Kenmore gas water heaters
5 reports to CPSC, the latest made Jul 3, 2020. 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.
- 5reports to CPSC
- Jul 3, 2020the latest report was made
- Oct 19, 2012the earliest
- 3with the company’s comments
- Brand
- Kenmore
- Makers
- Sears Holdings Management Corporation and A. O. Smith Water Products CompanyMakers, 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 |
|---|---|
| July 2020 | 1 |
| March 2019 | 1 |
| February 2019 | 1 |
| February 2017 | 1 |
| October 2012 | 1 |
How badly anyone was hurt
- First aid 1 CPSC: Injury, First Aid Received by Non-Medical Professional
- No one hurt 4 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.
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First aid Made Jul 3, 2020, sent to the company Jul 24, 2020, published by CPSC Aug 7, 2020
The product, in the report: Kenmore Power Miser 6 Low Nox water heater. Model 153.330642
Low Nox gas water heater backfires, caused by tear in burner screen. Water burner recalled, yet according to Waterheaterrecall.com it’s not covered by recall, was told it was not covered because it’s not part of controll unit (???).
- Model
- 153.330642
- Serial number
- 1031T000388
- Bought from
- Lowes
- Where
- West Hills, California: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Age 63, Unspecified
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand Kenmore, made or sold by Sears Holdings Management Corporation
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Injury, First Aid Received by Non-Medical Professional
-
No one hurt Made Mar 6, 2019, sent to the company Apr 3, 2019, published by CPSC Apr 17, 2019
The product, in the report: 50 gallon natural gas water heater
The consumer is concerned that the recall parameters for the product are too narrow. The pan is to prevent water damage, and the pan is not designed as a fire barrier
The consumer received notice that his Kenmore water heater was potentially included in the November. 8, 2018 A.O. Smith recall-# 19-029. The consumer went to the recall web site and answered the series of questions. Because his water heater was on a metal pan under it, the response was that he did not qualify for a retrofit.
On 3/1 , the water heater stopped working. When the consumer re-lit the water heater, flames exploded out of the side of the product. This happened three different times.
The consumer went to the web site again and indicated that the product was not siting on a metal pan. This time the response was that he qualified for a retrofit.
It is the consumer’s opinion that the recall is too focused on the metal pan.
The consumer contacted Kenmore who referred him to A.O. Smith. The consumer contacted A.O. Smith on 3-5. The firm could see on their web site when he had checked for the recall about a month ago.
- Model
- 15330290
- Serial number
- 1426T458693
- Bought from
- Sears, California
- Bought
- Sep 6, 2014, about then
- Where
- Murieta, California: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Male
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand Kenmore, made or sold by Sears Holdings Management Corporation
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
No one hurt Made Feb 5, 2019, sent to the company Sep 10, 2019, published by CPSC Sep 24, 2019
The product, in the report: Ultra Low NOx Gas Water Heater, 50 gallon
Water Heater pilot went out after about a year and a half. Relit the pilot and when the burner was attempting to light, it lit momentarily and an internal explosion occurred and extinguished the burner flame and pilot light. It turned out that the Ultra Low NOx Burner Assembly screen had holes/tears in it. Contacted Sears for Warranty, a guy came out and confirmed the tear in the burner screen. Instead of me paying for the labor to replace, he told me I could go to a Sears Service Center and order the part. That was not the case and I had to purchase one instead. That fixed the problem until it happened again about a year later. This time I contacted the manufacturer AO Smith and they sent me a new gas valve and burner assembly. Installed myself and all is good. It’s been about 3-4 months and the water heater has been working fine. Not knowing what the details of the current recall are, I will submit the recall information, of which my water heater serial number is part of.
- Model
- 153.330290 (Sears)
- Serial number
- 1443100364388
- Bought from
- Sears, California
- Bought
- May 25, 2015, about then
- Where
- Riverside, California: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unknown
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Kenmore, made or sold by A. O. Smith Water Products Company
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
No one hurt Made Feb 16, 2017, sent to the company Mar 29, 2017, published by CPSC Apr 12, 2017
The product, in the report: Kenmore 40 gallon gas water heater, Model 153.330220, Serial #: 1307T466237, purchased at Orchard Supply Hardware, and installed on 5/05/2013.
Heard a pronounced boom sound from the water heater closet, followed by and undulating sound from the burner on the water heater, late at night. Early in AM called a repairman, who came, and found that there was a slit in the screen that covers the burner panel. This slit apparently allows air in/out and causes what he called “after-burning”. This “boom” was replicated several times, when he turned the gas back on. He had recently done a service call where he encountered the same problem. This requires a very expensive replacement of that entire unit, which actually will cost significantly more than the entire water heater cost just 3 years ago. (Our prior water heater had lasted over 36 years!) When the repairman checked with his suppliers for a replacement burner panel for us, they were all sold out, though they had had them two weeks prior when checked on for another client. Several hours later, after a third-party diligent search, one unit was located in the Bay Area
I’ve been on the phone for several hours straight now, trying to talk with Sears/Kenmore people, and have been transferred to others 14 times (literal number). I have no resolution nor reasonable explanation of why this should be occurring. Everyone seems to concur or not deny that this is a fire hazard and maybe much more. One person said it could be from condensation collecting on the screen from supply lines within the unit itself but this would be a design flaw. It is in a small room inside the house, and never subjected to extreme temperatures.
It is apparent that others are experiencing the same issue with this unit there needs to be an answer
- Model
- 153.330220
- Serial number
- 1307T466237
- Bought from
- Orchard Supply Hardware
- Bought
- May 5, 2013
- Where
- Napa, California: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Age 69, Female
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Self
- As this report names them
- Brand Kenmore, made or sold by Sears Holdings Management Corporation
- How badly, in CPSC’s words
- Incident, No Injury
-
No one hurt Made Oct 19, 2012, sent to the company Oct 31, 2012, published by CPSC Nov 15, 2012
The product, in the report: Kenmore Gas Water Heater
I bought and installed a brand new water heater from Sears. Upon installation, I could hear gas going through the unit, but it would not light. Upon receiving service from Sears, it was discovered that the burner was laying in the bottom of the unit along with the 2 screws that were supposed to attach it to the gas tube.
Summary: Gas was flowing freely but was unable to light because the burner was disconnected. The gas was going up my chimney.
- Model
- 153.331661
- Serial number
- 1239A005382
- Bought from
- Sears, Michigan
- Bought
- Oct 16, 2012
- Where
- Dearborn Heights, Michigan: Home/
Apartment/ Condominium - Who was involved
- Unspecified
- The reporter’s relation to them
- Unspecified
- As this report names them
- Brand Kenmore, made or sold by Sears Holdings Management Corporation
- 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
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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.