Trane HVAC Reviews: Product Defects Reported

Consumers have been quite vocal about problems they’ve had with Trane HVAC systems. Despite the company’s catchphrase, “It’s Hard to Stop a Trane,” many customers say it’s even more difficult to keep one working. Defective parts or poor workmanship can contribute to a high failure rate of most any appliance.

Trane HVAC Reviews

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has lodged more than 200 complaints regarding Trane brand units.

One consumer writes that just seven months after installation, the Train A/C unit needed a new coil. Trane allegedly told the consumer that they had no proper replacement coils in stock and did not know when they would be restocked. Trane also purportedly told the consumer they would have to pay more than $600 to fix the unit, but the consumer doesn’t feel they should pay anything due to how new the unit is.

Another consumer wrote that they experienced failed evaporator coils six times in 10 years of owning two different Trane A/C units. Despite trying copper, aluminum and Trane-coated coils, the longest the coils tend to last is about 2.5 years. The consumer said Trane most recently recommended the consumer pay the full expense of taking the coils to a third party company and having a coating added to the new coils. The consumer wrote, “This is crazy! Why can’t you just make them last longer and not have to send them somewhere else to get coated?”

More reviews at the Consumer Affairs website point to cheap parts and unsatisfactory customer assistance.

One consumer wrote, “Expensive junk – deceptive customer service,” regarding a Trane split system she and her husband had installed as part of a renovation project at their home. She said the unit always “functioned erratically” and the contractor said that’s either how the unit works for that the couple wasn’t using the system correctly. In December 2018, the condenser quit after condensation completely iced over the unit.

She thought they had a three-year warranty, but found out that the product had never been registered for the warranty, and the one-year basic warranty had expired. Upon contacting Trane, the most that allegedly was offered to the couple was 15% off a new unit, which she and her husband agreed was not satisfactory.

Trane Heater and Air Conditioner Issues

One Las Vegas HVAC company actually addresses on its website why it will not promote Trane products.

Fast Affordable Air has found fault with Trane compressors that fail too quickly, a relatively new issue the Vegas HVAC servicer blames on outsourcing that has most likely resulted in poorly manufactured compressors.

The Trane heater still uses a clamshell design that consists of a variety of different metal densities, which can lead to cracking when the metallic areas heat and cool at different rates. The clamshell configuration also leads to a noisier unit, especially compared to different models that use a tubular designed heat exchanger, says Fast Affordable Air.

Trane’s alleged decisions to reduce their own warranties and to require servicers to pay for replacement parts up front have resulted in many local service companies to either greatly limit their own labor warranty on Trane units or to simply stop selling or servicing Trane heater and air conditioner units altogether.

Kevin L., an HVAC servicer, responded to the website article, saying in part, “I’ve been in the business for 44 years and have worked for Trane among others. I too can no longer recommend Trane.”

Have Any Trane Lawsuits Been Filed?

Earlier this year, Trane agreed to a class action lawsuit settlement after a number of Trane and American Standard air conditioning units failed. The affected machines were coated with an unauthorized rust inhibitor, which plaintiffs alleged caused the thermostatic expansion valve (TXV) to become gummy and stick.

To remedy the issue, Trane allegedly had service personnel add an acidic solution to the TXV instead of replacing the valve, a stop-gap measure that plaintiffs alleged could have shortened the life of the compressor.

Trane admitted no wrongdoing, but agreed to the settlement, which included reimbursement of previous repair expenses and an extended warranty for qualifying compressors. As part of the settlement, current and former owners also received the cost of labor for an authorized additive to be injected into the units that still may experience the sticky TXV.

What Can I Do If I Have Purchased a Trane?

If you live in California and have purchased a Trane HVAC system in the past several months, you could benefit from speaking with an experienced attorney. Trane currently is a company under investigation for possible consumer rights violations committed in the state of California.