GE gas water heaters
2 reports to CPSC, the latest made Sep 28, 2015. A report isn’t a recall.
Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. CPSC’s own search is on saferproducts.gov.
At a glance
From SaferProducts.gov, released Oct 25, 2026.
- 2reports to CPSC
- Sep 28, 2015the latest report was made
- Dec 19, 2011the earliest
- 0with the company’s comments
- Brand
- GE
- Maker
- Rheem Sales Company, IncMakers, importers or sellers, as the reports name them
- Product
- Gas water heatersCPSC’s product type: Gas Water Heaters (code 118), in Home Maintenance and Structures: Plumbing & Bath
By month
The numbers, as a table
| Month | Reports |
|---|---|
| September 2015 | 1 |
| December 2011 | 1 |
How badly anyone was hurt
- No one hurt 2 CPSC: Incident, No Injury
As each report says it, in short words; CPSC’s own words are under each.
The reports, as CPSC published them
Reports people made to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC publishes each one after sending it to the company named, and doesn’t guarantee they’re accurate. A report isn’t a recall.
Each report is the words of the person who made it, as CPSC published them. The company’s comments, where CPSC published any, are set apart as the company’s own.
CPSC, SaferProducts.gov public database export. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.
-
No one hurt Made Sep 28, 2015, sent to the company Oct 6, 2015, published by CPSC Oct 21, 2015
The product, in the report: A 38 gallon gas water heater. Manufactured by Rheem, but the unit says “GE” on the outside.
I have a residential gas water heater Low Nox emissions, Model PG38T09AXK00, made by Rheem/GE. Purchased 2011. Since 2014 we have had problems with keeping the pilot lit. A plumber replaced the thermocouple in 2014. This did not fix the problem. We continue to have “pre ignition” with a very hot flash of hot burning natural gas within the heater which blows out the pilot light. On 9/26/15 we had a small EXPLOSION at the water heater. This time it could be heard all over the house and upon going to the heater we found it “surging” gas, sounding all the world like a blow torch. Flames could be seen via the pilot view hole, the area around the burner is burnt. I have pictures.
I shut it off, let it rest and then relit it and it is working fine so far.
I feel this is a extremely dangerous situation. If sufficient gas builds up in the heater before ignition I could have a very bad explosion and resulting fire could destroy my home and possible kill someone.
I contacted Rheem about the problem and they seemed to think that it is “no big deal”. Hire a plumber to get it fixed. They could not recommend any plumber in my area, so I am at the mercy of whatever predatory plumbers out there.
I feel this should be addressed as someone, somewhere is going to die because of a this faulty water heater.
- Model
- PG38T09AXK00
- UPC
- I don’t know
- Serial number
- GEUN0411U14932
- Bought from
- Home Depot
- Bought
- May 10, 2011, about then
- Where
- Bakersfield, California: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Age 73, Male
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand GE, made or sold by Rheem Sales Company, Inc
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
No one hurt Made Dec 19, 2011, sent to the company Dec 29, 2011, published by CPSC Jan 13, 2012
The product, in the report: GAS WATER HEATER
in 2009 we bought a water heater and now it is shutting off by its self.when i go to check on it i can smell gas all over the heater,it will stay on till we use the water then it shutts off.
- Model
- SMART WATER/
GG30T06AVG00 - Serial number
- GELN 0804V23599
- Bought
- Dec 1, 2009, about then
- Where
- pico rivera, California: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unspecified
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand GE, made or sold by Rheem Sales Company, Inc
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
CPSC’s disclaimer
Disclaimer: CPSC does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of the Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database on SaferProducts.gov, particularly with respect to information submitted by people outside of CPSC.
Word for word, from the disclaimer in CPSC’s export.
Sources
Sources
-
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, SaferProducts.gov public database export.
Released Oct 25, 2026 and checked Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work). CPSC asks to be credited, and that no endorsement be implied.
Reports of harm are from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), on SaferProducts.gov. CPSC does not endorse Hearth Record.