Kubota L6060 Engine failure

[Rdrcr]

Kubota isn't charging the customer for the parts or the labor. Their responsibility ends with the warranty. The decision to not participate in a goodwill claim is theirs. Any responsibility for improper diagnosis, unauthorized repairs or unnecessary part replacement lies with the dealer.

True. I don't think anybody is specifically arguing this point.

It's been verified that 3 major components failed. Injectors, Injection pump and ECU. It doesn't appear that the dealer just randomly threw parts at this machine. However, since fuel was ruled out as a culprit, it would appear that these components are perhaps defective in nature. Failing well before their life expectancy.
And, that is why I feel Kubota should have stepped up to the plate and offered a Goodwill warranty in this situation.

Mike

 

[chevyman29]

True. I don't think anybody is specifically arguing this point.

It's been verified that 3 major components failed. Injectors, Injection pump and ECU. It doesn't appear that the dealer just randomly threw parts at this machine. However, since fuel was ruled out as a culprit, it would appear that these components are perhaps defective in nature. Failing well before their life expectancy.
And, that is why I feel Kubota should have stepped up to the plate and offered a Goodwill warranty in this situation.

Mike

At the very least a discount on the parts .

 

[KCPO]

If Kubota was as bad as some seem to think and JD etc. never had catastrophic failres, we would all be using the same brand. We have Kubota, JD, Kioti, Case and MF.

 

[chevyman29]

Until this situation I've never read anything but good things about kubota reliability. And most likely this is an anomaly. I just feel kubota should've stepped up on the parts. Very little on there part would've bought tons of good will.

 

[buck12]

Kubota isn't charging the customer for the parts or the labor. Their responsibility ends with the warranty. The decision to not participate in a goodwill claim is theirs. Any responsibility for improper diagnosis, unauthorized repairs or unnecessary part replacement lies with the dealer.

Does Kubota have training for technicians? I know JD invests heavily in technician training. It sounds like the dealer threw parts at the problem.

 

[RickB]

Does Kubota have training for technicians? I know JD invests heavily in technician training. It sounds like the dealer threw parts at the problem.

They do. And more importantly Kubota has multiple platforms where dealer service departments can have direct communication and conversations with manufacturer's service representatives, technical advisors and area service reps about specific machine failures and repair strategies. This includes capability of uploading various data files from machine ECU's before, during and after repairs.

 

[buck12]

They do. And more importantly Kubota has multiple platforms where dealer service departments can have direct communication and conversations with manufacturer's service representatives, technical advisors and area service reps about specific machine failures and repair strategies. This includes capability of uploading various data files from machine ECU's before, during and after repairs.

Thanks. I was not sure how Kubota operated.

 

[AKForest]

Obviously, many of you have had a bad experience with a dealership. I have been very satisfied with the Fairbanks dealership.

To address RickB's input specifically, I have the following comments. The very first thing that the dealer service department did was a complete diagnostic analysis utilizing the proprietary Kubota software interfacing with the tractor's ECU. Right from the very beginning, the dealership service department was in consultation with the Kubota technical staff because of the unusual nature of this failure ("they had never seen it before"). I was advised by the dealership that the Kubota technical staff at at multiple levels had been consulted. Numerous additional tests were performed at the suggestion of Kubota. It was Kubota and not the dealership that confirmed that the ECU, injector pump and all four injectors needed to be replaced.

I have never suggested that there was any improper diagnosis, unauthorized repairs, or unnecessary parts replacement. What I am suggesting is what Rdrcr touched on. Three major components failed simultaneously and before their life expectancy. That is a Kubota problem. Possibly, it was one or more bad parts that were installed at the factory in my tractor. Hopefully, similar equipment failures will not happen to any other owner of an L6060. Or, it may be a more systematic problem and my experience will become one of many. Either way, whether it is a one time parts failure or a design/engineering problem that Kubota has with the L6060, it is a Kubota problem. Kubota fully warranty these parts for 5 years, but on the 6th year the tractor owner can have a parts failure, which was no fault of the owner, resulting in repairs totaling more than 20% of the price of the tractor new. Kubota bears no responsibility? Such a practice does not speak highly for a company that prides itself in manufacturing a high quality product!

 

[BeezFun]

Kubota fully warranty these parts for 5 years, but on the 6th year the tractor owner can have a parts failure, which was no fault of the owner, resulting in repairs totaling more than 20% of the price of the tractor new. Kubota bears no responsibility? Such a practice does not speak highly for a company that prides itself in manufacturing a high quality product!

That raises an interesting idea of a pro-rated warranty rather than a binary cutoff. If they warrantied parts for 10 years, decreasing coverage 10% every year, that would seem to be a lot more fair for help with situations like this. Not sure what fraction of their warranty payments fall into each year of the warranty period. It might be cheaper for them in the long run.

 

[MHarryE]

What about your downtime? It appears it took over 2 months to repair a tractor you use to earn money? It’s been a major complaint I’ve had with Kubota. I still have a difficult time understanding how fuel could take out the ECU but if that’s what it took... But so much time to repair.