I have 1700W Rowenta Focus and it is fairly new and water won't stay in it. I pour water in and leaks out all around the sole of the iron. What is going on? It never has been dropped, fallen off anything like that, I have read my manual backwards and forwards and nothing I do corrects the problem. Iron is about 4 years old.

You need to follow the instructions for the iron. Rowenta make a excellent iron but it's water tank and steam chamber need to be cleaned and rinsed out, say every third use depending on how much you use it. Also, allow the iron to reach FULL TEMPRATURE before you use it.

The best solution for this is to pour out the water when you're done with it. The manual suggests that you set the iron to "dry" setting and then open and close the steam control to push out remaining water, all to prevent scaling. (Do this with the iron unplugged)

If you need further help, reach me via phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/cynthia_b7d259f615af7086

Do not use water softened by salt. It\'s all the salt coming out of your iron from the water you are using. Use bottled "Spring Water" do not use "Distilled Water". Your iron will spit and pop.

Absolutely! As long as you kept your receipt and are still within the warranty period, by all means take it back.

Do not over fill it try using 1/2 the water

I have one of these and have been battling the leak problem for years. I'm a stubborn mechanical engineer and I'm bound and determined to fix this, when in fact I should just buy another, different, iron.

The problem is then 'handle'. Built into the handle is the water tank. The water tank is made from two pieces which are then glued and screwed together. Think of taking a coke bottle, cutting it in half, and then gluing it back together. Now you see where the problem comes in... the glue they use isn't up to the task, or the heat... or the pressure... is causing the tank to leak somewhere / everywhere.

I have disassembled this several times, meticulously scraped out the old silicone, and tried several different types of silicone to re-seal. So far it always fails. It's good for a while, but maybe a couple months, before it starts leaking again.

Conclusion... BAD DESIGN. Very disappointing, because in every other respect I like this iron better than any I've ever owned.

If you have hard water, there will be a buildup of minerals where the rubber gasket on the water tank meets the steam chamber that is built into the sole plate. This will make the rubber gasket surface become hard and no longer seak to the team chamber, resulting in water leaking from the tank onto the outside of the iron.

If you are reasonably skilled with tools and have a Torx T20 driver, you can disassemble the iron and remove the rubber gasket between the tank and the steam chamber and soak it in vinegar to remove the mineral scale. First remove the three Torx screws visible at the rear of the iron and gently pry off the gray rear cover plate. This will expose two screws holding the rear end of the sole plate. Remove those two screws. Then gently pry off the stainless steel nose piece on the front of the iron; this is the curved piece that says "high precision" on it. This will then expose the screw that holds the front of the sole plate on the handle. Remove thqt screw. Pull the black connector at the rear of the iron off the two rods to which it is attached, and you can move the sole plate away from the handle. The rubber piece in the handle that is sort of oval shaped and about 2 inches long is the gasket that is probably causing the leak. Gently remove it and soak it in vinegar to remove the scale, and remove the scle from the round hole where it meets the steam chamber in the sole plate. .When they are clean, reassemble the gasket onto the handle and the sole plate onto the handle, connecting the electrical connections, and replace the screws, It is not simple, but it is doable.

Hi,
Try using different water...

Here is a tip that will help you with that problem...

My Steam Iron is Leaking Water
http://www.fixya.com/support/r5301301-steam_iron_leaking_water

heatman101

I have purchased two Rowenta irons. Both have the problem with water leakage. The entire iron looses all of it's water....both in the stand up position and the sitting down position. This happened after a couple of months for both items. I contacted Rowenta and they never responded. I will never purchase another item from them. Obviously, the irons must be defective. I'm going to contact consumer affairs.

Sounds like you need to open the iron up and look for a loose hose/clamp or crack around brass nipple to steam/water reservoir connections. If it has been leaking for some time, there may be some water deposits to help you find the leak(s).
Rowenta typically uses multi-point security Torx fasteners that may be obtained at Kragen's or Harbor Freight tools for a decent price for most DIYers. Make sure to make plenty of sketches to make it easy to reassemble and inspect everything so it is safe to use. Please keep in touch and hope this helps.