Kioti CK4030 Reliability - Central Control Unit Failure and FEL Float Selection Failure

Tractorman46 · Sep 25, 2022

I bought a brand new CK4030 in September 2021 to replace my 8 year old CK2810. In December 2021 It wouldn't start. The dealer diagnosed the central control unit failed. A new unit was expected to take 6 months to get. It still hasn't arrived. The dealer by-passed the unit so now none of the safety things work (which in some cases is quite handy) and on the road the cruise control has to be used cautiously because it can only be cancelled by using the switch to turn it off instead of touching the brake.
Then about 3 weeks the tractor had to be taken away for repair because the float action can't be cancelled or selected. Instead of a slight push forward against the "stop", or pull back out of it, it's stuck. We managed to free it in order to get it on the trailer. Well, that part I'm told Kioti France say may take another 20 days to get. If the central control unit is anything to go by it could take longer.
It's a great inconvenience not having the tractor of course. It's also a disappointment since I like the tractor and the extra power and speed over the old CK2810 which was very reliable. It seems arrogant of Kioti not to cannibolise a new one from stock to help a customer.
Is this a French thing or are Kioti like this elsewhere?

perrypower · Sep 26, 2022

Did you ask your dealer if taking the control unit off of another tractor would be a possibility? Sometimes, all you have to do is ask.
The other potential problem is that maybe they do not have another one in stock that could cannibalize for you. Some areas are still experiencing tractor shortages.

Tractorman46 · Sep 29, 2022

Thank you for your response. Here in rural France my dealer is quite a small operation and I have a very good relationship with the proprietor. They don't keep new tractors in stock normally, everything is to order. My hope was that Kioti France would be able to cannibolise the part. However, good news - the tractor was delivered back this morning and I'm back in business. The whole FEL distribitor part has been replaced.

On the subject of the central control unit, they received a replacement, fitted it and after testing it a few times it failed. Apparently this is an electronics fault all these tractors are suffering from. So they restored the workaround set up and that's OK for now. Just have to be careful on the road if I use cruise control.