Sold my truck.

[Paddy McMahon]

after replacing the o/d unit and then having the transmission die and leave me stranded on the side of the highway missing an important day at work I've called it quits. Truck was sold as-is yesterday. I already miss it, but the reality is that I don't haul, tow etc and I bought a little toyota that will work fine for me 95% of the time. I love the trucks that have the mighty C under the hood, but after two trucks and over a half million miles my lifestyle needs a small truck that takes up no space. Thanks to a great brotherhood of TDR members who have traded info w/ me and provided insight during the past ten years.

 

[BHiggins]

I'm thinking of selling mine... I had to do a clutch at 22k miles (over $2000. 00 out of pocket, Dodge wouldn't warranty it), and now the water pump is shot at 30k miles. Dodge IS covering the water pump, but I don't trust the truck to be reliable anymore. Damn shame too, I really liked this truck.

 

[HBarlow]

Brian,

I hope you don't overreact and make a very expensive mistake you'll regret. Many of us here have been mentioning the inherent weakness of the dual mass flywheel/clutch assembly since it was introduced in late 2005. Some members prefer manual transmissions and buy them anyway. Many dmf owners choose to replace the dmf/clutch assemble with a Southbend Clutch solid flywheel and clutch and then they are reliable for the long term.

Edit: I see now that your signature shows that you did convert your truck to solid flywheel. Your truck should be good for many miles and years now.

Early failure is common and should be expected. No manufacturer covers clutch failures considering them wear items. Apparently Dodge refuses to warranty the dmf also. I don't know their reasoning or how they justify declining coverage - perhaps based on some written policy.

Water pumps occasionally fail at low mileage but some go well beyond 100k miles. The good news is they are cheap and fairly easy to replace. You may never experience another failure.

If you like your truck don't get discouraged over a couple of problems. All complex mechanical devices have an occasional part failure.

 

[BHiggins]

The problem I had with Dodge, is that they misdiagnosed the the problem from the start. The dmf WOULD be covered under the warranty, if it had been diagnosed correctly. Dodge told me it was the clutch disc, which isn't covered past 12k miles. I didn't want to PAY the dealer to install the same crappy clutch that only went 22k miles, so I opted for the South Bend. It wasn't until I got the old unit out that I realized it was the flywheel slipping and not the clutch disc. I tried (unsuccessfully) to recoup some of my expenses for the South Bend by going directly to Dodge corporate, claiming their tech's misdiagnosis cost me alot of money, but my complaints fell on deaf ears... As far as the "couple of problems" go, I'm upwards of half a dozen in less than 30k miles. My old trucks didn't give me a half a dozen problems in over 440k miles combined.

 

[HBarlow]

I think a vague memory is returning now of when you reported that issue some time back.

"Dodge" is a division of Chrysler. You had no dealing with Dodge or Chrysler and Dodge did nothing wrong. Your complaint was with a dealership.

You can't hold Dodge responsible for errors or mistakes made by a dealership. A dealer is a separate entity responsible for mistakes made by employees.

 

[BHiggins]

Semantics... I called all the way to the Dodge/Chrysler headquarters BECAUSE I had a problem with the dealership (and the dealership did NOTHING to remedy the problem). In their defense, I didn't expect any other outcome, I just wanted it on record in case there was ever a recall on the dmf... Please don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking Dodge across the board. The biggest problem I've had to date WAS caused by the DEALER'S misdiagnosis (as you said). But when you have to do a clutch in a brand-new truck with only 22k miles, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Then only 8000 miles later, the water pump starts leaking... It just leaves me with a feeling of "what's next?", instead of the invincible feeling I got with my older trucks. I'd also like to add that this was not my first problem dealing with a Dodge dealership. When my truck was in for the J-35 recall, the local Dodge dealership damaged my truck. They ADMITTED damaging my truck, told me they would pay for the damage, but never did. Here we are two years later and I still haven't gotten reimbursed for the repairs. That's why I started going to the second dealership in the first place, and then they were the ones who misdiagnosed the dmf problem. So essentially, every Dodge dealership I've ever dealt with has cost me money out of pocket, for repairs that should have been covered. When you have one bad incident after another with a company (as I have), you quickly lose faith in that company.

 

[HBarlow]

Brian,

What you label "semantics" and, regardless of your words, blame Dodge the product manufacturer for, I would consider bad choices and unwillingness to accept responsibility.

I and many other TDR members knew back in late 2005 that trucks with the newly introduced G-56/dmf trucks would be troublesome. I owned a high mileage but very satifactory '01 with NV-5600 and was in the market for a replacement '06 with manual six speed. I drove one and didn't like the gearing and asked knowledgeable friends about the dmf. I learned of Furd's experience with dmfs and decided I didn't want any of that. I bought an automatic. My choice, my responsibility.

Two or more years later when the information was available on TDR you chose a G-56 w/dmf. Your choice and your responsibility. Predictably the dmf failed at low mileage as many of them do and all of them will do eventually. The failure was disappointing and expensive to repair but should not have been a surprise.

You claim that employees of a Dodge dealership damaged your truck. If that's true why didn't you file suit in small claims court against them. Dodge the corporation has no responsibility for what dealers do.

A water pump leaked so now you are so discouraged have "lost faith in the company. " Wow. Did someone promise you a lifetime of service free of product failures or with free maintenance and repair?

Water pumps and other components fail. Its no big deal. You'll get over it.

 

[BHiggins]

So you're saying that it's somehow my fault that Dodge made failure-prone product, because of something that Ford did years ago? By that logic, Dodge (and any other manufacturer) shouldn't have to honor any warranties, because the buyer should have been aware that the product would break. Accepting responsibility is what all of my above posts are about, but you've got it backwards. It shouldn't be MY responsibility if the truck is under warranty... And as far as your comment "water pumps and other components fail, it's no big deal, you'll get over it", you obviously didn't read my posts thoroughly. I've also had computer problems, and numerous no-starts. All in all I've had over a half a dozen incidents (some major, some minor) with this truck, and it only has 30,000 miles. I applaud your good fortune if you have a 3rd gen truck that's been reliable for you, but mine has not. I'm stating fact from personal experience. One of the great things about TDR is the ability to post negative experiences as well as positive. I have had a series of negative experiences not only with my truck, but with Dodge in general. Again, these are facts and as such, aren't open to interpretation. A half-dozen no-starts, a clutch, a water pump, a radio, and three recalls in less than 30k miles is not "no big deal" as you put it, not for a $40,000. 00 truck.

 

[Yo Hoot]

We had a Chevy Fullsize Blazer for many years. After a few years the A/C system needed a recharge every spring. It was still under warranty. They never found out the cause of the leak. Finally one year they did another leak check and found the compressor was the culprit. They quoted me $800 to replace it and the rest of the system.

I said WHAT? Every year you refill it and now that it's out of warranty you find an $800 problem??? I called GM.

Long story short, they honored the warranty even though it was out of warranty, since it was a pre-existing condition.

Taking a huge financial hit because the clutch went and a $35 water pump? You must have other reasons.

 

[BHiggins]

Like I said, it's more than just the clutch and the water pump (which Dodge IS covering, by the way). It's at least a half a dozen other things ALONG WITH the clutch and pump. The most obvious of those is the mysterious no-starts. The truck has left me stranded more than once. It's gotten common enough that I started carrying a wrench to disconnect both batteries for a few minutes (which somehow "fixes" the mysterious no-starts... At least for now). Dodge found nothing wrong when it was under warranty, but now that you told me your story, it wouldn't surprise me if Dodge found a big problem now that it's OUT of warranty... As I stated above, if Harvey has a good reliable 3rd gen truck, that's a good thing for him... I on the other hand, don't have a good reliable 3rd gen truck.

 

[Yo Hoot]

Sounds like I'd be PO'd too. No starts are aggravating.

 

[BHiggins]

Thank you, you seem to be the first person here that agrees with me. I've had a bunch of problems with my brand-new truck, and Dodge hasn't exactly lept at the opportunity to do the right thing... Like honoring the warranty, or fixing a truck they damaged.

 

[HBarlow]

I've owned two troublefree Gen III trucks. One with a 5. 9 and the current one with a 6. 7. I had only minor problems in 230k miles of commercial hauling with the '06 and only one, a bad u-joint at 75k with the current one.

I avoid products and features I know will be trouble prone like G-56/dmf, accept responsibility for my decisions and anything that does go wrong like the u joint, and never whine and complain.

 

[BHiggins]

I've had nothing but problems with my truck (which only has 30k miles), and in voicing my dissatisfaction, you say I'm "whining and complaining"? Keep drinking the kool-aid buddy, the internet is full of trolls like you... People who hurl insults when someone else's opinion differs from their own.

 

[HBarlow]

Brian,

I didn't characterize you. I only spoke of what I do.

Feeling a bit guilty?

 

[BHiggins]

I'm not feeling guilty about anything... I bought a brand new truck, and I've had ALOT of problems with it. I've had over 12 individual problems in less than 30,000 miles. They've included the clutch, the water pump, the radio, the exhaust brake, the anti-theft, and numerous no-starts... That may be acceptable to you, but it is decidedly UNACCEPTABLE to me. I have EARNED the right to complain about my truck. If your truck is as reliable as you say, think about if the opposite were true... Walk a mile in my shoes Harvey. If ANY of your trucks had presented the amount of problems that I've had, you would complain too. I understand you're a fan of Dodge/Cummins, and I was too (since 1992). But my new truck has changed my view of Dodge, and that is my opinion... You don't have to agree with my opinion, but you should at least respect it.

 

[CUMMINZ]

I just had an a/c compressor failure after 61,000. The dealer said that 15 minutes after I drove out another 2007. 5 drove in with the same failure.

 

[HBarlow]

I'm not feeling guilty about anything... I bought a brand new truck, and I've had ALOT of problems with it. I've had over 12 individual problems in less than 30,000 miles. They've included the clutch, the water pump, the radio, the exhaust brake, the anti-theft, and numerous no-starts... That may be acceptable to you, but it is decidedly UNACCEPTABLE to me. I have EARNED the right to complain about my truck. If your truck is as reliable as you say, think about if the opposite were true... Walk a mile in my shoes Harvey. If ANY of your trucks had presented the amount of problems that I've had, you would complain too. I understand you're a fan of Dodge/Cummins, and I was too (since 1992). But my new truck has changed my view of Dodge, and that is my opinion... You don't have to agree with my opinion, but you should at least respect it.

You're beginning to bring tears to my eyes. You have clearly been treated unfairly. I'm feeling so sad for you.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

My tire just went flat. I'm selling this POS tomorrow!!

 

[BHiggins]

Apparently your douchebaggery knows no bounds.