tauberson

Last Friday took in truck with 4200 miles on it to have front end aligned. Should not need to be aligned in first place. Guys at the alignment shop were nice enough to show me leaking power stearing pump and explanined they may have to realign after the DC replaces it. Well i had an apointment on Sat for some warranty work for a cal panel. Had them look at the stearing pump. Guy calls my name and tells me truck is ready and ask for sig. I ask him what the deal was with the pump. He said his head tech says it is just residue. I said no doubt that is why i brought it in. He said nothing wrong with the pump. I said well I have not added stearing fluid and the manufacture date is 07/05 so i doubt it is still there from ther factory since it is still red in color. So head tech comes, we go through same coveration. He said nothing wrong with pump. I explained it is leaking somewhere. He says Dodge's stand point is that if it is not leaking on the floor then it is not broken. I said you have to be kidding me. If i am trying to do preventative mantainance on the truck and find a failing part you will not replace until it falls. He says yep. I told him that is bs and that the truck is brand new and it needs a new pump or a better diagnosis. He looks at me like I have three heads. I said well looks like this service center will not get my business nor will the dealership for that matter and eveyone i talk to about a Dodge will be informed not to do business with you guys. Grabbed my keys and left some nice black smoke for them to puff on.

Now i think I am going to call the Service Manager get his input and then call the district manager.

bigdav160

I don't work for a DC dealer but they must have some incentive to keep warranty cost down. Otherwise, the tech and dealer would both get paid to fix any problem.

I will, however, agree that a small wet spot, without dripping, is an insignificant amount of fluid loss. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

I am trying to figure out why an alignment would have to be done after PS pump replacement Sounds like your shop is giving you some BS too.

SOhappy

Mine was just barely seeping and they replaced it under warranty, no questions asked.

lt11le

Man, it's real simple. Take some p.s. fluid and pour it around your wet area.
If he wants it to leak on the floor then add more till it does. Treat the dealers the way they treat us. Good luck!

Hounddog

That stance is not a manufacture stance.That was THAT guys stance for some hardheaded/stupid reason.25 plus years in the auto repair field at dealer level in good times or bad I've NEVER had a comment verbal or written come down from a manufacture or a field rep of that nature.Real simple to say YEP its leaking and got one coming(part) for you.

bigdav160

I've got the same amount of time at the dealer level and I can say my experience is a little different.

Back in the middle/late '80's I was working at Dodge/Chrysler dealer. The service manager's policy was if the vehicle was bought at that dealer it got the cheapest repair. This helped keep their warranty cost down and I assume the manager had some incentive to keep it that way. Vehicles brought in that were purchased at other dealers always go the most expensive repairs
I'm sure Daimler has different ideas.

Through the '90's I worked mostly at GM dealers. The last dealer had top CSI numbers. They had squeaky clean audits. They had the best technicians I'd ever met. The area zone manager would always have problem vehicles brought to our place because he knew they would be fixed. They would warranty just about anything even way beyond time and mileage.

I worked at some dealers that had a bad relationship with the manufacture. Warranty repairs over $100 had to have a zone rep's approval.

rockhound

your alligment should have been covered under warranty up to 12k

they covered mine

tauberson

Yeah they said they would cover alignment. There machine was down so they tod me they could send it somewhere else or i could do it and submit the receipt for reimbursement. I talked to another dealer 20 miles the other direction and they tod me to bring it in first chance i get and if there is any "residue" on the pump, it will be replaced and ther alignement machine is operational and they can do that also.

Hounddog

Bigdave160 that STILL sounds like a screwed up thing at DEALER level.I'm sure SOME reps might push that issue but I never have had one even hint at it.Import or domistic.Sure if you had a high incident out of average it was looked at and question/hashed out but they WANT customers taken care of if all possable for the most part.Had many a rep tell me if its due its due,get it done.Dealers that rip off the manufacture or bad suspect at it get put on GET DSM approval before or else deal.Over most of the years I was in the business it was usually use your own judgement and document etc.I saw and read some screwd up claims eaither done by OTHER service managers or service writers and techs it didn't take a HOUNDDOG to smell out much less a good auditor or DSM.

bigdav160

HOUNDDOG, I'm in agreement. Many on this forum put the fault with DC. I don't know DC's current position. Competition is very tight. I can't imagine any manufacture not wanting the highest level of customer service. They know once you lose a customer he's not coming back.

The managers and service writers may blame DC but I suspect these are almost always a dealer problem.

Hounddog

I kinda know a rep and run into him once in a blue moon.Anyhow have a neighbor with a 03 and like 90k on it back when..His alt.bracket split.TSB and a EARLY design change.He went back to his selling dealer way on the OTHER side of Atlanta.About 100 miles.Selling dealer gave him a rash quoted like 3bills for it etc.He left.They called days later said they'd do a good will warranty on it.Anyhow I ran into this rep.Told him the story.He was like WHAT! They KNOW better on something like that bracket.I want stuff like that taken care of with no greif.Its OUR money(meaning D.C.) said **** so and so(service manger)is one of MINE also.He knows better then that.DSM was po'ed.