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jmorse

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I posted a few weeks ago about fuse #37 blowing repeatedly. This is for the VGT turbo. I visually inspected the harness for a shorted spot and found none. I unplugged the turbo while idling and replaced the fuse, it still blew instantly. So I figured I'd better get it to the dealer. This is my service truck so I need it everyday! Well they had it for 5 days and did finally get the fuse to stop blowing, but I'm extremely disappointed in the repair. They installed a jumper from the fuse panel over to the engine harness, cut and spliced the main harness @ left front of the engine and and ran wires out to the MAF sensor and the turbo. There are 3 scratches on my front fender. The drivers side carpet has grease shoe prints on it and I have an exhaust leak . I also smell hot antifreeze when I get out of the truck, but can't find the leak. They changed the turbo(star told them to) even though The fuse continued to blow with the turbo unplugged(Did I mention the new exhaust leak). They removed and cleaned the EGR cooler(Did I mention the antifreeze smell). I'm now fiting for a new harness and to address all the other problem they've created. All that was wrong when I took it in was a Blown fuse. Now I really have problems! I do not want them to touch it again, but I feel they need to make it right. The truck has 20900 mile on it and has been to the shop 3 times. My '05 has 59500 miles and has never been back. I'm getting discouraged with the truck and the dealer.



Jim
 
If the story you have told here is accurate and completely true the quality of service you received is clearly unacceptable.



I would go back and talk to the service manager first, then the dealership general manager (if not the owner), then the dealership owner if necessary.



If the above doesn't get you satisfaction I would contact your area Chrysler service representative.
 
Jim

I'm not a big fleet, but have owned over the past 20 years lots of Ford and Dodge trucks... . I tend to run them 500K before I sell them... . We in fact do most of our own service, so we know it meets my standards... .

As an old electrical guy who understands test equipment let me share a little secret... .

There is a tool called an induction amp meter... ... this amp meter clamps over a wiring loom... .

You install a low amperage circuit breaker in the fuse panel so that it pops on/off and run the clamp of the induction amp meter over the wiring loom... as soon as you pass either the short or ground the induction amp meter will no longer measure load and you have trapped the problem within a 6" section of wiring loom.....

I've looked at least 50 cars over the past years I've been in this industry looking for problems like you talk about, and most good techs will use the process I've talked about above and will find the problem in less than 1/2 hour... .

What happened to you is one of the problems we face... not enough good technicians with the ability to understand the test equipment that they have in the shop and how to use it... .

These trucks on the most part are some of the best trucks on the road... my personal choice would be a Ford chassis and body, Dodge, Aisian power train, with a GM interior and the bells and whistles that go with it... . But understand that with all the miles we drive the Dodges are less to keep than the past group of Fords... .

I'm really sorry you had this happen.....
 
I would be livid. I would immediately take it straight to the owner and let him know what type of work his shop was turning out he will probably fire someone over this type of BS. This is ridiculous. I would let him know thatyou are a member of this site and many other Dodge / Cummins enthusiasts are interested in his take on this, and how he will remedy the situation. Let him know you wanted to avoid a confrontational situation with his service director and not embarass him in front of the customers or other techs.
 
I'm only going to address the wiring because the rest sounds like it is a bit of a problem. A wiring repair is not only spelled out in the service manual, but in many cases it is a better alternative to replacing a harness. I have cut and spliced hundreds if not thousands of wires, including passive restraint circuits. We call it "hard wiring" a circuit. It is done every day in the industry. That being said there is a proper way to do it. A correctly connected, soldered, and shrink wrapped repair is just as good as the original circuit, period. You should also properly retain the wires in or to the factory loom and protect them from anything that might catch or cut them.

The alternative it to tear the vehicle half apart to install a new harness. This not only creates squeaks and rattles, but is just unnecessary waste of time and money.
 
I have been in contact with the dealership's corporate manager and he said the truck will be repaired properly. He was disappointed to hear of the way my repair was performed and the other problems that have been created. He has given me his cell phone number and said he will personally inspect/drive my truck once the it has been repaired. We'll be closed for vacation in the first part of Oct. , so they'll get the truck then. I'll post the results once the repairs are done.



Jim
 
I'm only going to address the wiring because the rest sounds like it is a bit of a problem. A wiring repair is not only spelled out in the service manual, but in many cases it is a better alternative to replacing a harness. I have cut and spliced hundreds if not thousands of wires, including passive restraint circuits. We call it "hard wiring" a circuit. It is done every day in the industry. That being said there is a proper way to do it. A correctly connected, soldered, and shrink wrapped repair is just as good as the original circuit, period. You should also properly retain the wires in or to the factory loom and protect them from anything that might catch or cut them.

The alternative it to tear the vehicle half apart to install a new harness. This not only creates squeaks and rattles, but is just unnecessary waste of time and money.





I disagree with this.



If there is something wrong with the harness or the wires in the harness, it should be fixed to OEM specs, not wires cut, jumpers installed ETC. Part of the money we pay in these trucks are for a warranty that covers any and all problems. If there is a problem like this, a proper fix is a new harness, not to cut into the exsisting harness and install jumpers, ETC.



Just my 02.
 
A piece of wire properly soldered and shrink wrapped is just as robust as the OEM piece of wire. Over repair by replacing the harness (for a damaged wire) is just not needed no matter who is paying for the repair.

There are tens of thousands of vehicles on the road today with aftermarket radios and alarms that are installed using Scotch Lock connectors that are no where near as good as a soldered connection. And no one gives it a second thought that some hack installed it.

I just worked on a new Commander yesterday that had an O2 sensor circuit problem and the technician had replaced the complete harness that required the transmission and transfer case to be removed to install it. That is just stupid to perform a repair like that instead of running a new wire.
 
sag2

I agree 100% with your post. I worked for years on heavy equipment in the ag and oil industry and agree that a soldered splice is perfectly acceptable.
 
If I read and understood JMorse's original post the tech (butcher) didn't splice and heatshrink a broken wire within the factory harness as sag2 described but instead bypassed the broken wire without finding the break and attached a new wire running outside the harness to components at a distance from the factory harness.



And apparently did such poor work that he damaged the truck's paint and carpet and created exhaust and coolant leaks.



I would have been furious over this sloppy unprofessional work and would have expressed my displeasure until it was corrected.



On the other hand, I would have probably accepted a spliced and heatshrunk wire repair inside a harness without complaint and in truth, had the repair been accomplished properly I may never have even known it was spliced.
 
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Just to update and close out this post , Id like to say the repairs were made properly and all issues are resolved. I'm also going to add that I have been a professional mechanic for all of my adult life and for the past 22 years I've owned and operated an equipment dealership. I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COB JOB AND A PROFESSIONAL REPAIR. I'm disappointed in the tone of some of the above responses. I'm not eager to post again any time soon.



Jim
 
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