Should I Regret Buying A Kioti?

[GuyInHuntsville]

....It sounds like he's telling you "Ahh yeah, about that, wish I could help, but see your tractor has no bumpers, so there's really nothing I can do. If only you'd bought the optional bumper package.."

:confused3:A sucker named Guy has been born.

 

[arrow]

I like Interstate myself

Exactly what I used. Only because of it's availability. In my old JD 750, that thing in 28 years had two batteries. A Yuasa (came with it) and after that, a Die Hard Gold for the next 16 years.

 

[GuyInHuntsville]

I would have informed the Kioti dealer of the leak and the battery tray and paint damage the leak caused and asked them to replace the battery, battery tray and repaint the frame AT TIME OF FIRST DEALER SERVICE. After all, the alternator needs to be checked out.

I do not know how far you are from the dealer, but transporting a tractor is very expensive and transportation is not covered as part of warranty repairs.

If you, rather than the dealer, are going to service the tractor I think the dealer should provide a new battery tray, paint and refund you the cost of a replacement Kioti battery.

Tractors are workers. Don't let a minor paint glitch get under your skin. The dust will cover the offending paint repair again, soon enough.

Kubota is equally "tough" on warranty repairs based on my purchase of two new Kubota tractors.

The problem with threads in this category is that we do not get to hear from the other side, usually, and there is always another side.

I feel your thread title is immoderate and inflammatory. A better title would be "Kioti Battery Leak And Associated Corrosion."

"I feel your thread title is immoderate and inflammatory. A better title would be "Kioti Battery Leak And Associated Corrosion."" In hindsight I totally aggree...I was inflamed when I wrote it but you guys here have sobered me up to the realities of owning and maintianing a tractor and to not have high expectations from a dealer...As you said Kubota is tough on warranty too. To answer my own question "should I regret Kioti? I don't now and will try to enjoy the tractor from here on out...After I fix it.:laughing:

 

[kco]

:thumbsup:Good for you Guy, for recognising the thread title might have been a bit harsh.

I would not worry too much about the battery or damage. But I realise I don't have a huge concern about the aesthetics of my equipment and vehicles. I keep them maintained but accept the imperfections that come through use. I do think the dealer should have at least offered some kind of assistance to repair the damage to your tray, even if it was just some free paint for you to do it yourself.

I recently punctured my battery and damaged the battery tray. I cleaned it up and replaced it with the same brand (Interstate) after researching online. I see others have said good things about Interstate. If the voltage checks others mentioned turn out OK, perhaps you just got a battery lemon or someone(most likely the dealer) damaged it when they installed it.

Your dealer's uncaring attitude certainly unfortunate. Hopefully he was just having a bad day. My dealer experience is just the opposite. I bent my top link (through improper use) shortly after getting my tractor. I took it to the dealer and he straightened it as I waited(including repairing the threads) for no charge.

This may be a bit off-topic but....it is important to take the little maintenance items such as checking for loose bolts seriously. I find the small bolts holding the pivot pins on my DK35's loader have a tendency to loosen. I lost one(luckily the large pin stayed it) and find one or two slightly loose when checking them. I just tightened a couple last week and will reinstall all of them with blue LocTite.

Kioti's are good tractors and chances are it will give you mostly trouble-free service. Hopefully your dealer will do the same.

Cheers

ADDITION TO ORIGINAL POST:

Adding this after seeing photos on my PC (they did not display on my Android). The damage is much more severe than I originally imagined and can relate to your original concern. Your dealer should have been much more helpful in cleaning it up. The problem is the dealer, not the tractor.

I also see your battery is not an Interstate. Mine came with an Interstate and I think all Kioti's here (at least at my dealer) have that brand. That is what my dealer sells as replacements. Perhaps your dealer put in an old or damaged battery.

 

[s219]

Hmm, this is a good example where a minor problem causes some major hassle. I think the dealer is focusing on the minor aspect (battery) and not caring about the major hassle (cleaning up the rust and repainting). He should care.

Any dealer that tried to blow me off over this would be getting rained on from the BBB, state consumer protection, and Kioti corporate. It's their freaking battery that they installed on the tractor prior to sale. That means they assume some basic level of responsibility that the battery won't destroy your tractor. They need to step up and take care of their customer.

I'd say start with Kioti corporate and then consider working with BBB and your state's consumer protection department.

 

[varmint]

Good example of short-sightedness on the dealer's part: he sold the customer a $15000-20000 piece of equipment, and when it had a problem that should not have occurred, he walked away from helping out. Of course a new battery is warranted, and I think a new tray or whatever it takes to make it whole is also to be expected. If the VR/alternator is the culprit, then the dealer should check that out and take care of it. He is not asking for an unreasonable response.

 

[kneedeep]

My Mahindra 3510 bought new in '03 came with a Yusa battery that lasted 11 years before giving up on a bitter cold Feb day. I added a little distilled water at 50 Hr service and never added any more. I use a maintainer, clean the post and spray with the red battery sealant every time I service it. Hope to get at least half as long out of the TSC battery in it now.

 

[oldpilgrim]

my brother's 2012 CK20 came with an interstate battery in it.

I was tinkering with my new Mahindra yesterday and lifted the red plastic boot over the positive battery terminal. I couldn't see the terminal thru all the green fuzz of corrosion on it. It filled the plastic cover I peeled off.

I took everything apart, cleaned and greased the terminals. Hopefully that's the end of it. I've had it 3 1/2 months and didn't expect this.

Any idea what causes the green corrosion build up on a terminal? In cars, I always figured it was due to electrolysis over time, but this battery is only months old.

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

Hi...I wanted to run this by everyone. My tractor is just under 3 months old and about a week and a half ago I noticed corrosion in the battery compartment and underneath the front of the tractor. I sprayed the whole area with WD40, almost a whole can. The acid leak wasn't very noticeable until after I used the tractor for a while and the dust stuck to the acid leaking from a seam at the top of the battery. I took photos a week later (this past weekend) when I had my camera so I could show it to the dealer. My neighbor by my property as well as friends told me the dealer needs to come and get the tractor and make everything right. So I went to the dealer and showed him the photos and he said there's nothing he could do except replace the battery if I bring him the old one. I wasn't expecting that response. He also told me "no manufacturer or dealer would cover damage caused by a leaking battery" and gave me the impression of why didn't I catch this leak sooner. I told him I caught pretty soon being the tractor is 2 3/4 months old and that the battery is the least of my concerns...It's all the damage it caused. I don't even want their battery. I'll research and find a really good one to put in there. I remember when I bought the tractor how the dealer told me about Kioti having one of the best "bumper to Bumper" warranties out there (sucker born every minute?). I'm hoping you guys could tell me what you think? Should they cover this even though it's pretty clear to me they won't? Do you think John Deere or Kubota would have taken care of me had I bought one of them? I really appreciate everyone here. I'm new to tractors by the way and this is my first one. Thank you for reading.
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Only 3 months old and a problem and the dealer wont take care of it? lol he better be glad thats not my tractor
1. Write him a letter demanding it all be repaired and send it certified mail
2. Send the manufacturer the same letter
3. Your goal here is to be a major PIA to him by whatever legal methods available to you. Dont let him give some bs line and hope youll go away.

AND btw, Kioti is a good tractor, you just have a crappy dealer imo

 

[RollingsFarms]

Sorta related to your problem but the battery in my John Deere zero turn kept dying after only a year. Each time John Deere replaced it, free of charge and gave me a 2 year warranty with each battery. They ended up having to replace 3 of my battery's and even had to eat the cost of sending the tech to my farm to change out the battery. Apparently Deere had been having some trouble with a batch of batteries and my dealer would send my dead batteries to Deere corporate to be gone over to find out what was going on.