Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Dealer won't check fuel pressure

[noland]

I dropped my truck off to have the power door locks reapaired, so I asked if they would also check the fuel pressure while it was there. (yes, I know i need gauges, I just haven't got them yet) He then asked me if it was running really bad, and I told him that it wasn't. He then said that they would only check it if I paid for it. I asked why do I have to pay since it is still under warranty, and was told that fixing a problem is covered but checking items that are giving no indication of problems is NOT covered.

Does this sound right or is he feeding me a load of frertilizer?

I thought that they would be willing to check it, especially given the notorious reputation that these lift pumps have developed.

 

[jelvington]

I just had mine checked Friday. They told me there would be a charge to check it but no charge if they had to do warranty work if there was a problem. My pressure was fine but they reflashed the ECM and looked it over for me and I got out the door with no charge.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

YUP - the guys correct - they have far better things to d with their time than spend it checking stuff that AIN'T broke - REGARDLESS of how nervous the customer might be about OTHER failures they've heard of... Put yerself in THEIR place - would YOU wanna spend endless hours on YOUR dime, checking out problems that don't exist?

 

[BV]

Dealers

Your should have mentioned that you noticed a low power or hard starting problem - This should give them a reason to check it out.

 

[Shovelhead]

Use the "runs rough, poor performance" speech.

Then they'll check it.



Dang I gotta learn to type faster.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Why do ya suppose it is, that some of US get HIGHLY upset when the dealer in some way "shafts" us over warranty work - YET, *we* see NO crime when WE attempt to "return the favor" by lying about defects or faults, even to the point of disabling ad-on power enhancers we KNOW FULL WELL will void warranties immediately before taking our trucks in for service or warranty work...



Conditional ethics are JUST as ugly - and WRONG - when WE do it, as it is when the DEALERS do it!

 

[WyoJim]

Gary... You are right on and I am glad to see you refer to them as the dealer instead of the stealer. That terminology is sure getting tiresome.

 

[Big_Daddy_T]

not i

I didnt fall asleep in ethics class either. Still they are a stealer with there 400% markup on items that are known to fail regularly ,i. e. lift pump. Ive never lied to the dealer about my truck because I AM MY OWN WARRANTY STATION. My truck does have low power and hard starting. The only warranty work i ever had done was a vp44 at 28k. It failed prior to any modifications.

 

[Mallory]

Always state a problem exists instead of "will you check whatever" I will never feel giulty doing this after getting the runaround and being lied to several times about the crappy steering on my truck. If you ever get your hands on a factory service manuel you will be amazed about all the lies you are told regarding factory specs. at least that is the case around my stomping ground.

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by Mallory

Always state a problem exists instead of "will you check whatever" I will never feel giulty doing this after getting the runaround and being lied to several times about the crappy steering on my truck. If you ever get your hands on a factory service manuel you will be amazed about all the lies you are told regarding factory specs. at least that is the case around my stomping ground.

Your right. My lift pump was dead "0"psi. The dealer asked if it was running bad, low power etc. I told them it was running fine other than my lift pump was not working. They reflashed the ecm and replaced the lift pump. This same dealer would not check my fuel pressure the month before. I ordered my FP guage from briar and it is the reason I caught the problem. As bad of a problem as the lift pumps are, any good dealer should check the lift pump every time they do an oil change on a CTD. Odds are they would get paid for warranty work from Dodge for the replacement of a lift pump. These service writers at the Dodge dealerships make up more crap than most car salesmen. I would tell them anything you want, to get the work done.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

"As bad of a problem as the lift pumps are, any good dealer should check the lift pump every time they do an oil change on a CTD. Odds are they would get paid for warranty work from Dodge for the replacement of a lift pump. "



You see, that's only YOUR opinion!



Here's MINE!



Unless you have data WE don't on exactly WHAT the REAL percentage of LP failures is on our trucks - the mere fact that we HERE in THIS group discuss it a lot DOESN'T necessarily mean the problem is up to epidemic proportions... And while they DO get paid by DC for warrenty work, it's NOT at the same rate they do for off-the-street, non-warranty work...



No matter HOW we try to squirm and rationalize it, CHEATING or lying/misleading to get warranty work for free, when we KNOW in our hearts we are NOT entitled to it, is no different than welfare, medicare, or SS cheating (or maybe you don't CARE about those?) - or gouging insurance companies on repairs that were NOT caused in the accident we are filing a claim for - SOMEONE eventually foots the bill for that stuff - usually, it seems to be ME!



So again, how DARE we bi+ch and moan about the lack of honesty and morality of OTHERS, and THEN two-facedly scramble wildly to grab OUR share of the "double standard" pie as it gets passed around? No one FORCED us to buy these trucks - and warranty issues are pretty much the same for all makes - so attempting to somehow paint ourselves as poor helpless "victims", and the dealers as "evil and greedy cheats" and "deserving to be taken advantage of" is a copout! They are NOT all bad, incompetent or dishonest - and as much as I want to avoid the appearance of preaching, NEITHER are MOST of US!



Either we are HONEST in ALL our dealings, or we're NOT - and "rationalizing" is merely another word for "lie" and "cheat" - and if you'll willingly do it to your local dealer in person, when it's to your benefit, HOW can I be sure you won't next do it to ME from a distance in some online deal you choose to get involved in?



"If we were all standing before God and man - clothed ONLY in our character and integrity, how much of our true nakedness would be revealed?"

 

[Pit Bull]

Gary - Man are you alright? Where did that come from I don't think you have to lose sleep over the members of the TDR taking unfair advantage of the Dodge dealer network. From what I have read on the TDR, I don't think you need to worry about the members of the TDR cheating or taking unfair advantage of anybody.

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by Gary - KJ6Q

"As bad of a problem as the lift pumps are, any good dealer should check the lift pump every time they do an oil change on a CTD. Odds are they would get paid for warranty work from Dodge for the replacement of a lift pump. "



You see, that's only YOUR opinion!

Gary, I think if you will check Steves lift pump failure survey, you will see that my concerns are based on fact not fiction.

 

[Sregorb]

I think there are two schools of thought here. One-preventative and Two-Reactive.



Reactive-Gary prefers to have a problem first and accept the inconvenience of the break down and then is justified in turning in the problem to the dealership for action. This course allows minimal costs as only those people with bona fide broken trucks get worked on and makes it 'easier' on the manufacturer/service.



Preventive-The other school of thought (the one I also subscribe to) is if there are some "Periodic Maintenance Inspection" tests that can performed on higher risk components they should be performed at the cost of the manufacturer since ultimately it,

a. provides data from normal to failure and when trended can determine symptoms prior to failure

b. Is a CONSUMER SATISFACTION concern in that if items are fixed before they are a problem then the consumer has less "down time" and therefore is happier with their major investment. I know if a dealership was proactive in preventing problems they would have my business.

c. allows more accurate data on service life and customer modifications. Vice customers doing all their own work and the info never reaching DC.



I would prefer to have 'trended failures' checked and ok'd or replace prior to my sitting on the side of the road. Just my . 02



Brian

c.

 

[Bigsaint]

With the history of failed pumps evident on this board, which is a small percentage of actual owners, you would think that they would want to check the lift pumps pressure, for nothing else but to avoid the cost of warranty on the VP44. Guess that requires thought and they ain't in that business.



Just check it yourself, even if they did check it they would probably not acutually take a road test with the gauge installed, just hook it up, bring the rpm's up to whatever they believe is a load and then call it a done deal. If you check the FP the correct way (under a load) and find a problem, get a new pump through Cummins and install it yourself. This way you know it was done right, you didn't lose the use of the truck for one or more days and you gained knowledge on one more aspect of your truck. Just my $0. 02.



Scott W.

 

[Shovelhead]

How about not waiting for the dealer to check the pressure.



Install a fuel pressure gauge and you can check it ALL the time.

They're not that expensive, won't void your warranty (at most dealers anyway ) and easy to install.

Best of all YOU will KNOW when your pump starts going "Tango Uniform" instead of waiting for someone else to find it.

 

[Mallory]

Wow do I feel bad! Even after taking my truck back over and over to get the same problem fixed, taking time off work ect... Only to hear it is fixed this time. And I should feel guilty about tring to head off a known problem that dodge fails to correct because it might take a little money from their pocket! How many times can someone get crapped on before they want to give a little back? Call me what you want :{ but no giultly feeling on my behalf!

 

[Ram4Sam]

Gary, nice sermon....

Wow, do I feel guilty



Gary, I see you have a new truck. Since you have been driving a 1st gen truck for a number of years, you have probably haven't had the pleasure of dealing with these dealers and warranty work. Hopefully your new truck will be as trouble free as mine has, only going back for a recall or two. But, until you experience

what others have gone through with many of these dealers, come down off your high horse. Wait until you have owned your new truck for a year or so and have made a few trips to the dealer for a warranty claim. Then come back and tell us who is

"CHEATING or lying/misleading"



Sam

 

[Shovelhead]

It's one thing to have a Drag Comp Box, huge injectors and try to get the dealer to warranty a head gasket, and another to have the same truck and the dealer deny ANY warranty claim for ANY item because of "modifications".

 

[IdaH.O.Train]

The way I see it, the consumer is almost forced into 'bending the truth' when it comes to problems with a vehicle. It's been my experience that MOST dealers are going to do the minimal amount of work necessary to get you in and out. Afterall, we all know how they operate by flagging jobs. The quicker they can get a job done, the more profit they can make on the job and the faster they can get to someone else. So, if you say you're experiencing a problem, they may look at one possible source of the problem, and if it's not there, say NPF (No Problem Found) and move on to the next vehicle. So I, personally, do not see a problem in having them check for known problems during a warranty period, even if it means having to describe a problem that does not YET exist. Besides, we've already eaten the added cost to the vehicle for anticipated warranty work, why not use it.