4310 recall

rpatton · Dec 31, 2003

I went to my selling dealer today to ask some questions about the recall ,I had read on the other thread that the fluid is re-used for the hydro and that the tractor is split for the repair. I was not real impressed with the attitude of the service manager or what he told me .
First off I only have 47 hrs. on it and 5 were on ot when I got it new. He said that there is a chance that I will get a re-man part ,he said they are currently getting new but they are returning cores as fast as they take them off to be remanned. I have a bit of a problem with this ,what if I get one from one with lots of hrs? I bought and paid for a new tractor that I intended to keep long term.I have 5 tractors here on the farm that were purchased new by my father and grandfather all the way back to 1937 . Now I just want to dump it .
I work in a chevrolet toyota dealer and have seen lots of warenty repair over the years ,I have never seen fluid re-used. The service manager said the drain it in a bucket and dump it back in when done ,Deere only pays for 1 galon of fluid. I am ready for my 50 hr. service so I asked him if I shuold do the hydro again at 100 hrs and he said yes ,when I asked him who pays since I was paying for the 50 hr since they put the used fluid back in and then he changed his story and said it wasn`t really neccesary to do it at 100. I looked out in the shop and saw normal dirt and mud on the floor that you get in a tractor shop and had some scary visions of what will end up in my trans by installing the used fluid.
My take on this is I am calling j.ds 800 number on fri. seams they were off for the holiday today .I am going to try and get them to cover the fluid and filters for the 100 hr change. I will get it home and run it a bit and then do the 50 hr service. I will do it again at 100 for my own piece of mind. whats the cost of fluid and filters if I do it myself? anyone done it yet?
I also asked about my guages fogging and he told me this was not covered since fog is not a defect ????? I would love to tell a customer there new car or truck dash is not covered due to fogging. He said there was a kit but I had to pay. I will talk to deere on that also. I have to do a search on here for the kit number as I know I have seen it here before.
Whats everyones opinion of this ? am I out of line on the fluid? I just picture a head gasket job or an oil pan leak ,I have never seen gm or toyota say to drain oil and reuse.
Thanks for letting me vent I am just a little ticked with my first visit for service on this unit. At least deere will pay the pickup and return .

yellowsocks93 · Dec 31, 2003

I can see why you are mad. I don't think calling the JD number is going to do you any good. Everytime I have called it they tell me to go talk to my dealer. May work for you though. I would not trust reusing the fluid because crap could get in there like you said. The reman products are not that bad but it is a new tractor and you should get a new trans. This is why I hate JD everything is getting so cheap and people just don't care anymore.

bigpete · Dec 31, 2003

I am calling j.ds 800 number on fri. 

You are not out of line on any of the issues you presented in your post. You can call the JD center as you planned to do and tell your dealer to sit tight until you can get some satisfaction from corporate. I have had dealings with corporate recently and I expect that they will agree with you.

On the flip-side, I might simply tell the dealer to ensure that new fluids are used because the hours are in synch with a service interval (you would have to pay for this anyway). If they will do the 50-hour service while performing the recall warranty work and not charge you labor, you will be ahead of the game. Make sure they do the suction valve on the tranny according to you manual.

del · Jan 1, 2004

I wouldn't even want a reman with 47 hours on it. The problem
is that you don't know what happened during even those few
hours. I've spent some time kicking tires in dealerships
and have seen people sitting on a tractor and then move the
range lever with the rpm up. GGGGGGGRRRIIIIIIIIIINNDD.

One time I even saw a salesman do it. They shift nice at idle
but are not designed to with the rpm up.

What if the previous owner just thought the grinding was
something to be expected? Or what if the trans came from
a rental tractor? UGH!!!

When something is "remaned" it usually means they check to
see that everything is "within tolerance". It does not mean
that any wear on gear teeth from grinding is not acceptable
And if the previous owner did grind a lot, or didn't change
the fluids properly, the rest of the components could be damaged
by the metal particles. Not damaged so they need to be
replaced in a reman job, but damaged all the same. You have
just so much tooth facing and bearing surface wear that is
acceptable. Sooner or later this will all wear down, but
with proper changes and use, it may not even be when you are
showing your grandson how to use it.

If they absolutely HAVE to reman a unit, if you can be without
your tractor have them reman yours. (Make note of trans serial
number.

JD should consider it a blessing that you have not been injured
by this serious defect and that they have the opportunity to
get off with just a trans switch.

As to the switch hours, you normally think an initial 50
hours is good to let it wear in a bit. I think these newer
tractors do not have a true Hobbs meter I think it's just
a clock. Older tractors, if you ran them at 1800 rpm instead
of 2700 for an hour indicated 2/3 of an hour, not one hour.

Maybe that's what the dealer guy said about waiting until
100. It's cheap insurance on an expensive item to change it
at the earlier point.

Why JD would risk putting old fluid in your new
trans defies logic though. It's such a small part of the
bill. American Corporations at their best...

You've ALREADY spent a buck or two with them. Most business
people know that a happy customer tells 1 other person and
an unhappy one tells 100.

del

BillyP · Jan 1, 2004

( JD should consider it a blessing that you have not been injured
by this serious defect and that they have the opportunity to
get off with just a trans switch. )

Let me guess here, you're a lawyer?

rpatton · Jan 1, 2004

funny you should say that an unhappy customer tells 100 ,100 people have read this allready .
I have done a lot of thinking the last couple days .I have it squeduled for monday,and will try the 800 number on fri. only thing now is even if they say they will put the fluid in new can you belive it? they are will yo put in old now so that tells you what they are interested in ?? bucks$$ I am up set that they are takeing the tractor apart to begin with ,I put off buying a 4000 ser. because of the problems and hoped they had the bugs out of the 4x10 ser. I had 600 hrs. on my 10 year old 55 ser. and never a problem .
I understand things break or need desighn change but they have managed to tick me off over 7 or 8 gal. of fluid. + the fact that I will have to do it again at 100 hrs. I am also ticked that the dealer told me they would not cover the antifog kit.
I shopped price when I bought and it was a couple hundred cheaper here locally than the next dealer which is 1 1/2 hr away . I bought locally both for the money and proximity of parts and service. don`t know wheather the other dealer would have covered the anti-fog or not but he may have at least tried. Thanks for all the input. maybe we 4310 guys should all email j.d. and invite them to read tbn if they are not allready. maybe if they know we are upset they will change there sevice practice.
Remember one thing ,from what I have read on this forum most of the ownwers here have these for toys more than makeing a living ,there are a lot of tractor sales here that we could all spend our money on some other toy. Lots of lost sales for J.D.

5030 · Jan 1, 2004

BillyP:

That is COLD. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

You need to fix your picture too. I know your mug shot isn't an "X". /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

JerryG · Jan 1, 2004

Well Well /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gifI thought I was the only one that had an "X" for Billy picture. It has been that way for a loooong time. That is why I thought it was just my computer.

BillyP · Jan 1, 2004

OK! I'll bite, what is this X thing? And, if I can and it'll make you happy, I'l fix it /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

JerryG · Jan 1, 2004

The link under your name is broken. Here is a picture of it.

del · Jan 1, 2004

No, I'm not an attorney, but I wouldn't consider it an
insult if I was.

Lawyer's are like shotguns. Nobody likes to have one
pointed at them but when you need one (a shotgun or an
attorney) nothing else will do.

Corporations don't always respond to common sense.

A drunk came across the center line and hit me many years ago.
I survived. Drunk's insurance company paid for my car.

Then I wanted them to pay for my glasses that broke, my
wife taking off work 2 days to help me, a couple of Xrays.

About $300 as I remember. (a few years ago!)

Insurance company said no way, you settled with us.

My reading of the car payment didn't seem that way but they
weren't giving. A friends brother in law, an attorney,
spent about 5 minutes reading what I signed and as a favor
wrote a letter to the company.

They came back in 24 hours with roughly "How about $2000?"

I would have been happy with the $300. It was fair. I have
seen this countless times since with other people, especially
with car settlements on classic cars where another driver,
many times a drunk has caused damage.

You would think the insurance company would be happy to be
dealing with someone who isn't doing the "I can't sleep" "I
now hate my dog since the accident" Pay me 200K...but they
never are, they fight over even fair settlements.

Now I tell people don't sign anything with any insurance
company without an attorney. You aren't on the same playing
level by yourself.

True there are attorneys (and tractor dealers) that seem to
delight in cheating anyone out of everything using the most
slimy of techniques. Every part of life has these people.

You can't blanket any group. I had two attorneys who weren't
worth their weight in used motor oil attempting to help with
a business situation some years ago. One was too busy to
handle it properly, the other was incompetent. The third
attorney I found by accident and I would do anything to help
him with anything anytime in addition to paying him for services.

Top notch lawyer, top notch person.

I restate my original thought, that I am amazed that JD wouldn't
jump through hoops of fire to make any of these recalled tractor
owners happy.

If someone is using their tractor for business, or even if they aren't
they could offer another used unit if AT ALL possible. It
sounds like it will be a pretty quick swapover though.

It's a huge embarrassment to them or should be, what a great
opportunity to install a true sense of security to the tractor
purchaser then treat him/her like royalty during this
transaction.

But that would make too much sense and cost 56 cents.

del

BillyP · Jan 1, 2004

Del,

My post was meant as a joke, toward lawyers. Bad joke, with this particular circumstance.

del · Jan 1, 2004

RE: to Billy

" was meant as a joke "

I know. Kind of a tongue in cheek kind of thing.

del

BillyP · Jan 1, 2004

OK, I think I fixed that.

5030 · Jan 2, 2004

Jerry:

There is a "mug" shot now instead of an "X" marks the spot. Wonders never cease!!

I don't know if I like it. Maybe the "X" was better????

BillyP · Jan 2, 2004

Make up your mind, big boy. Anything to make you happy /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

JerryG · Jan 2, 2004

I don't know if I like it. Maybe the "X" was better???? 
You got that right /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Just kidding you Billy, it looks fine now.

rockyridgefarm · Jan 2, 2004

Well, Billy, Ican't say much for yer pic, not that my mug is ANY better. But DO sure like yer AmericanFlagOK. Sure makes us Okis (even this OkieByChoice) Proud.

Lot nicer than what those Texicans in BajaOklahoma got.

Now on the recall...

Believe it or not, I bet that Deere is VERY concerned that these machines are fixed right. And i sure do get peeved at all the folks who rant about how bad and cheap things are now. I know that in automotive there is no comparison. Today's "cheap crap" runs rings around the old stuff.

Odds are that if someone has this recall, they will get a new or reman very low hours and generally well treated unit. Very unlikely otherwise. And if you did have problems, should be dealt with cordially. They want you happy.

As to fluids. It is your responsibilty to replace at 50 hours. It would be nice if they'd buy that fluid for you. But they aren't, so pay them to use the new fluid, that you should be changing anyway.

You can rant and make a ruckus, or you can work cordially with your dealer. Guess who ends up happier....

yellowsocks93 · Jan 2, 2004

If it were my JD I would want a new transmission. People buy ReMan select parts when they can't afford to buy new. I always see ReMan select alternators and stuff at work so people must be buying it but the people do have new tractors so they should be rebuilt using brand new parts covered under warrenty. I did not like the way the 4000 or ten series were built so I traded in for the old school tractor. I know this is only one problem with them and many people are happy but now this makes me think I made the right choice of abandoing the 4300. My dad has had a lot of recalls on the 5320 since we got it in 2001 when they were just coming out and all recalls have been fixed with brand new parts and fixed on time. Brake line (I think) and cab mounts are two of the recalls.

del · Jan 2, 2004

On the other hand there's probably some fellow out there
with a higher hour unit that is used in some sort of
business that was told last month he needs a transmission
for huge $$$$ then he gets a letter advising him to come
in for a free reman trans!

I wish just once in life I hit that kind of a deal!

del