, got the top element and installed it. The water heater started working again. On Oct. 6, the module stated the bottom element was not working. Called the Tech. Assistant Hotline and had the plumber come out. He determined that he could not find out why it was doing this and also said that both elements were good along with the element that I removed on Oct. 4, which I still had. Since then, the module has been giving codes stating that both elements are bad and I have not had any hot water since Oct. 7. American Water Heater Co., Whirlpool, and Lowes all refuse to give me a refund for this piece of junk! All blame the other for the problems and none will take any responsibility for the water heater not working. I will never buy another appliance with the Whirlpool name and definitely will not buy anything made by American Water Heater Co. I also will never buy another appliance from Lowes as they are not willing to help me in this matter. If you do not want to experience the headache and frustration of owning a new appliance that does not work, I would suggest that you do the same!!!

In 2013, my husband purchased a Whirlpool Hot Water Heater model #E2F40RD045V 40 gal. from Lowes in Vancouver, WA. On 12/12/15, had to call a plumber, the hot water heater was intermittent hot/cold. He flushed it, checked all power connections and changed the elements. On 3/18/16, NO hot water. Having a 6 year warranty, I called Whirlpool. They gave all kinds of excuses and told me to try a bunch of tests. By the time I got back to call them they were closed. I called them again on Monday 3/21/16 and said nothing worked and it had popped the breaker. They said change the elements. I told them I had just changed the elements 3 months before. I told them it was faulty wiring. They said the top element must be faulty. I gave up at that point and called the plumber. He came right out the next day. I had purchased a Rheem hot water heater to install and asked him to check the Whirlpool hot water heater elements he installed before he removed it. That is when it was discovered that under the insulation around the bottom element it was all scorched from FAULTY wiring. I called Whirlpool again and told them I could send them a picture and they said dont bother and immediately gave me an RA to return the hot water heater to Lowes. I told them I had already purchased another hot water heater and it was not a Whirlpool. I am going to request a refund.

Whirlpool has been an absolute nightmare from day 1. We bought a brand new 50-gallon water heater from Lowes. It did not work. We went back to Lowes and were told to contact whirlpool. We contacted Whirlpool and were told to conduct a number of test and all test passed, so they said we needed a plumber to come look at it. Remind you that this water heater is brand new and has not worked since day 1. They said the plumber would cost $130 and they would pay for parts. Why am I having to pay when my water heater has never worked. Paid the money. Had them come. They replaced a part, did not work, replaced another and it did not work, so the plumber requested a new water heater. Whirlpool refused. What is the point of paying and they are not going to fix it.Whirlpool insisted it was our ventilation even though all test proved that was not the problem. So out of pocket again to fix the ventilation and it did not work. After 2 months of no hot water with a two-year old at home we had someone we know come look at it and fixed the main pipe. Whirlpool took my money and didnt fix my problem. HORRIBLE SERVICE.

Whirlpool water heaters are a disgrace!!!! I have never been so dissatisfied in my life with a product. I bought this water heater 11/2017. Three months later, it was not working. Whirlpool sent an igniter and I had a technician to put it on. This was a short fix because it broke down 2 weeks later. I called customer service and of course they gave me the runaround. I will never ever buy another Whirlpool product. This company is the worst.

In 2007 and 2008, I purchased 7 natural gas heaters: 1 for my home and 6 for rental properties. I have had nothing but problems from all of them. Two of them failed this weekend (one 40-gallon and one 50-gallon). I called the 800 number and have to pay $63.50 for parts for the 40-gallon and was given a PO number to pick up parts for the 50-gallon at Lowes. They do not have the parts. I have spent over $250,000 at Lowes since 2000. I have all Whirlpool appliances in rentals and my own home. The discussion I had at two Lowes stores today really showed me how they take care of their customers. I told both stores that I will never buy the Whirlpool brand again!

I’m getting the run around with service. No one comes to our area to check our new Whirlpool hot water heater. The hot water heater has not worked right since I installed it. I need a service tech to come to my house at Whirlpool’s expense and check the damn thing and get me taken care of. Does Whirlpool want to retain a customer or not? Its that simple. My cell phone number is **.

My hot water tank wont stay lit. I replaced the heating element, and the thermo couple. It will light up now but it only stays on for about 10 minutes.

Product number 0733318 Terrible water heater - Check valve went after 2 years. Replacement has to be shipped from TN. $30 to next day it or else I can take cold showers for a week. Warranty does not cover shipping or installation. My opinion, buy puts on WHR. Absolutely crappy product.

We purchased a Whirlpool Gas Water Heater (Model No. N40T61-343) from Lowes in the Summer of 2013. 2.5 years later, the water heater goes out as of 01/19/2016. Therefore, I contacted the telephone number on the side of the water heater in order to restart the water heater. We followed the instructions by pushing in the pilot button, as well the ignition button. To no avail, the water heater did not restart. I called customer service on Thursday (01/21/2016) to speak with a representative. She said that we needed another Thermopile and a Gas Valve replacement. So, who is going to put it on? It would cost as much as getting a whole new water heater. Therefore, we are going to Menards to purchase the Richmond Gas Water Heater. We had a Richmond once before; and it lasted from 1999 or 2000, until 2013.After reading all the reviews about this brand water heater (Whirlpool), no wonder people are complaining. Ladies and gentlemen, do yourselves a favor and not buy a Whirlpool Water Heater. The only thing that Whirlpool is good for is only their name. Their Water Heaters in particular are worthless pieces of junk. NEVER BUY A WHIRLPOOL GAS WATER HEATER AGAIN!!!

The pilot light went out on our Whirlpool hot water heater. We followed instructions and were unable to relight. Our plumber was also unable to relight so we ordered new parts with associated overnight express costs. The plumber returned and worked for over an hour. When the pilot light came on the burner assembly burned out the new thermo coupling and that needed to be replaced again. This happened again. I would like to join the class action suit as Whirlpool has known about this problem and consumers are paying more than the original cost of the unit for repairs.

This product is JUNK!! We replaced out hot water tank 1-07-11. Worked good for almost 9 months. Then the pilot light keeps going out. We have replaced everything three times already. Now we cant get it lit for nothing. Its blinking 7 times!!! This should not be happening. When you call Whirlpool, you always get some smart ** rep trying to solve your problems over the phone, telling you what its doing. Excuse me, your not here with it, I am. I even had the plumber on the phone, he got so mad at them, he handed me my phone back and said he is not dealing with stupid. They have no clue what they are talking about!! Its crap that we have to pay $30 for them to express mail a part when its the middle of the winter and we have no hot water. Im at my wits end with this hot water tank. Im ready to sue their butts. Sounds like to me by reading all these reviews, a lot of people are having the same issue. We need to do something about this. They had a suite against them but not for my water tank. They were replacing the parts. Ive spent over $1000 from buying it new, having it installed and paying for repairs on the hunk of junk!!!What can we do??? We need to take a stand against Whirlpool. We need to exchange information and contact an attorney and make them pay!!

We purchased an energy efficient Whirlpool water heater on 10-20-2005. This water heater has been serviced at least if not more than three times. The computer box on the top has been replaced twice each time leaving my garage flooded. This time the water is running from the thermostat box again the garage is flooded. I called for service and the representative was very nice and understanding. He gave us the information to pick up a replacement heater. The complaint is the mess that it made. I have already filed a previous claim with my homeowners insurance for the damage. I would like to know why I have to file repeated claims with the risk of losing my homeowners insurance because of the repeated damage caused by Whirlpools obvious defective water heater? I would appreciate some resolution from Whirlpool for the damage this water heater has caused. The replacement heater is fine but I would ask that the to company consider some compensation of the water damage this heater has caused again.

I own an FG flame lock water heater and have been having the same problems with the pilot light not staying lit. This is very frustrating! I have searched many websites and am not able to find a replacement thermocouple for the stupid thing. Also, I have been told that the parts for the type of water heater that I own is no longer available. I tried to call the Whirlpool number a handful of times, but unfortunately, I was on hold the entire time and could not speak with a rep. I guess that explains all of the complaints I have read on here. I would like to be contacted or have help from someone regarding this matter! I would not recommend this product to anyone and I am very dissatisfied!

I purchased a Whirlpool Electric Water Heater in September of 2008. The unit had a 12-year warranty on the tank and on December 24th 2011, I discovered that the water heater sprung a leak somewhere in the tank shell; not the pressure relief or thermostat or anode port. The tank was never abused and operated well within its design limits. It is simply a piece of junk that lasted about 27% of its expressed life. I purchased the tank at Lowes and went for the longest tank warranty to reduce replacement intervals. I shall never purchase anything with a Whirlpool affiliation. The model number is EE3J40RDO45V with serial number 0741106580.

We moved into our house about 5 years ago. We didnt know how old the heater was so 2 years after moving in, we replaced it with a Whirlpool Electric Water Heater. (2009) Last August, (2 1/2 years after installation) we found our carpet soaked in the room adjacent to the water heater and discovered it had been leaking into my finished basement for who knows how long. We contacted Whirlpool and they said they would replace the heater but I had to pay for the install because it was over a year. Mind you I had just paid 300 bucks 2 1/2 years before to put that one in. So I paid another 300 bucks to have a plumber come out and install this one. I had extensive damage to my basement, rug, walls with mildew and possible mold from the water. I went through my homeowners insurance and had almost $5000.00 worth of damage.So about a week ago my husband calls me downstairs and guess what, my brand new rug that I had replaced 11 months ago due to a leaking Whirlpool Water Heater was soaked again. This heater, 11 months old, leaked yet again!!! Needless to say Im beside myself, especially when I call Whirlpool and they will replace it, again, but who the hell wants to have damage to their finished basement every year??? When I called and asked them to pay for the damage this time because I cant possibly put another claim in with my insurance in less than a year for the same thing, they just say that they will have the labor charges dismissed as a courtesy. As a courtesy??? I said its been less than a year so they owe me the labor charges; she said no that it goes by the original warranty from 2009. What??? Thats utterly ridiculous and how is it possible that they can get away with this. That has to be against some state statue or law, to use the previous warranty on a defective product. So now Im left with about $2000.00 worth of damages this time to my brand new refinished basement all at the hands of Whirlpool. I had to get another one of their heaters because they wouldnt even give me the money for the heater so I could buy a different kind. I will NEVER buy a Whirlpool product again and Id advise to anyone who will listen to spend a little extra to avoid this hassle!

In 2012 we purchased a Whirlpool Nu40T61-403 water heater from Lowes that I installed due to us not being able to afford a plumber. I have since become a plumber. This morning while attempting to shower I noticed that the water was lukewarm with the shower valve turned all the way to hot. I got dressed and inspected the heater. I began to diagnose the problem. Pilot was out and Gas control valve signal light was off. Lit the pilot and it appeared to be functioning normally. My first thought was the thermopile had failed but seeing the pilot stayed lit this proved to not be the case. I was extremely relieved at that point. Turned the temperature control knob to high and the burner kicked on. At first it appeared to be functioning fine. But within about 20 seconds I began to hear detonations within the sealed combustion chamber.

I have bought two Whirlpool water heaters and with each one have had the same problem: the pilot light will not stay on. I have to continually turn the pilot light on each day. I have replaced the entire flame/pilot/thermal couple assembly several times. Each time I use the unit, it works for about 2 weeks, then Im back to turning on the pilot light every day. Im convinced that there is an inherent design flaw that Whirlpool should be forced to deal with. It seems that this should be a fraud case to sell a known, documented, defective product. Shame on you Whirlpool! Its obvious that its all about the money! Band all Whirlpool water heater products!

Purchased a whirlpool water heater 04/08/2005 and it worked for a short time. It had a 6 year warranty. I had to replace the thermocoupler assembly 1 time and it worked fine until last week. 09/02/1011, 4 months after warranty ran out, the unit started leaking severely from the top ? (Could of understood the bottom) here. After investigating further and being told to basically pound salt by the warranty number I called, I removed the top cove r(glued on by spray in insulation) and carved away the spray in insulation. All the bosses/threaded fittings for the inlet outlet and anode rod were all leaking under the insulation where it could not be seen! I know for a fact this unit was leaking long before the warranty expired! But because of the way it is built it is impossible to see it!. I strongly feel this was a manufacturing defect and there are hundreds if not thousands of these units in people houses all over the country!

I purchased a Whirlpool 12-gallon point-of-use water heater as a booster when I was going to get a tankless and when we decided that we didnt need a tankless, I tried to get an RA number through the manufacturer so that the store could give me credit, as it says directly on the water heater, Do not return to store. They said there is nothing that they will do and it cant be returned to the store. So, what am I supposed to do with this water heater now? Before I knew this was going to happen, I purchased a 50-gallon Whirlpool water heater as well. So now, I have the 50-gallon that I have had to replace the element for already and I have only had it for less than a month and a half, and the 12-gallon is just sitting in my garage. Im completely irritated with this company and do not recommend anyone to go with this company! This is the worst customer service!

We purchased a Whirlpool Water Heater at Lowes - model no. FG15040T3NOV, serial no. 0434120861, product no. 0730267 & weve still been having issues keeping the pilot light lit. We purchased the bottom unit piece that Whirlpool said would fix the problem but weve still been having problems with the pilot light going out. The water heater isnt under warranty anymore, so last night was the last straw & we finally decided to get another water heater that wasnt a Whirlpool. Ive done a research on the internet and found out that a lot of consumers are still having this problem to this day.

I purchased this water heater (Model# E2F40RD045V, Serial# 1122T461615, Product# 0826354) 1 week ago (Oct. 17, 20011) and it has been installed only after 5 days (Oct 25, 2011). It has yet to heat the water more than warm. I called Lowes (Oct. 21, 2011) and tried to return it only to be told that I would have to get an authorization number from Whirlpool. I called and Whirlpool wanted me to trouble shoot the problem. I had to have an OHM meter and amp meter to do so, which means that I needed to have an electrician present to do these test because I dont own any of these things. I was then told that they could send someone to my house, but I may end up paying for this. I then asked to speak to a supervisor and was told that she would tell me the same thing. The call ended when I told them that I guess I would have to do the best I could because I was not getting any help from them. Out of desperation, I went back to Lowes and got a new heating element to try to fix this problem myself. I installed it and it still did not work. I called back the next day and still did not get any help, I was only told that I needed to have these meters on hand to trouble shoot the problem. Why is it that I have to do this? The lady did not seem to care that I did not have any way to handle this problem. I felt that this problem was my burden and not Whirlpools for putting out a defective product. I have in my home about 5 new Whirlpool major appliances and have been a loyal customer for many years but after this incident, never again. I will also be advising my friends how Whirlpool has treated me. I am very disappointed with your customer service or should I say lack of customer service. I was told that had I said that the water heater was leaking, I would have been given an authorization number immediately! I still do not have any hot water as I sit here typing this complaint. I am sure that Whirlpool is really concerned as you have my phone number and address and your representatives are aware that I am very upset but still no one has even tried to help me other than telling me that I have to trouble shoot the problem. As far as your rating go with me you get an F!

I purchased a 50-gallon Whirlpool natural gas water heater (12 year warranty) from Lowes approx 2.5 years ago. Just before Thanksgiving, the pilot light started going out once a day, then twice a day. Now, I can light the pilot light in Pilot mode but as soon as I release the red button, the flame goes out. I called Whirlpool and received phone troubleshooting support resulting in a recommendation to pick up a new thermocoupler from Lowes which I did. While searching for someone to install (unfortunately Im not that handy), I ran into the thousands of complaints filed about the very same problem Im having over a number of years and right up to todays date. I called Whirlpool back and got the same song and dance. Theyd be happy to help me troubleshoot if I can get the required meters etc. to test devices, do draft tests, etc. They claimed the problems were fixed with the newer model that I have but certainly cant explain why I have exactly the same issue. What they are not willing to do is stand behind their product and get me hot water. Tried calling Lowes and got the response that I have to deal with Whirlpool. It appears that this newer BFG model is just as flawed as the older model and the warranty is pretty much worthless other than getting a few parts. I used to think that Whirlpool products were reasonably good, however, I will never purchase another.

I purchased a gas hot water heater from Whirlpool. I have had problems with it since it was new. Whirlpool kept sending repair parts, which I installed, until the warranty expired. Now they say “Sorry Charlie, the warranty has expired.” The water heater has never been fixed. They just dragged it along until the warranty expired. Whirlpool has no complaint department or the repair place will not give it to you. They told me there would be no use for a complaint department. They would just tell the same thing the repair was telling me.

I purchased a 40 gallon water heater at Lowes and installed about 3 years ago. A couple of weeks ago, it got an upper sensor failure code on the gas valve. It would heat by resetting (turning valve off, waiting a minute and then lighting) but after a few minutes, it would fail again. I called the customer service and they mailed out a new upper sensor. When it came a few days later (I paid for shipping), I installed it but the same failure code. Again, the only heat I could get was by resetting the valve several times before a shower. I called customer service again, told them what I did and they said, Oh, the problem is the gas valve then. So they mailed out a new gas valve unit. It then came a few days later and I installed it according to the enclosed directions to the letter. Still got the failure code and still had to keep resetting it to get any warm water before a shower.I called customer service again, told them what I did and he said, Well, did you flush the water heater with apple cider vinegar before you installed the new gas valve? I said, No, it wasnt in the enclosed directions to do so. He said, You should have done that and it would have worked. I will send out a new gas valve. At this point, I blew up. Two weeks with no reliable hot water. I told him I want a new water heater and he refused. I asked to speak to his superior. He said no. Dont ever get a Whirlpool product. Some other crappy company builds these turds.

Bought the hot water heater, installed it. It leaked from bottom. Whirlpool warranties it. Replace it with new heater. It too leaks. I Google problems with Whirlpool hot water heaters. Found over 1500 complaints.

My water heater stopped lighting. I found out that I needed to replace the thermocouple. I wasnt able to find the right one anywhere. I called whirlpool and they sent me the parts I needed totally free. I was so happy to get it in the mail the next day cause I have gone 1 week without hot water. I went to work and got a call that my kids are dizzy and throwing up. The house had filled with carbon monoxide. The only thing that saved us was the fact that my AC unit for the downstairs was broken, so it could spread the carbon monoxide to where we slept. The gas company said that we most definitely would have not woken up. I now have a notice for hazardous material on my house. I thought we all just caught the flu. I had no idea that we were being poisoned because of this damn water heater. I could scream. Im a single mother with four kids and a sick mother and cannot afford a plumber for this madness.

I just purchased a new Whirlpool 6th Sense hot water tank #333570. This unit is a piece of garbage. Whirlpool should be ashamed at the quality of product they make. This unit came with a bent temperature and pressure relief valve, which required a piece of copper tubing to be bent awkwardly just to remedy the situation. Also, the control box is set at 12 (most other brands are 14, which is common), forcing the gas lines to be re-piped (very expensive). This unit also is extremely noisy, runs really, really hot and is not energy-efficient at all. Shame on me for not researching this product more closely. If youre buying a new hot water tank, steer clear of Whirlpool products.

Two water heaters three yrs old that went kaput. Thankfully, they are under warranty. However, the tech that I called out said that his company doesnt work on Whirlpool because they are junky and they try to blame the tech if something doesnt work. I called to get new part, and of course now, I get to pay for labor. The lady on the phone actually suggested that I hire an electrician and replace a breaker instead of receiving parts for Whirlpool. Unbelievable. Needless to say, I echo all of the same concerns as the other posts. Im done with Whirlpool.

40-gal gas water heater - I own several rental properties and unfortunately put Whirlpool water heaters in them when the old ones go. It is because they are at Lowes and they are cheap. Today, another call came in from a tenant with no hot water. I called customer service and they determined I received the repair kit from an original design defect from back in the middle 2000s. Now 3 years later, it goes out again. Because I have already received the conversion kit taking thermal couple threading from LH to RH, I needed another part number to repair for a grand total of $160! The same part before the conversion kit was $60. I will never buy another Lowes/Whirlpool water heater for as long as I live. I own a hundred rentals and Whirlpool will never again see another cent for the junk water heaters.

My house was built in 2004, therefore the Whirlpool water heater was installed in June 2004. The water heater broke down (It flooded my garage) in 2007. I didnt have to pay for the water heater at Lowes (It was under Warranty), but I had to pay for the delivery and labor. Now, I had to call customer service, because the Whirlpool water heater installed in 2007 has problems too. The pilot light would not stay lit. I have to pay a certified technician $180, just to come to my house to fix this problem, when this is a recurring problem, with this Whirlpool water heater that was purchased at Lowes. (The heater has a six-year warranty. Not sure what this means if the product is defective to begin with). Im very disappointed with this product. It has too many problems, and I have to pay for a defective product. I would stay away from Whirlpool if I could.

I have had a Whirlpool hot water tank now for about 7 years and all I have had out of it is trouble. It wasnt even a year old and I was putting a thermocouple in it a few months later I put another one in it. All I do is put thermocouples in it. I have saved the old ones. This heater is a piece of junk and I am the one whos paying the price for it. I just put a thermocouple in it on January 9, 2012 and I am putting another one in it on January 15, 2012. I have replaced all parts and it still does it. They are going to buy me a new one someday. I’m tired of this. This should not be happening. They are ripping people off. If the pilot light does not light, you have to replace the thermocouple in it.

I purchased (from Lowes) a Whirlpool water heater in 2010 unaware of the recall and problems a lot of customers were experiencing. I have changed (6) thermocouples the most recent yesterday 2-10-2014. The heater still does not work. Is there any compensation I can receive at this date. If Lowes were aware of the problems with the heaters, how can they still in honest sell these water heaters to the public.

I had a 6 year warranty on the new Water heater and about only 4 years into it the tank began leaking. Whirlpool replaced it but of course I was responsible for Parts and labor to replace it. The replacement only lasted just over only 2 years and just outside the total of 6 years from original purchase date on the first. Whirlpool refused to discuss it since it was a few months out of warranty. If someone else has purchased this heater it would have failed at 2 years and they would have had to warranty it anyway. I will never own another Whirlpool appliance because of their substandard products and warranty. I only wish I had reviewed the reviews of others and taken their experiences into consideration and not purchased Whirlpool. I am now out for another heater and reinstallation charges again.

Two years ago, I bought two Whirlpool Water Heaters. Like the others who have posted, after one year the first one went out. Last night the second one went out. I just wish that I had read the prior reviews before I bought these replacement water heaters. I also had to navigate a very unfriendly customer experience, first with Whirlpool and then the manufacturer. After that I had to wait a week to get a repair person out only to have to order the part and then be asked to pay for it and the express shipping. Totally amazing! I have decided to buy new water heaters next quarter because I just cannot put up with either the aggravation or the expense of constant repairs. I will returning these two water heaters to Lowes, where they were purchased. Perhaps if enough of us return them, Lowes will decide its not worth damaging their brand to sell a known inferior product. When this many people complain about a product and they all have the same experience its a lack of quality, plain and simple. And I would think that Lowes would not want to go on supporting a known inferior product when even Whirlpool is lukewarm in their response to our complaints.

After reading endless stories regarding Whirlpool water heaters, I ended up here and read numerous complaints and every company response had the same message from Chris-- Go to whirlpoolwaterheaters.com/help. I went to the website and called the number (877) 251-1679. I spoke with the most helpful gentleman (Lenny) who helped me troubleshoot some things and even called me back to inquire regarding success and gave me other tips to check if the problem occurs again.

On 12/27/2013 I bought a Whirlpool hot water heater from Lowes Model NU50T122-403. On 12-13-2015 the pilot went out. When I called tech support on 12-14-2015 they gave number what were call centers or person who returned the calls. So I called a local plumber that I used before. He came out and told me that had to replace the pilot. On the 16th 2015 of Dec. that did not work and told us the heater needed to be replaced. The replacement will happen today I hope with little to no help from Whirlpool. I would advise you to do your homework before you buy a Whirlpool hot water heater.

We purchased a new Whirlpool water heater April 2013 at Lowes and every 3-4 months the pilot would go out. My husband would simply re-light the heater, I guess he didnt think it was a big deal. However, in September 2014 the water heaters pilot went out and would not re-light, so I contacted Whirlpool about the warranty. It took 4 telephone calls (two of which involved a plumber, per Whirlpools request), and several days of cold showers for an authorization code to purchase a $8 part (thermo coupler). The hassles that Whirlpool put me through, no one should have to endure. Who ever heard of a technician telling you that they have to talk to the plumber, when you call them to explain a problem with your water heater, such as, the pilot will not stay lit and the plumber said it is the coupler (I couldnt remember the whole name of the part, but surely they should have understood what was wrong). Secondly, providing a plumber (unless youre married to one) to converse with them involves more money. Now I have a plumber at my house so I call Whirlpool and this technician insists that the plumber perform a test on thermo coupler to make sure that it was faulty before she gave the authorization for a new one. Yet again, when I called to Whirlpool with the plumber, while I was voicing my problems in resolving the issue of my water heater with this technician, and she just hung-up on me. So as not to be defeated and having already invested in the expense of the plumber, I called Whirlpool again and requested a manager. The technician asked if she could help and I informed her of my previous encounters. She apologized and took my information to have a manager to call me later; however, she did give me the authorization code for the thermo coupler without delay. When I went to purchase the part, I didnt have the old part (as trade; the plumber hadnt removed it), so I paid for it out-of pocket, to return the old part later.

I found this site while looking for a part number for the thermocouple. Lowes had one, but not for the FG model. I decided to call the number on here from Chris to see where I could buy the correct one with left-handed threads. I was told that they would sell me the conversion kit, but I couldnt get just the $8 thermocouple. Then $47.90 later and the conversion kit is on its way. Im not happy about it but at least I got 6 years out of my water heater before the thermocouple failed. The plus side is next time, I can get the $8 part from Lowes and not be without hot water for a week.

We purchased a 50 gallon water heater that claimed to come with a 6-year warranty on parts. Its been a little over two years that we owned the product, and we noticed rust on the bottom. We checked to make sure if water or even moisture is visible from the outside - nothing. The problem is obviously coming from the inside. Since we have warranty, we called them and got nowhere! We were told that it is just cosmetic. They refused to send out a technician to take a look at it. We even emailed them pictures (see pictures) and still nothing, no service. Their warranty is a joke. We will never by any Whirlpool product ever again. Dont believe the sticker that claims you are covered for a certain amount of time. When it comes down to it, they will not do anything for you.

This same problem occurred about a month later so I called Whirlpool. They sent out an entire new thermostat assembly which took me about an hour to install. The hot water heater has worked correctly ever since.

We purchased our Whirlpool Water Heater about 2 years ago. Three weeks after we bought it, it stopped working; the pilot light would not light. They sent a tech out to replace the thermostat and the thermocouple. Now, it has stopped working again. My husband and I have spent nearly 20 hours on the phone with the WP customer service girls and replaced nearly every part but the tank it self. We have not had hot water for over a week and are at wits end! My husband finally got them to authorize us to get a new water heater from Lowes after they told him there was nothing else they could do to help us. Ive read pages and pages of complaints from other people having this same problem. Why do they put you through all the torture if they know its not going to work? Its very frustrating! We are almost to a point of ripping out all the gas lines and going electric! Will the new one we picked up today have the same problems? Only time will tell!

In 2010 we had to purchase a new hot water heater. Went to our local Lowes store to see what they offered. We decided to buy a Whirlpool energy smart electric water heater. It was large, 50 gallon. We have a large family and didnt like running out of hot water so we thought this would be great. Worked fine until yesterday when I kept smelling an odor like something melting. Could not figure out where the smell was coming from until this morning I got in the shower and had very little hot water. Went downstairs and seen the water heater was not working. Got the user guide out to see if we could pinpoint what was wrong. It said no power to control board. I checked the breaker box and found no problems. I got a flashlight to look at the control board and discovered it had overheated and melt the top of it. Have been on phone with Whirlpool nonstop with just a recording. The heater has a lifetime warranty so Im trying to get the replacement part for it that will cost me $115 plus shipping. I am really concerned that with this overheating it did not trip the breaker. Grateful it did not start a fire and worried if we repair it will this happen again and possibly not be as fortunate. I have seen on this site of another complaint with the same problem. Shocked there hasnt been a recall issued. Be careful!

I purchased the Whirlpool Flame Lock water heater (model BFG1F4034T3NOV) in May of 2008. Within a little over a year, it stopped working. I was able to get the manufacturer to send out a repairman and install a new kit. It worked great for 2 years. Now, here I am again with the pilot light going out daily. So I went to Lowes and purchased the thermocouple, and a friend installed it. We still have to light the pilot light twice a day to have hot water for showers.

Be very careful when you buy this heater. It will go bad within a short time, and you wont have any hot water heater. You call Lowes, they wont take it back, they will tell you to call Whirlpool who may send you a part or send someone to fix it. No hot water for many days. Again, after a short time, it will stop working and by the time you get it fixed, again no hot water for a long time. This is the pattern with this piece of garbage. So you get disgusted, rip the thing apart and take it to Lowes for a refund.. Sorry Dude, they wont take it...it is stated in their receipt or on the literature that came with the heater. Your best bet... put a bunch of dents in the heater and tell them it was damaged when you opened it... Lowes will be obligated to refund the money. With so many complaints on Consumer Affairs and other web sites, why is Lowes still selling this heater and no other brand??? Maybe Superbowl tickets or a trip to Hawaii for the buyers...who knows...but one thing for sure, since Whirlpool does not respond to these complaints, I will guarantee you that their other products will suffer in sales because, I for one, will not buy another Whirlpool product.

Im glad to see that Im not the only one that is dissatisfied with Whirlpools products. Three weeks ago I found my basement to be flooded and you could tell that it was from the hot water heater that was installed in 2005. The plumber changed the release valve. I thought that was it. This past Wednesday I go down the basement and find another flood. The plumber said pilot was not lit. The explanation was wind could have come down the chimney and blew out the pilot. Pilot was relighted and within 12 hours there’s cold water again. I called the plumber again and said that the thermal coupling must have gone bad. I went to Lowe’s to get a replacement and found that Whirlpool is sending a free replacement but I would have to pay shipping. All well and good, but what do I do in the meantime for hot water? If Whirlpool made a mistake, why didnt they send the replacement parts to the businesses that sell their products? I guess that would be the simple solution; instead, they expect me to pay $30.00 for shipping and be without hot water. Well, let me tell you: Im tired of this hot water heater. Whirlpool can go out of business for all I care because they dont stand behind their products. Im going to buy myself a Rheem and Im sure Ill be a lot happier. Need a new hot water heater? Don’t get a Whirlpool!

We purchased the Whirlpool model# BFG1J4040T3NOV 40 gallon natural gas hot water tank in the spring of 2010. The pilot light went out this weekend, 2011. And it will re-light but does not stay lit. This was bought at Lowes, rated as a 9-year warranty on the tank and parts. This is premature failure of a product that is listed as 9 years. Due to all the other similar complaints of this Whirlpool hot water tank, I would like my money back plus installation. I do not want the Whirlpool replacement as obviously it does not work. I will use a different brand and vet it much better in the future. We almost purchased at Home Depot but decided it would be a better bet to go with the Whirlpool reputation and name and Lowes than with the only Home Depot option, which is the self branded water heaters. It was a big mistake!

This morning is the fifth morning I had to take a cold shower. My hot water heater keeps going out. When we call, we are told to dust the underneath better, as it sucks dust. Are you kidding? The hot water heater is still under warranty, which means I will have to spend around $200 to have repaired again. So much for top of the line.

I had the junky gas water heater for two years and cant keep the thing lit. Calling Whirlpool does no good. They give you the runaround; the store cant do anything. They know they have a faulty product and keep selling it. Some companies are only out for the money. If that wasnt the case, they would discontinue the junk. They will send you replacement parts but if you know nothing about them, you have to put out more money for someone to come and fix it. I would love to send them the bill! I would not recommend this brand of anything to anyone.

Having a Whirlpool gas water heater for less than 2 years and having a 6 year warranty one would think you are safe to believe this large company will treat you as well as you treated them when buying their product. Think again. No one is allowed or has the authority to issue credit for failed parts, you cant return the product to place of purchase, you are hung out to dry. Whirlpool, I will never buy nor recommend any product you create or sell. I will make it a point to anyone having a conversation about your products just how youre untrained, read by the manual uninformed technicians really are. I will explain just how over inflated your prices are for such cheap engineered to fail products are. Have a nice day.

This has been our second Whirlpool Hot Water Tank in our home in the past 14 years. The first was installed by the builder, when it went out we purchased a larger capacity one from Lowes. It was professionally installed and now, after the extended warranty coverage period is expired, its expired as well. I would think you should be able to get more than 7 years out of not one, but two Whirlpool hot water tanks. No wonder they are no longer manufacturing hot water tanks - they sucked at it. Also, if you do have one, you have to get parts from Whirlpool and pay $30 shipping. No thanks, for the cost of parts to replace everything youre better off getting a whole new unit.

We had purchased an 80-gallon hot water heater less than five years ago. The tank started leaking, so the whole hot water heater had to be replaced. The previous unit we had was at least 10 years old, if not more. We are extremely displeased with the quality, and very upset with having to outlay such a large amount of money within five short years. Whirlpool has certainly not earned our trust in their workmanship.

Whirlpool anode rod went bad in 2 months. Called Whirlpool, would not stand behind warranty. Had previous hot water tank (not a Whirlpool) in for 10 years with same well and water conditions. Also noticed Whirlpool hot water tank is not nearly as efficient on energy use. Overall, this is a very poor water heater and even worse customer service to not replace a part that was under warranty.

We bought a gas hot water heater from Lowes on Dec. 31, 2010. In July 2011, there was no hot water. After much yelling and headaches, Whirlpool agreed to send out a technician to look at it, since I refuse to go in the attic and I will not work on gas appliances. After 7 days with no hot water, they replaced a valve that failed, they said, because our attic was too hot. The old unit never complained. Eight months later out, the unit went again (and we had an attic fan put in). This time, Whirlpool sent out a local plumber (and I paid for the call) though we had a warranty and extended plan with Lowes?! This time I was told no problem it was too windy and it blew out the pilot. Its funny we never noticed the attic being windy even during the hurricanes. Four to 5 months later, well, you guessed it but this time my husband just re-lit it. Then the next time, 5 months later, my brother-in-law did it. That was August to September 2012. See, this morning, there is no hot water. I had to fight with Lowes since we have the 5-year extended plan. I cannot get anyone to explain why it makes sense to them that a 2 1/2 year old hot water heater has to be re-lit every 4-6 months. Then I went online. Now I know why Lowes and Whirlpool are ignoring the issue. So, anyone know a good lawyer or what are they doing to get satisfaction?

I have 2 rent houses. I purchased 2 Whirlpool gas water heaters with a 6 year warranty, from Lowes in 2010 and 2011. The warranty just expired on 1 and almost expired on the other. I read the reviews and decided I would not spend my time to get a part, I did not want to put any more money into a bad product. Both water heaters leaked at the Honeywell gas control valve without any warning and flooded both properties. I replaced these with Rheem gas water heaters from Home Depot.

Whirlpool N50T61-403 - I bought this thing today 8.21.14 from Lowes. It is a Whirlpool 50-Gal water heater (6th sense) and was going to have it installed by their installer, but elected after seeing it was very similar to lining up with my old unit. I got it in and then filled it. After filling, I lit the pilot light per the instructions then turned the knob for heating it up. Success, the flame spread across the burners...then went out. The steady blink changed to the 2 blink code indicating a bad thermopile. It did not work - right out of the box. No plumber near me carries the part. Whirlpool has thus been pretty good about it offering to have someone come out at their cost... But if no one has the parts, that is no good. I am moving from this house so if we can get it to work, its the problem for the next owner. If not - Ill have to get an RMA and go back to Lowes... Then try the Rheem from Home Depot. Will see if they will overnight a part tomorrow. I found the other reviews - and I dont like it that this thing appears to have difficulty right out of the box.

I bought my Whirlpool water heater from Lowe’s in 2010 and now 2 years later, the pilot light keeps going out. When I tried to buy replacement parts from Lowe’s, they stock parts for other brands but no parts for the brand they sell. The water heater is junk and Lowe’s is no help. I will not buy from Lowe’s again.

Bought a Whirlpool hot water heater from Lowes 1/08/12. In May of 2013, it would not work. I had to replace the Gas Control for around $100.00. It was 4 months off warranty! The same thing happens 3/2014. They sent me a new Gas Control Valve free and shipped it overnight. This is no fun to fix. I cannot believe that I need to flush the tank out with cider vinegar every 6 months. That is why I was told it keeps breaking.

Absolutely the worst hot water heater I have ever owned. Broke within first year which Whirlpool sent me a replacement valve assy which I had to install myself. That one failed in 3 month and unit was out of warranty so I received no help from Whirlpool. Had a serviceman fix it again and it failed again. So I ended trashing the unit. I would not buy another Whirlpool product as long as I live. The last 5 appliances I purchased from Whirlpool all failed within a few months after warranty expired. This is no joke. Everything they sell is farmed out to other countries than the US and the workmanship and quality is the worst I have ever seen. The service people are nice when they tell you that they cant help you with your problem. Dont waste another dime on Whirlpool! Very bad product.

I replaced my hot water heater after 22 years and no problems. We got a 50 gal. gas heater from Lowe’s in 6/2008. In 1/2012, we had no pilot light and an alarm on high temp sensor. Whirlpool sent a new sensor and control valve to replace the bad unit. Here we go again, on 3/2013 - same parts same problems. We now have the cost again to have the parts installed for the second time. I have spent 1/2 the cost to have the parts put in than the cost for the heater. I will never pay for any Whirlpool product again. They are plain junk!

A couple of years ago, we had 2 natural gas hot water heaters installed. We immediately had a service call to replace the thermostat on one of them. Then recently, the other one had to be replaced because of the leaky tank. It was still in warranty, and we had to pay $425 for the old one to be removed and the new one installed. Now, this one has a bad thermostat and the A & E Factory Service is coming tomorrow to install the new thermostat. We have been inconvenienced by this for a couple of weeks as we have no hot water in the master bath. We were just lucky that we had one hot water heater working in the other part of the house. I think that Whirlpool should have paid the $425 for the installation as the original hot water heater was in warranty. Now, I hope that tomorrows visit will be covered by the warranty. Next time we need an appliance, we will not be purchasing a Whirlpool.

I bought it on 11-24 13. I called Whirlpool on 1-29-13 and got no response. I called 3 or 4 times and still havent heard from them. Its now 4-1-13 and still nothing. I tried many times and got the runaround from them. They owe me money for repairs to the heater. I will not ever buy from them again. Just thought you all should know about this.

Purchased a 80 gallon Whirlpool Water Heater with a Life Time Warranty. When it overflowed because the system failed to detect the water temperature, called and they sent in the temp sensor (I paid for shipping). Had plumber replace it. One day later the same thing happened, called and they sent in a board. Same exact thing happened. By this time, Im without hot water for over 2 weeks in dead cold January on the East coast. They will replace the water heater but only a 50 gallon NOT the 80 because they no longer manufactured the 80. Option given by Lowes is to add a recirculating pump to give additional gallons. But, of course Whirlpool said NO. They only can give me the 50 gallon. What a ripoff!!! Please, please DO NOT purchase any product from Whirlpool. Now they change the same to A.O. Smith Signature Premier.

Within a few months after I purchased my gas hotwater heater, I started having problems with it not wanting to stay lit. It was purchased in 2004. I see that this is an ongoing thing with Whirlpool. Every time I would call them, they would give me stupid answers on what it could be. One lady got hateful with me. I have replaced every part several times and Im having problems. About every two to three months, Im replacing thermal couple. As of right now, Ive been without hot water for eight days. I called and he told me about a trip button that is in the little white thing that has wires going to the thermal couple. I push in on it and then tried to start my heater and it worked. They have never offered to replace it or even give me a discount on a new one. No one should be having so much trouble out of your hotwater tank. This is not normal. These are defective and should be recalled. This company is ripping the consumers off and we need to stick together on this and do something about it. Im afraid to buy another heater because I can see that the new ones are still junk. What do you do?

Thermocouple failure on a Whirlpool water heater - We are having trouble finding the part to replace it because the thermocouple is threaded left-handed, and Lowes does not seem to have any replacements in stock locally. Meanwhile my tenants are without hot water, and my repair bill is escalating due to labor.