1. Their  AIR INTAKE screen is too small, and over time it clogs up with lint, dust , and hair.. 

You must somehow clean the lint off  from the bottom of the unit every 3 months or

 it will not get  enough air to operate correctly....The air intake screen is TOO SMALL..

2.  you cannot  buy replacement parts that will fix this "built in design flaw" once and for all.

3.  It  sucks up lint like a vacuum sweeper,  and then gets starved for air..,  

install  Whirlpool in a dusty, linty laundry room and  it will certainly fail.

4.  Their new improved  "thermal fuse design"   is no improvement at all ,  it overheats

and burns out even quicker than the original design.   If their is any downdraft that happens

when your furnace comes on it can kill this fuse.    They have actually made the problem worse....imho

5.  Read this link for more info on this awful brand......   

http://www.terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4362

Imho,   tampering or  " jerry-rigging "  this unit to make it work is a Liability and Safety hazard and should

not be done .    I  feel it is very unsafe for financially strapped home-owners to have gas valves and gas burners

mailed to them,,  and then expect them to repair the heater themselves.

6.. look at the junk sucked up into  the bottom of the air screen on this Whirlpool heater

         it is  impossible to clean under this unit like they expect you to do

Again,  the air intake screen is too small ..

You can install new repair parts over and over ,

but it cannot repair this   " factory design flaw".

 Your warranty is void if you dont clean your 

"lint filter"   every  3  months...      http://www.my3cents.com/showReview.cgi?id=14643

To any  person with average common sense,  it would be simple to fix their problems....

the water heater needs to be re-designed  .. 

Folks,  .....this is not Quantum Physics, ......or  Thermodynamics ,

and it does not take a genius to figure this out 

(hint)   design something similar to the Bradford White .  

IMHO   Everyone involved in this mess should be fired, 

including  sons + son-in laws,  daughters, wives,  cousins  ect...,   then hire new people

in no way related to the idiots in top management to come in and fix this mess.

Here is the C.E.O  of American Water Heaters discussing strategy with 

 their top  "Research and Development Engineers".......   

Its  not funny if you are someone stuck with this brand. 

Go to this complaint site,  their are 194 pages.

 http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/whirlpool_water_heaters.html

IMHO this brand should be pulled off the market and

every unit should be re-placed ,  not rebuilt..

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more water heater information to troubleshoot  problems

Have you  had your old water heater serviced lately?  

 Have you ever even looked at your heater in the last 15 years??

 Here is an old  pressure relief valve on a very old heater... This should have been changed out years ago...

Look at the explosion and damage  that can happen when one fails to work properly..................

http://www.kpho.com/slideshow/news/17191195/detail.htm

Sediment buildup             The heating of water in your water heater causes calcium carbonate to precipitate out and settle to the bottom of the tank. Steam bubbles form under the sediment when the burners come on causing popping and other noises as the bubbles escape from under the sediment. Sediment buildup depends upon what kind of water you have.  In some areas there is virtually no sediment and in other areas sediment buildup can be significant. Regular flushing of your hot water heater helps prevent sediment build up.  Not producing enough hot water Check for a broken dip tube, wrong setting on a thermostat, a defective thermostat, burned out heating elements (electric), or a heavy build up of sediment.  Dip tube The dip tube is a long slender tube that fits down into the water heater  inlet, and usually has a small hole about 6 inches from the top. The dip tube directs the incoming cold liquid down to the bottom of the tank.  If the dip tube is broken, the incoming cold liquid can mix with the out going hot liquid and cause it to seem as though you are running out. Noisy tank Noise coming from gas models can often be caused by the sediment build up in the bottom of the tank. Steam bubbles form under the sediment. The thumping and popping noises are created by the bubbles escaping from under the sediment.  Sizzling noises can be caused by condensation dripping onto the hot burner. Thermal expansion When water is heated it expands. If the inlet is not blocked by a check valve, pressure reducing valve, or other device, the increase in volume simply travels back into the source. If the inlet is blocked, this increase in volume will cause an increase in pressure, sometimes to dangerous levels.  The T&P (Temperature-pressure) valve relieves this pressure by discharging some liquid.  A thermal expansion tank can be installed in the line that will absorb the increase in volume, preventing the relief valve from discharging unnecessarily. T&P valves are strictly an emergency measure and should be replaced every 2 years.  At 180 degrees , the temperature that the T&P valve opens, damage can occur to your system and you may have voided the warranty on your water heater. The improper installation of backflow preventers can block the thermal expansion leading to operation of the T&P Valve. Water Hammer When water is traveling in the pipes it has kinetic energy (energy of motion).  When a valve shuts off suddenly a shock wave results.  Hammer most often occurs when a valve shuts off suddenly.  Commercial arrestors are available to combat this problem.  They consist of a small air bladder within a cylinder plumbed to the piping system near the valve causing the problem.  Some hardware stores carry them.  Sometimes if the piping is sagging then supporting the pipe solves the problem. Milky color Water contains dissolved oxygen and other gases.  When it's heated it has less ability to hold these gases and when the pressure is lowered  as the liquid comes out of the tap these gasses can form tiny bubbles giving the liquid a milky appearance.  Letting it stand for a few minutes will allow these bubbles to rise out of the liquid and it resumes its clear appearance. If you live in an earthquake prone area then be sure to strap the tank to the wall to prevent damage and possible injury during an earthquake.