American Standard Champion toilet Review and comments. Rated #1 by Consumer Reports

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My 2 month old toilet just had the tower assembly fall apart, sending
plastic and springs down into my drain plumbing. From the sounds of the
other postings, I am in for some fun now. I just noticed that AS REQUIRES
you to send in the warranty card within 30 days. Most manufacturers want you
to, but do not actually make it a condition to stand behind their product.
First and last AS. I will go back to Kohler.
Thu, 27 Oct 2005
J.S - Florida

Grading the best toilets, the ones that work!
 
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After my call to them yesterday AM, American Std has promised to send me 2 new seals for my AS champion tank. 1st class from NJ. The lady also told me they have realized there is a problem with the flush valve seals and have developed a NEW seal. So I am hoping the new seal will be the correct fix for the problem of leaking water from the tank into the bowl.

I am hoping to receive them tomorrow as we have only the one bathroom here. I will let you know how the new seal works.
ue, 25 Oct 2005
Mary Lou in Indianapolis
 

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I had the same problems as listed above. The infamous little red gasket coming loose, as well as the tower rotating during the flush action. This means the bowl fill hose shoots at an angle, thus not filling the bowl properly. I took "David E.'s" advice and put the chain at it's longest setting. This really does allow maximum flow out of the tank. The only draw back is having to hold the handle down longer. I'll settle for that. My own engineering addition includes a small hole in the top of the tower. I bent a wire coat hanger to act as a guide that runs through the hole. As the flush action happens the tower can't rotate, thus the bowl fills properly. There are many positive thing about this design, but I think they had to hand in the assignment before it was complete.
Tue, 25 Oct 2005
L. Rowell
 

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I too purchased a Champion toilet in January 2005 from the start I had the same problem with the flush valve seal. I thought it was just me! I too bought mine from Home Depot. The salesman there recommended the toilet to me. Forgot to mention the leaking, though. Also, couldn't find the replacement seal in the store. I finally called AS and they are sending me a new seal. I guess I too will wait and see. Ditto on the class action law suit. I did register my toilet as required by the warranty. How come they didn't contact us and let us know what the problem was and what to be alert for?
I hate to think of all the water I've lost too!
Tim
10/24/05
 

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I wish that I had found this site before buying one of these toliets. Ours made a huge clunk from the get go. The Manufacturer's Representative on the telephone insisted that the clunk is normal and to be explected and nothing can be done about it.

Learned to live with the clunk. Then the seal, which is one of the "new improved" red ones started leaking. At first I was able to reseat it in the grove, but that only works for a few flushes.

I will try to return it (the whole toliet) to Home Depot. The Home Depot manager who sold me on it originally is not there and his replacement says these are the worse toliets ever made and he will not sell one himself.

Now I have to find the receipt.

A class action suit with huge punitive damages would probably get a really new improved seal mailed to everyone overnight.
Fri, 14 Oct 2005
Dan G

Followup:
What I do not understand is Home Depot continuing to stock and to sell this product. Their own sales people know that they all leak and that Home Depot does not stock any parts for it, not even the "new improved" seal. That is understandable because the new improved seal is what I have and it only stays in place for a few flushes and then twists up and starts leaking again and again.
AS say they are sending me a new seal but I have been waiting for about two weeks....it propbably weighs a half an ounce....

Hard to believe in this day of all the hi tech wonders, AS can not make a seal that works in their "Champion" toilet.
Wed, 19 Oct 2005
Dan G
 

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installed my AS Champion in our upstairs bathroom early this summer (2005). The flush valve just broke. I found the spring laying on the bottom of the tank and the internal mechanism "looking" like it could be reconnected no luck. Something must be broken internally in the piston connection. Now I'm seeking a new flush valve. I'll let you know how that quest goes....
W Moody 10/13/2005
 

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Wow!

I put in a Champion two piece in July 2005 after careful consideration and Consumer Reports recommendation. It was a bit awkward seating the tank, but I was able to do it myself, with a deep socket wrench. I'm a 5'2" woman, so seating the bowl was VERY awkward, but I was able to do it myself. I'm glad I heard about toilet shims, though, because I think that's the problem with a lot of toilets rocking after a while. It's NOT the toilet design that causes the seal to break, it's the fact that most od our homes aren't level, especially if it's an older home.
I don't care if the tank clunks, because it flushes even the most massive loads. I think that most of the elongated bowls leave more residue because of the angle: At my workplace, the paper will sit on the ledge through three flushes! (They use Am Stan, too.) Perhaps they need to design the bowls with larger holes towards the front so that more water will be directed at sitting paper...
Anyway, I have not had to use a plunger at all, and that is a miracle. I hope that I do not have the problem with the seal. At least I know that I can remove it and replace it myself, so I'm not worried. It's not the most pleasant home improvement task, but it has been very satisfying.
Sun, 9 Oct 2005
Kathy
 

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My follow-up is no different. Our AS Champion is about a year old,
and the red flush valve comes off no less than every other flush.
Knew I was in trouble when I went to HD and couldn't find anything to
repair it. I was warned by our plumber not to buy any plumbing
fixtures from HD. He claimed that HD is so ruthless on lowering costs
that they force manufacturers to cut cost on the models they sell. I
don't know if it's true, but my next toilet -- which unfortunately
appears to be coming sooner than I would have dreamed -- will not be
from HD. Is anybody working on getting AS to address this...
otherwise, there needs to be a class action effort started.
Sun, 2 Oct 2005
Tod & Shaun
 

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I have two of these "crappers" in my house and they both are doing the "red seal" song (continuous draining and refilling 24/7). I made the mistake of pulling out one of the flushing mechanisms only to discover the hole is twice what any other toilet made has. None of Home Depot, Lowe's, nor Ace has either the "red seal" or a flushing mechanism to replace it. I am so glad to have at least come across this site and see that I am not alone in my frustration and that I need to call American Standard for a replacement part. If they do not resolve to my satisfaction, as an attorney, I will be happy to file a class action law suit if anyone else wants to join.
Sun, 25 Sep 2005
D. Leon.
 

Finnegan

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Just to be different...I installed an AS one piece Champion about 6-8 weeks ago in a heavily used bathroom. No trouble yet.
 

BurnabyJones

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I own a sheetmetal / HVAC co. , been in the trades for 31 yrs.
I know all the suppliers in my area....Monterey county CA.
Wound up with a couple of the champion toilets........
.......They are pure GARBAGE!!.....do not buy!
 

Finnegan

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I am the guy who just said no problem with AS Chamption one piece. Just got a call that handle is sticking causing toilet to run. Great.

I called AS and they are sending me a new flush tower. I did not need a receipt or to have registered the toilet. They said since the toilet has a 10 year warranty and has only been out a few years, everything is covered. Hopefully this will work.
 
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I have a Champion Right Height toilet for my master bath, and I was looking into some of the new styled versions for my powder room. I clicked on the reviews section for the Champion in the process and noticed all of the negative reviews and was surprised.

I have not had any issues with leaking on continued water running at all. I have been very pleased with the overall performance of this product and I would advise other people to buy it, as I have with all of my friends.
Maybe this is an old issue that was addressed by the manufacturer? All I know is that I am very happy with my purchase and am looking forward to putting a styled one in my other bathroom. I hope this helps other people looking into this product.

Thanks,
John Miller
 

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I bought one when they first came out three years ago - the hype sounded so
good! It was the hardest toilet ever to put together and install. However
it worked fine for about 3 months, then the handle would stick in the down
position, so you would have to jiggle it to get it back up. I tried
everything to make it work right, but nothing ever helped. The entire
flush valve eventually cracked - for all that technology they use cheap
plastic (probably foreign made). Then they would not honor a warranty
request, even though the unit was under 3 years old!!! They asked for
proof of purchase, and I stated I'd send the old parts, but that wasn't
good enough. Since it comes with a 10 year warranty, and they've only been
on the market 3 years, HOW CAN IT NOT BE UNDER WARRANTY!!!

I'll never walk past Kohler at the plumber supply again.

Jeffrey A. Osowski, RCDD/NTS
 

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We just moved in, to find that we have several problem toilets. In our prior house, we installed two AS Champion toilets and both worked very well (vintage about mid 2004, from Home Depot). We did have a problem with getting the famous china to china seal on both, and even had one tank crack trying to get there, but the person I reached at AS sent a full replacement tank overnight and we were successful. My only other experience with low flo toilets has been the Toto Ultramax - expensive and needed more plunging than the AS.
Wed, 11 Jan 2006
Tina
 

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1-11-06. Glad to see I am not the only one with a bad flush valve gasket. My champion is about 1 year old and I've been fiddling with it for the last 4 months. After reading all of these posts I called American Standard and have a new gasket in the mail to me -no charge- after only 3 minutes on the phone. They also gave me a reference number so I can call anytime in the next nine years for free parts. It looks easy enough to install myself. A suggestion for all champion owners: install a 1/4 turn shutoff valve on the supply and use it when you're not going to be around to listen for & correct the leak- yes- not only vacations but while you are at work every day. Also, if you clip the flush chain on the longest possible setting, the "flush clunk" is not that bad. Not quite sure how to keep that left side/impossible to get at seat nut tight.

No I would not buy another one.

Is anything made today that works right and never breaks and doesn't have to be constantly watched, checked, adjusted and fixed ? I think NOT!!!! So get over it.
Jim T

Their phone number is 800-442-2190
 

Dunbar Plumbing

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I just turned down a service call today to install one of these famous "Champion" toilets. The customer stated that they already have the toilet and that is what prompted me to ask what they bought. I went on with my onslaught of info on the toilet and its problems, gave them the website here to look at under Reader Review. Apparently they did not want to part with their beloved toilet because the last words were that they was going to find another plumber to install it. My parting words? GOOD LUCK

I guess they figured I had an alterior motive to sell one of my personal stock toilets. The conversation didn't really get that far and I wasn't able to mention Toto toilets either. :( Oh well, NEXT! :D

Maybe they was a golfer and was sold on the golf ball demonstration? We'll never know.....
 
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Jadnashua

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Personally, especially if he could back it up with practical evidence, I would applaud a plumber that would let me know about problems with the product I was trying to have him install. It doesn't make either him look good when it fails, or me feel good a when I pay a pro, I appreciate the knowledge they have. How many people get a chance to really check out problems with numerous brands/models of toilets? Real-world testing is much better than a golf-ball flush test some do. My personal opinion.
 
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