First off, I am not one to complain too often, in fact when I first started to visit this site I thought what a bunch of whiners, I haven't had any problems with my truck. I thought too soon. Also, I have no plans parting with my truck, it's a great piece of machinery. So here is what happened to me, about one month ago my father in law, who has a 03 with 70000 on it had some 1st and 2nd gear vibration, becoming worse over a period of two to three days. He described the incident as happening at a specific low RPM range just on take off and not while driving at higher RPM's. He took it in to the dealer and they diagnosed it as bad Ujoint no real explaination how , why etc. and replaced it ($100 deductible). One week ago my truck with 43000 (mostly freeway miles, with some hauling) starts the same exact vibration. The vibration was right between 1000 and 1500 RPM. After two days the vibration started at about the same RPM range on deceleration as well. So I call the dealer and make the appt. Long, real bad story short the dealer sat on it for two days before they figured out it was the U joint, which I told them it was. Then the dealer tells me they will fix it but can't get the Ujoint until the third day, I have to pay the deductable, and no loaner or rental card. Ohhh, I about lost it, then proceeded to explain to the service manager that I bought my truck here, I sent three customers that I work with to the dealer, (they all bought diesels), and I referred my neighbor who was looking at a new truck the day before at the dealer, and all I wanted was a loaner for my truck being gone three days, and to not pay a deduct. for a bad u joint on a brand new truck! The service manager then responded with; "you need to act like an adult and pay these things like a normal adult would", I was ready to strangle her. So another real bad long story short I took my drive shaft, which they had already taken off, to drivelines NW in Seattle and had them replace all three ujoints with greasable ujoints. What I found out from the very knowledgeable staff at drivelines NW was that my ujoints did not have play in them, but that they had actually seized up from water getting in them and then rusting. The other thing I found out was that the TSB out on driveline vibration and adding a spacer to the carrier bearing bracket only applies to the 3500 dually, the single rear trucks don't have an issue with extreme driveshaft angles. So the problem with our ujoints is that they can't take any dirt or water, which doesn't make any sense in a 4X4 truck.

 

im sorry to hear about your"*******"expeariance,i,ll tell you one thing that type of behavior will catch up with them its not if,its when,theres nothing worse then a "crappy"sevice dept.i hope things smooth out for ya,hope your truck is well.

 

Do you Know the part number or the manufacture of the u joints ?

 

......there's two sides to a pancake. For her to make a comment like you described I can imagine what your demeaner was. Just an observation.

 

i have not driven anything but Dodge trucks since i bought my first one in 1972 and i can say without reservation that chryslers customer relations and service has been going downhill since 1972.
i don't think it has anyway to go but up now.

if they were to lose cummins they would lose a LOT of truck people

 

Napa (Precision) 351's will work on the 6-speeds.
I believe (better check) 295's work on the autos.

Carl

 

your right j body how dare we --- we should not expect any service dept. to have a u-joint,or any special treatment for giving a dealership 150,000.00 dollars in business,loaner car? heck thats only for toyota dearships,all hail honest john@your local dodge dealer!customer service thats gone out with the hoola hoop!

 

Sorry to hear about your experience at the dealer. The service manager/write up person is supposed to be professional, but sometimes they are educated BEYOND their inteligence and can only respond with negativity lke that when you don't go along with their plan or program because they feel threatened by opposition and can't deal with it and think they will be thought inferior to the profession. I hate dealing with that type of person

 

Hey guys the u joints I had put on by drivelines northwest were Spicer's, part number 5-188X, they were $30 a piece, $12 a piece installation fee. Oh, an update, when I talked to my neighbor who was going to buy a 3500 Laramie from Dodge of Bellevue, he decided not to do business with them based on the info I gave him. He also let his sales guy know the reason why. Then to top it off when I went back to the dealership with my wife to get her car that I left there, I ran into a co-worker and his son. This co-worker was looking to buy a truck for his son, I told him the story right there in the lot, and his sales guy crapped himself. I wonder what the GM who is on vacation right now is going to think about his ***-clown service departments crap that seems to be rolling down hill now.

 

yap,what goes around/comes around lol

 

im not bashing but i have to side with j body on demeanor.i cant tell you how many times a day my service manager hears the same scenario that he described what makes people think they shouldnt have to pay there deductible? 36/36 basic no deductible and after that a 100.00 deductible applies. most dealers dont supply loaners it is not feesible to give a loaner to every customer that is in for service. if you by the extended warranty you are supplied with a rental wich is paid for by the service contract. i am a dealer tech , i purchased an extended warranty and also have to pay a deductible just like everyone else. i have also sent numerous people to my dealer and they have also purchased trucks. my dealer offers 100.00 for referrals if they purchase a vehicle . they give this to employees and also to customers that refer their friends to my dealer. but still the service manager shouldnt have said that to you unless you were standing there yelling and if you were anything goes . my dealer will have you escorted off the properity .
d12

 

I'm a service manager and i agree with everone who has to pay a $100.00 deductible for a rusted u joint that shouldnt happen...did it happen on the 1994 to 2002's..no ! I see wasted u joints everyday , if you have to pay a deductible , I at least make sure every last u joint is 100% on the truck.....any questions and i throw an extra one in the glove box (hope no high brass sees this post).The 6 speed joints are $170 canadian , so who wants to spend that on a joint that you cant grease and will wear out in 50 000km.......just my rant.

 

Service managers get asked daily to wave deductables and give me a loaner.They get to be able to say NO pretty quickly.They also usually have NO idea how many folkes you sent to buy through new or used car dept.If they gave you a loaner service dept has to pay the daily rental.Waive a deductable they usually have to eat that also unless a REALLY good reason to D.C. rep that HE needs to get D.C.to take care of.

 

hound dogg is right on with his post.
d12

 

Their also suppose to show SOME profit on warranty repairs.Not go in the hole on every one.Waving a deductable and the rental would have put this u/joint repair in the red many times over.If you had been in for OTHER drivetrain repairs and paid deductables in last 30 days or so the service manager would have had ammo to waive deductable and get (hope to)D.C. rep to sign off on it with referances to other deducts already paid recently.If you had sent SEVERAL customers to NEW CAR sales and they purchaced the SALES manager might have wanted to take care of you with a rental.You have to remember all DO DO ends up in SERVICE.Been that way since the begining of time.I use to scan service history,how many times in,how much service done with us etc.then I'd make a decison.Lots of varibles.But buy truck,come in for ONE free oil change,show up 47k later with ONE warranty repair then its pay deductable and you want a WHAT!(loaner)