Kubota L6060 Engine failure

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One ahh s##t cancels 100 atta boys, adage learned first thing on job. Director of engineering would send good letters around and you would check off your name (before email). Then the really upset customer would mail the president and believe me, those flowed downhill with notes like “find out what happened and get back to me immediately”. We reached a point where, for example, the person responsible for filling transmission with oil signed off on an empty transmission. Customer was reading combine home from dealer when the transmission seized. Wasn’t some rep visiting the customer. Person from the line was given an airline ticket and told to go out there and apologize. Dealer will accompany you so don’t worry about being alone but admit your error. Talk about good feedback from customer, dealer, and line assembler. That was we had implemented the Japanese quality method - you can’t inspect in quality - you must have your people buy in. Quality sot up, warranty crashed down, and AGCO rose from the ashes of Deutz-Allis.

Then the lawyers and accountants moved in --

 

[AKForest]

This is the latest update on the status of my tractor. On March 5th I was informed that the results of the injector tests indicated that all four had failed. I authorized installing new ones and paid the total bill of $10,027.09. The following week, as I had not heard anything from the dealer and fearing the worst, I called them. They had the injectors, but couldn't install them because they had not come with O-rings. They had been ordered. On March 16th, I was informed that my tractor was ready for pickup. I picked it up on the 22nd and have put it through it's paces and it is running as it was before.

As to why all this happened, Kubota has no idea. The fuel sample that was sent to them for testing has been lost. The dealership resubmitted samples but has not received a response. The Good Will Request submitted by the dealership in early February, (the first step in Kubota's process for assuming some responsibility) was also lost and must be resubmitted by the dealership. The dealership kept the parts that they replaced because Kubota wants to test them further.

Conclusions: Kubota, like most very large companies and the government, moves very slowly and loses things on a regular basis. I am not suggesting that all Kubota products are bad. I have a BX 23, that I have owned for about 20 years, with no mechanical problems. I own a 2006 Kubota side-by-side that I have been very satisfied with. However, I would be quite concerned if I were a L6060 owner or were considering buying one. Something went very wrong with my tractor and cost me a lot of money.

There has been considerable discussion about water or contaminates in the fuel. I have a truck, side-by-side, and small tractor that all use the same fuel without a problem. the L6060 has a more elaborate fuel filtration system and is newer than any of the afore mentioned equipment. Mechanics I have spoken to suspect the ECU. It controls the flow of fuel to the injector pump, the pressure in the rail and the timing and firing of the injectors. It is the only common denominator. Why did it not throw a code? Why did the ECU fail at the same time as the pump and the injectors? Why did all 4 injectors fail at the same time? Certainly, it is in the best interest of Kubota to find the answers but maybe not in their best interest for us know.

 

[Rdrcr]

^^^^
Thanks for the update.
And, I'm glad you have your tractor back and it is performing as expected.

I truly hope that the second fuel samples reach Kubota and you get a favorable decision on your "Good Will Warranty" Claim. I'm pulling for you and would like Kubota to step up and cover your repairs.

Mike

 

[AKForest]

Thanks

 

[JethroB]

^^^^
Thanks for the update.
And, I'm glad you have your tractor back and it is performing as expected.

I truly hope that the second fuel samples reach Kubota and you get a favorable decision on your "Good Will Warranty" Claim. I'm pulling for you and would like Kubota to step up and cover your repairs.

Mike

Same here. I was hoping that no updates from AK meant that Kubota had stepped up and a
no-disclosure was in place. Hang in there.

 

[MoKelly]

Same here. I was hoping that no updates from AK meant that Kubota had stepped up and a
no-disclosure was in place. Hang in there.

If there is a no disclosure and the OP says he has a no disclosure then we will know.

MoKelly

 

[Smokeydog]

Thanks for sharing your experience. The good, bad and ugly. Hope you can gain confidence in the repairs are reliable.

When I visit the local Kubota dealer to pick up parts the owner/salesmen always eager to show me the new models. I ask are they reliable? The answer is “We are selling them!”

 

[5030]

Thanks for sharing your experience. The good, bad and ugly. Hope you can gain confidence in the repairs are reliable.

When I visit the local Kubota dealer to pick up parts the owner/salesmen always eager to show me the new models. I ask are they reliable? The answer is “We are selling them!”

Sounds to me like a non-answer. Selling them and reliability of emissions components are 2 different animals. I still maintain that the end user should not be the tester for emissions reliability issues.

Of course they are selling them. If you want a new (over 25 horsepower unit) you have no choice as they all are T4 compliant and that is all brands, not just Kubota and they are all having issues with reliability. Me, I'll stick with my pre 4 units and take good care of them, which I do. I don't want to be green until 'green' is reliable over the long haul.

 

[5030]

Conclusions: Kubota, like most very large companies and the government, moves very slowly and loses things on a regular basis.

Since Kubota has moved their central operations to the Dallas, Texas area, we have personally noticed a marked decrease in customer relations quality.

Don't know about my dealer's relationship but our personal relationship has went downhill. They have repeatedly 'lost' the payment on the new side by side my wife bought and assessed a late charge (which she won't pay anyway) and you call them and get put on hold forever or they disconnect the call.

Been a Kubota owner / customer for over 25 years and when they were outside Columbus, Ohio (Grove City), customer relations was top notch. Not now.

The bigger they get the more the quality of customer service slides.

 

[gtbensley]

Glad to hear you have your tractor back and its running well at this time. Keep us updated with what Kubota learns about what caused this failure. I know you have a good fuel setup at your home but man does it sound like fuel caused this issue.....besides the ECM bit but reading why they replaced it doesn't actually make me believe it had an issue.