Today I am glad my real tractor is blue......

[Phred]

Its not really a tractor but maybe still of interest here...

Today I went to fire up my JD lawn mower. I bieleve it is a JD36C self propelled mower.
Filled it with fuel and spilled a drop or two, or at least thought I had. So I wiped off the few drops and then went and did something else for a few minuites to let the gas evaporate.
Come back and there is a pool of gas under the gas tank on the mower deck! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Turns out the tank is leaking! Glad I noticed this before I fired it up and the muffler became hot. This was a fire waiting to happen.

So I take it all apart, drain the gas out etc...
The tank is a one peice plastic job, and it's cracked!
The bad part is it is cracked on the inside edge that is up against the mower. So clearly its not from physical dammage.

Bummer. So check your mower if you have one of these. Maybe mine is a fluke, but this thing is only about a year old if memory serves. Maybe two at the outside.

I will be having a talk with JD tomorrow about this. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
I have taken very good care of this machine. I bieleve this is a defect.

Fred

 

[SteveH_CT]

I guess they don't make the gas tanks out of the same stuff they make the hoods out of... my hood has taken quite a pounding with nothing more than scratches to show for it. My metal grill guard on the other hand is a bit bent from all the action /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif - it makes it look tougher though - haha.

 

[bigpete]

Your dealer shouuld be aware of any recall, and a leaking gas tank is a huge liability for any mower manufacturer. If your dealer plays dumb, call JD corporate right away. I bet they move fast...this is the stuff major lawsuits are made of if it goes unattended by the maker /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Phred]

Here is the scoop on what happened.
I called Deere and they said I must go through a local dealer, and gave me the number.

I called and they said that if I had the product # (basically a serial #) of the mower we should be able to get this done. 2 year waranty.

So I go to the dealer. Of course they have never heard of a bad gas tank before, but he just happens to have the exact one in stock and brings it out from the back store room in about 1 min flat.

Looks up the serial # and says "you must not have filled out the waranty card". So game over, I either needed to produce the origional receipt from over 1 year ago or pay for the $30 tank myself.
Since it would be an hour long drive home, a hunt for the recipet and an hour drive back.....
I just paid for the ^%$ thing in left in disgust.
He said that I might be able to get my money back if I prduced the recipet, but the way he talked it sounded like a long shot at best.

So the bottom line for me is the honda ran for 10 years with only the normal service and zero problems, and I can't even get a full two years out of a deere without major pain in the ^%$.

Maybe I should have filled out the waranty card, and maybe I should have hunted up the reciept before I went to the dealer......
or I could have just bought another honda to begin with and skipped the whole problem....

The next mower won't be a deere product.
I like to buy american but I won't pay hard earned money for trash, and then tolerate bad support on top of that.

Fred

 

[RebelYell]

I feel your disgust. I wish I had bought a Honda self-propelled but got a Cub Cadet. I liked the design of the caster wheels; however, found that it is a poor design and had numerous problems with the dealer and the mower. I tried not to buy foreign but after 20 years of gettin the shaft I now own a Honda Accord and a Kubota tractor.

 

[SteveH_CT]

Phred - Where did you buy the mower? I have to say this wouldn't happen where I buy from. My dealer carries Deere tractors, but also has a range of items from mowers to chainsaw and other small engine type stuff. For one, when I buy it there I'm registered there with the item's serial number. Secondly they automatically register me with the manufacturer.

I can see why you're put off by the episode - it is a hassle, I'm just curious why Deere never knew this product was sold and put into service.

Thanks,

 

[Junkman]

They can tell by the serial number of the machine what the manufacture date is. If it was manufactured less than 2 years prior to your needing the part, then it is still considered in warranty even without the receipt. I would send a copy of the bill to JD and a picture of the fuel tank and ask for a refund. If they don't reply or deny the refund, then I would make a formal report to the Federal Consumer Protection Agency that monitors defects for recall purposes. Here is the place to send the letter:
Deere & Company
1 John Deere Place
Moline, IL 61265-8098
309-765-8000
Web site: www.deere.com
And here is the place to report the problem to the Government: http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/complaintresources.htm

 

[texbaylea]

In Texas by law, you do not have to fill out a warranty card. If you can prove by serial number that it is in the recall zone, thaat is all you need. Check with the Secretary of State or similar office to see what your law is.

Vernon

 

[Phred]

Guy,

I bought this from the Home Depot.
That is part of the problem. They do not carry any parts not even the air filters for this model anymore and its only a little over a year old.
I found the air filter at tractor supply.

The dealer probably knows that it did not come from him so not his problem.

So here is the question. I now own two tanks. The old one I clearly abused /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif and the brand new one.
So the attached picture is which one? The old or the new?

Fred

 

[Phred]

Here is a second picture.

Can you guess? are these pictures the old one or the new one?

Fred