Factory Warranty?

[Trailmaker]

Only the red PW can go through 30” of water. The rest of us, is like 12” of water!!

 

[Trailmaker]

Looks like fun!! Too bad you could not end your day driving through a clean spring it get it washed out.
I have never been over my bumpers in my truck, only my Jeep did I see stuff that high. And it looks like you took a nose dive to achieve that.
If that is what you will be doing a lot of, you should consider extending the breather tubes on all of the drive train components and changing your gear oil every 10k. Looks like the Al Redneck water hole. @ALRedneck haha.

 

[ALRedneck]

Looks like fun!! Too bad you could not end your day driving through a clean spring it get it washed out.
I have never been over my bumpers in my truck, only my Jeep did I see stuff that high. And it looks like you took a nose dive to achieve that.
If that is what you will be doing a lot of, you should consider extending the breather tubes on all of the drive train components and changing your gear oil every 10k. Looks like the Al Redneck water hole. @ALRedneck haha.

Why is he driving a truck through the swimming hole? That’s a good way of getting one of the kids run over. They are hard to find as they blend in once covered in mud.

 

[JamesgPW]

Looks like fun!! Too bad you could not end your day driving through a clean spring it get it washed out.
I have never been over my bumpers in my truck, only my Jeep did I see stuff that high. And it looks like you took a nose dive to achieve that.
If that is what you will be doing a lot of, you should consider extending the breather tubes on all of the drive train components and changing your gear oil every 10k. Looks like the Al Redneck water hole. @ALRedneck haha.

Yeah unfortunately there wasn’t a clean water creek near by and the one near my home isn’t that deep.

It really wasn’t that extreme of a crossing though. I’ve been up to the rockers before in my Sierra and that was with 35’s and a 3.5” lift.

 

[JamesgPW]

So washed out the fan/radiator assembly last night and the extreme shaking still occurred on a start up after. So just dropped it at the dealer now. Attached is the write up. They’re going to call me after they look at it.

 

[62Blazer]

So an update on this thread and a response to 62Blazer’s reply.

On the topic of my friends Trailboss, he went up to Big Bear with a few other off roaders and their rigs. While on a trail they had to cross a mud washout about 12-18 inches deep. A RAM Rebel drove through first with no issues, he drove his Trailboss through next and the engine hydro locked about 50 feet later. This was recorded by a friend in his ZR2 which also drove through the mud with no issues. At the dealer, he was told Chevy would not cover this under warranty because they found mud splatter in the engine bay. He took it to GM Corporate and showed them the video recorded from the ZR2 along with GM produced advertisements of the Trailboss driving through muddy water. Their official statement to him at this point is they will not cover the engine under warranty because the damage was caused by driver error and they officially consider the Trailboss to an appearance package not an off-road performance package.

As I said before, there is a difference between going off-road and abusing the vehicle. If somebody hydrolocked the engine either it was a lot deeper than 12"-18".....or more likely they hit the water hard and caused a big wave to splash up over the hood and get sucked into the engine. Don't get me wrong as I feel the guys pain and would be mad also, but I have personally seem people do this. Our off-road club hosted several "novice rides" every year and we always had to tell people not to hit a mud or water hole going fast because it will cause a big wave of water to wash over the engine. Can't count how many people got their radiator plugged and overheated, lost various electrical components, and at least one guy hydrolocked their engine. But if the guy really feels it was as innocent as it sounds Chevy should not be denying the warranty strictly because it was "off-road". Straight from the Chevy website on the Trailboss it makes comments like "this is one serious off-road machine", "show the trail who is boss", and "get the off-road capability you need....". I really love to see the video.

 

[Trailmaker]

So washed out the fan/radiator assembly last night and the extreme shaking still occurred on a start up after. So just dropped it at the dealer now. Attached is the write up. They’re going to call me after they look at it.

View attachment 202578

I don’t like the way that reads at all. They look to have written “an out” just in the drop off notes. I bet you are wasting your time at this dealer. I think I would have went to a new one so there would not be any history there. Nevertheless assistance it will pay off with them honoring the warranty claim. @56PW17 had a issue with warranty but it worked out for him after a little back and forth. I had to use @RamCares to get my steering wheel replaced. I used to warranty for a tire sensor and for the front parking sensors with any issues.
it was hit or miss with my Ford Raptor as well. So it is not just a Ram warranty thing. Good luck and I hope you don’t have to cover the $1400 bill you are about to receive. ( just a guess)

 

[JamesgPW]

As I said before, there is a difference between going off-road and abusing the vehicle. If somebody hydrolocked the engine either it was a lot deeper than 12"-18".....or more likely they hit the water hard and caused a big wave to splash up over the hood and get sucked into the engine. Don't get me wrong as I feel the guys pain and would be mad also, but I have personally seem people do this. Our off-road club hosted several "novice rides" every year and we always had to tell people not to hit a mud or water hole going fast because it will cause a big wave of water to wash over the engine. Can't count how many people got their radiator plugged and overheated, lost various electrical components, and at least one guy hydrolocked their engine. But if the guy really feels it was as innocent as it sounds Chevy should not be denying the warranty strictly because it was "off-road". Straight from the Chevy website on the Trailboss it makes comments like "this is one serious off-road machine", "show the trail who is boss", and "get the off-road capability you need....". I really love to see the video.

see attached snap from the video. He hits the water hard, but have you seen the Trailboss advertisement with one doing like 25 mph through 2 feet of water?

 

[JamesgPW]

I don’t like the way that reads at all. They look to have written “an out” just in the drop off notes. I bet you are wasting your time at this dealer. I think I would have went to a new one so there would not be any history there. Nevertheless assistance it will pay off with them honoring the warranty claim. @56PW17 had a issue with warranty but it worked out for him after a little back and forth. I had to use @RamCares to get my steering wheel replaced. I used to warranty for a tire sensor and for the front parking sensors with any issues.
it was hit or miss with my Ford Raptor as well. So it is not just a Ram warranty thing. Good luck and I hope you don’t have to cover the $1400 bill you are about to receive. ( just a guess)

They will be calling me first to discuss their findings. If they refuse to cover it i will just go down and pick it up and call FCA.

 

[JamesgPW]

So the end result at the dealership was they cleaned mud out of the harmonic crank dampener and mechanical fan. They charged me a small fee for cleaning it, which is fine. However, they documented it in a fashion which will allow them to say future issues could be a result of mud. They said they will not cover damages from mud or dirt or water even though RAM advertises the Power Wagon can traverse through up to 30 inches of muddy water and be covered under warranty. I called FCA customer service who stated the dealership is correct and any damage caused by mud, dirt or water wont be covered under any warranty and had no answer for me when I confronted them with their advertisement. I feel like RAM should design these components not to be so vulnerable to mud and dirt on this truck.

 

[Trailmaker]

So the end result at the dealership was they cleaned mud out of the harmonic crank dampener and mechanical fan. They charged me a small fee for cleaning it, which is fine. However, they documented it in a fashion which will allow them to say future issues could be a result of mud. They said they will not cover damages from mud or dirt or water even though RAM advertises the Power Wagon can traverse through up to 30 inches of muddy water and be covered under warranty. I called FCA customer service who stated the dealership is correct and any damage caused by mud, dirt or water wont be covered under any warranty and had no answer for me when I confronted them with their advertisement. I feel like RAM should design these components not to be so vulnerable to mud and dirt on this truck.

So if it got in the Harmonic crank dampener then you were pushing 38-40 inches. Maybe even 42” of water. FCA may have a leg to stand on.
I am glad you are back in your truck with out much delay.

 

[olyelr]

So the cleaning fixed the issue?


I mean, if it was truly caused by just the mud then it is what it is...cant really blame that on fca. Could the harmonic balancer be made differently for that not to happen?

 

[JamesgPW]

So if it got in the Harmonic crank dampener then you were pushing 38-40 inches. Maybe even 42” of water. FCA may have a leg to stand on.
I am glad you are back in your truck with out much delay.

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The mud was splashed into the engine bay while traversing through the mud. The depth was no where close to 30 inches.

Cleaning it revolved the issue it seems and I’m fine with paying the cost of cleaning. The take away for me is muddy water must be traversed at very slow speeds. Unlike my last truck, there is no skid plate running from the bumper chin down to the top of the front axle. This prevented mud splatter from shooting up directly onto those components. When I would clean out the engine bay of my old truck, I would notice the face of the engine (where the belt is) and fan assembly was relatively clean but the sides of the engine bay would be very muddy. This was even the case after one trip where we traversed a little over 2 feet of muddy water.

 

[Trailmaker]

The mud was splashed into the engine bay while traversing through the mud. The depth was no where close to 30 inches.

Cleaning it revolved the issue it seems and I’m fine with paying the cost of cleaning. The take away for me is muddy water must be traversed at very slow speeds. Unlike my last truck, there is no skid plate running from the bumper chin down to the top of the front axle. This prevented mud splatter from shooting up directly onto those components. When I would clean out the engine bay of my old truck, I would notice the face of the engine (where the belt is) and fan assembly was relatively clean but the sides of the engine bay would be very muddy. This was even the case after one trip where we traversed a little over 2 feet of muddy water.

https://dethloffmfg.com/

yes a little more armor is needed. PWs not a Baja truck. Though I played a little rough with mine, (not as rough as @Breaker Alex haha) I approach water with cation. ask @IRSmart about how deep you can go before it cost you a motor. @BoldAdventure can shed some light on snorkels and water crossings in a PW. live and learn. Cheers!

 

[IRSmart]

Time for me to weigh in here.

see attached snap from the video. He hits the water hard, but have you seen the Trailboss advertisement with one doing like 25 mph through 2 feet of water?

View attachment 202579

if I’m reading this right and this is a clip of you going through water, then you’re absolutely doing it wrong and any damages caused by this type of reckless water fording is absolutely your fault and not covered under warranty. Sorry to hit you with the blunt stick, but it isn’t just the depth of the water that you need to be mindful of. I just had an engine put in my truck because I didn’t follow my own advice and caused a splash not unlike the one in this picture. It sucked water in through the intake tube and BOOM. Bent a rod through the side of the block and I have a whole new engine. The depth of our water fording abilities depend on the water being approached at an appropriate angle and speed. I don’t recall off hand exactly what the owners manual says and I don’t feel like looking it up, but something tells me it’s around 10 mph or less, and also specifies the angle as well.

oh, and the advertisements you tried throwing in their face? “Professional driver on a closed course, do not attempt” is the only fine print they need. Their advertisements literally tell you not to do what you see them doing.

 

[62Blazer]

I would never even consider hitting a water or mud hole on the trail at 25 mph. Even 12" of water in the hole would cause a tidal wave to be splashed over the front grill, on the engine, and possibly into the air intake. There is also a big difference between going fast and then dropping to a water hole as compared to going faster once in the water. It's when you initially hit the water hole that the tidal wave covers over the hood, but once you are in the water you can go faster and it will mainly just splash up along the sides. I've had my off-road truck, which is all factory components under the engine hood, have water up the floor boards going through a creek and had it leaned over to the side in a mud hole to where the mud was up to the headlights on one side. That stuff doesn't bother me......but again I would never even consider hitting a water hole at any type of speed.

 

[BoldAdventure]

I would never even consider hitting a water or mud hole on the trail at 25 mph. Even 12" of water in the hole would cause a tidal wave to be splashed over the front grill, on the engine, and possibly into the air intake. There is also a big difference between going fast and then dropping to a water hole as compared to going faster once in the water. It's when you initially hit the water hole that the tidal wave covers over the hood, but once you are in the water you can go faster and it will mainly just splash up along the sides. I've had my off-road truck, which is all factory components under the engine hood, have water up the floor boards going through a creek and had it leaned over to the side in a mud hole to where the mud was up to the headlights on one side. That stuff doesn't bother me......but again I would never even consider hitting a water hole at any type of speed.

Yup, always go slow. Also, the breathers on your axles aren't that long. You should lengthen those.

I hate to be that guy, but the people who hydro-lock their engine in puddles are remembering things incorrectly.

We've seen a lot of cases of hydro-locked engines or problems with supposed small amounts of water.

I've made lots of deep crosses even before the snorkel. Never had a mechanical issue. A lot of be said about how one drives. And I know when you're having fun, it never seemed that bad or that big a deal.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-GVDJclP1B/

I mean, here is a water crossing where I didn't have 4WD and the water was moving so fast it briefly lifted the rear of the truck, even with me trying to hit the water with some momentum. Still no issues. But these trucks can displace a lot of water and a lot of mud.

Key is to go slow and steady.

 

[olyelr]

Yup, always go slow. Also, the breathers on your axles aren't that long. You should lengthen those.

I hate to be that guy, but the people who hydro-lock their engine in puddles are remembering things incorrectly.

We've seen a lot of cases of hydro-locked engines or problems with supposed small amounts of water.

I've made lots of deep crosses even before the snorkel. Never had a mechanical issue. A lot of be said about how one drives. And I know when you're having fun, it never seemed that bad or that big a deal.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-GVDJclP1B/

I mean, here is a water crossing where I didn't have 4WD and the water was moving so fast it briefly lifted the rear of the truck, even with me trying to hit the water with some momentum. Still no issues. But these trucks can displace a lot of water and a lot of mud.

Key is to go slow and steady.

Yea, **** the rear end picked up and started heading down river there for a second lol!

 

[JamesgPW]

Time for me to weigh in here.



if I’m reading this right and this is a clip of you going through water, then you’re absolutely doing it wrong and any damages caused by this type of reckless water fording is absolutely your fault and not covered under warranty. Sorry to hit you with the blunt stick, but it isn’t just the depth of the water that you need to be mindful of. I just had an engine put in my truck because I didn’t follow my own advice and caused a splash not unlike the one in this picture. It sucked water in through the intake tube and BOOM. Bent a rod through the side of the block and I have a whole new engine. The depth of our water fording abilities depend on the water being approached at an appropriate angle and speed. I don’t recall off hand exactly what the owners manual says and I don’t feel like looking it up, but something tells me it’s around 10 mph or less, and also specifies the angle as well.

oh, and the advertisements you tried throwing in their face? “Professional driver on a closed course, do not attempt” is the only fine print they need. Their advertisements literally tell you not to do what you see them doing.

You read this wrong, this was my friend in his Trail Boss going off road for the first time and hydro locking his engine.

As for me, I had a random heavy shaking in my front radiator/fan assembly after a recent off road trip where I crossed a 12” deep muddy water washout about 40 feet long. I went in to it at about 10-15mph, which from what I’m ready was probably to fast for the Power Wagon. This was resolved with a cleaning of the fan assembly area and belt area of my engine.

I came from a built up Sierra 2500 Z71 which had IFS. I added alot of armor under the engine bay which would block mud from getting onto the belt area. I also had an after market bumper on it with a winch assembly which prevented must water/mud from getting into the grill area.

As someone pointed out, live and learn. I will definitely approach mud/water at a crawl with the Power Wagon.

 

[IRSmart]

You read this wrong, this was my friend in his Trail Boss going off road for the first time and hydro locking his engine.

As for me, I had a random heavy shaking in my front radiator/fan assembly after a recent off road trip where I crossed a 12” deep muddy water washout about 40 feet long. I went in to it at about 10-15mph, which from what I’m ready was probably to fast for the Power Wagon. This was resolved with a cleaning of the fan assembly area and belt area of my engine.

I came from a built up Sierra 2500 Z71 which had IFS. I added alot of armor under the engine bay which would block mud from getting onto the belt area. I also had an after market bumper on it with a winch assembly which prevented must water/mud from getting into the grill area.

As someone pointed out, live and learn. I will definitely approach mud/water at a crawl with the Power Wagon.

Gotcha, the picture was a bit pixelated and I didn’t zoom in. As someone who (very recently) hydrolocked their engine with a splash very similar to the one posted, I can’t stress enough, approach water SLOWLY. I understand the temptation to make a big splash and have mud and water go everywhere, that’s what I was doing (someone with very pretty eyes sitting in my passenger seat may have been egging me on lol). But I was third in line of a group of a dozen vehicles who all got to see my truck go kaboom.

This is what was left of the piston that went through the block, and was the largest piece they were able to pull out. The hole in the block was the size of a softball. Water is no joke, and I’ve already installed a snorkel because that was the SECOND time I hydro’d the same engine, so since I obviously can’t learn from my mistakes, I can at least protect myself from myself lol and I am keeping that piston head in my cup holder as a reminder to not do dumb ****. I can only push my insurance company so far!