Can you bill Cummins?

[Jim Smith]

I had a water pump failure while on vacation in Yellowstone. I had it replaced at a local garage and it works just fine. I had it fixed locally because Dodge dealers said they could work on it in about 6 t0 10 days and both of these dealers were 60 to 110 miles away. Extended warranty plan people said it must be fixed at dealer and reimbursement by having it done locally would not be possible.

Is it worth my time to ask Cummins for reimbursement?

or should I still try for it at Dodge warranty plan?



Thanks.

 

[Grizzly]

I think you would be wasting your time with Cummins. This is a Dodge issue. Document everything that was said and done in detail complete with dates and go after Chrysler. It maybe a very difficult fight. Good luck.

 

[RobertP]

if you get ahold of chrysler directly you stand a better chance of getting this resolved. here is the customer service number 1800-992-1997. if anything they may offer partial assistance.

 

[p-Bar]

Dodge buys these engines from Cummins with no warranty so they get a better deal. So dodge is your only avenue

 

[JWash1]

Dodge buys these engines from Cummins with no warranty so they get a better deal. So dodge is your only avenue

Are you sure? Cummins actually does warranty these engines for 100,000. miles. I think Dodge is reimbursed for failures.

 

[seemore]

Are you sure? Cummins actually does warranty these engines for 100,000. miles. I think Dodge is reimbursed for failures.

I am pretty sure it's the other way. Cummins doesn't warranty anything on these engines, Dodge supplies the warranty! Other wise you could go to Cummins to have engine repairs done, And I'm pretty sure THAT ain't gonna happen!!

 

[TCluff]

i wouldnt waste my time with it

 

[dan.poitras]

You did not mention if the replacement water pump was a cummins recon or dodge over the counter part. If it was an aftermarket replacement you would probably be out of luck. I either case I'd just bite the bullet. It's not worth the aggrivation. Just my opinion.

 

[PRattenbury]

Most of my attempts to get satisfaction from Chrysler have been met with their standard 2 word reply... . Sorry, Sir.

 

[icman95]

I am pretty sure it's the other way. Cummins doesn't warranty anything on these engines, Dodge supplies the warranty! Other wise you could go to Cummins to have engine repairs done, And I'm pretty sure THAT ain't gonna happen!!

That does happen. There is a Cummins dealer not to far from my house and also not too far from my Dodge dealer. I haven't had reason to go there for warranty stuff (and it's out of it now), but I know they will do the warranty work if needed. I was there once to get a part and all along the walls were promotional posters of their engines and the machines they power. Right along with the big rigs and Onan generators was literature for the Dodge Rams. I felt as at home there as the Dodge dealer.

 

[jmadden]

the last time I asked a Cummins shop about warranty work... they said they don't do it direct, but they have had the dodge dealer send them truks to work on. they also had literature on the Ram... .

 

[foolkiller]

I had a water pump failure while on vacation in Yellowstone. I had it replaced at a local garage and it works just fine. I had it fixed locally because Dodge dealers said they could work on it in about 6 t0 10 days and both of these dealers were 60 to 110 miles away. Extended warranty plan people said it must be fixed at dealer and reimbursement by having it done locally would not be possible.

Is it worth my time to ask Cummins for reimbursement?

or should I still try for it at Dodge warranty plan?



Thanks.

i think you should type up a "professional" looking bill and send it in just so you can say you did it... ..... who knows? maybe you'll get a check.

 

[sag2]

Send the original receipt and a nice letter that explains the circumstances of why it was not towed to a dealer. Be sure you specifically ask for a reimbursement. I'm assuming you are in the power train warranty period. The address is in your warranty book as well as the owners manual. You have nothing to loose except some time and a stamp.

 

[NSperduto]

Cummins warranties for 100k and pays dodge to fix the stuff. Just had a buddy this summer that was out of his stock 36k stock warranty (had 80k on the truck) water pump went bad. Brought it to the dealer and they replaced the pump under warranty. He paid nothing.



Nick

 

[BillGotthelf]

I had a lift pup go out on my 96 dodge and it was towed to a Cummins shop in South Carolina. They replaced the pump and I paid. Got back from vacation and worked with Chrysler customer service who referred me to area rep. I sent him the receipt and 2 weeks later I got a check back.

 

[DPKetchum]

Sag2 and BillGotthelf hit the nail on the head. The ENGINE warranty has NO deductable until after 5 years. Its differant then the powertrain warranty. Cummins has always sold these engines to Chrysler with a NO WARRANTY. That deal has been since 1989. Some dealers if in a bad pinch are allowed to send engine repair to a Cummins store and they pay with a p. o. and then run a warranty claim. Have to hold it for rep to sigh off etc. But it was frowned upon and the dealer I was with the rep said NO. Gotta be fixed in house. Besides the Cummins dealer in South Atlanta was nasty to deal with and their comeback ratio was almost a 100% back then at least on Dodge trucks. (99 through 02)

 

[JWash1]

Vindication!

Cummins warranties for 100k and pays dodge to fix the stuff. Just had a buddy this summer that was out of his stock 36k stock warranty (had 80k on the truck) water pump went bad. Brought it to the dealer and they replaced the pump under warranty. He paid nothing.



Nick

That is the way I understood the warranty to work, Cummins warranty's the engines for 100k, Dodge does the repairs or sends the truck to Cummins as the case may be. Cummins ultimately pays for the repair. I have never before heard anyone say that "Cummins sells these engines to Dodge with No Warranty" as someone earlier stated.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

We have been told multiple times by Cummins and Dodge people that Dodge specifically buys the engines with no warranty from Cummins. Your warranty is through Dodge, period. If they farm the work out to a Cummins shop Dodge foots the bill. You have no warranty at all from Cummins.

That's very common with OEM's - it's just like self insuring. I'm sure if there was a major issue with a huge run of engines that they'd go after them for reimbursement but I'm not aware of that ever happening.

 

[jmadden]

if it's not a sin [it probably is]... I'll provide what might be a fine & similar example on warranty. Think about the issue between Ford & ITEC that made the news and the courts over the powerstrokes. There's been enough about it in the media... but if I recall things correctly [don't guaranty that I do and you can ALL go do your own research and then correct me]... Ford warranteed numerous 6. 0 powerstroke engine issues and thought ITEC should make good/pay for them [don't recall any breach of warranty claims]... when they didn't Ford stopped paying them... ITEC refused to provide the newest powerstroke and they both sued each other because... there was no warranty from ITEC to Ford on the engines.



Let the corrections fly

 

[PBrauer]

x2, x3, x4, etc. (to Steve St. Laurent's post)

Cummins has ZERO responsibility for these engines or anything else that they've sold to Dodge/Chrysler. Don't be fooled by individual experiences or other claims... a poster on the wall is not a contract.

As others have said here, that does NOT mean that a dealer can't authorize ANY other shop to perform work for THEM... and it makes sense that they might send a repair to a Cummins shop.

DC isn't going to pay for anything they don't have to. If you go to a non-Chrysler shop to get something fixed you will not get reimbursed unless a dealer decides to pull a paper-work stunt to fool Chrysler for you... and you can bet that Chrysler is as hard on the dealers as anyone, especially if they get caught "cheating". From the corporate perspective, dealerships are barely above the end users/owners when it comes to warranty claims.

Having said all that, there are probably quite a few Cummins shops around the country who already have a relationship established with one or more Chrysler dealerships where they can call up and pre-authorize work to be performed under warranty. In those cases it might seem like Cummins is paying the bill but I guarantee it'll either be Chrysler, you, or the dealership if Chrysler later denies it. Chrysler will pinch a dealer just as fast as a customer... and a dealership has a lot more to lose than the car/truck owner. Most, if not all US "auto" warranties border on organized crime, IMHO. If they were regulated as "insurance" under various state laws, most would be considered fraudulent. Never assume that they are "happy" to absorb warranty costs... someone gets paid to count all those beans too.

Edit: waited too long to save this post... expected it to follow Steve's.