Maxcare warranty and dealer....problems

[GTyankee]

To me, it sounds like the dealership is working at saying that your Ram is a HEAVY USE vehicle

Like a taxi, or other vehicle that are in use more than a normal use vehicle.
Frequent Towing , constant 16 hour a day stop & go driving, etc.

You may end up taking them before a Mediator

 

[crash68]

The crazy thing is...this isn't "off brand" warranty. It's Maxcare Lifetime. I had a warranty repair done at this dealership before and they were ok. I think it's the tech that's causing the trouble. The service manager even said "he's a cranky old guy".

What drives the tech/dealership to push a customer paid repair vs it being covered under warranty is what the flat rate book pays. A warranty job usually pays about half what the same job if the customer foots the bill. This is right from a former Dodge dealeship mechanic, I've known the guy for +15 years. He's actually worked with techs that would try to pull similar crap of pushing it onto the customer.

 

[miketx]

To me, it sounds like the dealership is working at saying that your Ram is a HEAVY USE vehicle

Like a taxi, or other vehicle that are in use more than a normal use vehicle.
Frequent Towing , constant 16 hour a day stop & go driving, etc.

You may end up taking them before a Mediator

No.....they haven't taken that position. And they would be crazy to.....the mileage/use is just typical truck owner.

 

[miketx]

Do you have other dealers in the area at a reasonable le distance?

Yes, plenty....and I've used another dealer before, which is where I will go next time. But I also plan to ask neighbors, friends, etc in the area for additional recommendations.

 

[BossHogg]

Has anyone has problems with the dealer service and Maxcare lifetime warranty?

I brought my '16 Rebel, with 83k miles on it, in for the air suspension service message. After doing the dealer did their multi-point inspection, they are saying I need to get a whole extra list of services done or the Maxcare inspection will void my warranty.

I also record all my maintenance on mopar.com in My Garage......but they say the dealer and Maxcare only look at Carfax reports. What?!?

I feel like I am being blackmailed. The dealer said they will report all their findings to Maxcare.....and that Maxcare has been voiding customer warranties right and left this year. Huh?

So disappointed in Ram/FCA right now. I only bought this warranty to cover big items, like the air suspension. Everything else I do myself.

Sounds to me like your dealer is bullying you, time to find another dealer. My experiences with MaxCare, the few times I've used the plan, have been excellent. Don't be disappointed with RAM or FCA but with your indepedant RAM dealer, focus your anger on them.

I didn't know you could buy a Maxcare service plan on a used vehicle with more than 48K.

 

[turkeybird56]

^^^ This^^^
If it's not stated in the maintenance section of your owners manual it's not required. Stay away from that dealer and warn others in your area to avoid them like the plague.

OH YEAH, new Dealer time for sure. And BTW, since when do they put welds on transfer case plugs, drains, did I miss something? BOY OP, run (Drive) away from that DEALER real quick, do not walk. All IMHO ...

 

[PoMansRam]

Oh man that really does suck. You never know what you're going to get, even when you use a dealer you like and have used for years.

They make money swapping parts and changing fluids and less money doing warranty work or diagnosing problems, so they always push for option #1.

I find it's best to work with the service manager or a dealer GM. If those guys/gals are knuckleheads, move on.

I rarely use dealer service, but if I get the scenario you got, I'll tell them 'You work with me and I'll work with you'. I'll usually go for one of the more unpleasant fluid changes and pay them to do it. They make a little cash and get the rest done under warranty.

 

[indept]

I have no problem with dealers trying to sell you stuff but when they start claiming you must do it for the warranty it's an outright lie.

 

[miketx]

Hi all....update on the situation (and it gets more interesting). So, the tech got silenced and the service manager apologized. The service manager is an ok guy. They backed off all the services.....although I did go ahead and tell them it was ok to service the transmission (I was going to do it, but I hate that messy job. Done many on prior vehicles). Plus, they cut me a good deal on it.

One of my rear air suspension sensors is still acting up, and the service manager said he ordered a second sensor (first replacement didn't work), so I have to bring it back this coming Tuesday. I had to pick up it last night so I could haul my wife's farmers market gear this morning.

Here's the interesting part. The service manager told me the tech screwed up and went ahead and changed my sparkplugs (I didn't authorize it)....so the dealership is going to eat that one. Cool, I'm ok with that! However......I took some time this morning and looked the truck over head to toe, and it doesn't look like the coils have been touched. They are coated with a layer of dust/dirt, and there are zero fingerprints/etc on the coils or connectors...or bolts. Take a look at the pic and tell me what you think. All the coils look the same as the two in my pic. I've done tons of plugs/coils, and I always leave finger marks, etc.

Also, I checked the transmission. The pan is totally clean, with the normal layer of dust/dirt on it, but so is the plug. Zero fluid residue anywhere, including the plug. The service didn't involve a new pan (it was too cheap for that), so it's just a fluid swap. But unless the tech did it from a special drain/fill port I don't see, or used the cooling lines going to the radiator, I don't think that job got done either. Also see the pics.

The tech also obviously checked my rear diff fluid...the plug had been removed and the diff has gear oil on it. I keep it squeaky clean so I can see leaks when I take long trips, etc. But if the bozo had looked at the gear oil itself, he would have realized it's damn clean and stopped giving me crap about not changing it.

I plan to have a nice discussion with the service manager on Tuesday, and I'm going to request a different tech also. I will use a different dealer next time I need warranty work, that's pretty obvious..

Mike

 

[KKBB]

Hi all....update on the situation (and it gets more interesting). So, the tech got silenced and the service manager apologized. The service manager is an ok guy. They backed off all the services.....although I did go ahead and tell them it was ok to service the transmission (I was going to do it, but I hate that messy job. Done many on prior vehicles). Plus, they cut me a good deal on it.

One of my rear air suspension sensors is still acting up, and the service manager said he ordered a second sensor (first replacement didn't work), so I have to bring it back this coming Tuesday. I had to pick up it last night so I could haul my wife's farmers market gear this morning.

Here's the interesting part. The service manager told me the tech screwed up and went ahead and changed my sparkplugs (I didn't authorize it)....so the dealership is going to eat that one. Cool, I'm ok with that! However......I took some time this morning and looked the truck over head to toe, and it doesn't look like the coils have been touched. They are coated with a layer of dust/dirt, and there are zero fingerprints/etc on the coils or connectors...or bolts. Take a look at the pic and tell me what you think. All the coils look the same as the two in my pic. I've done tons of plugs/coils, and I always leave finger marks, etc.

Also, I checked the transmission. The pan is totally clean, with the normal layer of dust/dirt on it, but so is the plug. Zero fluid residue anywhere, including the plug. The service didn't involve a new pan (it was too cheap for that), so it's just a fluid swap. But unless the tech did it from a special drain/fill port I don't see, or used the cooling lines going to the radiator, I don't think that job got done either. Also see the pics.

The tech also obviously checked my rear diff fluid...the plug had been removed and the diff has gear oil on it. I keep it squeaky clean so I can see leaks when I take long trips, etc. But if the bozo had looked at the gear oil itself, he would have realized it's damn clean and stopped giving me crap about not changing it.

I plan to have a nice discussion with the service manager on Tuesday, and I'm going to request a different tech also. I will use a different dealer next time I need warranty work, that's pretty obvious..

Mike

View attachment 500990View attachment 500991View attachment 500992

Doesn't look touched to me...

 

[Wild one]

Hi all....update on the situation (and it gets more interesting). So, the tech got silenced and the service manager apologized. The service manager is an ok guy. They backed off all the services.....although I did go ahead and tell them it was ok to service the transmission (I was going to do it, but I hate that messy job. Done many on prior vehicles). Plus, they cut me a good deal on it.

One of my rear air suspension sensors is still acting up, and the service manager said he ordered a second sensor (first replacement didn't work), so I have to bring it back this coming Tuesday. I had to pick up it last night so I could haul my wife's farmers market gear this morning.

Here's the interesting part. The service manager told me the tech screwed up and went ahead and changed my sparkplugs (I didn't authorize it)....so the dealership is going to eat that one. Cool, I'm ok with that! However......I took some time this morning and looked the truck over head to toe, and it doesn't look like the coils have been touched. They are coated with a layer of dust/dirt, and there are zero fingerprints/etc on the coils or connectors...or bolts. Take a look at the pic and tell me what you think. All the coils look the same as the two in my pic. I've done tons of plugs/coils, and I always leave finger marks, etc.

Also, I checked the transmission. The pan is totally clean, with the normal layer of dust/dirt on it, but so is the plug. Zero fluid residue anywhere, including the plug. The service didn't involve a new pan (it was too cheap for that), so it's just a fluid swap. But unless the tech did it from a special drain/fill port I don't see, or used the cooling lines going to the radiator, I don't think that job got done either. Also see the pics.

The tech also obviously checked my rear diff fluid...the plug had been removed and the diff has gear oil on it. I keep it squeaky clean so I can see leaks when I take long trips, etc. But if the bozo had looked at the gear oil itself, he would have realized it's damn clean and stopped giving me crap about not changing it.

I plan to have a nice discussion with the service manager on Tuesday, and I'm going to request a different tech also. I will use a different dealer next time I need warranty work, that's pretty obvious..

Mike

View attachment 500990View attachment 500991View attachment 500992

Those coils haven't been touched,look at the 10mm bolts holding them in place,they've never had a socket on them. If they're selling you a transmission service with-out replacing the transmission pan,run away as fast as you can,as the filter and pan are one unit,and the only way to replace the transmission filter is to buy a new transmission pan

 

[Yardbird]

If the "tech" is ticked at you, he may have told the SW he did those jobs so he can get paid, but didn't. Or, they both could be lying.

 

[indept]

Is your butt sore, it should be because they're skrewing you. I agree there's no marks on those coil bolts and the pan should be new or there should be spots where they cleaned off the pan if reused, which they shouldn't do.

 

[miketx]

Those coils haven't been touched,look at the 10mm bolts holding them in place,they've never had a socket on them. If they're selling you a transmission service with-out replacing the transmission pan,run away as fast as you can,as the filter and pan are one unit,and the only way to replace the transmission filter is to buy a new transmission pan

Agree on the coils. And they only sold a "fluid exchange"....which is fine, but I can't find any evidence that it has been done. I even checked the trans cooler lines up to the radiator.....nothing touched (I've done the trans cooler suction replacement on other vehicles).

Monday at the dealer will be an interesting discussion. I plan to bring a book and wait for resolution (I'm retired....time is my friend).

 

[miketx]

I still think the service manager is ok.....but the tech is definitely up to something.

 

[pacofortacos]

The ONLY fluid exchange I would consider is dropping the pan bolt, drain and refill.

 

[Dean2]

I wish you luck but you need to be keeping detailed notes of dates, times, who you talked to, and what was said, agreed to and committed to. This has all the hallmarks of something that could get really bent and out of control. Documentation will be your friend.

 

[EdGs]

Agree on the coils. And they only sold a "fluid exchange"....which is fine, but I can't find any evidence that it has been done. I even checked the trans cooler lines up to the radiator.....nothing touched (I've done the trans cooler suction replacement on other vehicles).

Monday at the dealer will be an interesting discussion. I plan to bring a book and wait for resolution (I'm retired....time is my friend).

Those coils definately look untouched, aside fron the bolts they would show evidence of being handled. I don't see it.

Also, the drain plug on the transmission pan hasn't been touched either, IMO. It only has to be slightly cracked open to drain the fluid, and you should see evidence of that. Along with excess fluid being wiped off. I see nothing that makes me think it has been done.

BTW, what did they charge you for the fluid exchange, and how much fluid did they claim to use? Pan and filter should have been done also.

 

[miketx]

I wish you luck but you need to be keeping detailed notes of dates, times, who you talked to, and what was said, agreed to and committed to. This has all the hallmarks of something that could get really bent and out of control. Documentation will be your friend.

Yes, I'm aware of that. We'll see.

 

[2020PW]

Lol, find another dealership. They are screw ing you.