BX24 Blown Engine

[vegasguzzi]

I appreciate all of the feedbach and support. I want to let the dealer do their thing before I lash out. I don't get why they are looking to blame the customer, it could be that the dealer has to convince Kubota and the dealer is slow to do that?

 

[curt1]

I have been thinking about buying a BX24, but after reading numerous posts on how everything breaks on them, I have changed my mind. No way I am going to pay $15,000 plus for something that stays in the shop more than I use it. No offense intended to any BX24 owners, thats just a lot of money for a machine that has so many problems. Maybe they should have kept the BX23 design.
Good luck trying to contact Kubota and get a reply. Been there, tried that. They NEVER answer e-mails. I think I would DEMAND a new machine for the good money you paid for your unit. Good luck and I hope you are treated well by Kubota.


Curt

 

[InlineDieselFan]

This story more than sucks, I would be on the dealer hard everyday. For the money you paid and are still making payments? But have no use as they squabble about how to fix it I may have to park out fornt of the dealer with a big nasty sign, it certainly may not be his/her fault but he gets to pay the price. Then take a picture and send up to Stockton.

The only way the rod would have bent is if you had a lemon, like your said it happens but if they sold you a lemon Kubota should give you a new tractor. Take your broken one into the factory and figure out why yours had so many problems.

A crossthreaded hydraulic line? How could they possibly apologize enough on that, they should have flagged your file and put your name at the front of the kiss your rear list, if you ever called Kubota or walked into the dealer.

Problems like this would make me turn GREEN.

steve

 

[curt1]

Problems like this would make me turn GREEN.

steve

Green looks better every day!

Curt

 

[Ken_CT]

I am very happy with my BX23. The big problem with the 23 is the air filter bracket breaking on probably every machine (mine included). From everything that has been posted about the problems with the BX24, if my dealer offered me an even swap for a new BX24, and my machine has about 250 hours, I would decline. I think they threw out the baby with the bath water on this "upgrade". I think Kubota makes a great tractor, and I hope they make good to all the folks that purchased the BX24.

 

[proudestmonkey]

Vegas, you might be seriously hostility-impaired.

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)

Russ, I gotta say, I really like your style!

 

[NewToy]

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.

I am really curious how they can attribute that bent rod to your improper use of the machine. I think they are trying to buffalo you into getting the engine repaired as opposed to the new unit your dealer would rather install. They are probably trying to make you think the warranty won't cover it and after you push a bit they say " okay, we'll FIX it for you",. They will expect you to be elated that you don't have to eat the repair cost and pray that you fade away, hopefully until your warranty runs out. I would want a very detailed explanation of how this failure occured and what has been done to insure you won't have to revisit this problem again.(if they insist on repairing the engine and not replacing it as YOUR AUTHORIZED Kubota Dealer reccommended) Like a fellow TBN'er stated earlier in the thread, there is no way short of sucking water into the intake that they could attribute the failure to YOUR negligence. This is obviously a defect in materials and/or workmanship that should be warranted. Tell them you want it all in writing and then consult some of the very knowledgeable TBN members and see if they are shining you. You have been through enough with that machine, you would think they would be apologetic instead of accusatory in regards to the failure(s) you have experienced. I was a warranty administrator for a large construction equipment company and the mfg listens hard to the dealer, especially if they are a high volume dealer. Have your dealer go to bat for you for the new engine and remind Kubota of all the previous issues you have patiently endured. Hopefully they will get you tractoring again, ASAP.

John

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

I have a BX2200 since 2002 and I have had a few problems with the tractor, BUT the Dealer helped me out. The Dealer went to bat for me with Kubota. The Dealer fixed stuff even if it was out of the warranty, because he said that should not break. The Dealer has been around to help when ever I had a problem.

The Dealer is 90 minutes away. I have 2 other Kubota Dealers that are closer, one is 20 minutes away. BUT when I was looking to buy a tractor he did not have time for a small tractor, he likes dealing with big Kubota tractors and equipment. So I found a Dealer that I could work with.

I have been on TBN since 02 and this is the first time I can recall of a blown engine on ANY Kubota. IF you do not get satisfaction make a call to Kubota at the headquarters in CA, and you will get action. It just takes time to make it up the food chain to the top. That is what a dealer is for to help push it up the chain.

All those folks thinking of buying ANY color tractor, learn from this experience, NOT from a blown engine, BUT how important the dealer is IF and when you have a problem. Price is NOT everything.

 

[ByronBob]

I don't think I've ever heard of a blown motor before in a BX series either. It's gotta be a lemon. Your the 1 in a million statistic we read about in math books. It doesn't make YOU feel any better though I'm sure.

Didn't Kubota make a new engine for the 24 series? I'd swear I thought my engine was a 902 and the new ones are 905.

If it's under warranty I'd want a new tractor or a new motor. You should expect that much.

Green isn't perfect either. Ask the 1 guy in a Million who got the lemon over there how he feels....

 

[Volfandt]

Been a member here sonce 2004 and this is the 1st I've read of a new Kubota engine (less than a couple 1000 hrs) being blown.....
It's either a rare manufacture defect or something went wrong on one of the service/maintenance precedures.
Coolant getting into the cylinder will bend a rod. Not sure what gasoline would do but I'd think that since gas can be compressed I'd doubt that would be the cause...
You say it's been dealer serviced, make sure you have all the receipts and continue to talk with both the dealer and Kubota USA.
I would think that Kubota would help the dealer out re. providing you with a loaner while your machine is down.

Volfandt

 

[Taiser]

EGADS...

I'm looking at a BX24 now and this is sending chills down my spine. I've been looking for a while too and this is the first I've heard of this. Doesn't the BX24 have the exact same engine as the 23??? Thought I read somewhere someone sayd it even says BX23 on the 24 engine. Can't see them redesigning an entire engine for this new model, modifications maybe but I'm sure the block and the rest of the core are the same on both.

I'm a big fan of Kubota's and have relatives in the construction business that swear by them, a buddy of mine has a "B" series with over 3000 hours on it with no motor problems...these things are suppose to be tanks. Little comfort to you I'm sure.

Being a ex-mechanic I can also tell you a blown engine is a rare...on pretty much anything, especially the hours you describe. As stated before the minimum I would want is a new engine. Your engine has been stressed to the max with this failure and I'm sure something else will give out earlier than expected. If this is not fixed to your satisfaction, I'd start sending out registered mail!!!

 

[Charliebrn]

Can't be symptomatic of a larger issue. This engine has been around for quite a while...Same engine as the BX2230, so we'd of seen this before. Bet you had a bad head gasket or something like that allowing cooling in. Check your oil for signs of water contamination? Seems like you'd of seen something...

In any case, it better be covered by warranty. no way you could've done this...

 

[shownuff]

there has to be something different between the 23 and 24 i just got a new bx 24 and it sounds a lot different than the bx 23, maybe exhaust or the rack is different but it sure sounds different....new emissions???

 

[escavader]

You know,mabey there is strength in numbers.If you cant resolve this with KUBOTA HQ make sure you get an e mail adress.We got alot of BOTA owners on here.I for one would type an email expressing my concern over their failure to do the right thing here.If we all did this and threataned to go green,they might listen.Mabey we should use our TBN membership to throw or weight around...as tractor buyers.
ALAN

 

[stuarth]

I was looking at the BX24 after selling my BX2230, I was very happy with the BX2230 but I did not have a FEL or BH and decided to move up to the BX24 with a new warranty. After reading TBN and then looking at the new fenders on the BX24 that I read about here I decided to look at others manufactures. I am now the owner of a JD 2305 and after reading about this nightmare in this thread along with my past experiences with Kubota (not all good). I am glad I went green and I still have no complaints.

 

[Volfandt]

After reading TBN and then looking at the new fenders on the BX24 that I read about here I decided to look at others manufactures.

You do realize that your 2305 also has plastic fenders and hood don't you?

Hope it works out well for you...

 

[MOPAULY]

You do realize that your 2305 also has plastic fenders and hood don't you?

Hope it works out well for you...

LOL

It was reading these forums that pushed me towards Kubota.

 

[stuarth]

Yes I know it has plastic but what a difference, check out the floor on one when you get a chance.

 

[proudestmonkey]

I was looking at the BX24 after selling my BX2230, I was very happy with the BX2230 but I did not have a FEL or BH and decided to move up to the BX24 with a new warranty. After reading TBN and then looking at the new fenders on the BX24 that I read about here I decided to look at others manufactures. I am now the owner of a JD 2305 and after reading about this nightmare in this thread along with my past experiences with Kubota (not all good). I am glad I went green and I still have no complaints.

I'm glad you chimed in on this. You can't be the only one whose made that migration. I hope Kubota looks at these forums. If they don't, they should. I know my dealer now visits this site, after I told them about it (and the very good review I gave Kubota and them on the reviews page).

Having looked at the 2305 and comparing it to the 2230/2350, I decided against the 2305 in part because of these forums. If you go over to the JD forums here and elsewhere, JD has plenty of problems. They may be different than the specific problems of the plastic fender and floor of the 2350/24, but they exist in plenty. Having ridden around on both, I thought the Kubotas "felt" much more rugged than the JD--not so much the parts sit on/around, but the whole deal. The frame and in particular the FEL on the Kubota seemed much more stable and "thick." Going up and down hills on both clearly weighed in favor of the Kubota because it didn't feel anywhere near as unbalanced. I think I can go sideways on a hill (no choice on my property) with my Kubota that I would not try with a 2305.

Oh, and in my area, the JD was easily $2,000 more, with no added features (other than being "green"). That's almost a 20% difference.

 

[vegasguzzi]

I called the dealer and the dealer said Kubota has agreed to fix the engine. Nothing more was said about the "Use Issue". I am concerned that they want to fix the engine instead of replacing it. I know it will be under warranty but I have already lost the use of my machine for close to 2 months of shop time. No telling how long it will take to fix the engine. I should get word tomorrow on how long they will have to wait for parts.

On the bright side, I opened my mail and found a feedback form from Kubota asking me to rate the service I received in April. (The service that kept my tractor for 4 weeks while waiting for parts when the tractor was only 2 weeks old.)