Tranny blown at 66K no good will from isuzu ideas?

toddsigtoddsig Member Posts: 4
edited March 2014 in Isuzu
I own a 98 Tropper and have serviced the tranny every 20k it cook the fluid and stranded family in Vermont 180 miles from home. Have been told by 3 Isuzu service managers no goodwill will be extended, this really stinks, I have to spend a 100 to have it towed to the dealer from the independent to get the diag (blown) we know. Have been told by dealer 4K to replace. Independent shop is $2,300 with a 3yr/50K. I have spoken to Isuzu in Ca they state you have to get it to a dealer then you can appeal. Things break but to be told no absolutely no goodwill by 3 service managers really stinks any ideas?

Comments

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Service managers can't do anything for you, as your car is out of warranty. They have no authority in this case.

    Basically you'll have to appeal through the Zone Office, and probably meet with a factory technician. If you have a tow hitch on the rig, I think your case is not as strong for clemency.

    The dealer can tell you how to get in touch with Zone Office. Also keep your cool and maintain a good attitude and this will also help.
  • breakorbreakor Member Posts: 398
    Maybe I am just too cynical by nature. Therefore my take is that you have zero chance of getting the repair for free. For one thing you are at least 2 years over your warranty. Next, Isuzu as a company is losing money hand over fist. They are in no condition to pay for your repair no matter how much goodwill you will spread.

    Sorry for the loss but since your truck doesn't say Craftsman on it, it is not guaranteed for life
  • toddsigtoddsig Member Posts: 4
    I should have mentioned I have 3 months of time left on the power train warranty. I have tried to get the Zone Reps # before I spend $100 on the tow to the dealer and another $75 for the diag. But NONE of the dealers will let me have his name or #. I realize I will have to step and pay some of it, I just want to know if it is worth bringing to the dealer at 4K or the independent at 2,200. Thoughts?
  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
    why haven't you called Isuzu roadside assistance and have it towed to a dealer and have it repaired under warranty? It's either under warranty, where the transmission would be covered, or it's not. Show documentation that you did maintenance and you're done.
  • toddsigtoddsig Member Posts: 4
    6K over mileage but 3 months of time so yes, I am out of warranty. Looking to see if anyone has had luck with courtesy warranty. From all comments it looks like Izusu is truly in trouble and sh&*t happens.
  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
    why is Isuzu in trouble?

    I deal with lemon law and breach of warranty cases all day. With the exception of "implied warranty of merchantability", which is hard to prove, they have no legal responsibility to do anything.

    There are Isuzu and aftermarket extended warranties that could have been purchased. I realize you're pissed, but the last thing you should do is have an attitude about this if you want someone from Isuzu to help you.

    Contact Isuzu customer assistance, don't be mean and explain yourself, without whining. I hear whining all day and it turns me off immediately when someone starts complaining.
  • breakorbreakor Member Posts: 398
    I would pay the money and get a second diagnosis, probably from a dealer. The web is full of people who claim to have been sold new transmissions when all they needed was some simple maintenance item(s). The chain tranny shops seem to generate the most postings about overselling rebuild jobs. I also doubt your out-of-state plates helped your situation. Also, should you get a rebuilt tranny from such a shop be prepared to have to fight them to get them to honor it. Again this is just my take from reading about such issues on the web. You will have to make up your own mind about the quality and honesty of your present shop.

    As noted above you, seem to be demanding some free service from Isuzu instead of politely asking for consideration and free help. Granted a failed tranny can make you mad. However, this kind of attitude will likely get you nowhere.

    Just my $.02.
  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
    many transmission malfunctions can de directed at speed and turbine sensors that fail to communicate with the electronic controls on the transmission.

    Your vehicle doesn't move and a quick assumption means you need a transmission. There have many instances, during my time in service departments, where a $50 sensor had us fooled.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I didn't expect that Isuzu will give you a new tranny, since as was stated you are out of warranty and that's that. But sometimes they do assist people with a split deal that isn't all that great but it's something.

    I agree though that you have to go in asking not demanding because legally you are out of luck I think.

    My attitude about warranties is this. Whatever mileage they put on the warranty is what they, the engineers, expect the unit to do in its natural lifetime on the low end of the service range. So if your powertrain is warrantied to 60K, you can interpret that to mean that starting at 60,001 miles, something awful can and will happen to a small percentage of the cars that reach that mileage. The vast majority of failures won't be in that low range, but a few will, enough for them to make 60K the limit of their liability.

    Hyundai gambles that their powertrains will, most of them, last to 100K. If they start going broke at that level, you'll see them retract it fast enough.
  • cutehumorcutehumor Member Posts: 137
    didn't isuzu start offering 10 yr/ 120k warranties two or three years ago?? isn't their new warranty the longest of any current car manufactuers?

    maybe when you talk to isuzu customer service you can talk about their 10 yr/120k mile warranty to give you some pull.

    the isuzu troopers with the 10 yr/120k warranty should be identical to your model year trooper. I don't think they have been redesigned in the past 4-5 years. same engine and tranny
  • toddsigtoddsig Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for all the input, Isuzu does not have to do anything I realize this. I just wanted to see if anyone had experience dealing with them after the warranty. Factory replacement is in the 3,900 range, I am taking in to an independent shop for 2,500 with a 3yr/50K.

    Again thanks to everyone for the input.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Had you considered a warrantied used trans? You might get away with around $1,200 including installation. But you need a reliable and well-organized salvage yard to work with.
  • cutehumorcutehumor Member Posts: 137
    how do you go about finding a reliable and organized junk yard? I have an 11 yr old car that I plan to keep for a long time and I never set foot in a junk yard before. I notice that alot of cosmetic stuff is starting to fall apart. what are some tips to look for in a good salvage yard. do you have to pull parts yourself?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    it's mostly from local reputation, finding a salvage yard that supplies some of the better shops in your area. You can ask around and you'll start hearing the same name and same good things---that's your tip off.

    Also, any yard that is clean and well organized is usually a good sign. Their parts will usually be cleaned, tagged, tested, even bagged up sometimes, and a written warranty available for you to look at. Some yards even install.

    Of course, if you live in the sticks you may not have this type of selection.
  • bobbycarbobbycar Member Posts: 12
    I posted this on the Trooper board 11/02

    At 65,000 miles & 4 years, the engine on our 98 Trooper went out (a rod?). The service manager @ McKenna Isuzu in HB, CA was able to get us a short block for free & charged us about half (~$700) on labor. This could have cost us $4,500, like my '63 Corvette rebuild. While this one was just out of warranty, newer Troopers have 120,000 mile warranties, so that may have played a part. We have been a customer of this dealership for 15 years - maybe even that played a part.
  • q45manq45man Member Posts: 416
    Service managers at dealers have X amount [warranty] per month depending on how many cars they sell.
    Many dealerships try to PUSH the factory on warranty to get a slow month going, each service manager in Nation is ranked by factory as to how much they spend on warranty per car sold. Spending too much is a sure way for the dealership to be pressured by factory as to new fast moving model allocations.

    The poor man job is to bring in revenue for the dealership.

    The point is: a long time relationship with a dealer and SM and bringing car in every 90 days for services, spending money with them, determines WHO they give their limited GoodWill budget to.

    Of course if you knew the SM well enough you could try a gratuity but that would need to be about a $500 tip .........this is not to say you could legally do such a thing NOR am I promoting this illegal activity in any way as that in itself would be illegal!
  • greenmaxgreenmax Member Posts: 47
    You mentioned that you had the tranny serviced every 20k. That means that you had it flushed what, 6k ago? The auto tranny is a sealed GM tranny that has no dipstick and a generic auto shop could easily not fill it to the correct level. I find it very hard to believe that a tranny would cook a fresh ATF in such a short time unless you did alot of towing. Did you notice any slipping or other abnormal behavior that progressed over time?
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