SunPower Reviews
8.3
Overall Score
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Mr. & Mrs. Frank Recchia
I am so disgusted with sun power since November of 2018 we have been going back and forth between them and power overhaul when they first installed the panels they had to remove one and he
Plugged the holes with silicone a year later the silicone didn’t hold up and I have a Hugh leak on my ceiling and down my wall they sent some one again and he put silicone to plug up the holes my husband is a contractor and no dummy he said he wanted them to replace the shingles which never happened and all we get from sun power that the problem is fixed as far as I’m concerned it is not fixed the right way it’s only a bandaid for the time being we put on a brand new roof before they installed the solar panels and now they reined my roof
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Mr. Recchia, I am discouraged to hear of your negative experience. Providing excellent customer service is our main goal. I would like to look into this matter further. Please be expecting a all from an Executive Service Specialist to discuss your concerns in detail. We appreciate your business and truly value your feedback. Thank you.
Aug. 17th, 2019
Chris B San Jose, CA
We own solar panels from SunPower. All was good until it wasn’t. Suddenly the panels stopped working and we were given no notification. The company monitors the panels and the SunPower app on the phone could easily notify the customer that there is a problem. Any app can do that. So we found out by chance when we looked at the box in the garage that shows how much electricity is being generated that there was no production. We looked at the app on the phone and after logging in we saw that our system had been down for over 10 days. . Now the fun part starts: Trying to contact customer service. First of all, customer service is in the Philippines and not very helpful. They noted the problem and said they would have someone contact us. Well, to make a long story short: Nobody ever called back, we called at least 4 times and they kept telling us that they need a part (an “optimiser”, whatever that is) which is on back order. How did they know that without having been here and troubleshoot the problem? Now it has been almost 6 weeks that our panels are not producing electricity (month of June and July in California!) and there is no sign that the repair will be done any time soon. We keep calling and NOTHING gets done. THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!!! I don’t even want to think how much money we have lost by not being able to produce electricity during the sunniest and longest days of the year in California!! We are furious. We spent a lot of money when we purchased these panel and had no idea that customer service would be so bad, inefficient and disorganised. The company DOESN’T CARE!! Horrible experience.
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Chris, I am very sorry that you have had that experience with us. We take your feedback very seriously. I would really like the opportunity to restore your faith in SunPower. When you have a moment, please send us a private message with your contact details, and I will have a member of our executive service team contact you. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We truly value your business.
Jul. 24th, 2019
Kathy Sugar Pawcatuck, CT
One issue we have had is a company that I believe Sunpower outsources, keeps canceling an appointment for a yearly check on the equipment. Feels like maybe they will be here when it is two years old!!!
5 years ago
Hector barragan Walnut Grove, CA
Everything went smooth with the paper work. On the installation Sonray did a great job. Every person that I came contac with was was very knowledgeable and professional..
5 years ago
RJC Redwood City, CA
First-Rate service from start to finish. Clear communication and planning, on-time delivery, and great results with the installed system. No problems or delays at any stage.
5 years ago
Ashley N Kern Corona, CA
Turning on my solar service was easy with SunPower. Only took about 10 minutes or so, and the representative who stopped by was friendly and informative!
5 years ago
Debby Lake Forest, CA
SunPower follows through with what they promised. We have saved money with the panels. The software is easy to follow. The crew have been professional and caring.
5 years ago
Robert Bell Victorville, CA
Micheal J arrived early in my designated time window. For that I was thankful because I had stuff to do. Michael knows the product and did a great job explaining everything.
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Thanks, Robert!
Jul. 10th, 2019
Ramona Tippett Whittier, CA
Excellent choice with salesperson and quality of installation
Communication with crew has been stellar and after installation instructions were done professionally
5 years ago
Yubaobao Saratoga, CA
Very friendly and courtesy staffs. The solar system works even better than the best estimation. Very satisfied with the decision to install solar system with SunPower.
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Glad to hear your system is over-performing. Congrats on going solar!
Jul. 10th, 2019
VINCENT DESANTIS Staten Island, NY
Using Sunpower was very satisfying worker were great neat and clean .Iam also happy that the side of my house only has a couple of boxes used for the solar panels.
5 years ago
Abram Duarte Pittsburg, CA
It’s been a year that I have gone solar. I am very happy with the return of investment. Since then, I’ve been able to recommend SunPower to friends and family.
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Thank you, Abram!
Jul. 10th, 2019
Yvonne McCallum Rancho Mirage, CA
After purchasing our 50 - 327 w panels in November of 2014 for a whopping $85,838 - our installation was completed and inspected April 2, 2015.
First issues with system began January 2016 when the larger inverter (we have two) needed repair and a reset to operate. March 2016 had meeting with SunPower and installation company to determine why in sunny 80+ daily weather our production was so low. SunPower determined it was a palm tree causing the low production.
June 2018 production dropped 400+kWh in comparision to June 2017 and production remained low through February 2019 which was 50% of production that same month year-to-date.
During the low production period, a STATE 240 code appeared on the larger converter which ultimately required replacement of both ARC cards in the converters. I was informed by the technician that if this did not fix the issue the converters should be replaced.
Currently, I have had a STATE 240 code on my smaller converter since the beginning of May 2019. Although a number of emails have been sent to SunPower to remedy this issue completely - I am still waiting to hear from SunPower Support as to a date for the installation of two new converters. Meanwhile production is extremely low. Today's generation is 24.8 kWh with a temperature at 74.
Next step will be legal as this homeowner has never received the production as promised.
November 2018 We are snowbirds and spend our winters in Rancho Mirage, California and usually depart around May
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Yvonne, We apologized for any frustration you’ve experienced. According to our records, an Executive Service Specialist has been in contact with you and you have a scheduled appointment in the near future. This appointment will determine the best course of action. SunPower is committed to resolving the issue long term. We appreciate your business and truly value your feedback.
May. 24th, 2019
Diane Florini Ithaca, NY
We love our Sunpower panels. They were installed by Halco in upstate NY and perform great. We sweep the snow off when necessary, but have had no problems with them.
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Thanks, Diane! I'm sure you're looking forward to sunnier weather and making logs of clean solar energy.
May. 16th, 2019
Jim Fagelson Palm Springs, CA
Let me start by saying that the panels are excellent, but their customer service is horrible. I had SunPower put panels on my house in 2014. The first year everything was fine, even though I had to pay over $600 additional (over the monthly rental fee to SunPower) to the Electric company (Southern California Edison) due to low production. Since it was just above the minimum stated in the contract, SunPower was not responsible for this under-production. The second year we started having issues with the inverters that convert the sun's energy to electricity. After numerous calls over multiple months, the inverter was replaced. The replacement lasted less than one month, so again multiple calls with no results. Finally a service person came out who complained about the "cheap" replacement inverter and then proceeded to rewire the entire system. System worked properly for less than a month when again problem started. Calling customer service I was told in stead of calling all the time that I should just "reboot" the system to get it working again. Every two or three days I had to reboot the system and then it would go down again, each time showing electrical shorts in the system. Then end of the second year, I had to pay Edison over $1,000 due to under-production. Did not receive the promised payment for under-production because, according to customer service, "my system wasn't working properly and they couldn't determine the amount of under-production". Finally, out of frustration with Sun Power, I stopped the monthly payments. It took them 6 months of no payments before they acknowledged that the system wasn't working properly. They came out and replaced all the panels, checked the inverters and determined that there were wiring issues that they corrected. I told them that I would not start paying the monthly fee again until 3 things happened:
1. The system was functioning without issues for a minimum of 30 days;
2. All missed monthly payments were forgiven;
3. That they pay for the under-production from 2016 that was still outstanding.
I also wanted a review of the original panel design since from the beginning the production did not meet the original intent of the contract.
My payment to the electric company for 2018 was over $1,800 because the system did not function properly during the entire year.
I am still waiting for reimbursement for 2018 under-production. All issues stem from poor customer service, poor system maintenance and a general lack of anyone taking responsibility for problems with the system.
As stated, the panel as excellent, just be aware of the rest of the company. Still waiting for my refund for 2018 and now they are billing me $15 a month because they try to take my monthly rental payment out of an account that has a stop payment on it.
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Mr. Fagelson, I apologize for the experience you've had with us. I am discouraged to hear of your negative experience. Providing excellent customer service is our main goal. Please expect a call from an Executive Support Specialist to discuss your concerns in detail and provide additional assistance. We appreciate your business and truly value your feedback.
Apr. 23rd, 2019
Steve Bakersfield, CA
I’ve had a system since 8/15. The first year no true up bill. Year two 360$. True up bill. Year 3 $450 true up bill . Year 4 $1098 true up bill. This year on track for a$1200 tru up bill. This is not whaT I was told or promised. They will sell you a pot of gold ,don’t believe it, I have contacted,
Them but a month gone by and nothing. They talk and talk but do nothing. They checked the system and say it’s working fine. No it’s not I can tell by the graphs! Here’s what I’m going to do, I’m going to have it taken off!
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Steve,
I'd like to thank you for your feedback and I’m sorry to hear that your expectations have not been met. I would love the opportunity to restore your confidence in SunPower. When you have a moment, please send us a private message with your contact details. I will have an Executive Support Specialist reach out to you to discuss your concerns in detail and provide additional assistance. I look forward to hearing from you.
I'd like to thank you for your feedback and I’m sorry to hear that your expectations have not been met. I would love the opportunity to restore your confidence in SunPower. When you have a moment, please send us a private message with your contact details. I will have an Executive Support Specialist reach out to you to discuss your concerns in detail and provide additional assistance. I look forward to hearing from you.
Apr. 18th, 2019
William Gray Lincoln, CA
My complaint seems to be a common thread mentioned often in the reviews. My disappointment started when I purchased a house with 24 SunPower solar panels. I called SunPower and spoke with a representative, his name available upon request, and inquired as to how I could obtain on line monitoring to allow me to keep track of the solar panels and monitor their electricity production.
I was instructed to send a copy of my Grant Deed, showing true ownership of the residence in question before the process could begin. I followed his request and an appointment was set to have a device installed in my residence to allow SunPower access to monitor my panels. The tech installing this device advised that I would be sent an email with a "password" that would allow me to enter into their internet app and monitor my system.
His installation took place on April 2nd, 2019. Not having received any email with a password included or a telephone call by April 9th, 2019 I telephonically contacted the representative I had first contact with. I made no human contact but received a voice mail message. I identified myself and of the reason for the call and asked that he please get back to me with a password or at the least instructions if there were more I needed to do.
I did not receiving a return call or email stating here is your password, or I'm busy I will get back to you, or any acknowledgement that I existed and was a customer using their solar system. On April 11th, 2019 I sent an email to the email address provide to me by the representative I first had contact with. This email was a plea for his response and his help. As of todays date April 14, 2019 I still have not had any contact with SunPower and its beginning to appear I am of no concern or interest to Sun Power. The solar panels are paid for and it appears they have no real reason to get back to me or offer CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THIS POINT .
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Mr. William Gray.
Thank you for bringing this situation to our attention. I am discouraged to hear of your negative experience. Please send me a private message with your contact information for further assistance. I will have an Executive Support Specialist reach out to you to discuss your concerns in details. We appreciate your business and truly value your feedback.
Thank you for bringing this situation to our attention. I am discouraged to hear of your negative experience. Please send me a private message with your contact information for further assistance. I will have an Executive Support Specialist reach out to you to discuss your concerns in details. We appreciate your business and truly value your feedback.
Apr. 16th, 2019
Michael Allard San Antonio, TX
Everything was fine until I was forced to switch cable and internet carriers. I was able to locate where I needed to enter my new SSID and Password. Would nevr take it over a two day period. I called the 1-800 number and spoke to a service rep. She informs me that theres a $77.00 charge to enter my Network name and Password. I immedialy told her NO. I had already spent over $38,000 a year and a half ago and no they want more money. Watch your six if buying anything.
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Michael, Thank you for bringing this situation to our attention. I am discouraged to hear of your negative experience. We will be sending you a private message so that we may address your concerns. We appreciate your business and truly value your feedback!
Mar. 28th, 2019
Anthony Staten Island, NY
I was not told by the salesperson that for safety reasons snow guards must be installed. At the first snow storm before my system was even turned on the snow fell like an avalanche from my roof damaging my awning. Thank goodness my grandchildren were not outside. I have a four year old autistic grandson who lives with me who does not understand danger The weight of the falling snow could have killed him
Now I find out that I must pay almost $2000 to put snow guards on my roof so my home is not a danger zone So that plus the cost to repair my awning erases any tax benfit I was to have received.
I certainly will not recommend sunpower to anyone
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Anthony,
I apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced. Please send me a private message with your contact/account information so i can locate your account. Once you have provided your contact information i will have a specialist reach out to you directly to address your concerns.
I apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced. Please send me a private message with your contact/account information so i can locate your account. Once you have provided your contact information i will have a specialist reach out to you directly to address your concerns.
Mar. 8th, 2019
Josh Grand Terrace, CA
We got SunPower 6 years ago due to the apparent reliability of the company and panels.
However, things started to be problematic almost instantly. The panels were on our roof for months before being turned on because the vendor did not complete paperwork properly for approval to activate them.
Once activated, SunPower did not bill correctly, forgetting to send a bill for months and then asking for a multi-month lump sum.
Then, our panels regularly underproduced and failed to get even close to what was promised. After long conversations where both the installer and SunPower ignored calls/emails, the installer finally admitted that the sales person lied about production and our situation.
Our system performance connection kept dropping out. SunPower kept blaming us until they finally came out and realized that their device sending data was faulty and needed to replace it.
We have had sound problems from the inverter, and when I've contacted SunPower through various methods (chat, phone, email), I have to follow up several times to get technical support to actually respond and schedule a visit (they also take no responsibility for the problems).
Emailed questions normally go unanswered even though they say that is the preferred way of contacting customer support. I have sent 4 emails in the past 6 weeks and did not receive a single response.
Currently, I have been trying to get a resolution about the Production Guarantee, and SunPower is taking no responsibility for ignoring that this reimbursement is to be done in cash. I am unable to get a response, and resolution is still pending.
Customer service is polite, but not empowered to do anything except say no to the customer.
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Josh, We're very sorry to hear you've had a bad experience with us, and we'd love the opportunity to make it right. Please email your contact information to me, , and we'll get a supervisor to assist you.
Feb. 28th, 2019
kags Granada Hills, CA
I would love to speak to a manager, customer representative from the United States. When the salesman who stood in my kitchen told me that Sunpower was a US home based company and local to me (Pasadena CA) I was excited. But now that I have had to contact SP for multiple issues I continuously receive customer service reps from India. Then if you would like to speak to a US rep they have to create a ticket which takes 24 - 48 hours to receive a call back. That's if your lucky to get a call back within that time frame. Its been 5 days and I have yet to receive a call from a US rep. Also I have roof tiles broken from the installation of the solar panels on my roof and have yet to have any one contact me regarding this issue.
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Kags - I am sorry to hear that it has been 5 days and you have not received a call back. Please send me a direct message with your contact/account information and I will have a specialist reach out to you directly.
Feb. 28th, 2019
Jay Levine Bayville, NJ
My experience with SunPower has been a nightmare from the very beginning!! Worst decision ever, when the salesman was standing in my kitchen I expressed how important it was that I get system big enough to handle my consumption. My wife and I did not want 2 electric bills. We had nit yet moved into our new home and I suggested we wait until we had a years worth of bills so we could get the right size system. Our salesman Steve R, swore up and down that they would design a system that would cover all of our consumption. Not even close!! I have had a JCP&L bill in 5 of the last 12 months. I was told the install would take 2 days it took over 2 weeks! The monitoring system they promised is an absolute joke, it has not worked since day one! I have to rely soley on their word to know how many killowatts my system has produced. The latest debacle is my roof has sprung a leak, they sent a company they have on retainer to investigate. The crew determined that there was a leak because the bolts used to secure the system to the roof didn’t have the proper amount of sealant. They assured me they fixed the problem. During our last rain storm I can hear water drip, drip, dripping inside my bedroom wall. When I brought this to their attention they told me because there is no evidence of damage in my house they are not willing to do anything. They want my Sheetrock to decintegrate before they will do anything. The report by the repair crew clearly states the issue was caused by the solar installation, but they want me to hire my own roofer. They even tried to tell me the report had a “typo” where the report stated that the leak was caused by the solar installation. I can’t stress enough how horrible my experience has been with SunPower. Stay away!!!!
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
We're sorry to hear this Josh. I have alerted the customer service supervisor team about these issues, and you should be hearing from someone soon.
Feb. 28th, 2019
dino Glendale, AZ
I did not know that when I wanted to install sollar to may house that sunpower inverter and solar panel was goin to be installed stay away from sunpower they have the worst customer service in the industry my solar not producing electricity from time to time has an error message in the inverter I found out the inverter is on a recall status right now they don't know when is going to be replaced I told them that I want out of the lease they wont let me out of the lease I told them that they are in breach of contract that I will take them to court this company wants to take your money and does not give the service according to the contract
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Dino I would love the opportunity to address your concerns. Please send me a private message with your contact information and i will have your case escalated to a specialist and you will be contacted within 24-48 hours.
Feb. 25th, 2019
APelaez Staten Island, NY
SunPower was a bad decision. Installing solar panels was the worst decision (at least one of them). My system was installed by an installer company called Green Street whom are no longer in business. According to their goodbye letter, SunPower was to support my system going forward. When my system went down all Sunpower did was refer me to other installers who told me "We do no service systems we do not install" . Finally, after nearly a month of calling installers and calling Sunpower they connected me to an installer that will be happy to come inspect my system for a $200 charge. SunPower's 25 year warranty is a joke. So far my system has not saved me the $32,000 it cost to install. I would have been better off paying my regular light bill. My advice to anyone is don't go through the hassle getting panels installed.
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello APelaez, SunPower proudly stands behind its warranty. Your SunPower warranty will cover any labor cost associated with our product as long as the problem is determined to be product-related. Since there is always a possibility that the problem is non-product related (i.e. installer workmanship), the possibility of a diagnostic charge exists. However, if during the site visit it is determined to be warranty related there would be no out of pocket expense.
I have escalated your case and i will have a specialist call you within 24 hours to address your concerns.
I have escalated your case and i will have a specialist call you within 24 hours to address your concerns.
Feb. 20th, 2019
Kara Phoenix, AZ
SunPower has THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER. I wish I would have found this site before because I would have NEVER gotten solar panels. Seriously as long nothing goes wrong than you are fine but as soon as something does you are screwed. A major part broke and our system was down. The person on the phone blamed US for not calling it in sooner. THEN, it has taken over 7+ months to get the part in. for a while we were paying both ASP AND Sun power util I got them to finally stop takin payments out of our account....oh but that didn't stop them from charging out billing account every month. Ivan keeps saying he will get it fixed, it will go back to zero blah blah blah...... NOTHING has been done. I have NO problem paying my billl every month on a system that is working BUT I REFUSE to pay for the months where my system was down. This company is horrible.... stay away from them ... the only reason I gave them a 1 star is because I had to
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Kara,
I am sorry for the current issues you are having. Can you take a moment to send me your account info and i will have your situation escalated. Please send me a private message and i will have someone reach out to you within 24 hours.
Thank you and we look forward to resolving your issues.
I am sorry for the current issues you are having. Can you take a moment to send me your account info and i will have your situation escalated. Please send me a private message and i will have someone reach out to you within 24 hours.
Thank you and we look forward to resolving your issues.
Feb. 20th, 2019
Jason Chico, CA
SunPower has a great product, no doubt about it. The problem lies in their customer service, which is deplorable. As long as nothing, I mean nothing, goes wrong with your system and you never have to call them you will be fine. If anything happens however, you can expect absolutely nothing but headaches and a runaround. I am a proud owner of a $32k system that is useless. Two stars because the panels, when they function, are the best. 0 stars for customer service
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Jason,
I'm sorry to hear that you are having a difficult time with customer service. Please send me a private message with your account info and i will escalate your case to a specialist to reach out to you within 24 hours.
I'm sorry to hear that you are having a difficult time with customer service. Please send me a private message with your account info and i will escalate your case to a specialist to reach out to you within 24 hours.
Feb. 14th, 2019
S Halbert Buckeye, AZ
If I could give 0 stars I would. The seller, Greg F at the time of contact for selling the solar panels to my husband did not explain anything about added pigeon coverage so we did not have the choice to opt in at the time. Fast forward 2 years later, we now have a pigeon infestation, we are getting sick picking up dead birds all around, and my dogs are getting sick. I have courtesy reached out to Christine, as well as Greg to fix this issue. He accepted fault that he did not let us know about this at the time due to having to finance more money and that we can use their preferred vendor. I got a quote from the solar office asking over $1000 to fix a mistake on their end that could've easily been handled at the point of sale. I have asked for them to fix it on their behalf, but they are not willing too, even though they are at fault. As a pregnant woman, my health is at a concern at this time, and I am just asking this company to do the right thing.
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello, I apologize for the experience you've had with the dealer thus far. I would love the opportunity to restore your confidence in SunPower. When you have a moment, please send us a private message with your contact details and we will have a specialist reach out to you to address your concerns.
Feb. 14th, 2019
Carmie Sun City, AZ
We started our relationship with Sun Power almost 1 year ago. Many promises where made and not fulfilled. How long it would it take to get installed,money we would save, bills from electric company customer service, etc. we have been told by the installers it isn’t working told faulty parts asked for a supervisor to call never happened. Today I will make another call and ask them to remove it. We are seniors , my husband is 100 % disability we can’t deal with all this stress. We will take whatever steps we need to end our relationship with Sun Power. I see a lot of others have similar problems this pass year. Something changed!
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Carmie,
I would like to apologize for the system issues you are receiving. I would like to have your case escalated as soon as possible. Please send me a private message with your contact information and I will have a specialist contact you within 24 hours.
I would like to apologize for the system issues you are receiving. I would like to have your case escalated as soon as possible. Please send me a private message with your contact information and I will have a specialist contact you within 24 hours.
Mar. 6th, 2019
Craig Picard Portland, CT
My experience with SunPower has gone from “good” during installation to “terrible” following the installation.
I have had ongoing issues with my system not functioning properly since it has been installed and now I believe SunPower is over inflating the monthly energy consumption that they report for both the grid and solar power when compared to the energy consumption reported by my electrical supplier.
NO one at SunPower can is able to address this issue when Incall customer service and NO higher level manager ever calls me back.
I am extremely frustrated and plan to report this to the Better Business Burueau and any other consumer watch dog group that can assist me in getting SunPower to respond to my requests to discuss these irregularities with me.
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Craig, We are very sorry to hear this, and we'd definitely like to help you get this resolved. I will have a supervisor reach out to you.
Jan. 22nd, 2019
Kyle Hamden, CT
Excellent customer service and communication. Entire process took longer than we hoped for (not necessarily the fault of SunPower). Crew and inspectors were very professional and timely.
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Thank you for choosing SunPower, Kyle.
Jan. 25th, 2019
Moti Bergenfield, NJ
Overall the service was OK
BUT I was not clearly informed that i will still get billis from the electrical company and from SunPower and that my Electrical expense will be higher until the end of the first year and only then SunPower are going to do adjustment and pay me back.
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Sorry to hear about this concern. I will have a customer service representative reach out to better explain how this works. Usually the only fees you'd have from your local utility might be a nominal connection/usage charge and if you use any energy that your solar doesn't cover. Most of our customers make enough energy during peak months that they earn credits and end the year in the positive or even receiving money back from the power company.
Jan. 11th, 2019
Jose Reyes Vallejo, CA
So happy with the quality of Sunpower modules they look amazing on my roof, nice and clean installation.
The process of this install was impeccable.
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Thank you for choosing SunPower, Jose!
Jan. 14th, 2019
Steve Bakersfield, CA
2 years ago, my inverters failed. It took 2 months to get any one to look at it, another 2 months to get the new inverter installed, and a total of 10 months to get the inverter working correctly (At least I I think it is working correctly now!). And this was under warranty! Now my panels are failing. SunPower says nothing is wrong, but production is WAY down. Several panels have burnt out cells and cracked cells. I have 4 strands of 10 panels and one complete strand is down, but SunPower says there are no problems. I finally had an outside technician from another company check my system (2nd opinion not related to SunPower). I have a 25 year warranty and we are on the 11th year of service. SunPower is lying to me and does not want to make repairs. When I call SunPower Customer Service, they refer me to a local installer. I talk to the local installer and they refer me back to SunPower. No one wants to talk to me, and no one wants to take responsibility for my system failure and fix it. I even had to pay $180.00 for the local company to come out and diagnose the system UNDER WARRANTY! This is NOT right! I do not recommend SunPower to anyone.
5 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Steve, We're very sorry to hear that you've experienced this issue with your system. I'll reach out via a private response to get your contact information so we can help you get this resolved.
Dec. 31st, 2018
Robert Nadeau
-5stars. DO NOT EVER USE SUNPOWER!!!
Unable to complete a Lease Transfer. Notified of home sale July 22nd. Today is September 25th. Unable to complete things on their end and fell out of escrow once already. In escrow now a 2nd time and should have closed a week ago and Sunpower still cannot get it together. There is now a family with a young child stuck in a hotel room waiting for excrow to close which is waiting on sunpower to complete their paper work It is OVER 3 Months and still.
All customer services numbers are disconected and cannot even be placed on hold.
Have a good lawer ready if you find yourself in this situation.
6 years ago Edited September 26, 2024
Reply from SunPower
Hello Robert, You should be hearing from a customer service expert shortly. We apologize for the issues you've had!
Jan. 2nd, 2019
Richie Rio Vista, CA
First of all, I am not typically a reviewer. I ALWAYS give people the benefit of the doubt, and when I have a slightly poor experience, I just shrug it off.
But this has been an EXTREMELY special case.
When it started, I was very happy. My local dealer was extremely helpful and knowledgeable, install was timely and very clean. First year went FAIRLY smooth, as I only needed the installer to come fix the system 2-3 times. From the wi-fi connection going out to the inverter faulting. Nothing major.
Second year, 5 or so major repair calls. Several panels replaced, two inverters replaced. Again, local installer was great. Sunpower Corp. was NOT. They were gracious enough to NOT credit the monthly lease payment, but to POSTPONE them to the end of the term. Okay fine. Then the system under produced. My true up bill was (from memory) close to $600, Sunpower gave us just under 400 to help. Okay, fine. This is in July, 5-6 calls and complaints later by myself and the local rep, finally get the refund check in NOVEMBER. Horrible experience.
Third year, system was down for months throughout the year. They replaced EVERY PANEL ON MY ROOF, replaced another inverter, replaced the signalling unit, and had to come reset and repair faulted inverters several times. They sent out specialists from Sunpower Corp to help identify the problems and get them fixed. They POSTPONE my payments for 3 months, and tell me we will review at end of 3 months whether or not system has been repaired. 3 months go by, still not fixed, billing starts up again. They charge me for another couple of months (several complaints) before they finally re-start postponing payment withdrawals.
FINALLY, system seems to be working (July 2018), but now I am moving out of town. Selling the home and transferring the lease to new buyer while payments are still suspended. I then receive my new true up bill (I believe close to $1,000) and SUNPOWER offers me somewhere between $300-400. My local dealer is so upset with Sunpower, he pays me the difference out of his own pocket. Local dealer was seriously fantastic through all this.
Then, when I am ready to sign closing documents for home sale, Sunpower is demanding we pay the last two months "unpaid balance" for while payments were suspended. So that money automatically came out of my profit on the sale of the home as part of closing costs. Wow.
Now...Fast forward to December...We have been out of our solar lease since July, and still have not received our refund for the lack of production. Now they are saying that they ACCIDENTLY sent our refund to the new home owners, and are working on getting us the money. Should hear back in TWO MORE WEEKS.
They did send us a $150 gift card earlier this year as a "sorry for the trouble" gift, but that doesn't even come close to making it right in my opinion. I would not let anyone I care about buy Sunpower products. No exaggeration, I have never had worse service than this from any company ever.
Trust me, these are the highlights. This doesn't even touch on how horrible the phone conversations were or the lead times for supervisor responses to my complaints. If it had not been for my local company working so hard on my behalf, I probably would have looked for a lawyer to get their crap off my roof.
6 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Richie, I've escalated your case to our VP of Customer Service and will make sure the rest of our leadership team is aware of these issues. Hopefully they've reached out to you by now but if not, please email me at .
Dec. 19th, 2018
Dave Old Bridge, NJ
Unfortunately, we have been dealing with SunPower for over a year. The company that installed our solar panels 5 years ago was bought out by SunPower. We lease our panels, which I would not recommend to anyone. At the time we thought it was a good deal but later learned it was a huge mistake. Our house faces almost due South, almost perfect conditions for solar. The panels themselves, have performed only at 84% capacity of the minimum guaranteed. Our lease is for 20 years with an early buy out for 2019. Since the panels have not produced any where near what the guarntee was we have been trying to deal with customer service to renegotiate the early buy out amount. It has been 3 months and we still are getting the run around. Promises of people calling you back have gone unanswered, the customer service department does not even have answers that are outside their script. I have been waiting since March for a tech to come back to fix our communication box since it stopped working. The tech that was supposed to come was dispatched to the wrong state. I very rarely give a neagative review of a company but I would recommend anyone to run in the opposite direction than to deal with SunPower. If anything goes wrong or if you have any questions it will take MONTHS before you get an answer. The worst customer service I have ever experienced. I never thought it was so hard for a company to take my money. If there was a no star rating I would have chosen that one. Not worth the hassle, especially since there are a ton of other companies that will work with you and want your business.
6 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Dave, We are sorry to hear that you've had these issues with your SunPower system, and we'd like the opportunity to help you resolve it. I'll send you a private message so we can research your case.
Dec. 12th, 2018
Karen L Wright American Canyon, CA
Very satisfied until system stopped generating the power it should. Took forever to get someone to fix it and the person who called & said she would for on compensation refused to return calls or e-mails. Jermaine, who is supposedly a supervisor is the worst ever. I have never received such horrible customer service and when I was finally able to talk to her she advised she had been very busy. Really, to busy to return a phone call or e-mail for over a month. Unbelievable. I would never recommend Sunpower to anyone after this treatment and experience. I can't even reach someone to file an official complaint. At this time, it is now a legal matter.
6 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Karen, I see that we've assigned you a new case manager, Gabe, to help you get this resolved. Let me know if you haven't heard from him by tomorrow. You can email me at .
Dec. 12th, 2018
MeredithR El Dorado Hills, CA
HORRIBLE customer service! We inherited a lease after purchasing a home and were given three options: 1) Purchase the lease for $81k which is way more than we would pay for the remaining 18.5 year lease 2) Take over the lease as is without the ability to re-negotiate 3) Send the previous homeowners into collections. Are you kidding me?! Who would do this? One month later another representative tells us we could have re-negotiated the lease when we purchased the home. How nice to find this out after the fact. Three months and several calls later, we are STILL waiting for a promised return call from management. What a joke! There is no way I can deal with this company for another two decades. I just want the panels off my roof and to be done with SunPower.
6 years ago
Reply from SunPower
We apologize for the experience you had with us. We'd really like to look into this further. When you have a moment, please send us a private message with your contact details. Thank you.
Dec. 6th, 2018
Laura Surprise, AZ
My inverter went out while we were away for 2 months and I have tried for 2 days to reach someone to come out to service it. No one answers the phone and I have emailed with no response. Still waiting! Surprising that a company this large has no concern for urgency when it comes to you paying for electric that they promised. When you ask for corporate phone numbers you are told they have none. By the way your talking to the Philippines. Where are they hiding?? We were told that it could take 7-10 days for even a response to schedule an appointment. In the mean time my meter just keeps going around billing me. I have lost all the credit I had for the last 5 years! Bet you they would hop to it if it was there's! Bad service for maintenance!
6 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Laura, Sorry to hear this happened. We'd like to help you get this resolved. I'll send you a private message to get your contact information.
Nov. 4th, 2018
Kim P Pueblo, CO
My parents got duped into a lease with this company a couple of years Ago. They have since passed away and there is no stipulation in the lease in the event of death so I am stuck with this dilemma to pay $32000 or foreclose on house and let bank have it. I have not been able to sell house as no one wants to take over lease or pay more for the house. My parents paid $160 a month and still got an electric bill. The going market rate to buy and then install panels is $15000 to $20000. I know people like the no money down but a 20 year lease will cost $40000. I also found out this company is on the brink of bankruptcy. I would make them an offer but doubt they will accept it If i even get a hold of someone so neither one of us gets anything. For a veteran owned company you would think they would have more integrity.
6 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Kim,
I would like to speak with you more in dept regarding your issues. Please send me a private message with your contact details and i will reach out to you to address your concerns.
Thank you!
I would like to speak with you more in dept regarding your issues. Please send me a private message with your contact details and i will reach out to you to address your concerns.
Thank you!
Nov. 9th, 2018
Michael Gentile Coventry, CT
I inherited a lease from a SunPower and they are such a terrible company they are making me regret buying the house. I have had over a dozen calls in the last three months to their support and received no help. I am being passed around until I go away. However, once my bill due, they were right on top of that! Called me right away to get their money. Do my panels work? I have no idea, I've lived in the house for three months and they have never sent any technical assistance. I had to sign transfer documents 4 times because they kept losing them. I don't say this lightly, they are worse than Comcast and Verizon.
6 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Michael, We're sorry to hear that you're not satisfied with our service. We understand your frustration, and we'd like a chance to make it right. I'll have your case supervisor get in touch with you to get this resolved.
Nov. 6th, 2018
Karin Gentry San Diego, CA
I have been a Sunpower customer for the past 3 years.My system failed 6 weeks ago , I have lost production this entire time and CANNOT get anyone at Sunpower to take the appropriate action. The first E-mail was never answered. On a subsequent call I was promised a work order...nothing happened. The third attempt got me some technical assistance to re boot system , which did not solve any problems. A work order supposedly is open ...no follow up.
Yesterday I called and asked for a supervisor, none of them were available. The girl on the phone, poorly speaking English ,finally gave me a Tel # for the outsource repair company. I called them and only got a voicemail. I am on the hook to pay my monthly lease , loose valuable production and get ABSOLUTELY no customer service whatsoever. I work and don't have time to chase down incompetent , non caring service providers.
6 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Karin, We are sorry to hear you've had trouble getting help from us with your system. We appreciate it that you've been a SunPower customer for three years, and we will help you get this resolved. I've reached out to our locally based customer service supervisor team and asked them to get in touch with you as soon as possible.
Oct. 25th, 2018
Thom Robb
The new X22 panels were worth the wait. With the OEM Enphase Energy IQ7X microinverter, SunPower now achieves a 3% CEC efficiency boost. They are clearly the best panels on the market at 22.2% panel efficiency.
6 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Thanks Thom! We agree: Our 22%+ world record efficiency panels are the best way to make the most energy you can over time!
Nov. 6th, 2018
Jacob Halsdorfer Peoria, AZ
I had SunPower in stall panels on my roof thru Harmon electric. to say that I am sorry that I did it would be an understatement.
I have had nothing but trouble with the system since it was install in May. I have had to call for service 5 time or once a month and have lost the ability to generator power on two occasions. with has cost me over 100 dollars in electric payments .
6 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hi Jacob, We apologize for the experience you had with us. We'd really like to look into this further. Please expect a call from an Executive Support Specialist to discuss your concerns and provide assistance. Best regards, Hillary
Oct. 9th, 2018
Joan Gunning Newbury Park, CA
SunPower workmanship gets a “F” grade, AGAIN. Recently SunPower came out to replace all the microinverters that were failing one by one – our system is less than 2 years old. After they completed the work, we inspected the roof for damage (SunPower has damaged our roof in the past). We were shocked to discover footprints all over our 21 panels – 48 footprints to be specific! The way the panels are laid out on our roof, there was no need to ever walk on them. Walking on panels can cause microcracks in the solar cells, reducing panel performance, which will continue to worsen over time. The microcrack problem is a known issue that is even documented on SunPower websites and SunPower Facebook pages. Here is a quote from SunPower “We do not recommend that anyone walk on the panels because it can damage the cells, which would damage performance”.
After discovering our panels had been thoroughly walked on by the SunPower crew, we called both the SunPower corporate and SunPower regional offices a week ago. However we were only able to leave voicemails since no one answers the phone at either location. No one has returned our calls.
Our previous experiences with SunPower:
Initial installation – damage to the roof and the roof leaked at the panel mounting brackets. SunPower did then come and remove the panels while the roof was fixed, and then SunPower reinstalled the panels.
Reinstallation of panels – SunPower failed to connect 2 of the 21 panels. On our smart phone SunPower application, we kept getting error messages concerning slow data reporting. We kept contacting SunPower about it. After FIVE months SunPower figured out that 2 panels were not reporting, not connected, and therefore producing no power for 5 months.
Data reporting issues resume – Again we noticed this on our smart phone application and informed SunPower. Eventually they diagnosed that the microinverters were failing, which was causing production loss. 1 1/2 months after we notified SunPower of the issue, they replaced all the microinverters and walked all over the panels.
Apparently diagnosing microcracks on installed panels is not a simple thing, and production loss from microcracks will be small at first, but increase over time. So far since SunPower walked on our panels, production on our panels is down 6% over the previous year time period. While it is possible that this weather related, we think it is more probable that this is from 48 footprints of damage.
6 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Joan, We're are very sorry to hear about this issue with your panels, and we want to make it right. I've sent your comments to our customer service supervisor, and they will get in touch with you as soon as possible.
Sep. 28th, 2018
Joan Gunning Newbury Park, CA
Do not do business with SunPower. Their crews are incompetent and they do not honor their warranty.
SunPower Direct installed our panels in November 2016. A few months later in January we noticed roof leaks at the points where the panels were attached. After much negotiations, SunPower agreed to pay an independent roofer to fix the roof . This was finally accomplished in October 2017.
For the roof repairs in October 2017, SunPower had to remove and then replace the panels. In March 2018 we noticed error messages on the monitoring panel in our garage. We contacted SunPower who then determined that 2 panels had not had their cables connected when they were reinstalled in October 2017.
In June of 2018 we got data reporting problems on the SunPower application installed on our phones. We contacted SunPower. They determined that the micro-inverters on 2 of the panels had gone bad.
On both on these occasions, unconnected panels and bad micro-inverters, it was on us to notice there was an issue and report it to SunPower. When we bought the system back in 2016, we were told that SunPower would be monitoring our system, alert us if there was a problem and send service out. Obviously they do not actually do that.
SunPower then replaced all the micro-inverters in August 2018. After that we inspected the roof for any broken tiles and discovered footprints all over the panels. According to SunPower “We do not recommend that anyone walk on the panels because it can damage the cells, which would damage performance”. So why did their crew walk on the panels which are located in the middle of the roof with ample space to work around them? We contacted SunPower and sent them photos to get on file a potential problem.
We then took a wait and see attitude to see if there would be a decrease in production since looking for the potential micro cracks caused by walking is difficult. So now the results: in 2017 before the panels were walked on, they produced 11,040 kWh which was 101% of the promised production of 10,961 kWh. However in 2019 they produced only 10,130 kWh dropping to 92.4%. In 2020 they produced 10,218 kWh which is 93.2%. The warranty in our contract states that in the first 5 years production shall not drop below 95% of the original promised production. So there is a good likelihood that our panels were damaged when they were walked on, and we have learned that micro-cracks worsen over time. We contacted SunPower on April 12, 2021 to see about the warranty.
Their first reply was that their technical team had determined that we should only expect 10,200 kWh from our system and questioned our “supposed” promised production of 10,961 kWh. So we emailed them what SunPower had sent us in 2016 with the 10,961 kWh. Apparently now they have accepted the 10,961 kWh number.
So next SunPower claimed the drop in production is due to “soiling”, so not their problem. However they have never asked if we washed the panels which we periodically do. Incidentally back in 2016 the SunPower rep had assured us that dirt on the panels would not harm production. Also in their warranty there is no mention about cleaning panels. We clean them anyway.
SunPower also in their email on “soiling” advised us to keep nearby trees and hedges trimmed. If SunPower had asked, or looked at our property on Google Earth, they would have seen that nothing shades our panels.
So it is obvious that SunPower is trying everything they can to get out of their 95% first 5 year production warranty. Bottom line - do not use this company. Their crews are incompetent and they do not honor their warranty.
6 years ago Edited September 14, 2021
Reply from SunPower
Joan, We're are very sorry to hear about this issue with your panels, and we want to make it right. I've sent your comments to our customer service supervisor, and they will get in touch with you as soon as possible.
Sep. 28th, 2018
Shannon Toohey Dean Valley Center, CA
We live in Southern California and signed a lease with SunPower through a local installation company. We liked our installation company, but since installation 3 years ago, our system has been down 5-6 times (and even though the system is connected to the internet it does NOT notify you or them when it is down, so several times it had already been down for a week when my husband happened to be in the garage and notice there was an error message). It has been down over 10% of the time that it has been on our roof. While initially our local company/installation company handled our repairs, it has broken so many times (including replacing the inverter twice and replacing all the panels), that they say they can no longer handle our repairs and we are now being referred to the parent company, SunPower.
Unfortunately, SunPower is unresponsive and has zero customer service. Our system most recently has been down for over 30 days, we have called multiple times and been told we are on their "high priority list." Heaven help those not on the high priority list, because even that took 3 weeks to get a team out to even look at it. It has been 10 days since then and we still had not heard anything from SunPower. We are currently paying $160/month for a solar system that doesn't work, on top of exorbitant SDG&E prices because our solar system is down in the middle of summer. We finally got a call back after multiple calls and emails over 10 days, just to be told they still haven't received a report from the technicians, they don't know what the problem is and they don't have an ETA to fix it. They said "maybe" 2-4 weeks to finalize the report and determine the issue and then they can start planning a repair - this would mean our system will be down for 6-8 weeks by the time they even TRY to fix it.
The lease provides a guarantee that SunPower will reimburse for any underproduction at the end of the year. It sounded like a great guarantee when we signed the lease. Here's the catch: they reimburse at the lowest cost of electricity (tier 1 currently $0.14 per kW) and when your solar panels are not working or are significantly underproducing the issue is not the tier 1 charges, but the tier 3 charges (currently $0.55 per kW). With this summer having heat in the 100s and our panels out we have had two $500-$1000 electric bills that would have been significantly lower had our panels been producing and the charges had stayed in tier 1 and tier 2 levels. The $200-300 we will get in exchange at tier 1 rates does not really make up for the underproduction. SunPower should install products that properly work and maintain them so they do not need to utilize the guarantee or should reimburse at the tier 3 levels.
I do not recommend signing a lease with SunPower. They do not stand behind their product, they refuse to make repairs on the system we are paying to lease. Find a different solar leasing company that stands behind their product.
UPDATE 9/19/18: They finally fixed our system - it was down for almost 2 months before they fixed it. Given the number of breakdowns, two inverter replacements and replacement of all the panels, we requested a provision added to the lease regarding expectations on timeline for repairs and possible termination of lease if they do not meet these expectations (not an unreasonable request given our experience with them). They refused stating "there is no provision in your lease to terminate due to equipment failure...SunPower will not provide any further consideration relative to termination of your lease" So just FYI thats how much they stand behind their products.
6 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Shannon, We're very sorry you experienced these issues with your system but I am glad to see that this was repaired in September. I'll reach out to you via email to see if you need anything further.
Nov. 6th, 2018
Lesbia reyes Fresno, CA
The worst company ever. The panels stopped working from October 2016 through march of 2017. I was told that they keep back up records through the wifi system that was installed, but it couldn't get resolved until September. That there was no way around it. I was charged by pg&e $1,500. When I called back on September, I was told that they had no records of my multiple calls. April of 2018 I get a 48 hr pg&e bill of $2,500. Sunpower customer service can't tell me anything they don't know what's wrong. I never paid that much in pg&e without solar panels. So what's the whole point of having them. I'm paying more pg&e than I did before sunpower, and I'm paying sunpower monthly too. A waist of money. Customer service reps are not properly trained to help customers. HORRIBLE COMPANY. DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY, IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR MONEY!
6 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hi Lesbians, thank you for your feedback. I am sorry to hear that your system is not meeting your expectations and of your experience with our Customer Service department. We would like to review this further. When you have a moment, please send us a private message with your contact details. Thank you.
Aug. 10th, 2018
Stacey Petty San Jose, CA
SunPower is VERY difficult to reach. You can stay on hold for over 30 minutes if you ever need to speak to someone. When my solar was down for nearly a year, SunPower first said they had no replacement inverter (8 months or so) then they installed one that was too large for my system so it would shut down for hours or days (4 months or so). Then, when they agreed to minimally compensate me for the lost power generation, they offered only $726 for the YEAR of lost power generation. They sent nothing. When I continued to call them every couple weeks, they said they could only send $681. They sent nothing. I've been calling them every couple of weeks OR MORE for almost 6 months trying to get some compensation for my loss of power production. This is not customer service. They offer only customer frustration! I'm currently on hold with them and have been waiting 30 minutes already.
6 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hello Stacey, I'm sorry to hear you've had trouble getting this issue resolved. If you're still in need of assistance, please email your case number, if you have it, and your address and phone number, to .
Aug. 3rd, 2018
Julia D Elina Houston, TX
I have had 19 panels on my roof since last April (2017). They worked well for a few months, but after that they began seriously underperforming until production got down to almost zero. I called and called to complain, called the installer. The installer was more responsive, but determined it was an issue with either the Sunpower panels or the system (the PMV or microinverters). Sunpower replaced all 19 microinverters and the system still does not reflect accurate production or consumption. I have threatened to sue them so they keep making excuses and telling me the problem will be fixed at a certain time point, which comes and goes with no updates or corrections or fixes. I am seriously considering litigation, as Sunpower is either unwilling or unable to fix these panels. THEY DO NOT WORK. BUYER BEWARE- DO NOT USE SUNPOWER- they do not honor the warranty!!!!!!!
6 years ago
Reply from SunPower
Hi Julia, I apologize for the frustration you've experienced. We appreciate your business and truly value your feedback. I will have one of Executive Support Representatives contact you to better understand your concerns and work to resolve the issue.
Jul. 30th, 2018
