Issue with service at dealer

[2014greatwhite]

So yesterday I had an exhaust manifold replaced under warranty. No issue there. The issue came when I got home and looked at my upper control arms. I have the zone heavy duty control arms with grease-able ball joints. I noticed that the one on my driver side’s boot is now pulled from under the retaining clip at the top so it doesn’t hold grease right. The passenger side now has a tear in the top of the boot that the grease continuously seeps out of now until obviously the grease level gets low enough it can’t. They are brand new and weren’t ripped when I dropped my truck off. I have a message in to the dealer and I am awaiting a call back. I am not pleased in the least bit.


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[Casper]

Just speculating: I wonder if they are incompatible with the type of lift the dealer uses, or how the tech lifted the truck--basically allowed front end to sag and over extend rang of travel causing damage?

 

[quietpeen]

good luck getting the dealer to take any blame and fix a part that you modified from stock. Not being a ****, just saying in my opinion they will not do anything for you. If they do? - awesome dealer and stick with them.

 

[Ram-engineer]

So yesterday I had an exhaust manifold replaced under warranty. No issue there. The issue came when I got home and looked at my upper control arms. I have the zone heavy duty control arms with grease-able ball joints. I noticed that the one on my driver side’s boot is now pulled from under the retaining clip at the top so it doesn’t hold grease right. The passenger side now has a tear in the top of the boot that the grease continuously seeps out of now until obviously the grease level gets low enough it can’t. They are brand new and weren’t ripped when I dropped my truck off. I have a message in to the dealer and I am awaiting a call back. I am not pleased in the least bit.


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I'd be asking how they lifted the truck and if someone was out romping the truck around.

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[2014greatwhite]

They just called back. They said there is nothing they could have done that would have caused it. They are having me go in Monday and go over it with them.


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[Joes1500]

I would have a hard time believing that the style of car lift used would matter at all. And also would not believe that someone out romping around would cause this either.

Do you have spacers of any kind for your front lift ?

 

[MasonD21]

The reality is, unless you have tangible proof that they weren't torn before you went in, but because you looked under there after the truck had been in the shop and "noticed" they were out of place, you're SOL.

Sorry man. But hey, some dealers ARE outstanding. They might make it right just to make you happy, whether they ****** something up or not.

Good luck.

edit to add: Tact and business etiquette goes a LONG way.
"I only want my truck being touched by you guys, I'm just trying to understand how this happened while you had it."

Laws of Fishing: Remember not to set the hook until you are sure you've got one on the line...

 

[averageguy]

That damage is typical of when you use a pickle fork to separate the ball joint from the control arm. Usually you can smack the control arm a couple good times with a big hammer and it will break it loose but maybe they didn't want to hit those because they're aftermarket and fancy looking. I wonder if they had to separate that and move the spindle out of the way to access the manifold?

 

[2014greatwhite]

That damage is typical of when you use a pickle fork to separate the ball joint from the control arm. Usually you can smack the control arm a couple good times with a big hammer and it will break it loose but maybe they didn't want to hit those because they're aftermarket and fancy looking. I wonder if they had to separate that and move the spindle out of the way to access the manifold?

View attachment 124698

I spoke to the mechanic and they said they didn’t take anything apart except the inner fender well out. I have a appointment Monday to go over it with them.


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[averageguy]

If it wasn't damaged during installation, removal, manufacture defect or long term wear and tear I couldn't guess anything else that it could do that.

 

[Ratket]

They took it apart... those Uca”s have great angles. No way in hell the boots tear from the tires hanging in the air while on the lift. Some monkey used a pickle fork to take it apart, or a big screw driver.

 

[GsRAM]

When is the last time you looked at it. Was it literally right before you took it in?

The type of lift would not cause that damage. Could just be defective parts? Or maybe they hit the boot with the manifold on the way out?

 

[2014greatwhite]

When is the last time you looked at it. Was it literally right before you took it in?

The type of lift would not cause that damage. Could just be defective parts? Or maybe they hit the boot with the manifold on the way out?

I can’t honestly say it I looked at it the day I dropped it off. I did look at it the day before and there was no grease at all coming from the boots. I’m not saying they maliciously did it. I was upset when I noticed it and called them and the guy immediately said nothing we did caused it. He didn’t want to even hear what I was trying to say. I was already upset that I noticed them leaking grease then he basically was calling me a liar. I’m calm now and I will be going in tomorrow to look at it with the service department and see where it goes from there. I’m already going in thinking I will be fixing out of my own pocket which is fine. I just didn’t like the way they from the the first second made it seem like I was crazy and there is nothing they could have done. Worst part is I’m friends with the mechanic who did my manifold change and he said he didn’t touch the drivers side at all. I did however have my tires rotated and balanced at the same time which someone else did that but I still don’t know how that would have damaged my ball joint boots.


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[GsRAM]

I can’t honestly say it I looked at it the day I dropped it off. I did look at it the day before and there was no grease at all coming from the boots. I’m not saying they maliciously did it. I was upset when I noticed it and called them and the guy immediately said nothing we did caused it. He didn’t want to even hear what I was trying to say. I was already upset that I noticed them leaking grease then he basically was calling me a liar. I’m calm now and I will be going in tomorrow to look at it with the service department and see where it goes from there. I’m already going in thinking I will be fixing out of my own pocket which is fine. I just didn’t like the way they from the the first second made it seem like I was crazy and there is nothing they could have done. Worst part is I’m friends with the mechanic who did my manifold change and he said he didn’t touch the drivers side at all. I did however have my tires rotated and balanced at the same time which someone else did that but I still don’t know how that would have damaged my ball joint boots.


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That's perfectly understandable. I'd be upset too if they were immediately dismissive of my concerns. I can't say I'm surrised though. When I challenged my dealership about the grinding I have on my truck shifting from park to reverse, calling it normal or saying it's brake noise which I know it' not. I elected to let it go for now and not push the issue even though it annoys the heck out of me that a truck with 4800 miles on it does that when it did not do that when it Was new. Typical dealer b's. Call it normal, send the customer away, then pray the vehicle, makes it past the warranty period, then it' their problem. It's a game and it's not right.

 

[chrisbh17]

That's perfectly understandable. I'd be upset too if they were immediately dismissive of my concerns. I can't say I'm surrised though. When I challenged my dealership about the grinding I have on my truck shifting from park to reverse, calling it normal or saying it's brake noise which I know it' not. I elected to let it go for now and not push the issue even though it annoys the heck out of me that a truck with 4800 miles on it does that when it did not do that when it Was new. Typical dealer b's. Call it normal, send the customer away, then pray the vehicle, makes it past the warranty period, then it' their problem. It's a game and it's not right.

its crazy how they do that all the time now. So much for "service".

If they said its normal, tell them to find you a truck on their lot that does the same thing. I did that with my dealer and my 2K RPM vibration, and sure enough they found one that did it. Do they ALL do it? not sure, but they at least backed up their "its normal" excuse.

Another reason why MaxCare Lifetime doesnt sound like a bad deal anymore....

 

[2014greatwhite]

its crazy how they do that all the time now. So much for "service".

If they said its normal, tell them to find you a truck on their lot that does the same thing. I did that with my dealer and my 2K RPM vibration, and sure enough they found one that did it. Do they ALL do it? not sure, but they at least backed up their "its normal" excuse.

Another reason why MaxCare Lifetime doesnt sound like a bad deal anymore....

Only issue with this is that my upper control arms and ball joints are after market.


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[2014greatwhite]

So I just got home from the dealership. I started off our meeting by apologizing for any attitude I might have given them on the phone last week. They lifted my truck up, we looked at the ball joints and the service manager saw the ripped boot and the other boot that is pulled out from under its retaining clip. He said this is what we’ll do, I’ll have the parts department get a couple boots from Zone Offroad and replace them. I am extremely surprised and happy that they are going to replace the boots for me.


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[HemiHavoc]

^That's a good dealership. Stick with them for as long as you can

 

[RickH]

You did very well to get the Service department take care of your problem for you. Remember that in the future and give them opportunities to do more of that. Remember the "please and thank you" routine. It helps, but you knew that.

 

[joedodge]

@2014greatwhite Did you initial bring the truck in for busted bolts holding on the manifolds? Recently found my 2012 1500 Hemi 5.7 pinging when i started it. Sounded like a problem with rockers. But after a friend told me about it and youtube. So far I have found one busted into the engine. Time to drill/extract or weld on the bolt end. Thanks.