Engine warranty scum

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by mosese, Apr 7, 2011.

  1. mosese

    mosese Bobtail Member

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    Feb 13, 2010
    Chicago, IL
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    Hi, guys. I really need an advice.
    I'm owner -operator (07' Freightliner Columbia, DD60, 630 K miles). June 2010 I purchased an extended engine warranty from Detroit Diesel for another 2 years 200 K miles. Got overheating problem in November, so I went to the Freightliner dealership, where they replaced head gasket and I paid $3300 out of pocket, because warranty doesn't cover gaskets, seals etc, but only main engine components.
    I drove less than a month and noticed some black spots in the coolant. I came back to the dealer, they took a sample of coolant and said that it is not an oil and it might be some "leftovers" from stuff they using to flush the cooling system. So they flushed the cooling system again.
    Last week, coolant turn black and this time it was oil in there. I did "blood test" in Speedco and they found coolant in oil as well. I went to the same dealership and they run some tests and found that ether engine's head or one of the liners letting coolant get to the oil. But they couldn't tell if my so-called "warranty" is going to cover it. Basically they have to take engine apart to check what is the real problem. Now, if liner will have crack in it, it's covered but if its cavitation-erosion damage - it is not covered, because of "poor maintenance" of cooling system and I'm looking at $11000 for an overhaul.
    So, its like a gambling now. I don't know if it's even possible to need overhaul with 630 K miles and valid manufacturer's extended warranty. Sounds like cheap scam to me. My wife is pregnant and if it happens to be "not warranty" thing - I'm not ready to pay this kind of money right now. Even if I say OK to start taking engine apart, I have to seat right there and watch them, because I don't know if I can trust them.
    Thanks.
     
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  3. Bent Wrench

    Bent Wrench Medium Load Member

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    Aug 11, 2009
    Cornholio, OR
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    If a liner is cracked the warranty company is going to blame the head gasket for the cause, "Oh, gee, that's not covered".....

    Most extended warranty's aren't worth the paper they are written on and the paper isn't big enough to wrap fish or soft enough to wipe with....
     
  4. mosese

    mosese Bobtail Member

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    Feb 13, 2010
    Chicago, IL
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    I didn't even have a paper. It's all in computers now.
    I think I just learning the hard way.
     
  5. BigBadBill

    BigBadBill Bullishly Optimistic

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    Oct 2, 2010
    Chattanooga, TN
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    You need to be ready to fight. Talk to other mechanics about what has happended and learn everything that you can about what can happen, the order is issues, etc. This is like a big insurance claim and if they can find a reason that you will accept to deny the claim they will. What is critical in all this is that you do not give them the reason. If the cause could be because of failure of part A or B and if part A fails then no coverage, make sure that you are not telling them it could have been part A. Start with part B.

    Hopefully your service manager understands how these things work. Warranty and extended warranty work is more profitable for them. If they are not thinking how they can make this a valid claim then take it to another mechanic.

    Have you maintance records ready to go. Make sure that they do not point to an issue that can cause them to deny claim. Fax ALL of them at the drop of a hate to anyone you are talking to. You need to be the pain in the #####. Prentend you are at a college football game and fight, fight, fight.
     
  6. DTNA

    DTNA Bobtail Member

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    May 13, 2011
    Detroit, MI
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    Hello:

    I am reaching out on behalf of Detroit Diesel and would like to address your concern regarding your post: Engine warranty scum. I know this is a month out, but I wanted to see if the issue has been resolved, and if not, would like to help to correct the issue.

    I look forward to hearing from you.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 24, 2011
  7. mosese

    mosese Bobtail Member

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    Feb 13, 2010
    Chicago, IL
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    Thanks for your replays, guys!

    I did basic engine overhaul at independent shop in Chicago area. It cost me $8401.96 if not count those $1100 dealership rip me of for, when they did their "famous diagnostic", when time is running at $100 in hour rate while some highly educated mechanic doing researches in your engine. I was smart enough to get a hell out from there with just $1101.51 bill on my ###, because next one would of been around $2500.

    And I was smart enough to call mechanic I can trust, before I aloud dealer to take engine apart. He said, that he can guaranteed that liners will have cavitation on them and nobody will fix that engine by warranty and he was exactly right! (It's funny, that some mechanics could make a free diagnostic over the phone and others need hours and thousands of dollars to do it.)

    All engine liners was covered with cavitation, but not like that cavity was through the liners, but all over in the metal. And the metal wasn't look old or had kind of "rusty color" - I saw some liners from different high-miles engine and can compare - mine was just regular metal color. I should of take some pictures, but I didn't care too much already.

    I asked the shop manager about the real cause of oil-coolant mix in my engine, he said, that most likely it's just the way engine build. The old 12.7-liter DD60 engine could easy do over million miles without an overhaul (which doesn't make enough profit to the manufacturer and dealers, I guess), but these newer 14-liter (the one I have) has an issue, when liners goes down inside engine block, causing coolant in oil. I hardly can imagine physics of this process. I'm not an engineer, just a dumb truck driver. But this is what I been told.

    Also, after very first trip from Chicago to Houston and back I replaced 1 injector, because engine was working rough and didn't have power. I was told, that injectors problem is very common in DD if you not replace them with rebuild ones at time of overhaul, but I took a chance and kept the old ones, cause I borrowed money from my dad and didn't have an extra $1800-1900 for all 6 injectors.

    So far engine running OK. I already put about 8000 miles with an 6-7.5 mpg, but thinking of replacing all injectors ASAP anyway.

    Also I made some visits to the Freightliner $tealership, who sold that warranty and I did several calls to Detroit Diesel. I had small stupid hope to cancel that warranty and prorated it, because I had more than 1 year and over 100 K on it left. Or I was hoping to get just any kind of money back from $2900 I paid for it. I can admit, that people from both Freightliner and DD was very polite and said that they would be more than happy do not give money back. And lucky me, I got that warranty so cheap, because now it cost more than $1000 extra, then I paid for it last June. It made me feel way better.

    So, hurry up, guys, get one today!!! ))

    P.S. 2 Strider: Thanks for for your curiosity! I was kinda sick of that story and wasn't in the mood to write a continue, but now I did ))
     
    Last edited: May 22, 2011
    Strider Thanks this.
  8. jorge68

    jorge68 Bobtail Member

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    May 20, 2014
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    hello: DTNA
    I am reaching out to you because I don't know what to do its been 3 week since my truck a cascadia freightliner 2010 is in the shop, because the engine brake was not working, the good thing is that the warranty is going to cover parts and labor thats what the mechanic told me but my worry is that because
    they haven't received the part I'm out of work who is going to pay for my bills its being a worry time for me because we call to the mechanic on the freightliner in el paso tx and they don't know when are they going to receive the part. sorry for taking advantage of you when you posted for someone else but i'm desperate,seeing that you are employed by detroit I was hoping you can help
     
  9. Cowpie1

    Cowpie1 Road Train Member

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    Nov 25, 2008
    Kellogg, IA
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    I know this is after thought, but make sure you are using the newer red extended life coolant, low nitrite variety. The Detroit stuff is good. You can also get Rotella low nitrite version and the Final Charge extended life coolant you can find at truck stops is a low nitrite variety. I have seen a lot of testing on coolants and the red extended life coolants are top tier for preventing liner cavitation. Best thing is, you do not have to add SCA's. But if you mix another type of coolant with them, they will not perform properly.

    Forget the purple stuff that gets put in a lot of times. That is not much better than the old green stuff, and you have to continually check SCA levels and add SCA's periodically.
     
  10. Mr Dave

    Mr Dave Light Load Member

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    Jan 2, 2011
    Oklahoma City, Ok
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    I have found most Freightliner dealers employ fantastic part replacers, and know very little except what the computer tells them. The 1 shaker that I had, complained to Customer Service Dept, with help from OOIDA got most of my money back. Got rid of shaker & detroit, went to Pete & Cat and never looked back.
     
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