It already is anyway.You would not believe the out of warranty non maintained JUNK I watched THEM buy warranty repairs on.The HIGH end autos and trucks hardly cost any more to produce then the bottom of the line stuff.Let them buy some QUESTIONABLE warranty repairs on 40k trucks and retain a loyal truck buyer.THEY DID in the HOT ROD years.They all bought LOTS of warranty items on auto's with the SHOE POLISH NUMBERS still on the windshield.Every Monday morning we had a slew of Pontiacs towed in with blown engines,clutch's/trans etc.the word was FIX IM. Ford at this time is turning/voiding warranty on any 6.0 with any little excuse.Lots of folks on the FORD site comment its their LAST one with that attitude and their truck is not the one in question.A little sugar in the correct direction goes a long way.If any HINT to it being questionable it needs to fall to the comsumers benifit.

 

Exactly right, Neil. My Ford dealer never made a stink about my gauges, exhaust, or Donaldson filter (although I never had a filtration-related warranty claim).

So far, my Dodge dealer, with whom I have an almost 10 year business relationship, hasn't said boo about my gauges. However, as much as I want to, I am not going to put an intake (read: any type of "big" filter) on here. Cant' risk it.

Back to CCoughran's issue - let's just see what his diagnoses is.

 

Hounddog you are trying to justify something you know is wrong if some dealers do things they're not supposed to they're wrong to its simple if the dealer jumped off a cliff would you do it to. the point is if you did something to your engine that cummins says not to(like tampering with the fuel system) it rightfully should void cummins of any responsibility to the stated warrenty as that warrenty was put on a product in its unaltered state, any changes of the product are out of thier control so why do you think that they should warrenty it. if they should then they should send us all paychecks for working on the engines. all it is is FRAUD and it costs me because I'm honest and i don't much care for paying it.

 

If in any way its a QUESTIONABLE failure and NOT obvious it needs to to fall to the OWNERS benifit.Thats just GOOD business.if someone takes it in with a BOX on it shame on them.If THEY think a aftermarket air filter or exhaust caused a failure well PROVE it or FIX the thing will a smile is what I'm saying.I've found bbees in turbo waste gate lines on Z cars etc.we just handed them back with a grin and a minor shame on you and fixed the trans and got PAID & kept a customer.Same from time to time on Cummins stuff.Sometimes it benifits all to KEEP your MOUTH shut.It also paid a lot better then whining that the TECH THINKS it was modified or I bet it was etc.On the FORD site their trying to use a FLOWER pattern on the piston to show it had a BOX on it.Many posts from techs on big rigs that that is HOG wash.Thats a common pattern and the BOX dosen't change the spray pattern of the injector.As many things as the manufactures scrimp on and delete(under hood lights etc)as many trucks as they sell and as MANY engines Cummins sells let them give the benifit of doudt to the comsumer.Hell they roll over and buy tires that were obvious alignment ruined.Now that sticks in my throat if someone driving the auto/truck dosent notice it till the STEEL cord is showing is obvious neglect but THEY buy tires and alignments WAY out of the 12./12.You'd have to work in a dealer service dept to see the kind of crap a manufacture DOES buy and at what mileages.You'd be shocked.

 

The manufacturer whether Dodge, Ford, or GM builds a vehicle and states the terms of the warranty. If we don't abide by their terms they have the right to deny coverage. We don't like it because we want to modify our vehicle but they have made the rules. It really doesn't matter if the modification caused the problem or not. If they say don't modify and then find mods they have the right to say the warranty is void.

This has become a thread about ethics. If we have to hide something from DC then we are tryng to cheat them or we are lying to them. Wrong is wrong no matter how rich or poor the person or corporation may be and it doesn't matter if they are trying to cheat us. Two wrongs still don't make a right.

 

I think its a lot DEEPER then that.A BOX dosen't cause the ac to fail or the BIG exhaust cause the right rear caliper to fail.You see my point.I had D.C.turned down a injection pump and tranfer pump due to BANKS add ons.Banks said our ADD ONS did not cause this failure and BANKS supplied us with a injection pump and tranfer pump.Banks commented WE will DEAL with D.C. on this issue.Not MANY moons later WE(dealer)saw MANY more PUMPS go bad.They are called VP44s! Andf WE ALL know why they go bad.The TECH who talked to STAR on the FIRST one with Banks goodies said between all the PHONE time and wasted days and motions that HE'D never make a comment about AFTERMARKET items unless HE was POSITIVE it caused a failure.I agree.If in DOUDT the COMSUMER/OWNER should have it fall in his favor.Actually this argument happens a LOT more with stuff thats BEEN WRECKED then modified and then its a THREE RING CIRCUS.Insurance/Body shop/Warranty etc.Can be a ROYAL PAIN! And the whole deal is NOT whats BROKE or needing repair but WHO'S PAYING.In those cases if in DOUDT it always goes WARRANTY.Whats differant?

 

I read the "spagnum peat moss" act makes it different. Proof that after market caused the failure needs to be established for dealer to void warranty?
Does a 30,000 lb rated hitch in the bed of my truck mean I have exceeded the capabilities of my drive train and void factory coverages? Shouldn't, but I'd probably take it out to avoid conflict at the dealers.

My tranny went out at 67,000 mi. with no warranty. 15000 mi later the daeler said the knocking I heard was a flex plate problem obviously related to the non warranteed tranny rebuild [$2800] and as such dealer wanted $1200 to proceed further with diagnostics. I had tranny dropped and personally delivered the flex plate and aftermarket heavy duty torque converter [replaced crap factory unit] showing no malfunction what so ever and yet dealer attemped to avoid warrantee repair. I fronted expense of three weeks of towing the truck here and there, tranny shop [no names!] R and R, and 3 weeks lost annual vacation time and final engine diagnosis at yet another dodge garage to show that in fact #5 rod bearing had spun on the crankshaft. Happens.

My aggrivation and expense did not affect the cost of repairs or purchase price of anyone elses truck but perhaps the huge effort and time commited to the runaround to void tranny coverage and "avoid" engine warranty by DC dealer was a budgeted item in someones business and marketing plan design. Maybe not. I do know that without help to the tune of about $6700 this truck sucked for power, economy and over all performance and that does not include the new short block DC put in. Which, after a one hour highway run at 75-80 mph the motor only shows 20psi oil press, 5psi fuel press wot and I swear it has a low end knock with 4000 mi on the rebuild! 10,000mi left on 100,000 mi warranty to prove itself.
CC. check this consumer protection act-magnum moss[sp?] and see the diagnosis of failure through to conclusion. If your actions were proven to cause failure, bear it , decide upon your opptions and move on. If not, I urge you to insist the dealer [DC] be acountable, but then that's just me and I got to much rain camp fever right now!

good luck and hang on to whats workin!

 

IMO the High Outputs are already tuned up the Standard outputs and Cali trucks won't get as hot when you turn up the boxes. If you have a box get at least a Pyro gauge.

The trade in value is curios why are they offering that? Is it like a olive branch? Or do they know something about your repair they are not telling you. I would tow it to a Cummins shop ASAP and get there take. Sometimes a 6K repair turns into a little fix at the dealer when a tow truck arrives!!

 

if you take it to Cummins , you will be billed for the work even if it ends up being warrantable . Cummins does not do any warranty work on Dodge Cummins. But this I will tell you , they will find out what happen and not assume what happened .

 

My new, unused TST box should be on Ebay in a couple of days if any of you guys are interested. I don't think I want to put it on now.

 

To each there own.If the failure was obviously caused by the mod I understand. If in doudt as the old saying goes"IF THE GLOVE DOSEN"T FIT YOU MUST ACQUIT! The benifit needs to go to the owner/customer.It sure does in the was WRECKED and can't prove it was the cause of the failure.

 

I would bet money that if our friend trades in his truck for a new one(for only $6,000.00 difference) that the dealership will repair his damaged trade-in under warranty before they put in on the lot again. 6 grand difference is a steal...you couldn't get that deal,even if the truck was in perfect shape for a trade...go for it,and enjoy! Mark.

 

One dealer I worked at had that attitude.We ended up in court several times and spent a LOT of phone and footwork time.wasted time that WE did not get paid for.It also REALLY Pxxx off some GOOD customers that had bought SEVERAL autos/trucks from us.Not some much due to mods but things like their teenage daughter driving until engine is welded togather with a RUN HOT light claring.bad water pump but the manufacture said IF the truck had been towed etc.all we'd be fixing is a water pump not a entire motor.DECLAINED REPAIR.Just one example.We got a NEW general manager that in one such case said.DO YOU pointing to Me and DO YOU pointing to the tech and DO YOU pointing to the service manager want to **** this man off to NO END and go to court etc. OR to YOU want to make money,keep a customer and US sell another truck to them.If the ansewr is YES then keep it short,simple and FIX THE **** THING.He (general manager)had a point.Just MAYBE that water pump is NOT the reason it overheated.Just MAYBE it blew a head gasket and WE don't know why.He pushed down our throats if in DOUDT always give the customer the benifit.I kinda understand where he was coming from.Lots of THOSE situations some not so savy service advisor or service mananger could turn it into a win win situation and not a pissing contest.The manufactures give/crush/trash LOTS of new product to make money.They can also afford too with WARRANTY dollars also.Nissan handed 300zx turbos to ROAD ATLANTA for years FREE(like M and Ms) and then when they were done gave them to tech schools.Just one MINOR example.