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Whirlpool water heaters, kind not given

4 reports to CPSC, the latest made Jun 12, 2021. A report isn’t a recall.

Watch it to hear when CPSC publishes new reports about it. CPSC’s own search, on saferproducts.gov

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At a glance

From SaferProducts.gov, released Oct 25, 2026.

  • 4reports to CPSC
  • Jun 12, 2021the latest report was made
  • Jul 14, 2014the earliest
  • 0with the company’s comments
Brand
Whirlpool
Makers
American Water Heaters and WHIRLPOOL CORPORATIONMakers, importers or sellers, as the reports name them
Product
Water heaters, kind not givenCPSC’s product type: Water Heaters, Not Specified (code 134), in Home Maintenance and Structures: Plumbing & Bath

By month

1 report from July 2020 to June 2021; the most in June 2021, 1. 3 earlier reports, since July 2014, are in the table.
The numbers, as a table
Reports to CPSC by the month each was made, newest first
MonthReports
June 20211
January 20201
November 20161
July 20141

How badly anyone was hurt

  • No one hurt 3 CPSC: Incident, No Injury
  • No incident, no one hurt 1 CPSC: No 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.

Source:

CPSC, SaferProducts.gov public database export. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.

  1. No one hurt

    Made Jun 12, 2021, sent to the company Jun 16, 2021, published by CPSC Jul 1, 2021

    The product, in the report: 40 gallon Whirlpool water heater.

    As I turned on the hot water on my washer there was a loud banging sound, (it sounded as if someone was banging on the side door with two hands,). When I looked toward the water heater I saw flames coming through the vent. The noise was loud and I feared an explosion. We shut off the gas main line. Having called a technician he said that the flame melted the ignitor wire which fused onto metal.

    Model
    NU40T61-403
    Serial number
    1212T465344
    Bought from
    Lowe’s
    Bought
    May 5, 2014, about then
    Where
    Chino Hills, California: Home/Apartment/Condominium
    Who was involved
    Age 21, Unknown
    The reporter’s relation to them
    My Child
    As this report names them
    Brand Whirlpool, made or sold by American Water Heaters
    How badly, in CPSC’s words
    Incident, No Injury
  2. No one hurt

    Made Jan 20, 2020, sent to the company Feb 21, 2020, published by CPSC Mar 6, 2020

    The product, in the report: Whirlpool40 Gallon natural gas water heater Model 1405t476651

    Water heater (whirlpool) from 2014 (here when we bought the house spring 2018) shut off in the middle of the night between Jan 1 2020 and Jan 2 2020. When I woke up in the morning I followed the instructions to relight but was unable to get the pilot going. I called the Whirlpool service hotline after several attempts because our water heater was still under warranty. They took me though all the steps several times, but could not get it to light. They said they would send me out a gas control valve. Days later it arrived and I replaced the gas control valve, but still could not get the pilot to light. After calling back the service line they told me they would send me a Thermopyle and the rest of the electronics. After taking apart the front of the unit I discover that the old igniter was melted and shorting out against the air intake tube. After replacing the igniter wire I successfully got the pilot to ignite. I then turned the gas valve to low which lit, but glowed a dull hazy orange flame for about thirty seconds at which point a blue flame began backfiring out the air intake tube repeatedly which sounded like a jet engine. I immediately shut the gas off and called again the hotline. They told me that my intake screen was dirty or my air flow was being restricted through the vent tube leaving my residence. I took apart the entire burner which I noticed had holes in the top of the screen. I used a shop vac to clean the screens (which looked clean already) and I inspected the air exhaust vent which looked clean and flowed freely. At this point I reassembled the unit and relit the heater only to have a blue fireball erupt out of the air intake orifice. I googled water heater backfire and found a youtube video that showed the exact problem that I was experiencing which said that the burner had failed and to get it replaced. I called the hotline again and spoke with a gentleman named [REDACTED] who was the most helpful and friendly. He was the first person who told me my water heater was recalled and that it was a part defect and that I needed to shut off the gas and call a professional. I am extremely upset that I called the hotline at least 5 times and gave my serial number but nobody except [REDcted] told me that my heater was recalled and could potentially hurt my family. I am more than disappointed that nobody thought to share that with me and they let me attempt to fix my heater putting me at risk.

    Model
    NU40t62-403
    Serial number
    1405t476651
    Bought from
    All valley plumbing, California
    Bought
    Mar 12, 2014
    Where
    Fairfield, California: Home/Apartment/Condominium
    Who was involved
    Unknown
    The reporter’s relation to them
    Unspecified
    As this report names them
    Brand Whirlpool, made or sold by WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    How badly, in CPSC’s words
    Incident, No Injury
  3. No incident, no one hurt

    Made Nov 15, 2016, sent to the company Dec 8, 2016, published by CPSC Dec 22, 2016

    The product, in the report: Water Heater

    This caller is reporting her water heater purchased August 2016 that was emanating an odor like burning plastic, the manufacturer switched it for another unit.

    She was provided another Whirlpool same model and this unit also had a burning odor. (Oct. 2016)

    She is asking for assistance with obtaining a recall due to belief that this product could cause illness.

    11/13/16: Serv provider (Whirlpool) (1) Confirmed “burning plastic” odor (2) Identified charred baffle.

    Model
    40T940UNG-400
    Serial number
    1633103338300
    Bought
    Aug 15, 2016, about then
    Where
    San Mateo, California: Home/Apartment/Condominium
    Who was involved
    Unspecified
    The reporter’s relation to them
    Unspecified
    As this report names them
    Brand Whirlpool, made or sold by WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    How badly, in CPSC’s words
    No Incident, No Injury
  4. No one hurt

    Made Jul 14, 2014, sent to the company Jul 22, 2014, published by CPSC Aug 5, 2014

    The product, in the report: 50 Gallon Water Heater

    We purchased a Whirlpool water heater in 2010. On July 12th, 2014, we noticed a burning smell in the house. The smell was coming from the energy smart control box located on top of the water heater. The box had overheated and had melted. Upon researching this issue, I found numerous complaints regarding this box overheating. Whirlpool was contacted and have agreed to ship a new control panel. Even though the water heater is under warranty, Whirlpool wants me to install the replacement part. I’m a little concerned that this is a known issue and no steps have been taken by Whirlpool to fix this problem. The results could have been serious had we not been home and awake.

    Model
    ee3j50rd045v
    Serial number
    0953t405385
    Bought from
    Lowe’s
    Bought
    Feb 17, 2010, about then
    Where
    Wilmore, Kentucky: Home/Apartment/Condominium
    Who was involved
    Unspecified
    The reporter’s relation to them
    Unspecified
    As this report names them
    Brand Whirlpool, made or sold by American Water Heaters
    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.

Source:

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.

Source:

Reports of harm are from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), on SaferProducts.gov. CPSC does not endorse Hearth Record.

Back to Water heaters, kind not given

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Not fully inspected in over two years (CMS flag)

11 health citations at the latest inspection cycle

The state average is 14.3.

Source:

CMS, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 8, 2026. Updated monthly.

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