My water heater burner went out after just over 3 years caused the pilot to go out. I was worried that although all parts were covered for 12 years and labor for only 3 and the labor would be very expensive. When I called and told them about the problem they said the part was covered and would ship it next day air but 10 minutes later another rep called and said they would cover the labor as well and to check a nearby service company as they might have the part in stock. Long story short without having to scream and yell my problem was corrected within 8 hours and all I have to do is drop off the new burner at the service company when it arrives. I have been lucky and haven't had many warranty problems in my life but none that I have had have been resolved so painlessly. I will never buy anything but Whirlpool from this day forward. Thank you Whirlpool.

I purchased a Whirlpool electric water heater in August of 2008. The unit had a 12-year warranty on the tank. On January 21, 2012, I discovered that the water heater sprung a leak somewhere in the tank shell; it’s not the pressure relief valve, thermostat or anode port. The tank was never abused and operated well within its design limits. Not sure what caused it to start leaking into the catch pan and out onto my laundry room floor.I purchased the tank at Lowes and went for the longest tank warranty to reduce replacement intervals. I sent Whirlpool an email on 1/22/2012 explaining my problem and I referenced this site. The next day 1/23/2012 I receive a call from Whirlpool (Chris) asking me about my problem. I explained again and they gave me an RMA number and told me to go to Lowe’s and they would replace my hot water heater. I went straight to Lowe’s customer service and within an hour I was on my way home with a brand new hot water heater. Thank you, Chris, Whirlpool and Lowe’s. I am very happy with my outcome on this issue.

I bought the Whirlpool model e2h50rd045v electric water heater to replace my failing gas water heater on July 21, 2014, and had it installed a couple of weeks later after a little over 3 years of use. The water heater is still working with no issues or major problems. I'm happy with the decision to purchase this water heater.

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 40 gallon gas water heater in June 2004 and had to have it worked on twice, costing more than I paid for it. I am replacing it now because pilot light will not stay on, and it is currently out of warranty, and I have no faith that simple repair will hold more than 1 year stint. Customer service was attentive but product itself failed to meet expectations.

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.

I have a Whirlpool gas water heater that failed after only three years of operation. My previous water heater in the same spot lasted 18 years. The problem is a defective thermo coupler design that burns out if a filter you cant access isnt cleaned every three months.

I have gallon Whirlpool hot water heater. After 2 1/2 years, the heater started indicating upper sensor failure. I have had servicemen out here every 3-4 weeks since June. I have replaced gas valves, a new sensor and a new gas meter. I have made several calls to Whirlpool, but cant keep this hot water heater going. I am going to have to find a new 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 replaced a 15 -year-old propane water heater with an electric on 02/01/14, due to the high propane prices, $6 a gallon, and because I felt the heater should be replaced. After installing the electric water heater I filled with water purged all the air out, powered it up, went thru diagnostics and heated water to 120. After an hour I turned on the hot water at the kitchen faucet, hot water was there but not for long, water got cold,.I troubleshot the problem back to the anti-scald valve installed 15 years ago when I had a professional install the first tank. By placing my hand on the hot water line coming out of the tank, I found the water was indeed hot before the anti-scald valve, after the valve the water was cold indicating to me the valve was not functioning properly. I went to Lowes bought the parts to bypass and removed the valve, went home and in another hour had the problem solved! I wondered why I had to turn the temp upon the old heater to get hot water! I am very happy with my electric water heater, not only did Lowes have the last one in stock, it was on sale $100 off regular price, it is a digital controller type with water temperature setting on the front. I checked the temp at the water faucet in the kitchen. I had it set to 120, the water temp out was 119.8 on my digital thermometer. Water was too hot so I lowered it to 110, perfect temp for a hot shower. Even if the thing uses more electric than it should I still save because the fact of propane is so high I couldnt see spending $600 for 28 days of propane, versus $400 on a new electric water heater. I would rather pay a higher electric bill than feel I am getting ripped off with the propane dealers! Also there is absolutely no residual heat loss. This is well insulated even comes with pipe insulation!

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.

I bought a Whirlpool water heater not even 3 years ago, and I am already replacing parts; thermostat,thermocouple, and as of yet, no fix. We contacted Whirlpool, and they said that everything has been tried, and if the thermocouple doesnt fix it, well have to hire a plumber at our expense. Its kinda ridiculous. The water heater that we replaced, had been in the home for almost 17 years.This one didnt even make it to 4.

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.

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.

Purchased on 04-26, professionally installed on 04-29 into a clean, large, well-ventilated area within the garage. Has turned itself off every day since then. Flashes code 10, screen is dirty... Pull the burner and the screen is clean. Called Whirlpool. They tell me to clean it again, so I do. This goes on for weeks... I can now pull the screen and clean it with my eyes closed. I get up a half hour early every morning to complete my water heater re-lighting procedure so my family can take a warm shower!!! Whirlpool gives me a phone number to a repair company. They tell me the repair person will have parts on the truck. I wait four days, guy comes out and says, You need a control valve.... did they send it to you? So I had to call Whirlpool back and order the valve... three more days... Very next day after repair, the thing shuts itself off again! I call Whirlpool and they try and push me off to the repair company, saying they are now responsible for the repair, but in the same sentence the tech says the heater needs a burner assembly. Okay, so you know it needs a burner assembly, but you ask me to contact the repair company to come out and fix it knowing they DO NOT have the parts on the truck? Only after I change my tone and raise my voice does she offer to send the part ahead of the repair appointment! In my opinion, Whirlpool has reached the top of a list shared by other mega companies like Bank of America and Time Warner Cable... Too bad the accolade is for the worst product and customer service. DO NOT BUY Whirlpool.

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.

We have had a Whirlpool hot water heater for 6 years and 14 days. Note the 14 days. It has been nothing but trouble and we have called the company repeatedly for help. It finally stopped working altogether 14 days after the warranty ran out. Thank you Whirlpool for nothing! It had a filter on the bottom of the heater that constantly had to be cleaned which was next to impossible. We had to buy a special brush to try to reach it. My husband had to take it apart several times a year and clean it to keep it running. Whirlpool should have replaced it within the first year but instead offered many suggestions about cleaning and etc. so they would not have to replace. Today it is out of my house for good and I would advise anyone reading this to beware! Horrible product!!!

I purchased a water heater Model # UG1H50400TBN, Serial # 0913T400920, from Lowes in Corona, CA. 05/07/2009 for $528 plus tax. I have replaced the following parts: 02/10/2010 Thermostat Valve, 07/23/2010 Thermostat Valve (2nd time), 08/10/2010 Burner assembly, 02/10/2011 Thermocouple, 02/17/2011 Thermostat Valve (3rd time), 12/17/2014 Thermocouple (2nd time) and 03/20/2015 Burner assembly (2nd time).Today I called WHIRLPOOL Customer service (877) 817-6750 because my water heater water is warm. I told the tech support agent that the pilot light was on so we agreed that it was the thermostat valve AGAIN. He wanted $30 for overnight delivery and I refused to pay. Now I have to go out and buy this part because Whirlpool like the Banks is too big to fail and they have license to RIP-OFF the consumer without penalties. Whirlpool has all of information and they can verify everything I wrote here just by the serial number.

I am experiencing problems with keeping my pilot lit too. I checked the screen and this is not the issue. I have just returned from Lowes where I purchased the water heater and they informed me Whirlpool supplied kits for this issue and it was widespread. They mentioned a class action and went on to tell me they and all surrounding Lowes stores are out of the free kit and arent expecting anymore. Am I to feel lucky my water heater water didnt fail sooner only to feel unlucky all of the free repair kits are now gone? Lowes provided me with the Whirlpool phone number for help and they have just informed me it will cost me $35.44 plus shipping. I now see how widespread this problem is. This isnt right. I am very disappointed in the handling of this known problem! What is my next course of action?

I purchased a 50 gallon Whirlpool water heater, model FG1J5040T3, in November, 2005, and have had the same experience as reported by the hundreds of others, whose comments I have been reading. Basically, pilot wont stay lit. I called Whirlpool, relight the heater, when it doesnt relight, wait to receive repair parts, call a plumber, and pay to have them install it, then repeat same problems. Each time going for a week or so, without hot water.After relighting the heater 10 times in the past year, and service calls, Whirlpool authorized me yesterday to return it to Lowes, and get a replacement. I need to hire a plumber to unhook it, haul it to Lowes, get the new one, and install it. It cost me about $300 to $400. Will the replacement be any better? I am considering just replacing the heater with one made by Rheem.

Bought Whirlpool 30 gal propane water heater in Feb, it lasted until May before the unit died. Paid for the extended plan warranty (NEVER do that!). Called support and they said they could send someone out in a little over a week (week with no hot water). The week goes by and on the day it was suppose to be repaired the guy calls and says his van broke down (this was a Friday, getting that early weekend). The earliest they can reschedule is in another week (over 2 weeks no hot water). Called Lowes to see if I can just return it (extended plan and all), no, you need a return code from the whirlpool customer support. Call the Whirlpool number again to ask for a return code, no, it is a repairable problem (even though no one will come repair it). Lesson learned, will never buy Whirlpool or anything over $50 from Lowes again.

New water making loud pinging noises when burner shut off. Whirlpool referred plumber. Plumber stated this is normal. After few months heater would make loud humming noise when burner turned on. Called Whirlpool again. Said I had to pay for plumber to troubleshoot and if part needed I had to pay labor to replace part. Would never recommend this product to anybody.

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.

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!

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!!!

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 posted about our problem with the Whirlpool water heater on the 20th. Chris ** of Whirlpool called me back. He totally took care of the problem and got us back working. After 3 years, our problem is resolved. I am grateful to Chris for finally resolving the problem. He was professional, courteous and knowledgeable. Thank you.

I purchased and had professionals install a Whirlpool 30-gallon water heater in 2007. Since that time I have had issues with the unit not staying lite, but have been able to deal with it myself. Then in November 2011, it wouldnt work. After paying a plumber to come out and check everything, we got on the phone with Whirlpool who goes through their generic checklist, and after all that they agreed the control was no good. They sent a replacement part out at which time I had to pay to have put in. Now, March 2012, the same thing is going on with the unit. Customer service is their same polite self and have to go through their checklist, but unfortunately we were cut off. This was followed by calls and trying to get the same operator, who was supposed to call me back. It didnt happen. I then called and was hung up on. Finally, I had to work with another operator who again wanted to go through her checklist! She finally agreed the same control unit must be bad and is sending me a new one so I can pay to have it installed! They will not admit the unit is bad and replace it completely. I guess when buying Whirlpool you need to understand they dont back their products. It appears to be normal that a control unit from Whirlpool only has a life expectancy of 3 or 4 months. Last Whirlpool I ever buy!

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.

I bought a whirlpool 40g gas heater with the Honeywell gas valve. In 5 years Ive had to replace the valve two times. Thankfully the valve was under warranty both times. Our old water heater was Twentynine years old before it started to leak, this new electrical diagnostic high tech gas valve keeps breaking showing a overheated error and the only way to fix it is a new valve that only Honeywell sells thats well over 100$. Talk about a scam!!

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.

The technician that was here to repair my propane water heater called Whirlpool to get help with the problem. The pilot would not stay lit, they would not help him. I told him it was installed in a mobile home and he had to cap the gas to the heater, it was still under warranty. Later I found out there was a recall on this heater and that probably was the reason they told him that. I ordered a water heater just for mobiles and am in the process of getting it installed. I kept the old heater for now and will still pursue this issue under the warranty.

Purchased gas water heater from Lowes in 2012. Had no problems until July 2018. Its under warranty but have had to replace the control valve completely and the burner 5 times and it still is not fixed. Dont waste your money. Buy something else.

My 50 Gallon water heater is still under warranty, model #051718153. The water heater shuts down after a few minutes. Theres a sound of a leak inside the tank. They would not replace the tank; theyd only replace parts. We have already replaced the outer control box and the double burner, and theres nothing else to replace except the tank, which they refuse to do so. If I had called them and said theres water coming out from the heater, theyd have agreed to send me a new tank, but honesty doesnt work.

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?

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 see that I am not the only one with the same pilot problem. I just purchased this new model that came out last summer. I bought my new water heater in September and just this past weekend, it messed up. I have not had it for 8 months. Whirlpool sent out a technician yesterday and he said the assembly is not good and the pilot would not light. Well they sent me a replacement part and they are coming out today to install it. The funny thing was that the technician said, Oh, these are hard to work with. We have a lot of problems with these models and they just came out last summer. Its the on that has the little box and you push the pilot button in and hold it until the red light comes on. Anyway, he said he didnt carry parts for that one, only the old ones which last longer. The ones that have the black round circle that looks like a thermostat. I said, Really? Well the reason I bought this water heater is because my last one that I bought 2 years ago kept having the same issue. Whirlpool sent me the assembly with the pilot and all 3 times and would never replace it. I got tired of it always messing up so after having it for 2 years, we just dumped it and went and bought this new model. Here we are 8 months since we bought it and the same thing is happening. I am so furious. I am pissed off that they dont recall these if they are defective. Why do they keep selling them if people have problems? My cousin called me a couple of months ago and asked if my husband could check her water heater and its the same type I had and it was doing the same thing. I will never buy another Whirlpool water heater again.

I could echo all of these complaints and more. I just gave up on the heater, junked it, and went to Home Depot and bought a Rheem. Recommendation: NEVER BUY A WHIRLPOOL!

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.

Whirlpool water heater FG1F5040T3NOV - I noticed that when I was taking a shower, my hot water wasnt working. I went downstairs and the pilot light on my water heater wasnt on. I tried to restart it. The pilot light wouldnt work or relight. I gave up and contacted a plumber. I dont feel I should have to pay for a plumber when its a product flaw!

Note that most of the complaints are about gas water heaters, but the electric water heaters dont seem to be much better. Mine, barely made 4 yrs old and both elements and thermostat went. Had plumbers in for estimates in to repair - much cheaper to install a new one (No...not a Whirlpool!). Very disappointed in the product.

Purchased a new Whirlpool Energy Smart 50 gallon water heater from Lowes to replace our existing old one that had gone bad. Never again!! Had it professionally installed by one of Lowes installers. I have no problem with the installer.... the water heater was a piece of junk. From the first day we had sporadic hot water and to get that you had to have a hot water tap turned on full force. If you turned the tap to a lesser flow you got cold water. Couldnt get a hot shower at all. Contacted Whirlpool customer service 4 times by phone and 3 times by email. Horrible !!!! If I had read all the reviews ahead of time I would never have purchased a Whirlpool water heater. Each time contacting their customer service I was informed I had a plumbing problem... probably a cold water line was feeding into my hot water line??? Really??? After living in this house for 20 years all of a sudden I have a cold water line magically connect itself into my main hot water feed? I even set the temperature up as much as it would go. Could easily hold my hand under the hot water without getting burned. Most of their phone reps sounded like they were reading from a check list sheet and no desire to actually listen to what I was telling them. One even sent me a PDF file via email that had nothing to do with the problem I was describing to them. I finally told them after two weeks of this that I couldnt live with this situation and they said Well our technicians are 38 miles from you and we wont send one that far to check it. Asking what I could do they said Id have to hire someone (they werent able to tell me if I should hire a plumber or electrician) and Id have to pay for it and they would reimburse me. Sensing that this might be a fruitless task I resorted to calling the Lowes store where I purchased it and asked their advice. They offered to send out the original installer to check it out and work with Whirlpool over the phone. Like I said, I have no complaints with the installer, he was fast and professional. I stood there while their technician/customer service had him go through a few tests on the unit. All of that proved nothing except in their minds that nothing was wrong with their unit. He got off the phone and told me They refuse to accept any responsibility for the product being bad. I asked him what was I supposed to do. He got on the phone with the manager of the Lowes store and they agreed to swap it out at no charge to me. I of course was very happy but told them after all of this I didnt want another Energy Smart type water heater and that I didnt trust the electronics at all. He agreed to swap it out for a regular type and give me a credit for any difference in cost. Had this all done in one day and am very pleased with Lowes commitment to customer service. The new heater (still a Whirlpool sad to say) appears to be working fine just like my old one did. So much for it being a problem with my plumbing. After reading all the complaints about Whirlpool water heaters, I guess Im not looking forward to much of a life expectancy with this one and Im certainly not even going to attempt to call Whirlpool customer service if I do. This whole thing cost me $700 and as far as Im concerned Ill flush $700 down the toilet before buying another Whirlpool product. I still would love to know how any person with half a brain could tell me I had a plumbing problem when all that was done was removal of an old water heater and replaced with a new one. Thats two pipes people...cold water in, hot water out. I see that there was some type of class action lawsuit filed against Whirlpool. Maybe they need another one filed or forbidden to sell water heaters ever again.

Extremely disappointed!! We purchased this water heater about 4 years ago and for the past year we have to manually turn on the burner. Its been a nightmare! We called Lowes to purchase the parts, but they do not sell the parts. There was a nine year warranty. Our last water heater lasted about 11 years. Its such a shame that this one is giving us problems just after 3 years. Im really considering just buying another one. I dont want to continue struggling with this one. Its been a bad purchase and coming to find out that Im not the only one with this problem. If its a defect Whirlpool should at least replace them for the inconvenience. They should take responsibility for selling defective products.

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 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.

Late on the evening of Monday, January 27, 2014, after springing a leak in my 8-year-old water heater, I purchased a new Whirlpool model N50T61 replacement from Lowes. Installation went smoothly and the unit lit off fine the first time. It heated the initial tank of water rather quickly, but the next morning, I noticed the status light on the control unit was not blinking, which indicated the pilot light had gone out. I relit the pilot light, the water heater fired off and appeared to be working properly. 12 hours later, the status light was out again. I relit the pilot, but within 20 minutes, it went out again.On Wednesday, the 29th, I called Whirlpool customer service and explained to the representative what had been happening. He stated that since the status light was not blinking a code, the problem was either an air supply or venting problem, and he couldnt help me. I relit the water heater again and performed the match smoke test described in the owners manual on the vent connection. It did exactly what the manual said it should do, so I assumed that was not the problem. However, while performing this test, the water heater went out again. This time, being right there when it shut off, I saw the status light blink twice about 5 or 6 times before it quit blinking all together. The two blink error code indicated low millivolt signal from thermopile.I called customer service again and explained to the representative what the first person had told me and also told him the results of my test and that this time, I had observed the two blink error code. He asked if I had a multimeter (which I do), so he had me disconnect the wires for the thermopile, connect the meter to the wires, light the pilot and read the voltage. My meter is an old analog unit, and not capable of reading millivolts (which is what the thermopile output is), and I informed the rep of this, but he had me do it anyway. As I suspected, I saw absolutely no reading on the meter. The service rep stated that he believed the error code and decided to send me a new thermopile assembly. However, their shipping department was closed for the day and I should not expect to see the new part until Friday. This was unacceptable, but he stated that this was the only option available to me.After thinking about this situation for a while, I again called Whirlpool customer service and told the representative that I was not satisfied with the solution previously presented to me and that I wanted a return authorization to take the water heater back to Lowes for replacement. The rep stated he couldnt do that, but said that there were a couple other things I could try. He attempted to explain these procedures to me, but wasnt able to do so clearly. He stated he would email the instructions to me. As of this writing, I still have not received the instructions.In the meantime, I did some internet research and found that Whirlpool water heaters have numerous chronic problems, including the issues I was experiencing. I decided this was not a product I cared to own. I called the Lowes store where I purchased the water heater and spoke with the manager. I explained the entire sequence of events to him, and he told me to bring the water heater back for a full refund. Since my local Lowes store only sells the Whirlpool brand, I took the money and purchased a different brand of water heater from another home improvement store. Needless to say, it will be a cold day in hell before I ever purchase another Whirlpool product.

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.

Purchased water heater in 2005 with a lifetime warranty. We had our first problem May 30, 2013. Water would not heat above lukewarm. Called Whirlpool. Our plumber and Whirlpool determined that the temp sensor was defective. Plumber took it off and it appeared it had shorted out as the wires were black and plastic coating had slightly melted in one spot. We had replacement part in 24 hours. Licensed Plumber did repair (2 hours @ $75/hr = $150). Second problem occurred October 23, 2013. Not even 5 months later! No hot water. Hit reset button, turned temp up. No change. The diagnostic light on water heater indicated it was the same problem as before. Called Whirlpool. They sent out repair part which arrived in 24 hours. Licensed Plumber repaired (1.5 hours @ $75/hour = $112.50).I took a picture of the melted plastic caps where the wires screw into, of the housing around the wires, of the melted, charcoal crispy black of the Junction Box in the area that was directly above and covered the wires and sensor panel. It was much worse than last time. Plumber said that the part that screwed into the plastic cap had to be pried out and it broke off. You could see that this might be the spot where the problem started. We feel fortunate that we didnt have an electrical fire start from this problem. Something isnt right. Within less than 5 months, we have spent $262.50 to repair a water heater that has a lifetime warranty. Id like to give this 0 stars. Whirlpool owes us $262.50 and it might be more before this is all said and done.

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 had to turn the gas off my water heater and when I tried to turn it back on, it refused. I called the number on the heater and somebody answered. The guy told me to take the pilot gas hose off to make sure there was gas in the line. I did this but after spending 1/2 hour putting the pipe back in, the pilot light did not go on. I called them back and they told me to push a white switch and hold it down for 10 seconds and retry. That didnt work either so they told me to call a repair man and gave me the phone number of a local plumber. Trying not to give up, I removed the pilot light pipe off and tried blowing and sucking on it. I couldnt get air through the pipe so I figure that somehow it was clogged. I tried taking the whole assembly off (there are 2 screws to remove) but couldnt get that out. I called Whirlpool again and asked for a manual to be sent over the internet but I couldnt open that either. The water heater is only 3 years old and already Ill be paying to repair it.

Hot water heater goes out. Try to relight it as instructed. Pilot light goes out as soon as I release pressure. Call tech support. After a 10min hold time, I was instructed to rest unit, wait 10 to 15 min and try again. Did not work. Called back and was told it was the thermopile. Had it shipped and replaced at $45.00. Still did not work. Was instructed to go thru the same process of lighting it, still did not work. Then I was given a ref# and was told that my PARTS was warranty and not labor. Okay now one time I was told I WILL BE CHARGED WITH A DIAGNOSTIC FEE OF $99.00 and still no hot water. Next step LAWYER.

I purchased a Whirlpool Water Heater BFG1J5040T3NOV from Lowe’s and have had numerous problems. The biggest issue is having to replace the thermocouple three times. It works fine for about a year then I need to replace it again. This is tiresome and wasteful and Whirlpool should be ashamed. As a company that once had a high reputation, this is sad. I would not recommend buying anything from them, especially their water heaters. After repairing this one, again, I will look elsewhere for the next one.

First of all, I want to thank all of you who took the time to write all your comments. You have helped educate me in many ways. For one thing, I had no idea that Whirlpool made such bad appliances, or at least water heaters. I pretty much grew up in a Whirlpool household. But that was a long time ago. Things change. Anyway, I too bought a Whirlpool from Lowes about four years ago. It was the top of the line 50 gallon energy saver, and it has had problems staying lit for the whole time I have owned it. Because I read your comments before contacting Whirlpool (this time), I knew exactly what to expect. And that is what I got at first--someone trying to sell me parts via shipping costs. I said no to that, and a rep called and offered to replace the unit, which is exactly what Whirlpool should have done for all of you. I am writing this out of courtesy for Whirlpool. They did the right thing for me, and I truly do appreciate that. On the other hand, Lowes wants $700 to deliver and install the new unit. I live seven miles from the store. They set my other water, the Whirlpool I purchased from them, up in my garage. It is extremely easy to get to, and it is all up to code. In other words, even though they sold me a defective product and profited from both the sale and the delivery, they now want to do it all over again by charging so much for the set up. They did not even offer to prorate the new install. Of course, I will hire and pay a certified plumber to do the job, but I am very sorry to lose Lowes. I have always enjoyed shopping there. Home Depot is just across the street, and even though I have learned not to purchase a water heater, or any major appliance there either, I will go there from now on. Losing my business might not worry Lowes a whole lot, but two years ago I bought $5,000 worth of fencing from them, and God knows how much over the years. If you and I and all the thousands of other unhappy customers would stop going there, they might feel a bit sorry for doing us all so dirty. Agreed? Thanks again, you guys.

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 purchased Whirlpool electric hot water tank in May 2011 (model no. EEZ80HD055V). The water tank was working fine for four months. It does not work anymore. I tried to get a hold of Whirlpool customer service. But I couldn’t get a hold of customer service at 877-817-6750. It is motel business without hot water. We could not open the business. We tried the best we could, but there is no contact or support from Lowes or Whirlpool. We have no other choice other than replace the hot water tank. We tried to find the right phone number to explain the situation to Whirlpool customer service rep.

I bought my 50 gallon gas water heater in December 2015. When kicks on it rumbling. I called warranty and they said We will send tech out but I will have pay the labor. Why do I want pay for a tech if the quality issue is the water heater. Need pay $180 for person come out say its defective. No sense to me. Then when they tell me need new water heater pay them for install. You can check my accounts I used to shop Lowes and will no longer do it because of this service.

Problem resolved - This is an update to my previous complaint... The repair man arrived this morning and after resetting the thermostat, the water heater started up again. He explained to me that these new water heaters are super sensitive because of the new designs and systems that are required by the State of California. He said that all brands have to have the same system. He said that the new water heaters dont breathe as well as the old ones. In our case, he suspected that after being installed, there were probably some air bubbles in the pipes which tricked the computer into telling it that there was not enough ventilation, when in fact our ventilation was fine, but that triggered a total shut down! In my previous written complaint, I was really upset because I have not had a shower in 3 days and thought this problem water heater would not be fixed until next week. I was furious! My understanding is that basically the way the new water heaters are designed is not very well and there is nothing we can do because about it they are all the same, unless we want to go to a tankless water heater system which plumbing included would cost $4000.00... so we are stuck and hope this will not happen again!

I bought my Whirlpool 50-gallon gas water heater from Lowe’s 10 years ago. After the first year, it was nothing but problem. The thermocouple was replaced so many times and there’s the inconvenience of not having hot water. Customer service sucks and they continue to send you to Lowe’s to pick up the part for free. I have 2 more years on the warranty and Im replacing it after its over! 3 days ago my water heater stopped working and now again I will replace the thermocouple. Dont buy Whirlpool products: they are junk!

I purchased an 80-gallon electric water heater in 2009 with a Lifetime warranty. When the unit failed in 2021, I was told that Whirlpool no longer manufactures an 80-gallon tank. I was provided an R/A# and was told that Lowes should honor it with a like-kind replacement unit. Lowes originally suggested I order an AO Smith Hybrid online, (at my expense), return my old tank, and they would reimburse my account. When I went back to confirm this offer, it was adjusted to a $200 credit (suggesting that was the value at the time of purchase). Later, Lowes again adjusted their offer to cover $650 toward a replacement 50-gallon tank with a 6-year warranty and 30-gallons less capacity. Other manufactures do produce 80-gallon tanks and Lowes does have AO Smith tanks available online only. I would have to pay the difference beyond the $650 offer.I purchased the original 80-gallon tank because I need the capacity and I assumed the Lifetime warranty would allow for an even trade if/when something went wrong. The proper solution would be for Whirlpool/Lowes to offer a replacement value for any comparable 80-gallon tank regardless of the manufacturer. Currently, similar tanks average $1300-1500. (Westinghouse w/ Lifetime warranty at Home Depot). Lowes should also be able to order the tank for in-store delivery as opposed to having me order online at my own expense. Meanwhile, the current tank is leaking and will soon be out of service...

Replaced the “brain” twice. No hot water for 2-4 days each time, waiting for part to arrive. Now I have to replace the nylon drain valve because it won’t shut off. Gonna use brass replacement. Fortunately I have it drain to a sump pump so house isn’t flooding. Don’t buy Whirlpool water heater from Lowe’s unless you enjoy this kind of thing. Consolation: the folks at the help line always answer the phone and are knowledgeable. And they’ve heard these same complaints over and over. One guy even said to buy AO Smith as they are made in Tennessee instead of China.

We purchased this water heater (Whirlpool 50 gallon, 9-year warranty, Regular Electric Water Heater, Model Number ES50R92-45D) in July 2015 when Lowes had a special financing offer. Doing other remodeling in the house, we didnt have it installed until the beginning of November. A local licensed plumber installed this for us and we havent had a hot shower since. We have called Whirlpool at least five times. Theyve had us replace the elements, replace the electronic thermostat AND the regular thermostat, then they even had us call a warranty plumber they use to inspect the tank and authorize what needs to be done next. When he arrived, he said he hadnt ever even SEEN this model before. Being fed-up with cold showers, I called Lowes to see if we could just take the thing back to the store, but they said that since it was after the 90 days, I would have to get an authorization number from Whirlpool. I just spent another 20 minutes on the phone with Whirlpool explaining my situation and they said that they cant authorize the return of a tank that can be repaired. I then asked if we didnt have a money back guarantee and the guy said, Unfortunately NO. He then suggested I call the plumber they had recommended to come out and look at it again. The guy was from Tampa and when he was here, he just wanted to get home since it was nearly 5 PM AND hes the one who said he had never seen this model before. What would be the point of calling him AGAIN??? When I buy a BRAND NEW product still in the box from a reputable store, I do NOT expect to have to troubleshoot and fix it. IT SHOULD WORK. Well, I have learned another valuable lesson from the school of hard knocks (and cold showers)...Always read the comments on a product before purchasing.

I purchased a new gas water heater and had it installed by a plumber. It worked for 3 weeks then we lost hot water. I called the 877 number and got shoveled around to 3 or 4 people. I got hung up on twice then spent 45 minutes repeating all the instructions that are on the tank to relight the pilot light. They agreed to send a new valve. The first time, I never received the valve (after 10 days) and had to call back. The second time I called in, I spent 20 minutes trying to get another valve sent. The valve I, finally, received had plumbers dope on the back and clearly was previously used. Had the original plumber replace the faulty valve? And lo and behold, the second valve didnt work either. I have no idea why a gas water heater would have any issues after 3 weeks. I bought it brand new from Lowe’s. It is obvious that Whirlpool makes shoddy products. They have very poor customer service and care little for the customers’ time either in correcting the problem or being without hot water. I have spent over 2 hours with Whirlpool. Only to 3 weeks after the initial call, I still do not have hot water from a heater that is less than 2 months old! I called them on the issue of the second valve not working and they put me on hold (after 10 minutes the line went dead and I was disconnected) despite the fact I asked them not to do that!

I purchased a Whirlpool water heater about 9 months ago. The thermocouple went out and was replaced, but about three to four months went out again. Very disgusting.

Purchased I assumed a brand-new electric hot water heater from Lowes. It worked giving us hot water for 5 months then it quit. We called the number they have located on the side of the water heater and they sent 3 references such as plumbers for us to contact because everything they told us to purchase didnt work... so after their references, plumber came out. Instead of him telling us what was wrong why all of a sudden we stopped getting hot water he didnt return our phone call. As a professional that sucks!!! So WHIRLPOOL CUSTOMER SERVICE says the hot water heater that had been working for 5 months wasnt up to code and wasnt wired right and WE need to pay an electrician to connect it right... thats **. The electrician did it correct the first time. Whirlpool just dont want to accept the fact that their equipment is faulty!!! But thats good because I will NEVER purchase anything WHIRLPOOL makes. I dont care if they start making water. I will just quit The hell with that company!!! WHIRLPOOL SUCKS!!! Heres the serial number 1626103174130 and if I had read the neg reviews before I purchased the hot water heater I wouldnt not have done it!!!

I purchased a Whirlpool hot water gas heater with a six-year warranty. It only lasted three years. When I called for an RA#, I was told, Well, well send you a part after you get a plumber and pay for it. Meanwhile, there is water all over the cellar floor. I called again and was told the same thing. Two weeks of no hot water and no help from Whirlpool. I will never order anything Whirlpool ever again. They stink.

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 bought a Whirlpool water heater from Lowes. I had trouble with it from day 1. It never worked correctly. Their service department is terrible. All they want to do is sell you extended coverage policies on it. Every time I have it fixed, its never covered, and I have to pay again. You will be sorry if you buy a Whirlpool water heater.

I can not find parts for 50-gallon Whirlpool hot water heater. The left hand thread thermocouple quit functioning so I have no hot water. I have called every plumbing concern in a 50-mile radius and everyone said that it was some kind of class action suit because you can not replace the part of the thermocouple and that they only make right-hand thread couple now.

I purchased a Whirlpool gas water heater for one of my properties that developed an issue outside of the warranty period. My initial CS complaint is with Whirlpools IVR system, which was far less than a desirable experience. After tricking the system, a CS agent answered promptly but was not able to address my concerns. I asked to speak to a supervisor and received a return call from Chris within minutes. I found Chris to be patient and understanding of my issues. Chris promptly assisted me with my issues and offered an equitable resolution. Chris is whats right with American companies and domestic customer support.

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?

My Whirlpool gas hot water heater will not stay lit. The thermal coupling has been replaced by my plumber. It did not help. This tank is defective. The product details are as follows: model # FG1F4949S3NOV, product # B07330262, and serial # **.

Thermal couple went out and nobody has one. You have to get it from whirlpool. This could be a easy fix with buying a $6.00 thermal couple but the one on mine has left handed threads. I took it to several parts places and they all said you have to buy it from whirlpool so you have to call the 1 800 number and they ask you how soon do you want it, 5 to 6 days to take a shower for $10 shipping, or $20 for 3 to 4 days without a shower or $32 for overnight? This ** should be free if they are the only ones that have it. I never heard of this crap before. The funny thing is they told me I should replace my water heater since the warranty is expired. Dont worry I will buy a new one someday and it will be anything but a whirlpool. I will never buy anything whirlpool again and make sure my family never buys whirlpool.

I am having problems with my Whirlpool Water Heater. The pilot light goes off often and now it wont stay lit at all. I checked the thermocouple and measured the voltage, it is 19+ mV. So according to the manual, the gas valve/thermostat must have gone bad. I called the company and they gave me a name of the contractor but asked me to pay for the labor cost. This is a 50 gallon, 12-year rated heater bought from Lows in 2008. The heaters model number is BFG1J5040T3NOV. This thing has some serious quality issues.

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 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.

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.

I had a 14-year-old 40-gallon tank that was working great but I decided it was time to get it replaced. I picked out a Whirlpool 400-gallon tank stated to be good for a family of 3 to 4 people. Immediately after installation, I got complaints from family members that there was no enough hot water for morning showers. I turned up the thermostat to the maximum 140 degrees, but there was still wasnt enough hot water. The Whirlpool rep on the phone stated that 3 people cant take back-to-back showers. The unit wasnt designed for this. I told him the unit is advertised for a family of 3 to 4 and I have only 3. I asked where on the advertisement does it state 3 people cant take back-to-back showers? His response was, Where does it state you can? I asked his name and he would not give it to me. If 3 people cant take showers on a unit stated to be for a family of 3 to 4, something is wrong. Maybe it should be advertised as suitable for a family of 1. I will not buy a Whirlpool product again and I advise others to take my advice, go elsewhere.

Purchased a Whirlpool hot water tank from Lowes 5/12 and have had NOTHING but problems with it since day 2. The tank I replaced was around 20 years old, never a drip, never a problem, it just finally rusted through.. Well this piece of JUNK I had installed is just that JUNK.. I have been in contact with this company many times, they ALWAYS have a new story. I replaced my old thermal expansion tank 3 months after buying this JUNK because I was told it could be that. Well that didnt fix anything and cost me $60.00, then it was pressure relief valve, ok, another $20.00, nope not that. Well back on the phone and emailing this company, now they tell me I am not vented correctly, because with all the repairs being done on this tank, my Son noticed the top plastic pieces melting. Well back on the phone I go, and of course Whirlpool tells me, its me again.. Had piles going into my chimney replaced, no help, replaced thermal expansion tank again, no help, replaced pressure relief valve, no help. So sick of cleaning up water I want to throw up. Well I now know why they say, do not return to store where you purchased it, because it is bad business to have Lowes parking lot, looking like a Whirlpool graveyard for their product. .

I originally purchased a Whirlpool hot water heater in 2005. After numerous problems Whirlpool agreed to replace January 2010. With the new hot water heater, everything was fine for the first two years. Now about every 6 months, we are having the thermocouple and the igniter. Each time you order the part, the part is free but you have to pay $30.00 for shipping. I am tired of dealing with this. We have decided even though we still have a warranty left on the hot water tank we are going to purchase a different one and never ever buy another Whirlpool product. They do not stand behind their products.

In 2007 our Whirlpool 30 gallon gas water heater began to have issues. Serial number 0425126675, Model Number FG1F3030T3NOV. The pilot light kept going out and would not stay lit.. After several times with replacement parts being sent with the same thing happening, finally in 2010 they replaced the water heater. A new water heater was professionally put in, serial number 1023T412357 Model number BFG1F3030T3noHV.I am having the exact same issue and I was told that the warranty was null and void on the new water heater because it was a replacement. They replaced a defective water heater with a defective water heater. I called the number given to me by Lowes 1/877/817/6750. I spoke with Nichole. I told her that I should not have to pay for replacement parts for a defective water heater. I told her that I was never informed that there would not be a warranty. I live on a fixed income and cannot afford to buy another water heater because I was given a defective water heater in replacement for a defective water heater. I became angry stating, Thanks for nothing and I hung up. So many people have the same problem with these water heaters that something MUST be done.

I would not buy any Honeywell electronic water heater thermostat. Has failed two times. I have to pay for a new one to be mailed and for repair. A bad product from all the reviews. Honeywell is claiming they do not service it anymore and gave me a Sears telephone number. Servicemen have said it is a crap product and fails all the time.

I have received two bad Whirlpool Water Heaters from Lowes. In the course of a few years, I have received two defective heaters (new). One was even a replacement for one several years old that had failed. Lowes insists that you call an 800 number where someone that speaks poor English tells you that you have done something wrong. I am returning the water heater to Lowes, and purchase a water heater elsewhere. This is a perfect example of how sometimes something that is initially cheaper is not the better value.

We been having the same issues as all of the people that have consumed the water heater. We have replaced the pilot more than 3 times and other parts of this water heater! Well, we are a family of 9 and the only way we can shower is by heating up water like everyone that has the same issue.So I would never recommend this (Whirlpool) water heater to anyone!

Recently had a Whirlpool gas water heater installed. Would smell gas every time the heater kicked on. I inspected the vent, all the new fittings, with no luck. Leaving the windows open didnt help. Finally found the problem: the factory-installed line from the gas control valve to the tank was leaking. Should have kept my old heater. It was still working flawlessly after 20 years. You would think a new heater would at least be inspected before hitting the market.

AVOID Whirlpool water heaters - Bought two 12 year warranty water heaters from Lowe’s in 2014. Model NU50T121-403 from Whirlpool. Thermocouple went out within the first 4 months. Called WP, they gave me a number to call for an authorized contractor to come out. Made certain to tell me that PARTS were covered, but not labor. $300 for the labor and two days later, hot water is back on. SAME THING happens again 6 months later, then AGAIN in Sept of this year. So 3 guys have been out to all replace the same part. This morning, hot water is out. Both tanks. Can’t keep pilot light lit. Called WP. They gave me more numbers of authorized contractors. No hot water and now I’ve got another $300 I owe to fix the SAME BROKEN PART. I wonder if this is how their last class action lawsuit got started?

They stink. Major issues with most all of these Whirlpool water heaters. I have had issues with 3 different units. I own properties and these are pure junk. Cant find parts and have to pay for shipping on warranty parts! 2 years old units junked, Ridiculous... never buy Whirlpool!

I purchased a Whirlpool hot water heater several years back with every bit of the Bells & Whistles that Lowes could bestow on it paid for and documented on the tank; Limited Lifetime Warranty and Lowes Professional Installation. It failed after several years with multiple problems. First, the bottom heating unit failed at the same time, noticing a leak from the top heating units external cover where a supporting screw had popped out, leaking down to the floor. Not only was the Whirlpool 800 number a scham of silence, with no estimated wait time and after approximately 20 minutes, a rep picks up as I could hear their legal department on an alternated line instructing and listening in, then dropping off when those crooks felt I had been placated enough to go onto to the next sucker. I have all Whirlpool Gold & KitchenAid Superba appliances in my kitchen and never thought I would be saying this but I will never purchase another Whirlpool Appliance or shop at Lowes again!

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.

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.

After Hurricane Katrina, six years ago, the gas water heater in my house had to be replaced due to the house getting flooded. For the past six years, the pilot light and/or igniter for the gas water heater has had to be replaced if not once a year, twice a year because it will not stay lit. Each time, Whirlpool would send a new igniter and/or pilot light part and would reimburse me the cost of labor to have the part(s) replaced.Now, after six years and exhausted of fighting with Whirlpool to stand behind their product and make it right, they are finally giving me an authorization to get a new gas water heater. However, now they are telling me they will not cover the cost of labor for replacing the entire water heater. My plumber will have to pull the defective water heater out of my house, take it to Lowes, pick up the new water heater and install it in my home. And Im supposed to accept their not paying for the labor of replacing their faulty water heater? I questioned this and told Whirlpool they paid for labor for the parts to be replaced for the past six years. Whirlpool then said they would pay up to $100. This is not acceptable. I was reimbursed more than $100 for the labor to replace a part that fits in a shoe box. (Multiply $100+ times 6. They paid more than $600 over the past six years.) The cost to replace an entire water heater, picking it up from the store included, will cost more than $200, if not $300! I would not have to pay anything if the Whirlpool product was not defective!I told the manager I was speaking with at Whirlpool I wanted to speak with his boss or someone who had more authority than he did. He refused. I asked him, Was he telling me no I could not speak with someone above him? He finally said he would have someone call me.I believe I should be reimbursed for the entire amount of labor to replace the water heater since the water heater is a defective product and I have to have it replaced not by my choice but out of necessity and safety. If it is defective in one area, who is to say in trying to light the pilot light, one day it will not do something worse than just not light up. What if it decides to explode? Defective is defective and I feel my family is in danger from a defective product and it should be replaced at the cost of Whirlpool not mine.

I bought a 6 year warrantied Whirlpool hot water heater Model N50T61-403, product number 0733318, at Lowes Home Improvement Center and for three years the pilot light fails to stay lit. I have talked with Whirlpool 1-877-817-6750, the number on the unit, many times. I went through the troubleshooting checklist and verified all requirements. I paid a plumber $150 to check it out and he said I needed a larger supply line and venting the closet door would help. I did this and pilot still goes out periodically. Whirlpool sent me a new gas valve and it cost me another $150 to have it installed. The plumber said everything is good. But the pilot is still going out. Called Whirlpool again and talked with them for 24 minutes. The woman on the line was telling me I needed a certain amount of oxygen for this 40,000 BTU model. She was giving me minimum requirements for square or cubic feet of house with 8 inch ceilings. Yes, she said 8 inch ceilings 4 or 5 times as we went over the requirements. I got so frustrated asking her what she was talking about and she hung up on me. I called back and asked for a supervisor and a different woman had me hold on, came back and said a supervisor would call me. I did get a call back and the supervisor wanted to send me another gas valve and a burner assembly. I told him the burner assembly is working fine and I have a new gas valve. I asked him to send me a $150 along with it to pay the plumber. He said they only warranty the parts. So, am I supposed to have $450 in labor plus my time in this product on top of the original cost? I said no thank you and asked him if he would accept this as a solution if he were the customer and he said this is not a personal discussion. I know his answer. I am never buying a Whirlpool product again. But now I need to buy a new, good brand, water heater to replace the Whirlpool piece of junk. Bad product, bad company, bad warranty. I got screwed by Whirlpool once but never again.

Water heater purchased in 2011 and is already broken. Called the hotline and they were rude. Told me I need a $199 part. I read all the reviews and it seems that Whirlpool has made a bad name for themselves with the water heaters. They were not willing to work with 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.

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.

I bought a new Whirlpool gas hot water 40 gal tank from Lowes. I Installed it, but the pilot light would not light. So Cal Gas Co came out and said they did not like the new design, but that was how they were now making them. Gas is shot out from a pipe into the tank, however its fairly open. The pilot ignitor is similar to the one on barbarques that often do not last. You cannot get to it to light it manually. Several calls were made to Whirlpool and they sent a repair man out to fix it. You can imagine buying a new hot water heater and having it work part time. The repair man explained that the unit needed a new thermopile, but he could not put one on until whirlpool authorized it, which they would not. After a rather heated conversation with whirlpool they agreed to FedEx a part overnight. Of course the repairman could not wait for me to call and had to come back again. The pilot light still does not stay lit, and Whirlpool now wants to talk about how the tank is vented. This has nothing to do with the pilot light, nor did putting in a new 1/2 gas line and valve as per Whirlpools request. Whirlpool has a problem and they refuse to acknowledge it. However, it is Lowes that chose to buy from whirlpool and they do little if anything to stand behind their product and gain consumer confidence. My suggestion would be dont buy whirlpool, and shop at Home Depot.

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.

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!

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.

Whirlpool Hot Water Tank Thermocouple - This is the third thermocouple we have had to replace on this hot water tank in the last six years. Granted the part isnt that expensive, but the service call and replacement have cost us dearly. This is faulty tank and Whirlpool needs to recall this tank and replace them with new tanks. The price of this original tank and replacing this thermocouple three times has cost us over $800.00 total. I am not sure angry is the right word to describe our dissatisfaction with Whirlpool.

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!