Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Need Advice, please help

[Firehunter]

In the past i posted about too much smoke coming from my blow-by. so i took it to holly dodge here in ct. after they talk to STAR the chrysler hot line they told the dealer to go ahead and get into the engine. they called me back and tell me that there are five bad pistons that are worn. but there is no scoring or signs of overheating.

so hear is the kicker, my truck only has 61,000 miles on it, so the truck is still under warranty. after chrylser found the problem they told that they will not honor my warranty because i have Pacbrake on the truck.

Next i call Cummins and they tell me no way that this would cause the problem, and that dodge offers an exhaust brake as an option when you buy the truck. Then i call chrylser direct and they tell me the decision was make and there nothing they can do. i ask who made the decision they tell me the district manager. i ask for his name and number and they said they don't know who it is. so i call the dealer back and they tell his name but not how i can get a hold of him.

Next i call Pac brake talk to the warranty manager and he says they have to do a back pressure test on the brake to see if it is putting out more than 60 PSI . This is a set limit by pacbrake and is the standard for cummins engines.

So i call the dealer back they tell me that they have to put truck back together to do the test. they also tell me that it will cost me $1200 to put the truck back together and that i will have to pay for the test. This is just not right.

I feel that chrylser is really screwing me. I don't understand how can't appeal this decision, i can't talk to the person who made this decision, and they want me to pay for the truck to be put back together and nothing is fixed.

i am aware of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. which stats that you can not denied you warranty unless the dealer can prove the aftermarket part cause the problem.

So how am I going to get this solved. i am prepared to fight this to the end. how can i get this decision reversed. is there any literature out there to help me with my case. i am very fustrated and out of ideas any help would be nice, thanks for reading.

 

[Joe Mc]

That stinks and isn't fair at all. Did you give your permission to tear into the engine or, did they do it on Star's instruction alone? I'd start by making an appointment with the top person at the dealership, not the Service Manager. Do not elude to the reason you want an appointment, if they insist on a reason make it "customer satisfaction" related and that you wish to not be directed to anyone else at present as you wish to resolve the issue locally. Once in the office be prepared, ask for business card and take notes, have a script of sorts highlighting your issues. Explain your case to the person concluding with the Magnusin-Moss Warrranty Act and Cummins's stance on the issue. If you can find information on the warranty act that you can print and provide to the person he/she may realize you are not the typical run of the mill knuckle head that they can make go away. If they still stand firm, ask for written reason for denial of warranty (if not documented yet) and insist that you immediately speak with the District Manager whom made the decision. Unfortunately this may leave a bitter taste if legal representation is required to help you. Fight them to the end as you paid a hefty price for the Cummins and it's warranty. Sorry to hear about this. Good luck.

 

[p-Bar]

And if that doesn't work try pickiting the dealership (last resort)

 

[Holysmokes]

LOL... Dodge warranty SUCKS!!!!! Ive tried to get them to pay for a transmission that was 400 miles out of warranty... nope. Then tried to get them to take care of the door rot issue that I have with my truck. NOPE. The truck is only 5 years old! Good Luck man. BTW When I talked to cust service they told me I had to Pay a service charge to get a diag. on my door rot issue then they would contact me as to weather or not they would pay for the repair. I paid the $100 and the service manager said " yep,your right, your doors are rusting. " I told him "NO S#@T" ... ... They contacted me and said NOPE! AND YOU THOUGHT THEIR MOTTOWAS FOR THEIR TRUCK. . ITS NOT ITS FOR THEIR CUST SERVICE;IF YOU CANT DODGE IT,RAM IT! :-laf Thats why I cant believe these guys spend 30k-55k on a dodge truck. I know,i know " fords and chevy are the same way. " I had a chevy it was a 1993. NO RUST AT ALL. NONE. rant over

 

[Joe Mc]

Firehunter, Let us know if you authorized them to tear into the engine. Is going to another dealer an option? Probably not since they "say" the District Manager made the decision . . . if they don't give up the DM's contact info you may wish to challenge them "did they even call a DM? If so then why not give him up"? Do not accept "it's not out policy".



You know p-Bar has a good point about picketing the dealership. Check w/the local police to see if they have a "policy" on picketing, god only knows you may need a permit? If you need one and don't have you could get locked up and fined only making matters worse for you. If you find it's OK to picket and it ends up being the last resort first try asking the dealer's Boss if he/she has ever heard of the TDR? Regardless, don't forget to mention that the organization is 15,000 members strong and that every member owns a Dodge with the Cummins Turbo Diesel. (I used this tactic when dealing with Cummins over a faulty lift pump - they over-nighted me a refund check no questions asked and never asked for the LP to be returned. ) And then you might want to ask how it would appear to their potential & existing customers to have as little as 2 or as many as 50 of our trucks parked along the front of the dealership with banners reading "Holly Dodge Unfair to Customers, Don't Honor Warranty!"? If closer I'd come up and join in. Keck we could even make this a new annual event? Not to black mail them but, to entice them honor the warranty without all the BS - for Pete's sake it's enough to make a person insane #@$%! . Don't forget the time honored display of becoming loud when the showroom is full of new & potential buyers. If I was on the fence and some mad man was raving about being unfairly treated at least after escaping the show room I'd seek another dealer or even jump manufacturers???



Good Luck. Keep us up to date.



Joe Mc

 

[Paychk]

first try asking the dealer's Boss if he/she has ever heard of the TDR? Regardless, don't forget to mention that the organization is 15,000 members strong and that every member owns a Dodge with the Cummins Turbo Diesel.

Make that 25,693 strong!





TDR Roundtable Statistics

Threads: 124,098, Posts: 1,194,145, Members: 25,693

Welcome to our newest member, D. Schultz

 

[Firehunter]

Yes, they did ask me if they should open up the engine. They also made me feel that since star said it was ok they where going to honor the warranty and that if they weren't going to charge me to take it apart why would they charge me to put it back together. maybe i am at fault for letting them do it. but there was no other way to find the problem that has been plauging my truck since april. i had to pass in all records of maintance before they got into it. You would think if they got the go ahead after they reviewed my records they would at least put it back together. i trying to set up meetimg for tues. or wed. of this week. we will see what happens when i demand to talk to the decision maker.

 

[p-Bar]

You may need an attorney on stand by let know you have one if all else fails

 

[bavrit]

Did they know that you had a pac brake on your vehicle before it was tore down? If so, they should have notified you that this may void your warranty.

 

[Firehunter]

Yes, they had to known about the pac brake because before they did this, they tried fixing the problem by putting on a relocator kit on the blowby. and yes that was covered under my warranty.

 

[Firehunter]

So now they refused to have a meeting face to face and said the desicion was made by chrylser and i havet to deal with them. Other than the customer service number , does anyone know who i could call or a number i can call to speak to someone who can give some help and stop giving me the runaround?

 

[Casey Ray]

So now they refused to have a meeting face to face and said the desicion was made by chrylser and i havet to deal with them. Other than the customer service number , does anyone know who i could call or a number i can call to speak to someone who can give some help and stop giving me the runaround?

Stop playing their game, and get yourself a lawyer. You have a warrenty item, you have to level the playing field. There are attorney's that specialize with this type of circumstance. Consult with one tomorrow!



Take care and all the best with this,



Casey

 

[Casey Ray]

http://www.lawyercitysearch.com/state/connecticut_lawyers.html



You should be able to locate someone to help you here.



l8er,



Casey

 

[Joe Mc]

Yea, F-them rottin rat ba$t@rd$, dirty low life slim sucking dogs. Time to pull out the big guns. Call one of the sharks Hoof Hearted referred to since they deal with this stuff. Ask if they think you should get a rental of "like and kind", while your's is down. Hopefully you have been keeping good notes I. E. name, position, date, time of everyone you spoke with. And, asked for documentation from the dealer doing the work every step of the way. And, only gave them copies of all your maintenance records. Man this sucks BIG TIME. Sorry for your troubles, good luck and please do keep us up to date on the situation.

 

[Joe Mc]

Firehunter, Wondering what's happening? Any news?

 

[Firehunter]

well, not much has changed yet, the dealer is more or less on our side and we are fighting hard with Chrysler, we have talked to the zone rep. and he has tryed to confirm a meeting and the people above him still won't authorize it. I have been on the phone everyday, we even went to motor vechical and they are threating the dealer to move on this issue or they might lose their liscence. so that got there attention. as of right now the issue is in corperate hands. we are going to email them of potential legal action today, hopfully that will get some attention. i'll let you now what happens next.

 

[Mactruck]

Update:

He is STILL dealing with it. It is STILL torn apart but there has been some very serious issues with the dealer and how they have handled it. Some new information has come to light that shows the dealer is shunning their responsibility. I cant be more detailed due to possible litigation issues .

I am flabberghasted because this is the dealer I bought my truck from and I will never go back there again. PERIOD!

 

[jhyatt]

i thought holly dodge was different, i bought my truck there also but every time i call about fixing stuff i. e. intercooler, ujoints, they seem clueless but they do have one good tech his name is joe ,i hope they do right bye u

 

[jhyatt]

p. s. ill let the guys in the local group know about this also

 

[Firehunter]

I filed my formal complaint this week to motor vechicles and talk to them on phone today. they said they will look into it and yet back to me next week. i also sent the same complaint to the attorney generals office where it is also being looked into. lets hope i get some results soon, I really want my truck back and fixed!!!

Holly Dodge is really sticking it to me hard, stay away if you know whats good for you.

just a note: they want to charge me to pick my truck up as is and my last invoice says no charge on the repair slip, things really smell fishy here!!