Kioti Injection Pump Failure Warning

[ritcheyvs]

For those considering a Kioti tractor: Most owners are very satisfied with their tractors but be aware that several current owners have experienced injection pump failures. Based on posts on the owner-operator forum, this problem seems to effect 2005-2008 models. A new IP is costly (vicinity of $1000-2000) so this is not a trivial repair. The typical symptom is: tractor runs fine but won't restart after the engine is shut down. In several cases the cause was verified to be broken teeth on the gears and rack inside the injection pump. I don't recall cases where Kioti provided "out-of-warranty" assistance.

I have just begun collecting information on this failure from reports on the owner-operator forum:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...254141-kioti-injection-pump-failure-data.html
http://kittrellcommunitywatch.dyndns.org/Kioti_IP_Data.htm

 

[gumshu]

Is this for the DK or CK series.. or both?

 

[ritcheyvs]

Both. There are more CK reports but maybe that's because there are more CKs.

 

[finspop]

I think Kioti is walking on thin ice with their response to this issue (assuming the accounts posted here are accurate, which I have no doubt they are). If they are not going to issue a recall, they should be replacing every pump failure under, say, 1000 hours whether the tractor is still under warranty or not. I bought my DK40SE before hearing of the injector pump issues and the seemingly indifferent response from the company; if I HAD heard of these issues, I would not have purchased the tractor.

Not so much because of what it says about the tractor, but because of what it says about the company.

Wake up, Kioti!

 

[Deerherd]

This is a good example of something being blown out of proportion on the Internet, and people piling on without really thinking. Looking at the spreadsheet there are 12 people with problems and about half have been replaced under warranty, the other outcomes haven't yet been determined. Oh yeah, and it appears to be a problem mostly with tractors from 6 years ago. From what I can gather Kioti sells over 3000 tractors a year and the failure rate for this problem is a small percentage of 1%. Based on the figures of the spreadsheet it happens about once in every 1500 tractors sold over the last 6 years. Looks like a good reason to BUY a Kioti.

 

[finspop]

Deerherd makes an interesting point... it would be good to know just what percentage of tractors are experiencing pump failures. KiotiDave (Upper Valley Tractor in NH) says it's about 1%, based on his estimate of 8 or 9 failures out of 800 or 900 machines sold. It does seem possible that TBN - great as it is - becomes something of an echo chamber for complaints.

Still, it sure does seem as if Kioti could be doing a better job on customer service, particularly in relation to a known weak point.

 

[Luremaker]

Deerherd makes an interesting point... it would be good to know just what percentage of tractors are experiencing pump failures. KiotiDave (Upper Valley Tractor in NH) says it's about 1%, based on his estimate of 8 or 9 failures out of 800 or 900 machines sold. It does seem possible that TBN - great as it is - becomes something of an echo chamber for complaints.

Still, it sure does seem as if Kioti could be doing a better job on customer service, particularly in relation to a known weak point.

I agree, it may be being blown out of proportion, but what if it happened to you just after the warranty was over? I would think you too would be ticked. If pump failures only happen on 1% of tractors sold then Kioiti is insane for not replacing these broken pumps, in or out of warranty, and keeping their customers happy and quite about a possible future expensive repair.

 

[ritcheyvs]

This is a good example of something being blown out of proportion on the Internet, and people piling on without really thinking. Looking at the spreadsheet there are 12 people with problems and about half have been replaced under warranty, the other outcomes haven't yet been determined. Oh yeah, and it appears to be a problem mostly with tractors from 6 years ago. From what I can gather Kioti sells over 3000 tractors a year and the failure rate for this problem is a small percentage of 1%. Based on the figures of the spreadsheet it happens about once in every 1500 tractors sold over the last 6 years. Looks like a good reason to BUY a Kioti.

I'd like to comment. First, I never looked at the owner-operator forum until after I bought my DK45. Assuming others may do that too, I thought it only right to make one post here so folks can consider this issue before they buy. Second, this seems to effect only certain year models (2005-2008) and I thought that might be useful information for potential Kioti buyers. Third, I have no idea how common this is but KiotiDave's estimate is probably the best we have. I only started collecting this data a couple weeks ago and only based on TBN reports in the Kioti Owner-Operator forum, so the events in the table are a limited sample of the total occurrences.

However, the most important take-away in my opinion is that your Kioti dealer is critical, he may be your only pipeline to Kioti USA. If you don't have a good dealer you will have trouble resolving any problems that may arise with your Kioti tractor. If you have a problem and your dealer won't "go to bat" for you, get out your checkbook.

 

[ritcheyvs]

I don't recall cases where Kioti provided "out-of-warranty" assistance.

I need to correct this statement. A dealer worked with Kioti who agreed to replace btward79's IP for free (part only). Rest of the story: Apparently there are hard feelings between btward and the Kioti dealer who sold him a loader; that dealer would do nothing after the tractor died. btward found another dealer (more distant) who agreed intercede with Kioti USA but this will still cost btward about $700 for labor and transportation, even with a free IP (Kioti USA insisted the dealer do the work). This particular CK30 was built in 2005, sold new in 2008, recently bought from original owner by btward, has only 39 hours on the meter now in 2012, and is about one month out of warranty.

 

[Deerherd]

I agree, it may be being blown out of proportion, but what if it happened to you just after the warranty was over? I would think you too would be ticked. If pump failures only happen on 1% of tractors sold then Kioiti is insane for not replacing these broken pumps, in or out of warranty, and keeping their customers happy and quite about a possible future expensive repair.

Of course I would be ticked and knowing my luck my pump will probably go out tomorrow, but this just emphasizes ritcheyvs point about how important picking a dealer is in your tractor selection.

Look at the posts who are having problems with Kioti. (Or any brand for that matter) A good majority of the time they for whatever reason purchased their tractor from a distant dealer based on price or availability with little regard to service. When a problem crops up the distance creates additional headaches because everything tractor just so happens to be heavy and hard/expensive to move.

So when your distant dealer who made little on the sale gets a call from his "shopping on price" customer, here is the perfect chance to make some of that cash back. He already has you pegged as a tight wad who is now in a bind and oh by the way 100+ miles away. Emails and phone calls are pretty easy to ignore and the chance of you complaining face to face are pretty low. How much money do you really think you will now save over that much closer dealer who quoted you $500 higher on your original purchase?

PICK A DEALER YOU TRUST OVER THE BRAND OF TRACTOR. I have two dealers I deal with, I know everybody's names there and they know mine. You would be surprised what dropping off a dozen doughnuts in the service department can do. When something goes wrong I can call either place, they will come and fix it or pick it up and they always offer a loaner if I need it. They also know if I'm going to buy something I will call them first so they always give me a fair price.

With one dealer I have to be careful because if I call about an attachment there is a good chance that before I get home, he has delivered it to my house to try. He’s crafty and knows most of the time he leaves with a check and empty trailer.

Do I get the absolute best price on everything I buy? No, but I get service second to none and would never even think about calling corporate Kioti, Deere, or any manufacturer I own. They don’t work on my equipment, my dealer does.