How to get the Dealer to listen

[EKoster]

Friend of mine has a 2005 CTD, aFe and cat-back exh and a noticeable chatter has developed from his turbo. Only seems to happen at +20 lbs or at lower boost and rough roads. Upon inspection the compressor wheel has obviously made contact with the compressor inlet and there is wear on the compressor wheel. In addition, the shaft has more than . 065 inches of radial play by the trusty old hand-o-meter. The dealer has inspected it and says it finds NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER with the turbo. He tried explaining to them that they must be mistaken, my friend had to drive up the grapevine at 1/4 throttle to keep boost below 8 lbs or the thing would chatter like an SOB with the undulating road on that thing. How can they not hear/notice an obvious problem? He thought he was doing the smart thing by bringing it in before the thing grenades and takes out the whole motor. Any suggestions? He's going to pick it up this morning and try to get a tech to take a test drive with him. Any help is appreciated. BTW, this is not the dealer he bought the truck from, they don't even have a diesel tech on hand.

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

Find a different dealer.

 

[CBrahs]

I would find another dealer or let it explode and take out the motor and get an all in 1 package. Have him call DC and open a CAIR complaint on it. Having it documented from both DC and the dealer. make sure the dealer puts on the invoice that there was no problem found so when it does explode he has proof that he complained of it and there is record. Just CYA!!

 

[EKoster]

Picked it up...still messed up

Once the engine warms up, the problem is still there. I suppose the tech just took her out cold and hammered on her and heard nothing. The visual inspection should still have turned up a problem. Can he call DC directly to open a CAIR complaint? What is that exactly? The invoice does state that "cust. complains of chatter from turbo" and "customer inspected turbo and found score marks???" and the inspection "found nothing abnormal, turbo assy is functioning properly at this time. " Knuckleheads. He's not malicous by any means and truthfully wanted to spare any dealer the anguish of a motor replacement. He's going to the next dealer in town next week. I can't believe the dealer he bought it from doesn't have a diesel tech... anyone on the boards looking for employment in Van Nuys, CA?

 

[CBrahs]

CAIR is DC version of a complaint or heat case. If there are any CAIR's open, when the dealer runs the VIP on your vehicle, it will show that there is a open CAIR. Lets the dealer know there is a heat case on that vehicle.

 

[Mark1si]

Let the whistle thingy blow. Then they will have to replase it. Im having the same trouble.

 

[EKoster]

Same symptoms Mark or same problem trying to get a competent technician to look at things? If its the same symptoms under what conditions do you notice it?

 

[cclark746]

put the biggest trailer you can find on it and put another ctd on the trailer and pull it around at wot till something bad happens then unload the good ctd and put the blown up one back on the trailer and bring it back to the dealer that said nothing was wrong

 

[olznut]

Ahh, good 'ol Valley Dodge, I remember when I had my Dakota, I went to take it in for some things and told them to fix it while I would be on vacaton for 2 weeks, and they told me they wouldn't even look at it, they were too booked up... ..... 2 WEEKS?!?! Good dealers out here are hard to find, good techs move sooo much, it ain't funny. At this time, I was dealt with decently at Dependable Dodge in Canoga Park.

 

[DSteimle]

yep, good techs are hard to find, good light duty diesel techs are almost none existant. you have better luck finding them at a small town dealer in an agricultural environment.



as for your complaint- be very persistant and document every attempt to diagnose the problem. even if you just swing by to let the tech ride with you, get the service advisor to open a ticket every time. it won't help you much now, but if you get out of warranty and it breaks the documentation can be very helpfull.



definitly try to find a dealer who has a tech that at least calls himself a "diesel tech"

 

[Bob4x4]

Let the whistle thingy blow. Then they will have to replase it. Im having the same trouble.

You really don't expect the stock turbo to live when running a tst do you? :-laf



Bob

 

[EKoster]

Bob, know anybody in the area that's a skilled hand in these matters?

 

[Bob4x4]

The turbo is a restricted part so Star will have to ok it. The tech will have to convince star the truck is stock. Beyond that no magic. Just take some time to work through the system.



Bob