John Deere Quality Control Problems

[BlueBerryFarmer]

I have owned green tractors for decades (starting with my 1966 JD 2510) and have noticed quality failing badly in the newer machines, notably those being manufactured in India -- case in point: 5055E and 5075 tractors experiencing multiple "assembly line" issues --- seat belts hanging/binding up/improperly installed, neutral safety switches improperly installed (o-ring failures), leaks throughout cooling, oil, hydraulic systems all related to assembly line quality control failures and the list goes on and on...........:thumbdown:

Have to say I've not seen similar issues with the orange machines I've purchased...........

 

[Tx Jim]

I'll add 3 pt hitches that get stuck in the raised position and it's difficult for this former JD dealer employee to believe that JD hasn't in about 20 years cured this "little SNAFU" in photo!!!!!

 

[mfreund]

If people here did not buy them, maybe they would not import them.

 

[MattLynch]

Mine was assembled in the US and I can say quality control sucked, so its not just tractors coming out of India. Leaks, loose bolts and fittings, stripped bolts, paint falling off, etc.

 

[Verticaltrx]

I would have to agree. We have a 2550 Deere (built in '85 in Germany) and it has been one of the best tractors we've ever owned, basically 30yrs and 3000 trouble free hours. We also have a good bit of Deere equipment (1219 moco, 337 baler, 1008 bush hog, 1600 moldboard plow, 95 rear blade, etc) purchased in the 80's-early 90's and it has all been trouble free and excellent. Some of the newer Deere equipment (late 90's 446 round baler and 702 wheel rake) has been pretty good, but had a few small issues.

Next Deere tractor we bought was a '98 4400 compact utility tractor, it was a total basket case. You could tell they did very little R&D before rushing it into production as there were many issues that were just poor engineering or poor QC. Got rid of that tractor at 1700hrs because it just had too many recurring issues. Latest Deere was a 2010 (or 2011?) Deere 5045e. Now has 500hrs on it and it uses coolant, has a small oil leak, sometimes the hydraulic SCVs get stuck and overheat the fluid (to the point the trans gets so hot it tightens up the brakes and bearings/gears/whatever until the tractor no longer wants to move), and the internal adjustments on the 3pt hitch have been wrong since new so that the fluid is constantly flowing through the 3pt valve unless you bump the lever down after raising it. All tractors were purchased new, never abused and maintained by the book.


Hello, Does anyone from Deere read this stuff? .....I guess not, or they just don't care anymore.

 

[Tx Jim]

702 rake although green & yellow wasn't built by JD as it was outsourced from Tonnuti. I bought a brand new model 704 built by Tonnuti that the frame broke several times within it's one year warranty and I told JD rep's that the initial rake purchase should have included a portable gasoline welder. JD is not the same company nor does it produce the same dependable tractors/equipment as they did back when I was employed by a JD dealer in the 80's.

 

[DVR]

New 5045d 10 months ago currently 130hrs (what I can recall so far 2 service trips, 1 pending)-

Fuel gauge showed dead empty after 7.5gals were used (dealer said it was repaired)
Fogging gauge cluster (dealer replaced)
leaky battery (dealer said it was taken care of)
neutral safety switch issue (dealer replaced starter presumably so warranty would pay)
mis algned hood (dealer made adjustments. not satisfied)
improperly applied hood decal (dealer replaced, shoddy installation)
quickly rusting hardware (dealer replaced or painted some fasteners, I painted some myself)
Faded seat (dealer replaced)

leaky battery damaged radiator, pan below battery and mounting hardware (I replaced battery with an AGM, pending svc visit to address damage)
starter not engaging properly (pending svc visit)
Fuel gauge shows dead empty after 7.5gals are used (pending svc visit)


Purchased new, dealer told me it was assembled in Georgia, was fresh new stock with no lot time.
Turned out made in India, 2012, many signs of lot exposure...
Was delivered in the pouring rain and I trusted the dealer at their word. That will never happen again and has never been an issue before. Dealer was terrible in regard to addressing issues.

Overall the tractor is strong and has done a good job plowing, bush hogging and spreading. Problems have been a nuisance but have not kept me from doing the work I needed to do.

I am switching dealers for the next service visit. I am also shopping for an additional 4wd cab tractor.

 

[BlueBerryFarmer]

Even the JD technical manuals are a joke and they let simple errors through fairly regularly--- look in TM900019 (04NOV08) Page 240-10-3 (Service Manual for the 51xx, 52xx, 53xx, 54xx, 50xx tractors) for example, to see how they spelled Turn Signal Relay "Turn Signal Realy"----this kind of quality control (or lack thereof) is unacceptable. The company needs to clean up its quality control act or customers will go elsewhere.

 

[Verticaltrx]

The company needs to clean up its quality control act or customers will go elsewhere.

I agree completely, but where are they going to go? Kubota is probably at the top with quality control and good engineering, but they are starting to slip as well. This is especially true of the Kubota products made in the USA, (loaders, backhoes, mowers, some tractors) the quality just isn't the same as the tractors from Japan. A lot of the other tractor companies are just as bad or worse, none of them care about building a quality product anymore.

I blame the consumer as much as the manufacturer. People demand more power and more features at a cheaper price, and that's what the mfg's are making, at the cost of quality.

 

[fieldman12]

I agree with what you said that customers are part of the blame. Today's tractor brands seem more and more like looking at cheap riding mowers from Lowes. The hoods are cheap, less built in weight and seems like each year more and more plastic is added. I also see issues where the steel does not seem as good of quality and neither is the bolts like they use to be. If I could order a refurbished old tractor with warranty like a new one I would rather go that route any day. I also prefer to run older tractors in most cases. Part of the problem though is most people that buy smaller Utility tractors do not use them to the same level they did thirty years ago or so. Back then people would plow, till, and even pull a planter in small fields. Now there just used for mowing, garden tilling, and some baler work.

I agree completely, but where are they going to go? Kubota is probably at the top with quality control and good engineering, but they are starting to slip as well. This is especially true of the Kubota products made in the USA, (loaders, backhoes, mowers, some tractors) the quality just isn't the same as the tractors from Japan. A lot of the other tractor companies are just as bad or worse, none of them care about building a quality product anymore.

I blame the consumer as much as the manufacturer. People demand more power and more features at a cheaper price, and that's what the mfg's are making, at the cost of quality.