Whirlpool concealed a stove knob defect that can leak gas and start fires, a new class action claims.

Steven Davies filed a class action lawsuit against Whirlpool Corp. on Oct. 28, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan.

The lawsuit alleges Whirlpool sold ranges with front-mounted burner knobs that turn on from minor accidental contact and concealed the risk from buyers for more than a decade.

The allegations

Whirlpool sells ranges with front-mounted burner knobs under its own name and brands such as Maytag, KitchenAid, JennAir, Amana and Roper. The proposed class action claims that turning on a burner should take two deliberate steps: pushing the knob in and then rotating it. Instead, the knobs need so little force that a person, child or pet can turn them on in one motion, the lawsuit contends.

The ranges also lack guards around the knobs, and the outer knobs stick out past the oven handle, according to the complaint. A gas burner that turns on unnoticed can leak toxic fumes or start a fire while an electric cooktop can heat to extreme temperatures, the lawsuit claims.

Davies says his gas range turned on soon after it arrived in 2023 when he bumped the knobs while leaning over it, and his shirt caught fire. He alleges the range still turns on by accident at regular intervals.

Reported complaints

The class action asserts Whirlpool has known about the problem since at least August 2011 when the Consumer Product Safety Commission sent it an incident report about an Amana gas range. More reports followed on other models, including two in May 2019 and June 2021 about the same model Davies later bought. Customers reportedly posted complaints on the company's own brand sites, such as whirlpool.com, maytag.com and kitchenaid.com, according to the lawsuit.

The filing claims Whirlpool never mentioned the defect in its ads, sales materials or warranty and kept selling the ranges. Davies says he would not have bought his range, or would have paid much less, had he known.

The legal claims

The lawsuit brings four claims:


  • Michigan Consumer Protection Act, which bars unfair and deceptive business practices

  • Delaware Consumer Fraud Act, which bans fraud and deception in sales

  • State consumer protection laws, which apply in states with statutes similar to Delaware's

  • Fraud by omission, which is when a company withholds facts a buyer would want to know

Davies seeks compensation for buyers' losses, the cost of replacing the ranges and parts, and punitive damages. He also asks for a court order requiring Whirlpool to stop selling the ranges and issue a recall with free repairs or replacements.

What the lawsuit means for Whirlpool range owners

The proposed class covers anyone in the United States who bought or otherwise acquired one of the ranges. There is no settlement, no claims process and no money available at this time.