The IWL16 is of a design that F&P has had on the market for many years, so all the "bugs" have essentially been worked out. An extended warranty in this case is largely price-protection on replacement parts. Your decision whether that's a cost-effective value to you. Parts prices tend to rise over time, particularly the older control boards when new models are released that use newer/different boards. F&P boards are largely reliable (see below). My 9-years-old GWL08 is running the original board (and pump), as is my 4.5-years-old IWL12 and 6-years-old DD603 dishwahser. A good quality surge suppressor should be used on any electronic appliance. The main sources of concern are the pump, diverter valve, and water valves. The pump and diverter can get clogged by accumulated lint (particularly if very linty items are washed often, such as throw rugs or worn/stringy towels). An easy DIY job to clear a clog. A diverter gone bad will prevent proper draining or recirculation of the water. A leaking pump can throw a shock into the controller board, which requires both parts be replaced. A visual observation of the pump every 6 months or so (perhaps every 3 months as the machine gets older) for signs of leaking is a good idea as defense against an $80 repair vs. a $200 repair. If any indication of a leak at the pump is noted, unplug and stop using the machine and replace the pump immediately. I've run across several cases of water valves gone bad (none of mine have thus far), but they're also an easy and inexpensive DIY. The valves and temperature mixing chamber are inside the control console next to the board, so a flood in there can kill the board, but that's not common. Typically a bad valve just doesn't run the water with enough flow.

I have the previous generation IWL12, coming up on 3 years old. (I also have an older GWL08, no repair or trouble ever with either one). The "16" has a slightly better EnergyStar rating then the "12" possibly due to programming differences. My "12" defaults to a deep rinse and has somewhat high target water temperatures (warm is 115°F, warm/hot is 125°F). The "16" may have lowered temperatures and/or it may default to the shower-rinse mode. The IWL series (Intuitive Eco) is *extremely* versatile. Running a standard wash is a matter of pressing Power and Start. The machine runs a "normal" soil cycle with a warm EcoActive wash followed by a cold deep wash. It automatically figures out the required water level and an appropriate agitation speed, and finishes with a 1000 RPM spin. There are a large array of options, and some preset/programmed cycles for specific laundry chores. Grass/Protein stain for example runs a cold EcoActive followed by a warm deep wash. Allergy runs a hot Ecoactive followed by a warm/hot deep wash and has extra rinsing. Muddy runs a cold prewash, EcoActive, and deep wash, and has two deep rinses with extra spray rinses. Six water temperatures -- tap cold, controlled cold, warm/cold, warm, warm/hot, and tap hot. Five manually selectable water levels, plus automatic. An option for a "traditional" wash which skips the EcoActive phase and runs a standard deep-fill wash at the selected temperature. Six selectable soil levels, including Stained which runs several alternating periods of agitation and soaking. Choice of one deep rinse, two deep rinses, or shower rinse options. Time Saver which cuts cycle time in half. The shower rinse option has several further choices for volume of water used. A 2-hr soak function. A six-minute cold prewash. Drip Dry which pauses before the final drain so selected items can be removed before the final spin (the machine beeps for attention as a reminder). Creasables option (for Perm Press or any wrinkle-sensitive items, it runs a higher water level and slow spin). Handwash runs a VERY gentle agitation. Woolens runs a cycle suited for those items, altho the agitation is more aggressive than Handwash. I don't have any cashmere or wool clothing, but for such items that are intended washable, the Handwash selection would provide appropriately gentle handling for even the most delicate item.

I have a Fisher Paykel IWL16 clothes washer and it only leaks when running it on hot. The leak is coming from underneath the right rear of the machine. Enough water so it runs out to bottom of the machine. I am not sure what the problem is and the diverter value appears to be fine. What should I be looking for?

How would overloading deform the tub cover? The recirculation hose fits into a notch at top of the tub, with a grommet/gasket there to fit in the notch around the end of the hose. Check if the hose perhaps has shifted out of proper position. The gap between the rim of the drum and the tub cover varies because the drum floats upward about 3/8" when the tub fills with water (via air caught under the base). This is part of the automatic water level sensing process. A larger load is heavier when saturated with water so holds the drum longer from floating, which the machine interprets as calling for a higher water level. Floating also is required to disengage the drum from the drive cog so the agitator can oscillate separately. The machine senses when the drum has floated by pulsing the drive motor and reading the rotational inertia. The water level during recirculation is purposely kept low enough so the drum does not float and the gap for the recirculation flow is at maximum distance ... the drum is driven to rotate at 25 RPM during recirculation so must remain engaged to the drive cog. If your drum is floated during recirculation for the Tub Clean cycle (minimum gap) then the machine may be overfilling for the recirculation phase or excess sudsing may be causing the drum to float when it shouldn't.