Complain about a product or service

A. O. Smith Water Heaters

David of Henryville, PA November 13, 2009

2002 we had a failed water heater in our home in Henryville area. Called Leon Clapper of Stroudsburg. Wanted Home Depot GE water heater...he ... plumber... called them junk and said we should get an A O Smith. Cost of install around 360 dollars after replacing the other water heater which by the way probably only needed heating elements...it was not leaking...but it was not making hot water. That water heater my father had had installed in the kitchen pantry closet in about the year 1970. The heating elements had been replaced once in all those years...32 years... but that was my fault...I had shut off the water to the house and forgotten to turn off the electric to the water heater.

Anyway, Clapper plumber installs A O Smith in Feb of 2002. In the year 2006 it is springing leaks like a fountain with a waterfalls. Called new plumber...Forsell of Canadensis...PA... also spoke highly of A O Smith. He said it was under warrantee, being only four years old, and replaced it for "only" the 300 dollar cost of labor. The water heater A O Smith replacement was "free".

September of 2009, three year old water heater is seeping water at the base, making crackling noises occasionally. I ignore...as I had bigger problems with cars and relationships to work with. November 13, 2009, water heater is gushing water like a marble fountain in front of Caesar's Palace. I turn off water valves and electric to the heater... this three year old heater is shot. Plumbers say is still under warrantee...can replace for only cost of labor...300 dollars. (Seeing a pattern here?) I sware at the two plumbers I called and say no to A O Smith, even if it is "free."

Decided I am going to Home Depot and buying my own water heater and attempting an install myself.

Jeff of Niskayuna, NY November 12, 2009

Bought a 40 gallon power shot water heater, had problems that were eventually resolved but 6 years and 2 months to the day after installation it flooded my basement. Warrantee is 6 years and they wouldn't even talk to me about a compromise. They must work very hard to design it to fail right after the warrantee period. I'm replacing it with a Rheem and keeping my fingers crossed.

Lori of Sioux City, IA November 11, 2009

I bought as AO Smith water heater (model Promax GVC 40 200) from the Company above in 2006, for aproximately 400.00 or more. This was for the cost of the water heater and installation. 4/1/06 the pilot light would not stay lit, so it needed to be replaced.Because it was still in warrenty the untit was replaced and I had to cover the 200.00 cost for installation. In 5/8/08 same problem occured, and I had to get the water heater replaced again, and pay another 200.00 to have it installed. Now on 11/10/09 the pilot light will not stay lit and they have to replace the unit again. I have now had four water heaters since 2006, and have to pay another 200.00 for the labor.

Paul of Scottsdale, AZ November 4, 2009

have had to replace the A.O. Smith water heater twice in 4 years. They warranted it, but I had to pay installation costs--now 822 total. Never buying Smith anything again.

Vivian of Corona, CA October 29, 2009

In Dec 2006 I purchased for total 762.00 a promax 6 yr model FVR 40 100. The unit was flooded and replaced by AO Smith in 2008 by a GNR 400 100. From the moment it was installed I was on the phone with the Warranty dept for AO first I would have to fight with them over if it was covered the pilot keeps going out first they say the gas control box was recalled and send a authorized guy here who i swear said he replaced but i am not sure as we kept experiencing the same problem did he replace with a recalled conrol box? Now must relight every other day 20 mins before needing hot water.

Now almost 6 yrs later the warranty people tell me my problem is a maintence problem that this unit due to EPA chgs must have a plumber blow condensed air thru the gas something every three months. What did I buy a puppy? Ao is standing behind the dup that because of these EPA requirements they are not responsible. Well, bs I did not want a hot water heater that I have to add an additonal 500 or more in maintence to every year I own. They say your installer should have told you no way he told us we would never have bought an item that we assume has an expressed warranty of quality and that works properly not that we were getting a unit that over the 6 yr warranty period i would be expected to invest another 3,000 in maintence that is a crock and I feel so ripped off. I will never ever buy another AO Smith product and I hope they go the way of al the other discovered rip off consumer companies out of business I will re-tell this story to anyone who needs a water heater and the dirty little secret this and others like tham hid behind.

rajesh of sunnyvale, CA October 12, 2009

AO smith 50 gallon water heater....we are around 60 units with the same heater and everyone of us (yes alll the 60 home owners is fed up of this water heater...) stay away.........the flame goes of in most of the heaters and all repair work seems to be nothing but just waist of money....

Allan of Hutchinson, MN October 10, 2009

Purchased A.O. Smith GPCR-50 natural gas power vent water heater in mid 2006. 3 1/2 years passed and the problem is not resolved yet. Multiple attempts frequently required to ignite burner. Appears flame sensor is not satisfied (hot enough) to keep gas valve open to the burner. Controller times out, tries again to ignite with a preheated flame sensor which generally satisfies the controller and remains lit, till the next time. Apparently, an "air turbulence blows the flame away from the flame sensor causing burner short cycling."

Dealer service has been of no real help with this matter. Dealer service tech suggested I reduce vent pipe run by replacing vent pipe from 3 inch to 2 inch which did not change a thing (more expense, more time wasted). Concerned with multiple ignition attempts adding premature wear on the igniter life expectancy among other things. That said, I decided I'd research this problem on my own. Found the intelli-vent troubleshooting guide on-line and began self diagnoses. Checked for proper electrical requirement to heater, flame sensor gap and elevation, cleaned igniter, checked igniter resistance etc.

More recently, spoke to A.O. Smith phone support tech whom insisted all above be rechecked again and again. Later told to check the flue restrictor and baffle for proper positioning. I found there is no flue restrictor on my heater. It's listed in the parts list but doesn't exist on the heater. Apparently the tech discarded it during the installation of the power vent unit on this heater. I'm waiting on parts. Flue baffle and igniter were sent without the flue restrictor. Now, a flue restrictor ring shows up without the flue restrictor plate. Monday, I will call and request the flue restrictor "plate".

In conclusion, for 3 1/2 years I've been DAMAGED with greater energy consumption expense without the flue restrictor ("engineered to precisely regulate the flow of flue gases through the flue pipe." "This maximizes the amount of heat conducted into the water through the walls of the flue pipe"). I've purchased and replaced the complete vent run needlessly. Made many trips to the basement to reset the heater control error codes following periodic three attempts to ignition failure.

Endured hearing the heater tries and try again to ignite. Spent a great deal of time and energy trying to get to the bottom of this matter. Unbelievable that any tech would discard the necessary flue restrictor and walk away from the problem leaving the home owner / consumer to deal with this problem. When all the necessary parts arrive, I will need to move the heater out from under overhead ducting which will require empting the heater, removing the gas supply, water lines both in and out, and the vent pipe. Install flue baffle & restrictor parts and reinstall the heater.

Patricia of Moorpark, CA August 31, 2009

We purchased a new water heater made by A.O. Smith about a year ago (2008). Several times this week the pilot has gone out. We looked at the manual which mentioned checking the burner for sooting. The manual was not easy to follow and I decided to call the Gas Company. They came out and looked at it. The service man told me that this was the third case this week with this problem. He expressed a concern with the design of these units because the access to the burner and air vent is underneath the waterheater and many times the pan makes it difficult to clean the soot. I had no idea that this was something that I needed to maintain and that there is a difference in water heater designs. I will definitely ask someone for recommendations the next time I need to replace my water heater. A.O. Smith needs to come up with something that is more user friendly and better manuals to help consummers take care of their maintenance.

Jerry of Mankato, MN August 26, 2009

4 year old 50 gallon water heater from AO Smith model GPCR 50 100 tank came apart rapidly spilling water in our basement. Although it would be nice for the manufacturer to reimburse for the water damage the really surprising news was that I had to pay 100 for a technology upgrade? Additionally we had to pay for reinstallation, removal of old heater etc. I cannot believe it is legal per the warranty to charge for changes the manufacturer have made since they sold us the first heater?

Terry of Lake Jackson, TX August 18, 2009

We bought a new house Thanksgiving 07. my wife complained that the water never seemed to get hot enough to suit her, but I blow it off, but now the pilot light will not stay lit. after talking to the AO Smith people they say the parts are warranted but not the labor and they would have a tech call us, which they did a day later stating that they charged a flat fee of 150.00 for a job that might take an hr. I told the service company to hold off.

I wanted to talk to the AO Smith company again but so far they have not returned my call. My builder wants to know how it turns out as he may stop using that brand heater in his houses.

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