Maxcare warranty and dealer....problems

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CAGEYAR

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Speaking of fluid, the ZF/Mopar fluid for the trans is a translucent green out of the bottle. When you drain at 60K, it's pretty close to midnight black. Appearance of fluid is never a clear indication of condition and at 60K it still had a decent smell-no hint of overheating or burnt smell. But the appearance since it is so dark could give the unscrupulous an excuse to make maintenance accusations. I'd rank FCA/Stellantis' claim of lifetime trans fluid right up there with a 10K mile oil change interval.....pure marketing mumbo-jumbo.
 
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miketx

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Speaking of fluid, the ZF/Mopar fluid for the trans is a translucent green out of the bottle. When you drain at 60K, it's pretty close to midnight black. Appearance of fluid is never a clear indication of condition and at 60K it still had a decent smell-no hint of overheating or burnt smell. But the appearance since it is so dark could give the unscrupulous an excuse to make maintenance accusations. I'd rank FCA/Stellantis' claim of lifetime trans fluid right up there with a 10K mile oil change interval.....pure marketing mumbo-jumbo.
You nailed it. "Appearance of fluid is never a clear indication of condition" is correct.........but the whole reason technicians and dealers will fight. They don't know the exact science of fluids, but just go by "smell" and "color". That's not how real science works.
 

indept

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You nailed it. "Appearance of fluid is never a clear indication of condition" is correct.........but the whole reason technicians and dealers will fight. They don't know the exact science of fluids, but just go by "smell" and "color". That's not how real science works.
And if a technician can't correctly tell if the fluids are good or not I wouldn't want that tech doing a cam replacement or other major work on my truck.
 
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miketx

miketx

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One thing I've learned from this whole debacle is: if you do your own work....leave a mess as evidence for dumb service techs. Shame on me for being a good and tidy mechanic.....I'll be more messy in the future.

I also just created a spreadsheet with all my maintenance, and dealer warranty work, listed, with dates, mileage, and details. In the future if I visit a dealership, the first thing I'll hand the service manager is my spreadsheet. If they want receipts, I've got them.
 

Dean2

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All my vehicles have log books. I need a record of all expenses for tax purposes plus it is a lifelong habit. The Log records all gas fills, maintenance, new tires/rotations, batteries etc. at the mileage and date they are done. I had a warranty company try to argue I needed to also produce the receipts, which I would normally have but the ones for this truck got lost in one of my many house moves. The judge told them to get stuffed. Awarded full costs, plus double that again for punitive damages, which I hadn't ask for, for being Dycks about the claim.
 

mtofell

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All my vehicles have log books. I need a record of all expenses for tax purposes plus it is a lifelong habit. The Log records all gas fills, maintenance, new tires/rotations, batteries etc. at the mileage and date they are done. I had a warranty company try to argue I needed to also produce the receipts, which I would normally have but the ones for this truck got lost in one of my many house moves. The judge told them to get stuffed. Awarded full costs, plus double that again for punitive damages, which I hadn't ask for, for being Dycks about the claim.
I've always figured warranty companies want no part of dealing with a judge or arbitrator given their terrible reputation. Your experience sure goes along with that.
 

GTyankee

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I sometimes have to change the motor oil & filter when i am 2,900 miles from my normal dealership.

The last two times that has happened
one time i went to a Jeep Dealership, they went over & above what my own dealership does when it comes to service.
The other time, i went to a Dodge Dealership, they knew that i was from California & they took me in, in the order that i showed up, which is unusual these days, which was before Covid.

Any way, when i returned to My Dealership in California, they told me that what happens at one dealership, can not be seen by another dealership.
So my out of State services would not show up on my regular dealerships computers.

Not that it matters, i have all of my truck records in a size 12 shoe box
 
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mtofell

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they told me that what happens at one dealership, can not be seen by another dealership.
Not sure this is true. Maybe the complete letter by letter can't been seen but the basic notes of what was done goes into the computer for the Ram mothership (aka warranty gods) as permanent record. I created an account at Mopar and can see both of my FCA vehicles and all of the service/repair history. Again, it's sometimes pretty basic but it's there. Basically, if you're engine blows and you try to claim for the warranty and you haven't done your oil changes they know. Yes, you can produce record of DIY but that's a whole other story with hurdles.
 

JPT

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Speaking of fluid, the ZF/Mopar fluid for the trans is a translucent green out of the bottle. When you drain at 60K, it's pretty close to midnight black. Appearance of fluid is never a clear indication of condition and at 60K it still had a decent smell-no hint of overheating or burnt smell. But the appearance since it is so dark could give the unscrupulous an excuse to make maintenance accusations. I'd rank FCA/Stellantis' claim of lifetime trans fluid right up there with a 10K mile oil change interval.....pure marketing mumbo-jumbo.

Just an FYI, I have a 2008 Audi A4 with a ZF trans. Audi also has a lifetime fluid interval in the manual. I have not touched the fluid with 130+k miles on it, still shifts like day 1.

I wont touch my fluid in the Ram and my MaxCare lifetime service contract (or let a dealership touch it). These transmissions are very sensitive, and if done incorrectly will lead to premature damage. If there is a trans problem, and FCA sees the fluid was changed, they could deny coverage for not following the manual's lifetime interval.

It is my understanding that these transmissions are filled by the manufacture, and sent to FCA to install.

Now when it comes to the dirty claim, I believe that is more for a way to back out for contaminated fluid from offroading. For example, do a river crossing and water gets into the diffs/tc/transmission, they now can deny. Also, if you don't follow the fluid change intervals specifically stated in the manual and the fluid is dirty, they can deny.
 

huntergreen

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Just an FYI, I have a 2008 Audi A4 with a ZF trans. Audi also has a lifetime fluid interval in the manual. I have not touched the fluid with 130+k miles on it, still shifts like day 1.

I wont touch my fluid in the Ram and my MaxCare lifetime service contract (or let a dealership touch it). These transmissions are very sensitive, and if done incorrectly will lead to premature damage. If there is a trans problem, and FCA sees the fluid was changed, they could deny coverage for not following the manual's lifetime interval.

It is my understanding that these transmissions are filled by the manufacture, and sent to FCA to install.

Now when it comes to the dirty claim, I believe that is more for a way to back out for contaminated fluid from offroading. For example, do a river crossing and water gets into the diffs/tc/transmission, they now can deny. Also, if you don't follow the fluid change intervals specifically stated in the manual and the fluid is dirty, they can deny.
Exactly my thoughts.
 
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