Broke it in less than 10,000 miles (or Everything is a smoke machine if you operate it bad enough)

[M.A.Culberson]

I had to leave my 2500 Rebel at the dealer this morning. With less than 10,000 miles, the transfer case sprung a leak and leaked fluid on the exhaust pipe.

I guess she wasn’t happy about having to drive from Birmingham, Alabama to Carlisle, Pennsylvania and back in 36 hours. I thought we were on fire at the last fuel stop.

 

[flan]

Common one there. Easy fix too.

 

[M.A.Culberson]

Yeah, they said the part had to come from Atlanta. Should be here in the morning. Hopefully they’ll have it ready by Wednesday evening.

Good thing I’m “on call” so I get a company car until Thursday morning.

 

[HarryN]

Do failures like this have anything to do with driving in 4wd or does that not matter ?

 

[M.A.Culberson]

I don’t know. I have only put mine in 4wd once and I only did that to make sure it worked.

 

[jharp]

I peek under my truck every time I stop for fuel, I think this was a bad run of seals, or improperly installed seals. Hopefully they resolve it quickly... the local dealer where I live can't even look at a truck for six weeks

 

[HarryN]

I peek under my truck every time I stop for fuel, I think this was a bad run of seals, or improperly installed seals. Hopefully they resolve it quickly... the local dealer where I live can't even look at a truck for six weeks

6 weeks to get a truck looked at by the dealer, is more troubling than something breaking.

I can also understand, given the way techs are paid at dealers for warranty related work.

 

[jharp]

Yeah it's really quite bad out west. I had a Ram 2500 air suspension system fail in Medford OR, the dealer there couldn't look at it for two months at the time. It was either find storage for the trailer for at least two months, and rent a car to drive home - or trade the truck in... Which is how we ended up with a Silverado.

The Bremerton WA CJDR dealer is six weeks out, or at least it was four weeks ago when I booked an appointment for our Gladiator roof leaking.

 

[HarryN]

Yeah it's really quite bad out west. I had a Ram 2500 air suspension system fail in Medford OR, the dealer there couldn't look at it for two months at the time. It was either find storage for the trailer for at least two months, and rent a car to drive home - or trade the truck in... Which is how we ended up with a Silverado.

The Bremerton WA CJDR dealer is six weeks out, or at least it was four weeks ago when I booked an appointment for our Gladiator roof leaking.

Usually it means that the dealers are not willing to pay reasonable wages, and think similarly to McDonalds.

That is the biggest benefit that came from CA setting a $20 / hr minimum fast food wage - now people show up for work regularly, and the quality is much higher.

It embarrassed people into at least matching that wage. You would be surprised at how many high tech companies had to raise their skilled assembly worker wages locally to match McDonalds.

It is definitely a ridiculous situation, when they are charging nearly $200 / hr for work, but want techs to work for free.

 

[M.A.Culberson]

She’s out of the shop. Seems to be fixed.

Thanks for listening to me gripe.