Complaint Review: A. O. Smith

Plumber installed the A. O. Smith GCR-40 Gas Hot water Heater February 2, 2017.  On February 6, 2020 the heater failed.  Still under warranty, the plumber recommended calling A.O. Smith directly for the parts. He said that they weren't available locally.  I called the company.  The first customer service rep insisted that I had the wrong serial number.  

I can't read numbers off of the panel?  He gave me a case number.  Then, he sent me to another customer service rep who had the wrong gas hot water heater.  I gave her the correct serial number and the GCR-40 came up.  She gave me the parts numbers and insisted that I could get them locally.  I told her my plumber already checked and they weren't available. 

She wouldn't put the order through and gave me the local numbers.  Big mistake on her part.  I called the local companies.  The parts were not available locally but several of the same parts had been ordered.  They were already sold.  The supply company rep said to order them directly from A. O. Smith since they were under warranty. 

So apparently these parts must be defective.  I called A. O. Smith again and talked to a third customer service rep.  He sounded like I was bothering him but finally placed the order.  I had to pay for shipping myself.  I could either have paid $11.99 or $24.99 for next day air.  I paid the $24.99 and received the parts the next morning by 9:30 AM via UPS.  My plumber had the hot water heater repaired that afternoon. 

He had no difficulty repairing it so I'm assuming he's done these before.  My repairs cost $386.59 plus the $24.99 shipping total $411.58.  After only 3 years.  I wrote a letter to corporate and received a phone call from another customer service rep and a new case number.  This rep said my warranty didn't cover labor but they would offer a $100 "courtesy" reimbursement. 

Next I received an email with a form.  The requirements don't make sense.  I'm not peeling the original plate off.  I didn't replace the hot water tank.  It was repaired.  Either their customer service department is totally inept and/or they have no intention of sending the $100.  I'm cut/pasting the content here:

"We apologize for the difficulty you have experienced with your water heater. We will need some
information to process your request. The following articles must accompany this form in order to
process your reimbursement.
1) The complete original Water Heater rating plate provided by the factory (The white or
clear sticker outlined in black with the model and serial number of the failed unit printed
on it.)
2) A copy of the receipt showing the purchase of a replacement Water Heater;
3) The model number, serial number and brand name of the water heater you have
purchased to replace the failed unit.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Replacement Model #:
Replacement Serial #:
Replacement Brand Name:_______________________"

The replacement part numbers: #100112330 and #100262939.  I found them on Amazon.  I also checked with online plumbing supply companies and saw that the GCR-40 was no longer available.  I don't know but I'm wondering if A. O. Smith dumped defective hot water heaters on unsuspecting consumers?  If these parts fail every three years, they won't be covered by the warranty.  Huge rip off.