Rethinking Kioti products

[ricky wyatt]

Good morning fellow tractor lovers it has been some time for me to be on here because of some computer problems as well as internet where im located but i have ran into a problem i would like to share with you. I'm on my second Kioti tractor purchased from Kioti #1 dealer in southern Illinois after my ck30 i bought a dk40se hst fully loaded in 2013
as of now i have only 17hrs on it just around the yard work time. As i always do to help out the older ladys in my area when we have a little snow i go and clear their drive ways a few weeks ago i started her up and noticed my "range lights" was not on L..M..H..N so i checked on this site to see if anyone had had this problem. Now comes the good part...i have replaced the potentiometer,the cruse module, and taken the cluster out and had it plugged in a new tractor and all works fine still i have no indicator lights and even though i purchased two tractors from the same dealer none of this was under warranty. I called Melissa Waters who is customer service at Kioti in NC and no one their has called back nor answered any of my e-mails trying to find out what it may be the dealer says it has to be in the wiring.I understand anything can and will go wrong from time to time but if you are looking for any customer support from Kioti you will be supprised everything is all good when the sales pitch starts but let a few months pass and try and get anything out of them if their is anyone who reads these posts who is from Kioti you need to step up your game......:thumbdown:

 

[TJP89]

The dashes on the DK, IIRC, are from bigger tractors, and not all of the lights on them work. The range lights don't work from the factory. Same story on the CK. Very few of the lights on the dash are actually supposed to function. You would have to go in and place sensors and wiring, as well as bulbs, for the lights to work.

 

[TJP89]

Also, if the dealer doesn't know that, you have a dealer problem.

 

[RollingsFarms]

I understand "service after the sale" can be questionable with all brands but I hear more stories with Kioti and Mahindra than others. I wish they understood that while they have a good product, they're only going to climb the ladder by going above and beyond with customer service. That's how you separate yourself from the Kubota's and Deere's. Sure the savings is nice but a lot of buyers are not buying solely on price alone. When you give good customer service and take care of your customers, that gets you further than having a comparable product. They need to understand this before many consider them to be a serious player in the market.

 

[VTland2clear]

I understand "service after the sale" can be questionable with all brands but I hear more stories with Kioti and Mahindra than others. I wish they understood that while they have a good product, they're only going to climb the ladder by going above and beyond with customer service. That's how you separate yourself from the Kubota's and Deere's. Sure the savings is nice but a lot of buyers are not buying solely on price alone. When you give good customer service and take care of your customers, that gets you further than having a comparable product. They need to understand this before many consider them to be a serious player in the market.

I've also read a thread where Kioti replaced a broken engine out of warranty, because it was such an unlikely failure. I love John Deere and the 3 dealerships near me were my first stops. I was disappointed in the E series, and couldn't afford the 3032R or 3038R series as nice as they are. My Kioti knocks the 3032E's specs out of the water. Aluminum rear ends? No thanks, the CK3510 has half a ton of weight advantage over the 3032E. And a loader that lifts double, and I paid less and had budget left over for implements.

To answer the OP: on an HST tractor, recent Kioti's at least, the gear indicator lights are not hooked up, and do nothing on mine. It is unfortunate you could not get a clear answer on this from your dealer.

 

[joefromga]

They work on my NX4510.

 

[IslandTractor]

The dashes on the DK, IIRC, are from bigger tractors, and not all of the lights on them work. The range lights don't work from the factory. Same story on the CK. Very few of the lights on the dash are actually supposed to function. You would have to go in and place sensors and wiring, as well as bulbs, for the lights to work.

Not my experience. My DK40se range indicators certainly tell me when I am in neutral for starters. I don't have access to the tractor mid winter so cannot check the other range indicators. The only one that is important though is the neutral indicator for starting.

 

[phiferpharm]

My lights come on for all the ranges(L,M,H,N). I'm just getting ready to go drag the road, and I'll check again.

 

[RollingsFarms]

I've also read a thread where Kioti replaced a broken engine out of warranty, because it was such an unlikely failure. I love John Deere and the 3 dealerships near me were my first stops. I was disappointed in the E series, and couldn't afford the 3032R or 3038R series as nice as they are. My Kioti knocks the 3032E's specs out of the water. Aluminum rear ends? No thanks, the CK3510 has half a ton of weight advantage over the 3032E. And a loader that lifts double, and I paid less and had budget left over for implements. To answer the OP: on an HST tractor, recent Kioti's at least, the gear indicator lights are not hooked up, and do nothing on mine. It is unfortunate you could not get a clear answer on this from your dealer.

Yes I agree, you got a MUCH better tractor. I'm not a fan of the 3e series myself. Kioti makes a fine tractor, I'd look at them hard if there was a dealer close by.

 

[ricky wyatt]

I guess i should have looked at other brands but i agree about Kioti the weight and built out of steel not aluminum and that any skid steer attachment will work unlike the deere but, the range lights did work just fine even when i took the dash over to the delaer and had them hook it up to another unit just so i could see it was not it. i just wish i could find out what is going on i can't see a 17 hr tractor with burned out wire harness and really upsetting when the us #1 Kioti dealer can't help he find it.... maybe if Trace Adkins would show up he could help me i bet his tractors work just fine

 

[k0ua]

My lights come on for all the ranges(L,M,H,N). I'm just getting ready to go drag the road, and I'll check again.

Same here, on my DK35se. The light are controlled by the range selector potentiometer, and its voltage changes are integrated by the cruise module. There is a known failure mode of the cruise module in low temperatures. My original cruise module had this failure. The replacement module does not have this problem. This potentiometer is attached to a bellcrank that is attached to the range selector lever.

 

[TJP89]

I interesting thing is that the only thing not working is the lights, everything that runs through the cruise module (which has a nasty history here) is working fine. My dealer did say something about the lights always shorting out on the non cab models, so that may be the issue. Personally, the fact that some of the lights don't work isn't a big deal to me, as everything else works.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I spoke with a long time experienced sales man from a Big Ag Dealer last week. He said they used to be a Kioti dealer, so I took the opportunity to ask him what his impressions were. His biggest beef, as he put it was not being able to "get blood on the line" at Kioti.

 

[kevin37b]

All these little tractors are pretty good . Some better than others depending on configuration and use or abuse . The dealer is the absolutely the most important of the purchase . J.D . Kubota , Kioti , Mahindra , all good . With a non cooperative dealer it is the beginning of the end .

 

[blucoondawg]

Range selector lights work on my dk50se hydro bought in may 2012. Haven't had any d dash issues just ignition switch and a relay so far

 

[k0ua]

But we know the lamps and wiring in the dash is not "shorted out" whatever that term means. as the dash has been substituted into a working tractor and been proven to be in good working order.

 

[Coyote machine]

Once again a thread jumping on Kioti about basically nothing one can possibly comprehend.:confused2:
Two Kioti's, same dealer, no warranty? Wiring shorted? Dash bad? Potentiometer issue? What is it?
It's customer service issue - or isn't it?

Reality is the DK-40 range selector displays the range the tractor is in for the HST model. Either H M L, or N. This lights up on dash according to the position of the range selector. Period.

If it isn't displaying the correct range selection it can be adjusted per the service manual. If the display is not illuminating then there is a problem in the circuit that completes this function. Simple logical deduction of the circuit is needed by a tech who knows how to troubleshoot!:confused3:

People can come on here and say whatever they want about customer service and the dealer being the most important part of a tractor purchase. Maybe true for tractor brands with significant issues and repairs needed after sale; BUT I can guarantee one that with few exceptions the Kioti brand stands behind its customers time and again. The few exceptions are mostly communication related between customer, their dealer, and sometimes the US HQ. And since I've been on TBN, since May, 2009, with ownership of 2 Kioti's and close to 2000 hours of hard work on the tractors, Kioti has been working hard to establish a network of reliable dealers in the US. That means some, if not many may be dropped to replace with more dedicated or better more knowledgeable dealers, etc. This is an industry wide issue - getting things done right in the US. All tractor manufacturers deal with this issue here because of workforce, costs of staying in a labor intensive field in this economy, etc.

Rather than slamming HQ to no avail; try asking for help from TBN's 'Team Kioti', comprised of dedicated folks like KOua and me, and many others who dedicate ourselves to getting things fixed right the first time, and will follow issues to their satisfactory outcome. Anything else is just a waste of time and like spitting into the wind.

So give details, year, hours, exact problem description, attempted fixes, etc. Then let us help you get what you came here for: solutions.

Now state your case, clearly and concisely...

Thanks,

CM

and 'Team Kioti':thumbsup:

 

[ritcheyvs]

I just looked at a couple different EX45hst (which I believe to be the same as the DKxxSE) schematics and one shows only the neutral light connected while the other shows all (LMHN) lights connected. Maybe this is just a documentation error (there are plenty of those) but maybe Daedong changed the configuration during the production run.

More: I just took another look at those EX schematics in an Apr 2007 manual. There is a US/AU version and an EU version. In the US/AU version, all four lights (LMHN) are used. In the EU version, only N is connected. In all cases, one side of the lamp always has 12v (when switch is on) and the cruise unit supplies a ground to the other side of the appropriate lamp.

 

[k0ua]

I just looked at a couple different EX45hst (which I believe to be the same as the DKxxSE) schematics and one shows only the neutral light connected while the other shows all (LMHN) lights connected. Maybe this is just a documentation error (there are plenty of those) but maybe Daedong changed the configuration during the production run.

Ritch it appears this is one place our EX manuals do not match up with the DK actual wiring. I will guarantee all that the L M H and N lamps do and should light up on the DK series.

 

[Coyote machine]

Both my 2008 year production DK-35SE/HST and my 2010 year DK-40SE/HST do and always have lit up throughout the range.
EX manuals are not NA market tractor details....