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

[Terry]

I list it. But no body has ever ordered one from me.
Most of the time, these are bought at home centers and installed by homeowners.
I did install one to see how it worked, that's when I noticed that the seal was leaking and the trip lever started going out.
I posted that information, and then I started getting emails from others with the same problems.
The best way to gather information sometimes, is to have a place to find it.

[stran]

Terry I agree that information is important to have. It was in part thanks to your website we decided on the Toto Drake toilets that we love so much.

I guess I was just wondering why the Champion toilet didn't have the "Not Recommended" designation as it certainly seems to deserve it based on the experiences from the posters on this board. I shudder to think how bad the Briggs toilet must have been to earn that.

As an aside, I think I actually read each comment about ALL the toilets you listed. My wife believes I have a problem, especially when I begin the tour of our house with our new toilets.

[123WHM]

I've had the same problems and recently got it working with a new gasket sent free from A.S. but because of the clunk I just removed the toilet from our hall bath to a rental I have that needed a replacement. Let them deal with the clunk! Today I went on line to find a new toilet and was going to purchase another A.S. model. After stumbling into this web site and reading these consumer reports I see a Kohler or Toto as the answer. We have several Totos and although expensive, they really do the job! Never another American Standard!

I bought this Champion model at HD in Feb '06. First problem I noted was the
clunk, and the second was the flush mechanism slipping occasionally and having to retry once or more times to get it to flush. Lastly, the flush rod handle fell off several times and I had to pound it back onto the rod. I read somewhere in a blog about someone who connected the flushing rod to the LAST link (closest to the rod) on the chain to the flush valve. When I did that, I found that by pushing the flush handle all the way down - slowly and firmly, the clunk had been eliminated. Now it looks like for $105 at HD you can buy a new tank with a flapper to fit this toilet and I assume that is the way it is being sold now, 8-7-07. WM

[dumpymcgee]

I've heard all of the comments about this supposed "champion", but I have a buddy that installed a new Champion 4 (4" flush valve) and said its been problem free so far. Question is...would I be crazy to try the new one? wouldn't it be pretty ridiculous to sell another product by the same name if they didn't fix it?

[master plumber mark]

Why dont you try one and see what you think??

They are not that much money, so its not that big

a risk... you can alays just take it out and get an Eljer or TOTO...

I would try one again if they would give me one for free
to try out
but I wont put in another one where I am on
the hook for call backs.

[dumpymcgee]

I was thinking along those lines which makes me think they are just asking to lose money with this...

No Callback Promotion on Champion 4
ProChampion League members get special assurances from American Standard when you put your trust in our new Champion 4 toilets. If you purchase and install a Champion 4 between May and December 2007 and you get a callback due to a manufacturing defect, American Standard will send you a $100 American Express gift check.

here is where I found that info

Grading the best toilets, the ones that work!

[dumpymcgee]

I did a little digging on the warranty and on their site it says 10 years on all porcelain and all mechanical componenets. So I think the new one is covered inside and out for 10 years.

this is the warranty I found

I'm going to give it a shot. place your bets?

[Reader Review]

By all indications the two champion toilets I purchased had a manufacturing defect in the trap. After six months my first one began to leak from underneath the toilet. Thinking it was the wax ring I removed the toilet to find that there was a small crack/hole right at the bottom of the trap way which was leaking.
It appears as if there was a repair attempt made - there was some kind of porcelain patch material visible on the trap. I got a replacement unit form the retailer and when I opened the box this toilet had a noticeable repair in the same place. It must be a known defect - Do not buy this toilet!
M. Baker 8/9/2007

[Reader Review]

I bought 4 of these toilets for my new home and they lasted about 3 months with the same results as everyone else. Now I am considering taking a sledge hammer to them. With all the time and money I have spent in repairs I am surprised that there is not a recall notice on these? Has anyone considered a class action lawsuit to have all the toilets replaced by American Standard because of defective product? I personally would be interested.

M. Hin Wed, 01 August 2007

[Reader Review]

I bought 9 of these toilets about 2 years ago---they worked great for several months then I noticed the problem that almost everyone has had----leaky gaskets from the flush mechanism. Now, we can send a man to the moon but we can't fabricate a mason jar gasket that doesn't bubble,warp,change size etc etc. and LEAKS??? Amercan Standard should pay to have all these toilets retrofitted with a system that is functional----WHO was the moron that tested THAT gasket???? Class Action suit----let the lawyers start singing.............jec (unhappy camper with gaskets that leak) Smile Master 7/24/2007

[Reader Review]

purchased 2 of these AS Champion toilets in my last house to replace two crappy low flush ones that constantly clogged. I couldn’t have enough praise over them, I was proud of my new toilets….Sad but true. So when I built a new house I told the plumber that I wanted 3 AS Champion 1 piece champion toilets, no if, ands or buts about it. So I paid the extra and got the toilets of my dreams…… So I thought. The one in my master ensuit has a noisy clunk and sometimes fails to flush. The one in my son’s bathroom leaks and so does the one on the main level bathroom. What the HE@$#%^. These aren’t the same toilets I remembered. I am calling AS tomorrow and giving them heck and hopefully they will send me new flapper rings for all three since I figure it is only time until the other fails. Shame on AS for putting out a toilet with obvious problems. I will never recommend there toilet to anyone ever again.
John Frazee
Belleville, ON, Canada
7/10/2007

[Reader Review]

There are not only problems with the Champion. I had an Antiquity toilet installed and it leaked and flooded by bathroom. Returned it and had another one installed. After two months the porcelain is wearing off. So far, the response from American Standard is T.S. They are willing to replace, but who pays for the $75.00 an hour for the plumber? Certainly, not American Standard,.
Ajv 7/5/2007

[Reader Review]

So, I have a really, really old model that was there when I bought my house!.....I took it out in the backyard and had my son take a sledge hammer to it!
PWSheebs
6/30/2007

[construct30]

I actually have a paper I make people sign when they buy one of these before I install it saying they don't work and I am not responsible to make it work or keep it working. I like the eljer titan somewhat. The toto might be best, but you can't get one and people don't want to pay the money. In all fairness many problems with the Champion toilets are due to the plumbers installing them and adjusting them wrong, but the flush seal leaking in six months is all on A.S. Maybe we should bring back the out house.

[Reader Review]

have 2 of these toilets. I thought they would be great, NOT. I bought them at different times, a couple of months apart and even though they are the same model number, they have different inner parts, particularly the o-ring. The first one I put in has the defective seal, and I have noticed that it runs every once in a while. The second one I put in had the newer - modified seal. The second toilet I have experienced the orange O-ring coming off. I fixed that with aquarium sealant because I was not able to find a replacement part, and I wasn't about to go and buy a whole new toilet to fix an o-ring. Now the first toilet with the defective seal has the spring popped out of the plunger tower because of the broken plastic piece. I think both of these will be replaced.
D Hasn