If it's the fuel transfer pump, aka lift pump, then it should be covered under the Cummins 100K engine warranty according to other posts regarding this part. I'm on my 3rd one after a little over 340,000 miles, so I've averaged a little over 100K each. I do almost all highway miles, so I'd expect a life of maybe 50K with mixed driving.

The "fix" under warranty is the in-tank pump kit which is supposedly more reliable. I've got one in my garage waiting for warmer weather to install and hoping my current pump lasts...

Besides having two lift pumps fail, I've run out of fuel 3 or 4 times and my injector pump is still fine...

Good luck!

 

If the dealer has had it for two days and still can't find the problem I'd take it to another dealer for warranty work. Only a few questions to answer, is there fuel in the tank? Lift pump, injector pump, filter, and lines connecting the above. Souinds like they are either not spending much time on it, or the other less attractive answer... My .o2

 

As of this evening, it was still there. When I called to see the status at 4 my time, 3 thiers, my service advisor was telling me that it was starting now, without them fixing anything (maybe we bumped something). Called back and asked for the sevice manager. Finally connected with him and explained that I was feeling very uneasy with the answers I was getting, and the fact that the only time I talked to them today was when I called in the late afernoon. I also explained that to have it start running now, told me that it had NOT been indoors for two days, per the service advisor. He confirmed that it had been in and out throughout the days. So, it could have finally thawed, if it was frozen, which after reading all of the great info throughout the site, I am not convinced of. He told me that it was now up at his other diesel specialist (they own more than one shop I guess) and he was following it up himself. He explained that they have had a rash of lift pumps go bad and that he would contact me Thursday. I would LOVE to have this at place that seems to understand diesels better, but it is 184 miles away and was towed there by the Chrysler Roadside gang, so I guess I have to give him another day. At the present, I hope to be able to get it on Friday, with a realistic view of went wrong and what they did to fix it.
I did get a PM from one guy today telling me that many of the same symptoms I had happened to one of thier fleet trucks (same truck) and that it was the ECM.

Getting a bit PO'ed in Michigan.
Rob

 

Scout6, Sorry to see you broke down. hopefully Thomas dodge will get your truck running good, they are suppose to be a good dealer. But if they don't fix it, I would suggest having it hauled off to Arnell Dodge in Burns Harbor or to Southlake Dodge in Hobart. I have had my truck worked on at southlake a few times, including an injection pump replacement. Their diesel tech seems to do quality work, I've never had a porblem with them. Arnell is a good dealer too, I have talked to a few techs from there before and from what they say the diesel man there is really good too.

 

Well,
It is Thursday evening and they called me today, instead of me calling them. They told me that they needed to replace the two and a half year old batteries to be able to test it out. Of course, this is after they tried starting it for several days, did not charge it (my guess) an then left it out with drained batteries. Nothing freezes quite like a discharged battery or two. I plan to head down and turn in the rental Friday after work and hope to hear from them that the truck will be taken care of as well. If not, I will leave it and do a little discussion session with Chrysler.
Keeping me fingers crossed.
Rob

 

Thought you'd like to know the truck is home. The bill was outrageous (my opinion) and I do not have a warm and fuzzy on the repair. So, here's what they did.
Truck broke down Friday. Called for tow and was initially being towed to a dealer that no longer had a Chrysler Service Department. Got to Thomas in Highland, Indiana. They were unable to look at it as thier diesel guy was in training Friday and does not work Saturday. It sat out until Monday when they pushed it in and started looking at it. I did not get any calls so I had to call on Monday (no idea what was wrong), Tuesday ("we've been working on it for two days and it has been inside for two days, and we are not sure what is wrong, but it could be electrical or the fuel lifter pump went bad), Wednesday (it started up so we think it might be fine - so I called the Service Manager). On Thursday, I got a call stating that the batteries were dead (one shorted out and the other will not take a charge) and they wanted to change them before going further, along with the fuel filter and airfilter). I agreed to the replacements as they stated they could not go further without the batteries - the filter made sense, and the airfilter was reasonably priced and would be due soon). Thursday, they tell me that they are going ahead with the pump replacement and move to the tank. I asked about the injector pump (many of you told me that tends to go bad with a lift pump failure) and they told me it did not have one, just the lifter pump. Friday, they called to say that with the new batteries, all of the codes they found were gone except the lifter pump related ones, and they were replacing it. Should be done Friday evening. I had asked if they were planning to cover any of the rental days as they have had the truck for 7 days and they agreed to 2 (supposedly my other 5 will be covered by Chrysler when I file my claim with them - which is new to me - never had to pay and get reimbursed by other automotive companies on warrenty work caused rentals).
Soooo,
I pull in to get the truck Friday. It is just getting done at 6pm local time. The bill comes to 539.07.
I understood the charges for the batteries (even though they probably killed them and did not charge them up, leaving them to freeze outside - turns out they did not have it inside for the entire first two days like they told me), the fuel filter and airfilter. I understood the 100.00 deductable for the warrenty (while it should be picked up by chrysler with the known failure rate of this lifter pump, complete with TSB move and replacement). What really irritated me was the additional charge to "reprogram" the system due to taking out the batteries at 98.00, shop fees (should have been on the warrenty ticket), and other small hits that they nailed me with to bring the charge up to the total (as well as not picking up the rental that I have coverage for for the 5 days). Interestingly, the radio had all the same Grand Rapids channels programmed in that I had when I dropped it off. Seems that on most vehicles that when you lose the batteries, causing a need to reprogram the vehicle's computer, you usually lose the radio settings as well).
So I have to file the paperwork to get the rental reimbusement back this week. I have to call down (again) to get them to cover the additional 2 days the service manager told me he'd cover as they sat on the truck for so long. I also have to write a letter to DC discussing my lack of joy in the out of pocket costs involved in the breakdown of a 2 year old, fully warrentied vehicle. Let me know what you think I should include in my letter. What is fair, what is not?
My thoughts.
300.00 + rental should be covered as my warranty covers five days of rental, and the dealer told me they'd cover 2 days past warranty.
Out of the 539.07, I should pay the 100.00 fee stated in my warrenty plan, as well as the cost of the fuel and air filters.
I think that DC should cover the batteries and any related costs as they died (in my opinion) due to repeated attempts to start due to the failed lifter pump, followed by them being left in a discharged state in 8-15 degree weather for the better part of a week.
Any and all miscellaneous shop charges and supplies should have been included in the warrenty work.
Thanks for your comments.
I worked very hard to not lose my cool, and did not raise my voice or yell at these folks, as the doc says it is not good for my PTSD (we stopped the meds a few months ago), and after the discussions I had with the gang at this dealership, decided it just would not have made any difference. Getting the truck back home (184 miles to pick it up and then the same to bring it home), would not have been worth the cost.

Rob

 

I have driven past that dealership hundreds of time as I pass by on my way home from work. I have had a trans replaced by them in my old mini van and they did it under warranty in less than a day. Just today my '01 ram died in the middle of US 30 in Merrillville, IN. I think it might have been out of fuel, but the fuel gauge doesn't say so. I had my buddy come get us with my trailer, stopped by and filled the tank, but it still won't start. I did bump the starter and had a good solid stream of fuel from the water drain valve. Now I need to prime the system and purge the air out if I can figure out the proper procedure.

 

Rob,
1st. Have you had any further problems with the truck?
2nd Are you content that the repairs they made will keep you on the road?
3rd. Definately Call your 1-800 number to make Chrysler, and them aware that you are not happy with the way things were handled and the charges you were presented
4th Be patient. It takes Chrysler a substantial amount of time to reimburse a customer, but it can and does happen.
5th What are the miles on your truck? You may have said earlier but I have slept since then.
6th. Still no satisfaction? PM me and I can get you someone who can get to someone higher!

Good Luck!
Andy

 

Rob,
If, in fact, they told you it did not have an injection pump I would clearly point out their incompetence. It is a diesel, isn't it? Open the hood of a diesel truck, point to the gizzmo with the 6 steel lines coming out of it and ask them what's "that" called. Or, if you're too far away email a picture from your truck and ask them!

Simply detail what you're willing to pay for and why. Then what you think is not fair and why.

You can look at batteries and say they're at least half consumed before this incident. So you'd prefer not to have to purchase new batteries now, but you did to get your truck roadworthy. I'd probably not like it, but pay and go on knowing you've got that problem solved for some time now. The air and fuel filters, are similar. Didn't need them at the moment, but you needed your truck out of their shop and it was holding them up. Turns out all the parts they replaced with the exception of the lift pump were not needed, if the batteries froze being run down and neglected.

Bottom line is, you need to be level headed with them and ask the same from them because you really don't have any leverage over them. You don't need to go back there, you're not a repeat customer----you were just at their mercy. Only leverage I see is letting them know you can brag on how they treated you, or you can rag on how they treated you on a BB frequented only by Dodge Diesel owners.

If you don't get satisfaction from the service mgr, or whoever you were working with, try this:

Get on the internet, look up the dealership, find who the principal owners are. Call, asking to speak to that person. Identify who you are, as a recent customer and not satisfied with the cost/time outcome of your experience with his company. "As the owner of a Five Star dealership, my guess is you have a line item in your budget for advertising. My guess is you'd like to have increased business without increasing that line item. You can help yourself here by treating me like you'd want someone to treat your personal family if they had trouble 180 miles away from home. You're in control. Only thing I can do is tell my friends about how I was treated and why. What would you do if you were in my position?"

Well, put it in your own words, but when you're done, be done, don't go away wishing you'd said something additional or different. Just be done no matter how it turns out.

God Bless.

 

I got mine running , so I'm good. Ran out of fuel. DUH! I hope you get satisfaction from them having fixed your truck (assuming they did and that was the trouble), and if they reimburse you at all it would be that much better. I do think they should fully reimburse the rental. I live just 15 miles or so south of them just off of US41 so if you need anything handled in person for anything, let me know and I will try to help. Hope everything turns out well.

 

D2 is obviously not familiar with the 3rd gens! They are common rail and , I guess you could call it an injection pump, but it only has 3 lines. CP3 pumps they are called and are really just a high pressure pump. Never the less, talking to the dealer principal can't hurt either. Just be educated about your truck! Know what you are talking about when they don't!

Andy

 

Thanks for the input. I will continue to assemble data and then put my letter together. From what I have been told (on this sight) the forward pump that feeds the injectors is the next weak link in this chain, and the starvation of fuel it suffers during the lifter pump failure tends to either kill it or shorten its life.