Western Star Truck Issues And Fixes

I just found my oil pan leaking. Stopped in at the dealer and was told it is not covered under warranty. 15 month in service and just under 150,000mls. I stopped by Nadina Truck in Houston, BC and asked them about oil pan leak and it is covered since it is less than the 24 month. I guess I will use them from now on since Pacific Power seems to be worthless. I bought the truck from their Toledo, WA location that since has closed due to them selling most of their locations to Valley Freightliner. They kept the Anchorage branch and are a Western Star dealer.
The shop foreman at Nadina is great and came out and looked at the truck and did some quick research about the warranty. They have parts in stock and I can give him a call when I leave Anchorage to set up appointment. Truck is due for oil change after the next trip anyway and I can kill two birds with one stone.

I believe the seal between cab and fiberglass top is leaking since I took the panel out above the driver seat to have my VHF radio worked on and everything is full of dirt in there. Nice layer of dirt on top of the radio. I guess I will take the sunvisor off and get some seam sealer and caulk that area from the outside.

I am like Star4900 and really want to like my truck, but I could have set in on fire again the other day when the windshield wiper arm came off during a down pore in the Yukon. Luckily the rubber hose from the washer system kept it from flying away and it just bounced around the hood and got stuck behind the air cleaner. Nothing was broken it just decided to come off. Go figure.

The reading light above the fridge is on its way out as well since it takes some patience to get it to work.

 

I think the problem was moving the plant from Canada to Portland and the Carolinas. I have had lots of conversations with Western Star about the truck and their quality control issues. I met the guy that is the go between factory and dealers. He has helped a great deal with trying to resolve some of the issues. I think they outsourced quality control to India and they are watching the trucks on a computer monitor rolling down the assembly line.

On a another note Eric at Nadina Truck told me to watch the plastic brackets along the oil pan that hold the transmission cooler lines since they had a couple of trucks lately where those brackets ate through the lines.

 

Well, that was my thinking too when I bought mine. I guess the joke is on me. I think the biggest problem is dealer support. A friend of mine had his truck at MC Coy Freightliner in Portland, OR to get a lot of warranty issues fixed. He went on vacation, dropped the truck and they seem to have bend over backwards to make him happy and get things fixed.

I started of with great support from the Toledo, WA Western Star dealer, but after VFI took over and closed the branch it was over. The Anchorage, AK WS dealer doesn't seem to want to fix anything that could be covered by warranty. Trailercraft in Fairbanks, AK just became a WS dealer and I will see how they are to work with since they have the Freightliner dealership in Anchorage, AK.

 

Not to be Debbie Downer. That truck has lots of positives as well. Just can't think of any right now. Just kidding.

I believe if I had better support from the dealers I would be a lot happier. I have no emission problems with the Detroit engine, but would like the Glider better than you never have to worry about it. I think if you stay with the specs you have mentioned and stay with the basic HVAC system a lot of the issues can be prevented. Just make sure you go over it with a fine tooth comb before you pick it up and pay for at the dealer.