Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Worthless Dealer!!-Long

[jman]

Before I start let me tell you that I understand the risks of modifying my beloved CTD and will accept responsibility if an aftermarket part I put on is the cause of the problem!!



I take my pick-up to a Denver area dealer to have surging problem fixed that I posted on a while back. I won't disclose the name of the dealer on the board, but if you PM me I would be glad to give you that information. High idler was off as was EZ and MegaCannon when I took it in. I tell them symptoms and they are going to run diagnostics. They call and say they cannot continue any furthur because of "obvious tampering". I ask what was tampered with and of course service writer has no clue and tells me if they go any farther they can void my warranty!! I play stupid and tell them I will be in to pick it up shortly.



Here is what the tech has written down on the workorder and I am quoting here.



1. Obvious signs of tampering

2. Spout connector clean at Cummins Diag. Connector

3. MAP Sensor connector clean

4. Bolts on plenum and APPS sensor scored

5. APPS connector has been unplugged



If the EZ caused the problem fine, I'll accept responsibility, but because the paint is scored on some bolts seem a little insane. And on top of that they charge me a diagnostic fee to tell me nothing!! I agree the gauges give a good clue it maybe isn't stock, but come on.



Sorry so long, but I had to rant a little!!



jman

 

[Mundgyver]

Is your surging happening when you have the cruise control engaged??? or does it happen at other times as well???

 

[jman]

Mundgyver,



It only happens after you start it cold and it isn't the grid heaters cycling on and off as you can hear them cycling as well. Other that that is runs great. The up, down, up down variance only lasts the duration of the grid heater cycle too. I don't know what it is, but I will clean the IAT and see if this does anything, but it is getting pretty warm here so we may have to wait until next winter to figure it out.



Maybe the paint on the bolts is what is causing the surge. I'll go repaint them so they aren't scored and see if that helps. :--)



jman

 

[Shovelhead]

Just for S & Gs try cleaning the battery terminals.

Have the batteries been load tested?

Could be a bad cell/corrosion pulling the voltage down too far.

 

[jman]

I actually did clean the battery terminals and tighten them up good. The up down is constant and not frequent enough I don't think to be a voltage problem, but who knows. It is so hard to describe in writing because if I could give a good description I'm sure this board could figure it out.



I will have the batteries checked when I get time and give that a shot. It doesn't seem to be a drivability concern right now and my mpg hasn't changed yet, so I'm not stressing to bad, would just like to fix it if I could.



Thanks for the ideas!!



jman

 

[jrandol]

Gosh, these guys are simply amazing! I thought I had a bad experience at a dealership. Yours tops it jman! I would try another Dodge Dealership, maybe they wont be such jerks about things. Best of luck to you jman, that is really frustrating

 

[DEZLPWR]

Insert TDR censored replacement word for bad dealer here: #@$%! #@$%!



What a MAJOR crock of BS!

 

[NVR FNSH]

Originally posted by jman



Here is what the tech has written down on the workorder and I am quoting here.



1. Obvious signs of tampering

2. Spout connector clean at Cummins Diag. Connector

3. MAP Sensor connector clean

4. Bolts on plenum and APPS sensor scored

5. APPS connector has been unplugged

And why aren't those signs of 'tampering'? Even if the parts changers at a dealership are idiots it's pretty obvious when something has been removed before taking a vehicle to the dealer.



Brian

 

[ACoyle]

Don't know or want to know the dealer involved. You could find this link helpful.



http://dodgeram.info/survey_dealer/CO/0_co.htm



From what links that I have read here. They do not need much to void the warranty. It seems that you got "Out" with yours.



All of us have to expect to pay if ew play. Maybe better luck with a different dealer, maybe Cummins.



All of this is my own opinion. I can appreciate your feelngs.

 

[BillH]

NVR FNSH, has it ever ocurred to you that some just keep their engine compartment clean, including connectors? I know I do.



BillH

 

[Pit Bull]

Could be worse, you could of bought your truck used and thought you had a 5 year 100K engine warranty and found out it had been tampered with?

 

[Jamie Attridge]

My dealer has been nothing but helpful. This week I called the service manager about my balljoints being toast. I told Him I have airride and the truck is lowered his response was are the balljoints still stock I said yes he said no problem he will warranty anything that is still stock on my truck. He said Even though the air bags are in there and its lowered who is he to say if they caused the problem. I do have a side note and I hate to bash dodge but this is a heavy duty truck or is supposed to be don't you think they could put 4 greasable balljoints on it! I tried to buy greasable ones no one makes em only 2 of em! To top it off its about 650 bucks CDN for the joints.

 

[Jetson]

How can the dealer say the problem was caused by anything that was done to the truck? They don't even KNOW WHAT the problem is.



I would do the simple things known to cause problems before taking my truck to the dealer. IE: disconnecting and reconnecting connectors is known to correct readings at sensors due to poor electrical connections. This would cause those connectors to be CLEAN.



I have been known to have an HONEST mechanic check my truck before the last resort of taking it to a dealer. Should that void my warranty? Is my mechanic not good enough to unplug or disconnect anything to test it?

 

[NVR FNSH]

Originally posted by BillH

NVR FNSH, has it ever ocurred to you that some just keep their engine compartment clean, including connectors? I know I do.



BillH

Your entire engine compartment is clean - not just areas around specific connectors. Big difference IMO. Screw heads being scored and connectors showing signs of having been disconnected are evidence that 'something' has been done. What that 'something' is is what needs to be determined. The mechanic/dealer should have determined what was wrong and then made the case for denying warranty if the problem could be traced back to the 'something'. IIRC DC issued orders to dealers stating to deny warranty if there is evidence of tampering. I'd say there is circumstantial evidence. Maybe he should have cleaned the entire engine compartment first. Or maybe he shouldn't try and defraud DC/dealer by removing the aftermarket components... .

Originally posted by Jetson

I would do the simple things known to cause problems before taking my truck to the dealer. IE: disconnecting and reconnecting connectors is known to correct readings at sensors due to poor electrical connections. This would cause those connectors to be CLEAN.

Agreed. But wouldn't you also tell the service writer what you have done to try and find the problem? This should prevent the 'tampering' issue from coming up.





Brian

 

[Jetson]

"wouldn't you also tell the service writer what you have done to try and find the problem? This should prevent the 'tampering' issue from coming up. "





I do tell them. I have never seen them write it down. The "tech" would not know when he started his tampering investigation. I would have no proof that I told anyone. I doubt the service writer would remember, especially if he was trying to weasle out of a warranty claim.

 

[jman]

NVR FNSH,



I agree that I should not be given anything under warranty if something I have done caused the problem, but they never even found the problem. They just called me and said it had been tampered with! Yes there was an EZ on it and yes I took it off before going so the spout connector was obviously clean. The MAP sensor was plugged into the EZ pigtail so my fingers must have cleaned it when I unplugged it. I told the service writer it had a high idler on it that used the APPS plug and I also told him that the plenum was removed when I had the gauges put in as my boost gauge is in the intake horn. Besides, trying to void a warranty for scored bolts is beyond ridiculous! And on top of this charge me $100 for diagnostics and all you told me was my bolts are missing paint. They could have saved us both a lot of time by telling me when I walked in that they didn't want my business from that day on, cause they sure aren't getting it again!!!



I guess I don't give a rats a** at this point because I have only had one problem out of 10 fixed anyway and I'm sure there is a big flag next to my name in the system. At least if you take it to a diesel shop they actually know the difference between gas, diesel and rice and you will probably get your problem fixed.

 

[2-ND TIME]

dddealers BAD!!!!!

Glad NO !!! unhappy to to hear that others are haaving problems with dealers as well! The one that I made the mistake of buying mine from still won't warranty the lift pump even though it was going bad at 11 months come to think ooof it they have been NO HELP AT ALL :-{} :-{} :-{} never met such a ___________ alot. As for the greasable ball joints don't remember them being as expensive as that $650. 00? they are worth it though. for that matter I made greasaeable swaybar links that was easy.

 

[John Berger]

Probably 95% of all warrantable (read denied coverage) problems on our vehicles can be avoided with a service manager that has the right attitude about fixing your vehicle. You must have got a turd for a SM. Sorry to hear about that. When I asked my service manager about my transmission warranty after the mainshaft was installed they said no problem on the other parts if something does go bad. They also know that I'll take the truck to them after warranty, and they installed my SBC and the mainshaft and made money off of me. It's nice to know they're not turds. They like the truck also and know about all of the BOMB's. I'm fortunate. Your dealer should have at least diagnosed the problem and asked you about the tampering instead of just hiding behind the pat excuse.

 

[jman]

I couldn't agree with you more John. I would have been a little more inclined to do business with them again if they would have found the problem. They charged me $100 diagnosis fee and told me nothing, except that my intake horn and TPS bolts were scratched. If they would have said the TPS had been unplugged and the plug was damaged causing the problem I would have stepped to the plate and said I must have damaged it when installing of uninstalling the high idler. I do not expect anyone to pay for my screw ups!!



I guess it is over now and time to move on. I just hope nobody else has an experience like this one.

 

[K_Arts]

JMan. . sorry to hear about your problems. Unfortunatley we all have to find out the hard way that there really are only a few good dealers out there.



I'll probably get scored for this one, but from what you mentioned about this dealers attitude problem, it sure does sound like the attitude that I got from our beloved dealer off of 6th Ave and Colfax in Golden (thus mentioning the name). Definately stay away from these guys.



I had to take my truck back in a week after I bought it. . cause they promised me a stereo that they "Couldn't find" so they ended up buying me a spray in bedliner instead. Though when I dropped my truck off, they called me later that day and threatened to void my warranty cause of a K&N RE-0880 filter. Why they were even under my hood beats me. .



Just be careful on where you take your truck. You may call the Chrysler Service department and talk to them about this BS. I'd also take pictures of what this dealer said was "wrong" with your truck and I'd send them to Chrysler. Let DC decide if having a clean sensor is worth voiding a warranty!!!!



Kev