Trane Technologies Initially Ignored a Safety Recall Notice and Warranties Complaint Records Show
Complaints filed with the Ohio Attorney General's Office alleged that the Texas-based HVAC company ignored a safety recall notice and declined to honor warranties.
Update - The following email was sent to the Ohio A.G.'s Office during an informal dispute process regarding allegations that Trane Technologies ignored a safety recall:
“This matter has been resolved. Please mark the case as closed. Thank you for contacting me.”
Complaints were filed with the Ohio Attorney General's Office alleging that Trane Technologies ignored warranties and a safety recall.
A customer with Trane Technologies, who reportedly received a recall notice stating, “to contact Trane Manufacturing, Tyler Texas to get the defective components (collector cells replaced). Trane has refused to comply with the safety recall,” according to a 2021 complaint and corresponding documents obtain by No Alternative through Ohio’s Open Records Law.
Trane’s CleanEffects filtration systems were recalled because of, “electrical arcing inside the collection cells can cause the collection cell material to overheat or ignite, posing a fire hazard,” according an alert by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in 2007.
The alert said, “Consumers with an air handler unit should stop using the recalled systems immediately. To turn off the system, push and hold the round power button on the front of the air cleaner door for about three seconds until the LED panel illuminates. Release the power button. The LED panel will remain lit for about 15 seconds and then go out. Affected consumers will be notified directly about receiving a free replacement collection cell”.
The collector cells that needed to be replaced costs are $1,400 according to complaint records. Trane has not refunded any of the broken collector cells. Incoming contaminated particles pass thorough an intense ionization field in the charging section. An electrical collector cell is composed of an ionizing or charging section and a collection section. The ionization causes the particles to lose electrons and acquire a positive electrical charge. About 135,000 units have defective parts according to a 2007 alert from the CPSC.
Although it is unclear if Trane responded to allegations that the company refused to comply with a safety recall, other Ohio customers alleged that Trane also refused to honor parts warranties, according to complaints filed with Ohio’s A.G.’s Office. Sometimes companies will honor warranties, but only after a consumer has filed a complaint.
After a warranty claim was denied, Trane paid $1,500 to a Dayton customer for a defective inverter control part. An inverter is used to control the speed of the compressor motor, so as to continuously regulate temperature. The complaint noted that the, “technician identified the inverter control from the outdoor unit was damaged due to mice nesting in the invert board”
The customer said for over two decades she never had mice nesting in the outdoor unit. She did everything she could to stop mice from nesting inside an inverter board of a system that’s outside. The customer accused Trane of purposely designing a faulty outdoor system. “Being an outdoor system, the company aware of the mice problem and didn’t design the system to prevent it from attracting mice nesting in the unit but ask customer to deal with problem them self,” according to a complaint filed with the Ohio A.G.’s Office.
“For the past 26 years I have never had an issues with mice building a nest in the odor unit until July 2,2021, years after the installation”, the complaint read.
The complaint sent to the Ohio AG’s office read:
“Constituent states she is having issues with Trane, stating 10yr warranty on system. Advised control board was replaced/mouse proofed AC. Advised a couple weeks ago system failed again, which she was then advised it was due to mice again - company advised they will no longer honor warranty, wants her to pay to repair. She states there is defect with system which she found online. Unit was purchased in 2015 with a 10yr warranty.” According to Ohio A.G. records, the resolution read that, “There is a factual dispute about this complaint.”
Trane Technologies also agreed refund $9,500 after a heat pump in a HVAC system stopped working, according to a complaint filed with the Ohio A.G.’s Office. The complaint from an Oxford customer read:
“Constituent had a HVAC system installed last March. The warranty is with Runtru. The heat pump was not working properly. On 1/19 the contractor came out and stated there was 2 parts needed to get it repaired. RunTru said it will be a week for the parts. He has not received the parts.”
Kenyon College, a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio, had a Trane air conditioning unit installed in December 2016. In the summer of 2022, the Trane A.C. unit went out at the Dance, Drama & Film Department’s Wright Center. Internal correspondence documents released under Ohio’s Open Records law revealed that multiple request were sent to a technician at Kenyon.
“The air conditioners in the film studio aren’t working. They seem to have an error code flashing and the screen won’t turn on,” said a film production staff member. Another maintenance request at the Wright Center read, “The A/C units keep kicking off after 30 seconds. They have a field trip with 30 kids coming in on Wednesday and will definitely need A/C.”
“Wright Center Air Conditioning is running warm. Have a meeting this morning a 10,” read another maintenance request.
“Wright Center East stairway, 1st floor - mini split AC unit leaking heavily,” read another maintenance request. Another request read, “Wright center -thermostats in building won’t come on. Building temp is at about 70 and they are open to the public. Is there anything we can do?”
“Being worked on by Trane warranty department,” a university election responded also adding, “TRANE CORP will be in MONDAY on this.”
Records show that Trane was not welcoming when a technician from Trane maintenance inspected the AC unit at Kenyon’s Dance Drama and Film center:
Trane's representative conducting the "assessment" was not welcoming of our technician observing the "assessment" so we have requested from Trane's attorney, Jessie Basner, Esq., that Trane permit the "assessment" of our VRF system on our own property to be observed by our technician.
Trane claimed that they can’t honor a warranty because the university’s A/C/ unit has Samsung parts, according corresponding documents with the Ohio A.G.’s Office.
"As additional background, it is our understanding that Trane Technologies has been unable to honor Trane's VRF parts warranty for Samsung parts for Trane's VRF system because Trane's affiliation with Samsung has ceased and Trane is now affiliated with Mitsubishi rather than Samsung. Trane's ability to honor its warranty for Samsung parts has been hampered by Trane's move from Samsung to Mitsubishi parts. Trane's disaffiliation with Samsung should have no legal effect on Trane's continuing VRF parts warranty obligations.”
Trane's legal counsel did responded to the Ohio AG's Office regarding Kenyon College consumer complaint. “ This complaint centers around an air conditioning unit installed at a college as such it is not residential, nor is Kenyon College a consumer but a business.
Trane is communicating directly with Kenyon College and responding to its complaint to find a resolution related to the parts warranty,” according to corresponding documents obtained under Ohio’s Open Records Law.
VRF or variable refrigerant flow use inverter compressors that allow the motor to run at variable speeds to save energy. The VRF system allows for multiple users within the same system. Since VRF doesn’t use ducts (most commonly used in hotel rooms) different rooms with a wall or ceiling mounted unit can distribute air or heat beast on a consumer’s specific needs. For example, a classroom may use an A.C. unit when class is in session and the other unit across the hall may be turned off with no one present.
According to Ohio public records nine complaints were filed against Trane Technologies. Trane took against to resolve six of these disputes. One was marked as “pending”: a Delaware, OH based customer who was paid $10,300.00 records show. There was a factual dispute about another complaint mentioned above. Finally the complaint alleging Trane ignored a safety recall was submitted to the state A.G.’s office for review.
Trane did not respond to multiple request for comment at the time of publication, including, multiple request sent to Trane’s media relations department listed on their website, Trane's legal counsel in Kenyon College’s dispute and Brian C. Jones, Vice President, Global Government Relations and Public Policy at Trane Technologies.