Whirlpool Water Heaters Reviews

I have not had hot water in 12 DAYS because like so many others, the pilot on my 2-yr-old water heater won't stay lit. I called on a Saturday morning. They sent me a coupling kit. I had to pay 15 dollars in shipping, then I got it on Tuesday. Didn't work. Called again, they sent me a new thermostat. Plumber is installing that now. Had to pay $15 again. Called Customer Service and after waiting 20 min for someone, Bruce has the nerve to blame ME for the problems, saying I probably didn't install the coupling kit correctly!!! I said, "Look buddy, I haven't had a hot shower in 12 days, and you're blaming ME for this piece of ** product???" Unbelievable!!

We purchased a Flame Lock/Flame Guard residential water heater (model # beginning with the letters BFG) through Lowe's in February 2008. It was installed through Lowe's installation service. On September 20th, 2008, the pilot light went out. The thermocouple and gas valve were replaced. One month later the pilot light went out again. Whirlpool overnighted a new gas valve and thermocouple. They were installed and the pilot light still will not stay lit. Based on the repairman's suggestions I asked Whirlpool to send a new manifold door assembly and scheduled a third day for service work. Whirlpool said if this did not work, then I could call them back and they would replace the water heater. I am aware that a class action for this very problem was just settled earlier this year. However, it is clear that many outside of that class, including myself, continue to have the exact same problem with this heater and it is very likely that another class action seeking water heater replacement cost (not just a retrofit kit) is warranted. I intend to pursue all available legal remedies to recover my costs and obtain a new water heater that is NOT a Whirlpool water heater.

I believed I was buying a quality brand, and I wish I would have researched this site before I bought it. Purchased a top of the line whirlpool flame lock water heater from Lowe's approximately 11 months ago. The water heater is known to be defective, a class action lawsuit is currently pending. This will be the second time I will have to have this piece of garbage serviced due to the pilot not working. With this next service call, I will have paid more for the repairs than the original cost of the tank.

We have bought two water heaters in the last two years from Lowes and they both went out and I am tired of spending money we do not have. They are not any good. We have spent almost 1,000.00 in the last two years. I will never buy another Whirlpool product.

Encountered similar problems with the pilot light staying lit, again!!! Suggest that if you cannot resolve the problem with Whirlpool or the store where purchased that you contact your local BBB and your state Attorney General. I am in the process of doing that at this time.

I bought a 40-gal. Whirlpool water heater 2 years ago. Since then, I have had to have it serviced twice. One time for a faulty gas valve and once for a rebuild kit that I still had to pay a technician to install. I bought this new for $300.00 and have put another $300.00 into repairs in only 2 years.

Purchased a Whirlpool Flame Lock 50 gal natural gas hot water Heater from Lowe's store in north San Antonio on 5/10/2008 (Model No. BFG1H5040T3NOV). Cold water showers started on 10/19/2008. Tested thermocoupler per user manual and found defective (only 7 mV instead of 12 mV minimum when pilot lit with red button down). Read about everyone else's woes regarding these heaters last night (wish if I had known and/or Lowe's would have told me when I bought this in May 2008). Bought 3 thermocouples today from Lowe's and installed 1st - it did not work and failed the 12 mV test. Tried 2nd and it passed mV test. Pilot stayed lit for one heating of the water tank. Now it will not stay lit and back to cold water!

Bought water heater at Lowe's 6/01/08. It broke down, not hot water. Had someone look at it. Relit pilot light, lasted 1 day. Had to wait a week, because the person who helped me with it is out of town. He then replaces the thermocouple that lasted one day. Now I have no hot water again. I called the number on the tank, could not understand a word the person was saying. They were supposed to give me the number to Sears for repair. They gave me DHL's number, so I had to call back and wait on hold again. Got the right number, called Sears. They said they had to know when my part would be in. Had to call Whirlpool back for the 3rd time to find out when the part is coming.

The product number BTG1F4034T3NOV was purchased on February 26th,2008 and I've had to replace the thermostat couple and gas valve because the pilot was not staying lit. And it is only October 19, 2008. The replacement parts are not working now. I am having difficulty contacting Whirlpool and filing a refund claim for the parts replaced and for the entire water tank unit. I want my money back so I can purchase a better working appliance.

Same problem with pilot Light. Civil Suit settled giving back consumers $30 and attorneys over 2 million. I suggest we all mount the water heater on top of our houses with a sign Whirlpool Lemon. This should get National attention and put Whirlpool out of business. We the people must do the right thing and protect ourselves from these unethical practices so common in today's Society.

Flame lock water heater. Add me tho the long list of customers who were taken by purchasing this faulty tank. Only I put it in 3 rental properties to date and ALL three of them have gone bad!!! The first one I ordered the part but what good is that when the tenant cannot go days without hot water. After that, 2 more went bad I tried to use the part it didn't work either. The tanks were less than 2 years old!!! What a rip off. My plumber said better to replace and be done with the problem.

Saturday, labor day weekend, our Whirlpool hot water heater went out. Got it restarted, but soon quit again. Called Lowes (where we bought it 10 months before) referred to an 800 number. Its a holiday weekend, so we were willing to pay ourselves. Called a service company - they don't have parts - gave us the same 800 number. Called them, go through steps to re-lighting including hooking a couple of wires together with a paper clip. End result - they'll send a part, which can't be shipped until Tuesday to arrive Wed. Part arrives Wed, its the pilot light ensemble. Manage to get it installed after prying out the old piece. No difference. Call the 800#, try the same things again, still won't light. When we get to a point where it beyond my skills and equipment.

I purchased a WHIRLPOOL natural Gas Water Heater at Lowe's approx. 3 years ago. It has a 7-year warranty on parts. The pilot light went out today without warning or other previous problems. The gas company sent a tech out to relight the pilot. He said he has seen a bunch of Whirlpool water heaters purchased from Lowe's with the same problem. And like the others, he could not relight the pilot. He said it might be the thermocoupling and suggested I call Whirlpool's 800 number pasted on the side of the tank.

Water heater has broken twice in maybe 2 years. First time thermocouple was replaced. Second time we called a plumber, cost was 160.00, plus 50.00 for part. Seems to be working ok now.

We purchased a Whirlpool water heater Model # BFG1F404053NOV in March of this year. We have been without hot water for over a week. We had a plumber come by. He knew when he walked in the door what the problem was - it was a Whirlpool. He told us about the class action suit. He ordered a thermocouple thinking that was the problem. We waited for the part, but that wasn't the problem. He said it's probably the gas valve. He would order one from Whirlpool, we'd have to wait again.

Well, where to begin. I purchased a brand new home in 2005. The contractor used appliances from Lowe's. Needless to say, he also installed their piece of JUNK WATER HEATER. About a year later, we started having trouble with the water heater going out. After many issues, my repair guy pulled the unit, took it back to Lowe's and came back with, what I thought was, a new unit.

An FG water heater that does not work after updating thermocouple only 4 years old on 6 year warranty.

Purchased a Whirlpool Propane hot water heater Model #BFG1F5040T3PV in December of 07 from Lowes. Ten months later the THERMOSTAT goes out. After contacting Lowe's about warranty they sent their plumber out who originally installed it. He informs us that they are dealing with this problem 2-3 times a week. So we called INDIA (a non clearly speaking English country), on hold for 30 minutes the first time and 2+ hours the second time. They said they will ship the part out of Tennessee on Monday and we should have it Tuesday. This is Friday and we will be without hot water 5 days. We would be willing to start or join a Class Action Lawsuit against Whirlpool for continuing to sell a defective product for over 4 years now.

I purchased a Flame Lock Whirlpool Water Heater in May of 2003. I can only agree with all the other negative comments you have posted regarding this unit. It has been nothing but trouble. My pilot is out again and I have to pay another $15 for shipping on the thermocouple plus a plumber to install it. The person on the phone representing Whirlpool could barely speak English. This entire series of water heaters should be recalled. They are not reliable. I have never, ever experienced anything like this in a gas water heater. This is fraud.

Bought new gas hot water heater model BFG1F5040T3NOV in May. After 5 months, pilot light keeps going out and resulting in no hot water. After 45 min on phone waiting for customer support, the rep sent me a new gas valve which I will need to have installed myself. Already spent $200.00 on plumber to come out once to diagnose the problem. Now will need to pay again to have this faulty unit installed. Went on the Internet and found literally hundreds of same complaints on this same unit!

The American Water Heater Company Makes almost all of the water heaters that are being complained about with the flame lock system. I also have a flame lock water heater. It is a premiere water heater. I have purchased about 15 thermocouples and installed the repair kit that was suppose to fix the problem. DIDN'T. I am now in the middle of replacing yet another thermocouple. They say that the air flow is bad. I think the designers of this so-called safety system had bad air. The only thing that is safe about it is that me and my family will never get burned with HOT WATER. Should have been named FLAME LOCK OUT because there is never a flame. I will try the replacement Regulator next. Hope I get burned or something so that I can sue the company for injuries acquired by trying to fix that POS water heater they sold me. I refuse to triple pay for a water heater. Tis a scam, I say. And they should be brought up on Fraud charges. We Pay to have them install a water heater, pay again and again to have it repaired. Finally we have had enough and pay for a new water heater altogether. TRIPLE CHARGED. SIGNED, COLD IN WY. AND THE HEADS OF CORPORATION DON'T CARE ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK WHILE CONSUMERS GET SCREWED.

I purchased a 40 Gal. Whirlpool Water Heater with a 6 Year Warranty from Lowes on April 14, 2008. Model # BFG1F4034T3NOV. The very next day after installation the pressure release valve broke and flooded part of my basement. I went and bought one from Lowes, since they would not replace it unless I brought the entire water heater back. The unit then worked fine for about 5 months until September 2008 when the pilot light went out. It could be re-lit but would go out in less than a minute. I followed the troubleshooting guide and measured the voltage on the Thermocouple and had 12mV. The Thermocouple was fine so the next step in the troubleshooting guide said the Thermostat was bad. This happened on Saturday and could not get a hold of anyone on the Whirlpool 877 number until Monday.

I purchased a hot water heater 4 months ago and now have no hot water! The flame doesn't stay lit. I called the 800 number and spoke with India!!! No English! I spent 1 hour on the phone trying to understand what he was telling me. He tells me I need a new part that PSEG cannot fix because they tried as well. They then tell me I have to pay 15.00 shipping! Its the next day at 7:41 PM and I stayed home and no part was ever delivered! Whirlpool products suck and this is ridiculous that Lowes and big stores carry their brand.

Got a whirlpool gas hot water heater in fall of 2007. On Oct 10 of 2008, my pilot light goes out ..I've tried to relight it, it lights but won't stay lite. Called customer support in India .. I guess they say it's my thermostat so they will ship me one. At first they say I will have to pay the shipping cost, what is going on here? From the complaints that I've read.. this might not even fix it.. and I guess I will have to try to replace it myself. I can't afford a plumber.

We bought a Whirlpool model FG1J4040T3NOV 40 gal gas water heater (12-year warranty) from Lowe's in 2004. The water heater worked fine for about two years when it started leaking gas. Called the gas company who located the leak and shut off our gas until it was fixed. Called Whirlpool and they sent a new thermostat. On October 11, 2008, the pilot light went out, was relit after some fussing, only to go out again that afternoon and again that night. More of the same on the next day and on the third day, it will not stay lit. The Enhancement Kit is ordered. I sure hope this fixes the problem. I can say, after reading all these letters on this site about this model, and what little Whirlpool & Lowe's are doing, I will never buy another Whirlpool anything again. This model needs a recall. It is a lemon!

I purchased a Whirlpool hot water tank in April 2004 from Lowe's in Denver, CO. The tank performed flawlessly for a year then my thermostat began to falter. I called customer service and spoke with someone overseas who couldn't understand my issue (language barrier). I was sent another thermostat and problems still persist. It never turns on until an hour after my shower of dishwasher use. When it finally does kick on it shuts itself off within 5 minutes then turns itself back on..... I'm positive my utility bill has increased because of the inconsistency of the tanks heating system. Very frustrating. By the way, my dip tube is fine!! I will replace this piece of junk and NEVER own another Whirlpool water heater again.

I had bought a Whirlpool water heater BFG1H5040T3NOV in April 08. Yesterday my pilot went out and wouldn't stay on. I spent the whole day trying to light it. This is frustrating. Now me and my family have to go through all the inconveniences that the rest of folk on this forum have to. If I had know the issues with Whirlpool I would have never bought it. I guess the nightmare begins. I will keep this post updated on the experience.

We purchased a Whirlpool water heater from Lowe's - Model NO. FG2F4040T3NOV Product No. 0730270. The pilot light is constantly going out, forcing us to take COLD SHOWERS! We have called Service and Support numerous times and they have sent us so many bottom parts, to the point of opening our own parts store for this piece of junk! We have a 6 year warranty and have only had this LEMON for 3 years! We are now forced to buy a new heater, with money we don't have, because customer support refuses to solve this problem. They've informed us that Whirlpool is aware but is not liable for this product or the problems.

This is my 2nd incident with the same hot water heater. My problem is again with the same WHIRLPOOL HOT WATER TANK. I am unwilling to waste another minute with this completely defective product. Therefore, I am not willing to take the time to provide all of the product data (serial #'s, ect.). In the meantime, I will NEVER purchase another Whirlpool product! Likewise, I will contact LOWE's and any other company that carries the product and encourage them to discontinue selling any Whirlpool products. Lastly, I will provide as much negative publicity as I possibly can about Whirlpool and any product they attempt to sell.

June 2004, I purchased a 12-Year 50-gallon, Whirlpool Gas Water Heater with a Flame Lock System. Last year, the pilot light went out and after an entire day of frustration and waiting for a Plumber to arrive only to tell me that there was 'nothing he could do', the pilot light finally ignited. 4 days ago, the pilot went out again. I called the Gas Company to come out and check the line - it was fine. I called a plumber who was less than informative and only wanted to charge excessive amounts of money with no reassurance. Not to mention the $70.00 service call. I went back to Lowe's only to find that they are still selling the same brand and model types of water heaters. That being Whirlpool with Flame Lock. And the cost has gone up to $578.00 plus installation fees.

I recently purchased and installed a NEW Whirlpool (BFG1J5040T3NOV) 50 gal gas water heater (May 2008) from LOWE'S. After working fine for only four (4) months, I received a call Sept 29, at work from my wife stating there was no hot water and I told her how to relight the tank and then she stated the pilot would not stay lit. My job takes me up to 250 miles from home on any given week, so I took time off from work, gassed up $75 and drove home to fix what I thought was a small problem, only to find after 2 days of dealing with LOWE'S and Whirlpool (INDIA) over the phone that this problem as everyone describes here, is no different than the original problems with the water heater models described in the class action lawsuit, that I also found in studying this. The Class lawsuit claim filing deadline has expired by the way.

I had thermocouple door assembly replaced and gas valve on my 2004 flame lock water heater. I do know that the thermocouple becomes unseated very easy but that's not the only thing wrong. Also a tech from Whirlpool told me to disconnect one gas safety wire and make the other one route in a circle and connect it at the top of thermocouple connection at the gas valve. This will make pilot light if it's bad and would heat the heater in emergency. I wouldn't recommend because of a safety issue. I'M FED UP WITH TRYING TO KEEP THE WATER HOT...

Whirlpool gas hot water heater went on the blink 10-3-08. Thought it was pilot, thanks to a friend he said it was the thermocoupler. We checked our warranty papers and called Whirlpool. Of course they did not mention of the dangers that this water heater had. If you did not put a left handed, don't laugh, left handed thermocoupler in you could end up with a leak leading to an explosion. Well, thank goodness Brad was angry from the run around and having to pay for something that they took out of the Lowes stores with no explanations and left them without this precious left handed thermocoupler, so people would buy the wrong one and end up with a disaster. I am ashamed of the way big companies rip us off and then don't even give us the honesty of what is going on. I will not buy a Whirlpool product if this is the kind of greedy ways of treating us as dummies. I am insulted to the point where I feel I should be compensated for buying a product that could have killed us.

Purchased a Whirlpool Flame Lock Gas Water Heater. Pilot light keeps going out. Called Whirlpool - got the runaround. Was told I had to pay shipping for a Thermocouple replacement part. Or I could go to Lowe's. Lowe's doesn't have any more. This is ridiculous.

About 3 months ago, I purchased a Whirlpool BFG1F404053NOV water heater from Lowes. After having a hell of a time installing the thing, everything worked fine until this morning. The pilot light on the tank went out. I was able to get it to re-ignite for a short period but it went out again. I tried for several hours trying to get it to light but to no avail. I then went to the internet to research possible fixes and came across these countless complaints all stating the same thing.

Purchased Whirlpool 40 gallon gas water heater model #FG1H4040T3NOV from Lowes 9/2006. After a few months, pilot light continued to go out. Whirlpool sent replacement Flame Lock thermal couple. Worked for about 4 months, again pilot kept going out. Whirlpool again sent a replacement. Replacement in for about 4-5 months. Out again today.

Bought a Whirlpool BFG1H4040T3NOV model gas water heater from the local Lowe's here in Hot Springs in April of 2008. This is the only brand of water heater that Lowe's sells here! What a ripoff! On September 22, of 2008, the pilot light went out. I was unable to get it to relight. Called Whirlpool the next day and they gave me Sears and a person here who services Whirlpool product here. Never heard from those folks but Sears said it would be three days before they could get out. Three days later, Sears showed up and said that the ignitor was bad and that we would have to order a new one. So we ordered a new ignitor which took four days to get here and came from the Little Rock plant which is 55 miles from here.

My Whirlpool water heater that I only had for 2 years, the pilot light went off. We didn't have hot water for almost week. We kept turning the pilot light on and it would work for about 1 day then went off. I called 800 number spoke to rep and said they can mail the part but I needed to pay for shipping and contact a tech or do the work myself and they would mail out instructions. I don't understand why I should be responsible for it since heater is still under warranty and obviously there is defect on that part based on all other complaints. When I asked the rep if there was a recall on the part, the rep state there is no recall but was a class action suit and they were only suppose to mail out part with no cost to consumer but consumer would be responsible for shipping and installation. It doesn't make any sense since there is a warranty on parts, why would there be any cost to consumer?

We purchased a Whirlpool hot water heater on 11-10-07 and now on 10-6-08 we are now sitting without any hot water. The pilot light would not even light on 10-5-08. I Have 3 kids who need a bath everyday because they like to play in the dirt. My wife also works in the health care profession and needs to shower every day. Do you have any idea how long it takes to boil enough water to take a bath? Do know how hard it is try to wash grease off of dishes with cold water? It is very hard to manage without hot water.

Purchased a gas hot water heater manufactured by Whirlpool with flame lock. Currently, I am on my 3rd repair. The hot water heater was purchased from Lowe's in Dec 07. Why do they continue to sell a product that does not work?

I purchased a Whirpool 6-yr 40gal gas heater Model No: BFG2F4040T3NOV back in Dec. 2007. After 3 months, the pilot light wouldn't stay lit. Changed the thermocouple ($7 from Lowe's) and still won't stay lit. Called the 877 number and was able to get the gas valve replaced after paying $15 expedited shipping fee. By the 1st week of Oct. 08, same problem again and purchased another thermocouple and a voltage multimeter to test voltage reading of the thermocouple according to manual. Still won't stay lit. Can't afford to go for days without hot water. This heater is installed in a rental home. Renters are getting upset. This is a major inconvenience. I have no choice to but likely purchase another hot water heater. I WILL DEFINITELY NOT BUY OR RECOMMEND ANOTHER WHIRPOOL WATER HEATER AGAIN!! This is a serious inconvenience to me and my renters. Whirpool better wake up and correct this problem. Any good lawyers out there, please pick up on this. We need help!

The complaints I read about the Whirlpool Flame Lock water heater on this website describe what I am presently experiencing. I purchased my water heater at Lowe's in May '04. I have been without hot water for 3 days so far. I called customer service at 877-817-6750 and was told by an Indian sounding woman that the thermocouple on my LP water heater had been changed and a free conversion kit was available. I would have to pay the shipping cost and it would ship from the warehouse in Tennessee on Tuesday of next week. Today is Saturday. I then asked if I could pick the part up locally and was told that I could call Lowe's stores and check for one.