05 Warranty Fan Clutch

[CROW]

Truck is an 05 that I took delivery of in May, 05. It has 44,000 miles. Hit a deer and took it to a Chevy dealer since they are on my insurance companies select site list. Chevy body shop called today-too late for me to pick up the truck- and said the body repair was done but that the fan clutch was going out. The condenser was damaged when hit the deer, but there was no damage to anything behind that. All the warranty material is in the truck so can't review it this evening and am wondering if the fan clutch will be covered by warranty. If memory serves I had a 5 year, 70,000 mile drivetrain warranty. Oddly, I had to have some work done on the fan in Kansas when the truck had only 4,000 or so miles on it. I am 700 miles away from home in an RV park in south Texas and need to be home for XMAS so this could get interesting. Thanks for any help.

 

[fkovalski]

It would be hard to convince a dealer that a fan clutch is part of the drive train... it would be even harder to convince a dealer to replace a component under any warranty due to hitting a deer.



If your insurance company is covering the damage from hitting the deer, then they should cover the condenser, radiator, fan clutch or any other component as a result of this indecent.

 

[CROW]

Please read the post. There was no damage behind the condenser. Yea, I looked, no damage to anything behind the condenser. So, one must assume that the fan failure was not related to the accident. Insurance company looked at it also and declined to pay since it was not related to hitting the deer in their view. I will certainly be asking the body shop folks how they determined how the fan was failing.

 

[fkovalski]

I guess I am confused by you bringing up the 7/70 warranty... were you asking if that would cover the fan clutch (warranty was in the title of your post. ) If you do not have any type of extended coverage then I do not believe their is any coverage. It would have been covered under the 3/36 of which you are out of time & milge.



What type of "some work done on the fan" was performed? Generally dealer coverage is usually 12/12 after initial coverage. Is (was) the work performed related tot his work? It may be worth a shot to go see what that performing dealer says, but they will probably deny coverage on the work they did due to time.

 

[CROW]

After getting truck back and reviewing warranty material. 05 models have a 7 year,70K Power Train Limited Warranty with a $100 ded after the expiration of the basic warranty However, and this makes no sense to me, a fan clutch is not covered under the 7 year,70k powertrain warranty. Really sounds odd that Chrysler does not cover a fan clutch as part of the powertrain, but they list specific items and nothing else is covered. Two fan clutches in 44K, doesn't sound right. Get the checkbook out.

 

[fkovalski]

It is not odd at all. I have never heard of the fan clutch ever being considered a part of a power train component. I guess that is why I was confused in your original post.



Generally, power train components would be items from the engine (where the transmission bolts to the block) back. It would include items along the way that transmit power to the tires.



But I will agree... 2 fan clutches in 44K seems excesive! Is is possible that there was more damage than you think? If there are components along the fan belt route it may be possible that it could prematurely wear those components due to mis- alignment... including the fan clutch?

 

[Tejasdge]

I am having to replace my fan clutch as well, but at 136k. Less than $200 from Rockauto and the local NAPA matched their price not including the tax and freight.