BX24 Blown Engine

[vegasguzzi]

Have you guys had any problems with your BX engines? My BX24 is back in the shop for the fourth time since I bought it in April of 06. This time it is for a blown engine.

 

[SkyPup]

Wow, the engine did not even last a year?

What happened?

 

[Dusty]

Are you assuming that the engine is blown, or did the dealer tell you that it self destructed? I have never heard of one of the Kubota engines failing in a BX before, but anything can happen. If you are having that much trouble with it, I would suggest that you try pushing Kubota for a replacement machine. One thing to keep track of the time that it spends in the shop. All shop time is supposed to be added to the end date of the warranty, since you were not able to use it when it is in for repairs. I believe that they have to keep it for 24 hours before this goes into effect. I know that is how it works with cars, so I will assume that the same should apply to tractors.
Dusty

 

[rdsaustintx]

Have you guys had any problems with your BX engines? My BX24 is back in the shop for the fourth time since I bought it in April of 06. This time it is for a blown engine.

what? What?? WHAT???

 

[rdsaustintx]

All shop time is supposed to be added to the end date of the warranty, since you were not able to use it when it is in for repairs.

Not so.

Kubota promises to make warranty repairs within 30 days of getting the tractor. The only way the warranty extends is for repair parts, which are warranteed 90 days no matter what.

Russell in Texas

 

[vegasguzzi]

No assuming about it. I got the word from the dealer today. I was running the tractor and it started dumping smoke out of the exhaust and shutdown. The dealer opened up the engine and said the number one cylinder has oil in it which bent the rod.

 

[vegasguzzi]

The previous times in the shop;

First time; Crack in the cover for the rear hydraulics. We waited for 4 weeks for a replacement part. Kubota insinuated that I caused the problem when they saw a cracked tooth on my scraper. They did honor the warranty when I pointed out the scraper was matched to the machine.

Second time; Hose for hydraulics was cross threaded and leaked lots of hydraulic fluid.

Third time was to replace the replacement cover for the hydraulics because the unit Kubota shipped the first time arrived with a hairline crack in it. The dealer installed it so I could get the machine back and ordered another cover.

My machine has a total of 60 hours.

 

[bkheur]

I thought that if you bought a Kubota that you were buying the best and would not have worry about it. Oh well just goes to show you that all brands can be prone to have serious problems!

 

[proudestmonkey]

California, being a very consumer friendly state, must have some kind of law in place to take care of this. Perhaps a lemon law, if not that, a warranty of usage and merchantability (that the product will be able to be used by the purchaser in the way it was intended to be used). My guess is, if you checked into it yourself a little, called Kubota, and asked for a new Tractor, they might listen. You may also want to call either a consumer protection agency, the State's Attorney General's office, or even a lawyer, to find out what your options are. I am not suggesting you sue Kubota, but you should be able to expect more for your money than this, and Kubota needs to acknowledge that.

This is not legal advice, just a fellow Kubota user (and happy customer). Kubota seems like the kind of company that will be reasonable. Your dealer is likely not going to be able to get you what you need.

 

[vegasguzzi]

The dealer has been pretty good about things so far. I called Kubota customer service and expressed my dissatisfaction over the time for replacement parts. I was promised a return call and never received one.

The dealer told me today that they want to replace the engine instead of trying a rebuild. Kubota disagrees. I guess Kubota is pushing back and implied that the engine failure is a use issue and should not be covered under warranty without further investigation.
The dealer said corporate is concerned about the number of scratches I have on the machine with the low number of hours. (I have a small orange grove on my property and driving through the trees is like thistles) The tractor has been serviced only by the dealer, and the only implements I used have been purchased through the dealer. So I really don’t understand the use issue. The dealer is talking to others at the corporate level. I believe in the machine and would buy another one; I know any company can produce a Monday machine. I won't get upset until I get some kind of definitive answer from Kubota on how they plan on repairing the machine.

The frustrating part of the whole deal is my yard is completely torn up while my tractor is in the shop. So I have to rent another tractor, like I did before while Kubota decides about the warranty.

So far my impression of Kubota is the warranty is honored only if the tractor sits in your garage and the only accumulated hours are from local parades on dry days.

 

[Ken_CT]

Vegasguzzi,
What type of oil were you using and how many hours. This is very disturbing news.

 

[vegasguzzi]

Dealer serviced and right at 60 hours

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

Given your circumstances, you should be pushing for a loaner tractor. Kubota regional reps have cash accounts that they can use to help work out situations like yours. It sounds like your dealer is going to bat for you, but its still not bad to keep the pressure on.

 

[vegasguzzi]

Thanks for the tip. I'm out of town this weekend so I don't need a loaner. Right now I just want to hear that they are going to fix it and fix it in a timely manner.

 

[Dusty]

I would sure love to hear how a bent rod could be your fault. If they say that it is your fault, ask them how that could be, since all you did was operate it until it made noises and then shut it down. I'll bet that when they are finished digging into it, they will find a stuck open fuel injector. No way would I let them fix that engine. The crank has been stressed and if they think that it is OK, then let them put it in another machine and give you a new engine or a new tractor. Just like the broken transmission cover. The replacement comes in cracked just like the original one and they insinuate abuse. The only abuse is that which you are getting from Kubota. If the tractor is financed, you have additional leverage...... Dusty

 

[rdsaustintx]

The dealer told me today that they want to replace the engine instead of trying a rebuild. Kubota disagrees. I guess Kubota is pushing back and implied that the engine failure is a use issue and should not be covered under warranty without further investigation.
The dealer said corporate is concerned about the number of scratches I have on the machine with the low number of hours... I really don’t understand the use issue. The dealer is talking to others at the corporate level. I believe in the machine and would buy another one; I know any company can produce a Monday machine. I won't get upset until I get some kind of definitive answer from Kubota on how they plan on repairing the machine.

Vegas, you might be seriously hostility-impaired.

They already blamed you for a housing crack and the replacement came cracked? Engine failure at 60 hours?? Paint scratches bent a rod???

My BX went in under warranty for a stuck diff lock recently. It had 370 hours, a bent upper link, half-shredded tires, one dent in the hood, two dents in the front rims, a bent fender, scraped axle pivots, a lousy weld repair on the filter bracket and PLENTY of scratches. Nobody even hinted the diff lock was my fault (I'm confident it was).

Heck, my dealer offered to haul it 70 miles for free, reminded me I get 36 months on the drivetrain and fairly challenged me to break it again!

Not that it would help anything, but I would be completely, certifiably prozac-pukin FURIOUS!

Russell in Texas (where everybody carries a gun)

 

[Musclford]

Vegas, you might be seriously hostility-impaired.


Not that it would help anything, but I would be completely, certifiably prozac-pukin FURIOUS!

Russell in Texas (where everybody carries a gun)

Now that's funny,,, I don't care who you are or where you live..

That's just plain funny...

BTW, I 100% agree... I would be raising my hostility level a bit higher and start flooding their customer service E-mail until I get a return call..

But I suppose you must let the dealer do their job first... But don't think for a minute you caused a bent rod....

Tell them you actually use what you buy and not just admire it..

Keep us informed,

Musclford

 

[Berniep]

I am very "hostility impaired" but this would push me to the limit. How could it be a "use" issue unless it states that you CAN'T use it in the warranty?
There seems to be two parties at work here Kubota and your dealer. How does kubota know about scratches and a broken scraper tooth?(why would your scraper be on it when it goes to the dealer?) Do dealers send pictures of tractors to kubota for aproval of warranty issues?
I have so many questions

Oh and another thing.
How in the world could a bent rod be a use issue when the motor only turns the hydraulic pump. Unless you drove it into a pond or otherwise got water into the cylinder then there is no way it could be your fault no matter what you were pulling or pushing.

 

[Dusty]

Hostility only comes after they deny the claim. Getting hostile unnecessarily isn't good for relationships when you need them. He could get a little pushy, but hostile isn't the way to get satisfaction until it is the last resort. I have said from the beginning that there was nothing that he could have done to cause this damage, but the case isn't closed yet. It is more likely the local Kubota rep that is the problem, not Kubota Corporation. Lets see how this plays out before we start recommending hostility. Dusty

 

[N80]

Vegas, keep us posted. This is very interesting. Kubota has a reputation to uphold and that reputation is expensive. It costs a lot to develop and keep a good reputation and it costs us, the consumers, a lot, to get what that reputation has to offer. I'm sure Kubota must realize that issues like this get distrubuted widely on the internet, which damages their hard fought reputation if they don't respond as they are expected to.