Kenmore Water Heater Reviews

I don't think it is unreasonable to expect a $700 appliance to last at least two years. Kenmore actually hung up on me. I have spent tons of money on service calls trying to fix this, meanwhile, there is no hot water. What happened to standing behind their products? I can't afford to replace it now, but it looks like I will have to.

My renters, whose house just burned down, have no hot water. They have to look for a place to take a hot shower, with two kids in the house. I have spent over $200 on service calls so far, and I am looking at having to spend $700 or more to replace it. I was treated horribly by Sears and Kenmore, and I want them to stand behind their products!

In the meantime, you have cold water because the thermocouple burner assembly keeps the pilot from lighting and staying lit. I found out about the lawsuit too late. I am hoping that someone will bring another lawsuit against them to recall all these defective gas water heaters with this new flame lock system which totally sucks. From what I see everywhere, it does not work as the old systems used to. I can remember that I would have to relight my older water heater only when there was a strong wind from a severe thunderstorm or a tropical storm or better. How in world do these people stay in business? My hope is that someone sues them and puts them out of business for selling a defective product and not correcting the problem that they created.

Called Sears again and notified them of new circumstances- still took same four days for service tech to come out and confirm that tank was indeed leaking and needed replacement. Tech notified immediately Sears and the "System" began reacting, notifying the Central office who tried to notify the local store by fax to see if a replacement was in stock. Unfortunately their FAX was not working properly and they got only a partial transmission. Fortunately I had called Sears Installation HQ and gotten my reference number, etc., so I could give additional needed information to the local store who notified Water Park FL who will notify a local Sears contractor to pick up water heater at store and come to install.

Except for first calls obviously to India, all contacts, both personal and telephonic, have been VERY polite and VERY helpful within the major limitations of their capability and authority. The problem is that we are almost one week past reporting the problem and we still have no hot water, and this is with the MPA. Without the MPA, we could have had one from Home Depot/Lowes installed the next day if not the same day. Because we already paid for the MPA we will take advantage(?) of it. We should expect to have the replacement water heater installed "sometime this week" according to Sears.

So far, merely inconvenience, considering that we have been without hot water for six days and it will be several more days until we have hot water again. Being retired, we can better afford to sit at home, playing phone tag and waiting for the technician to show up, and we have "every confidence" that the installation will take place "sometime this week". (I also still put cookies out for Santa Claus- you never know.) I would hate for it to have happened in the dead of winter, or when we had grandbabies in the house. Obviously the Sears system of de-localization/ centralization of repair/installation activities results in significant delays even when everything "works".

We were forced to call our plumber. When he inspected the heater, and explained that it couldn't be repaired. He proceeded to call sears and explained the situation to them. He told them he was going to replace the heater and asked if he needed to bring the whole tank in or just the warranty sticker. They told him to bring in the whole tank. He did so. When he arrived at the store, he waited for 2 hours and in the end they would not replace the heater. They said that a sears inspector HAD to inspect the heater before it could be replaced. We could not wait a week or longer for them to inspect and then install a new water heater. We couldn't even flush our toilet let alone take a shower.

Our plumber had to go to home depot and purchase a new heater. That was $366.00 out of my mother's wallet. She also had the fee for the plumber. A large portion of her carpet was totally water logged and I am still wet vacuuming. This water heater was still under warranty and in an emergency situation such as this, there should be some type of emergency venue you can go through. My mother is 78 years old and has been treated very poorly. She should at least be reimbursed for the water heater. This was turning into a board of health issue. No water, no toilet, etc. I spoke to several people this morning and was told that it is store policy and nothing can be done. We would have been at least a week without water and this is unacceptable.

My mother is 78 years old and is on a very fixed income. This was an unecessary $766.00 out of my mothers pocket. She had all documentation, including the sales receipt for when the water heater was purchased. I tried numerous times to get a tech out to her home but they couldn't come out for 6 days and that was just to inspect the water heater, not replace it. That would have been an additional wait time.

Due numerous days of water leakage a portion of her carpet was water damaged and will eventually cause mold. She had to pay a plumbers fee of $400 and that was with a discount. My mother is depressed enough over my father's death and the upkeep of her home. She should never have enountered this type of treatment. It is very unprofessional on Sears part and they should honored the warranty.

3 Days for an Emergency Order is unacceptable in today's business world. They should be able to locate the part today, and send via overnight-mail the needed part from anywhere in the continental US for installation tomorrow. The impact is a family with no hot water for baths and showers.

I called their national customer service parts desk, and the representative told said their regular delivery time frames are 3-5 days. So, the 'Emergency' time frame is therefore the same as their 'regular' order time frame. Poor service for a National provider of appliances.

Below is a detailed list of phone call conversations with various Sears Departments I had to facilitate the repair of my Brand new water heater. C.D.P. - Complaint Department Person. C.S. - Customer Service. Phone calls to Sears: 1-800-Sunday 4/13/08 @ 9:01 a.m. spoke with the Rapid Resolution water heater Tech Dept. and they said the water heater needed a new Thermocouple. I asked if the Service Tech. would come with the parts to fix the water heater and was told yes. So I made an appointment with Sears's service for 4/14/08 to repair the Brand new water heater.

1-800- Monday 4/14/08 @ 8:02 a.m. called C.S. and asked for the Service Tech. to call me with an estimated time of arrival to repair the water heater. 1-800- Monday 4/14/08 @ 8:42 a.m. called C.S. and asked why, if I was told that the Service Tech. would come with the parts to fix the water heater he would say "he did not carry many parts for the new water heaters." C.S. then said rudely "how would our Service Tech. know what parts are needed to make the repair before seeing the water heater?" I told her the Rapid Resolution water heater Tech Dept. said "the water heater needed a new Thermocouple and the Service Tech. would come with the parts to fix the water heater."

1-800- Monday 4/14/08 @ 7:00 p.m. after putting me on hold till 7:11 p.m., I was told by the 1st C.D.P. she did not know if the parts were ordered and transferred me to the Rapid Resolution water heater Tech Dept. where Jeremiah said he did not have that kind of information and transferred me back to a 2nd C.D.P. Sam said the parts were ordered on 4/14/08 but needed a tracking # to tell when the parts would arrive. Sam said to call back in the morning on Tuesday 4/15/08 and the computers would have updated by then and a tracking # would be available which would be used to tell me when the parts would arrive. This phone call lasted 37 minutes with no answer for when the parts to repair my Brand new water heater would arrive.

1-315- Tuesday 4/15/08 @ 10:02 a.m. Called the Clay N.Y. Sears store and left a message with the plumbing Dept. for a manager to call me back. 1-800- Tuesday 4/15/08 @ 10:10 a.m. called C.S. and talked with Charles who said the Thermostat and burner assembly was ordered on 4/14/08 and that he would text the parts Dept. and that the parts Dept. would call me back in 10 to 15 minutes with when the Thermostat and burner assembly would arrive. This was an 18 minute phone call with no answer for when the parts to repair my Brand new water heater would arrive.

1-800- Tuesday 4/15/08 @ 10:45 a.m. called C.S. and talked with Mike told him that the parts Dept. did not call me back with when the Thermostat and burner assembly would arrive. He then put me on hold, because he was transferring me to the parts department and I was disconnected. Tuesday 4/15/08 @ 10:54 a.m. after I was disconnected I called back and was told again that C.S. would text the parts Dept. and that the parts Dept. would call me back in 10 to 15 minutes with when the Thermostat and burner assembly would arrive. The parts Dept. never called me. This was a 20 minute phone call with no answer for when the parts to repair my Brand new water heater would arrive.

1-800- Tuesday 4/15/08 @ 6:26 p.m. I called C.S. and explained to the lady who did not speak American well at all that I just received an automated phone call requesting me to call C.S. and to reschedule my repair of my Brand new water heater. She said she did not know what I was talking about. This was a 10 minute phone call with no answer for when the parts to repair my Brand new water heater would arrive. 315- Tuesday 4/15/08 @ 7:07 p.m. I called Ruth, who was very nice again, and explained my 6:26 p.m. phone conversation with C.S. She said she would call, make some inquiries into this phone call and call me back with her findings.

315- Tuesday 4/15/08 @ 7:46 p.m. I called Ruth, who was very nice again, and explained that my Wife called C.S. and was told that the parts would not come until Thursday 4/17/08 and that C.S. wanted us to reschedule the repair of our Brand new water heater to Friday 4/18/08. Before my Wife could tell C.S. not to reschedule, C.S. hung up on her. Tuesday 4/15/08 @ 8:13 p.m. I called Ruth, who was very nice again, and explained that I was told by C.S. (Ruth) the parts would arrive Friday 4/18/08. And that the repair service appointment was now scheduled for Saturday 4/19/08

315- Wednesday 4/16/08 @ 1:53 p.m. I called Ruth, who was very nice again, and explained that I received the Thermostat, but the burner assembly did not arrive. I also explained that I was told by C.S. that the parts would arrive Thursday 4/17/08 and to call Sears back to reschedule repair service appointment for Friday 4/18/08.She said she would call and see what was going on. 1-800- Thursday 4/17/08 @ 5:20 p.m. (the burner assembly was at our home when we arrived home from our work day) I called C.S. to reschedule the repair of our Brand new water heater to Friday 4/18/08. Our repair appointment was rescheduled for Friday 4/18/08. Friday 4/18/08 @ 8:20 a.m. I called C.S. and asked for the Service Tech. to call me with an estimated time of arrival to repair the water heater. 315- Saturday 4/19/08 @ 11:40 a.m. I called Ruth to thank her for all her help.

Phone calls from Sears: 315- Monday 4/14/08 @ 8:34 a.m. John the Service Tech. called me with an estimated time of arrival to repair the water heater to be after 3 p.m. I asked if he would have the parts to repair the water heater, John said "he did not carry many parts for the new water heaters." This is not what I was told by the Rapid Resolution water heater Tech.

315- Monday 4/14/08 @ 2:42 p.m. John the Service Tech. called me with a time of arrival to repair the water heater to be 3:15 p.m. He did arrive at 3:15 p.m. After 45 minutes he told me he ordered the parts needed to fix the water heater, and since it was so late in the day the parts would probable not be ordered till 4/15/08 and arrive on 4/16/08 so he scheduled the repair for Thursday 4/17/08.

315- Tuesday 4/15/08 @ 2:06 p.m. Darcy called back very nicely and said "that the store manager would not be in today after all," but she connected me to Ruth in the water heater depart. Ruth, who was very nice, was calling to help expedite the shipment of the parts and repair of Brand new water heater. This was a 6 minute call. Tuesday 4/15/08 @ 2:15 p.m. Ruth, who was very nice again, was called back and said "the parts were expedited and would arrive by UPS Today 4/15/08 or 4/16/08 and when parts arrive to call C.S. to reschedule the repair date." This was a 6 minute call.

1-800- Tuesday 4/15/08 @ 6:25 p.m. I received an automated phone call requesting me to call C.S. and to reschedule my repair of my Brand new water heater. 315- Tuesday 4/15/08 @ 7:53 p.m. Ruth, who was very nice again, called back and could not explain my 6:26 p.m. phone call with C.S. 1-800- Tuesday 4/15/08 @ 8:02 p.m. - was told by C.S. (Ruth) the parts would arrive Friday 4/18/08. And that the repair service appointment was now scheduled for Saturday 4/19/08. 315- Tuesday 4/15/08 @ 8:39 p.m. Ruth, who was very nice again, called back and said she was getting the run a round from Sears C.S. and would make some phone calls on 4/16/08 to get to the bottom of this issue.

No ID Wednesday 4/16/08 @ 12:16 p.m. - was told by C.S. that the parts would arrive Thursday 4/17/08 and to call Sears back to reschedule repair service appointment for Friday 4/18/08. 315- Friday 4/18/08 @ 8:29 a.m. Joe the Service Tech. called me with an estimated time of arrival to repair the water heater to be 1 to 1.5 hours from 8:29 a.m. I asked if he could call a half hour before he comes.

Friday 4/18/08 @ 9:09 a.m. Joe the Service Tech. called me and said he would be at our home within a half hour. He was at our house and completed the work in 20 minutes. He said the installation our Plumber did looked very professionally done. Joe commented that if Sears installed the water heater and it was not working that Sears would have brought a new water heater the next day. I would like to know what the difference between Sears's installation and a professional installation would have on replacing a defective water heater in a timely manner say one or two days instead of a week.

315- Friday 4/18/08 @ 2:37 p.m. Ruth, who was very nice again, called back to see how everything with the repair of my Brand new water heater went. I told her what happened and the work was complete. I have bought numerous large items at Sears over the last few years, like a Washer, Dryer, Garage door opener, Air compressor, Lawn mower, Powered saws and assorted tools. I have never been treated so unprofessional, had endured so much inconvenience to my family and cost so much of my time and money.

As for the reimbursement to my family for having endured so much inconvenience the cost is difficult to calculate, but the balance owed on the water heater would be a good start. I have included the minimum payment required to keep my account in good standings while you process my due reimbursement. And the documentation to backup my cost calculations from above.

This was an extremely difficult week for us as we had professional meetings which we needed to be at our best. The amount of additional time that was required to prepare for these meetings let a lone to do the normal house hold dishes with out a functioning water heater was so numerous it has taken over a week to get caught up on all the household projects. I lost a day (7.5 hours) of work, spent 7 hours on the phone (300 minutes on my cell phone on day time usage) and had to use an extra 53 KWH of electricity to get hot water for my family.

First, lost a day (7.5 hours) of work: $33.60/Hr. x 1.7423 (LEAVE AND FRINGE BENEFIT ADDITIVE) x 7.5 Hrs. = $439.06. Second my Cell Phone bill is: $50.00/month for 450 day time minutes, so 300 minutes used calling various Sears Departments 300/450 x $50.00 = $33.33 Third is the extra 53 KWH of electricity: 53KWH x $0.151/KWH = $8.00 The total reimbursement I am seeking is $480.39.