KUBOTA RTV PROBLEMS

[bdaymon]

Wow what a big dissapointment. I bought a new 2014 RTV 500. Constant over heating problems. @ dealers cant fix it. Very weak power wise.
19 mph tops 16hp. Gets hot quickly.
I took it to the dealer and gave it back 70 hours total time.I told them the engine is compromised at this point. Boiled over a dozen times.
Kubota generally have a great reputation. Lets see how they treat me on the buy back

 

[timswi]

Wow what a big dissapointment. I bought a new 2014 RTV 500. Constant over heating problems. @ dealers cant fix it. Very weak power wise.
19 mph tops 16hp. Gets hot quickly.
I took it to the dealer and gave it back 70 hours total time.I told them the engine is compromised at this point. Boiled over a dozen times.
Kubota generally have a great reputation. Lets see how they treat me on the buy back

You did notice that this thread is over 10 years old?

 

[texasjohn]

Got it, you're aggravated.
On 11-20 acres you must have some wonderful roads and need to drive them at 20 plus mph when the max spec is 25 mph. Me, if I get over 10 mph in my pasture or ranch roads, it's just more rough than I want to endure.
And, you don't watch the temp gauge and stop before it boils over. I've had two times when the temp gauge got above normal on my 1140. Once the radiator was choked with dust which washed out easily with water hose. Also, the fan attachment to the shroud failed and fan blades were blocked causing fan motor failure. Fan replaced, all good.

TBN isn't going to be able to assist with your issues...unclear why multiple "dealers can't fix it." Engine cooling is not a new technology...you need fluid circulating thru the engine, a radiator for heat exchange, a fan to assist the radiator heat exchange and a thermostat to regulate the fluid flow and get the fluid up to temperature after starting engine. Unstated as to what dealers have done or how many times you have taken the vehicle to them to address the problem, mechanically, before you "gave it back." Clearly, for some reason the vehicle does not meet your need for speed or expectations therefore it is probably best you let it go and get something that, carefully researched, does meet your needs.

There are numerous TBN members who have RTVs, myself included, who use them daily and find them highly reliable and an indispensable vehicle for their needs on their property.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Wow what a big dissapointment. I bought a new 2014 RTV 500. Constant over heating problems. @ dealers cant fix it. Very weak power wise.
19 mph tops 16hp. Gets hot quickly.
I took it to the dealer and gave it back 70 hours total time.I told them the engine is compromised at this point. Boiled over a dozen times.
Kubota generally have a great reputation. Lets see how they treat me on the buy back

I understand your pain and feel for you. If what you say is true (Some times people join and never do any posts but one to be a "crap" post and then they are gone) then I to will be interested to see how Kubota and the dealer recover you to the fold.
I've bought 16 new and different Kubotas in 11 years and am a satisfied customer. I did buy one, a BX2350, that had a manufacturing design problem of abrupt stop in reverse and I could not live with it. I traded it toward another BX model and was given $500 off because of the "problem".
I'm sure you knew before buying that Kubota RTVs are NOT bought for speed but are bought for durability. Even their least expensive model should provide great durability and any problem should be resolved. It should never over heat under normal conditions and proper maintenance of open air flow. I have had some of my Fs over heat and removing the air filter screen and clearing it always brought them back to normal temp and this should also happen on the RTVs.
Every company has an occasional lemon come thru and/or a lemon dealer that doesn't resolve a problem. If what you say is true then you've found one or both in your purchase. Hope they give you another one with some charge for the period you used that one and the next one be more up to Kubotas normal quality.
I have a RTV1140, love it and never had an issue with it in over 3 years. It's not fast but it is dependable and a work horse.
I'll look at you personal profile and see how forth coming you've been when registering on TBN. Some people won't leave basic info when they're going to be trolls. Sure or hope your not one and your issue is resolved to your satisfaction.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Did leave basic profile info so looking forward to how dealer/Kubota resolves the issue. Good luck and hoping for a good outcome and customer TBN member satisfaction.

 

[bdaymon]

Two of my friends have identical ones.Thats why I drove theirs then bought one.Something electronical is wrong. I have cab and heat. When this happens the defroster immediately blows cold air and fogs winsdhield. That tells me the thermosat is closing for some reason. They changed the thermostat, fan module that tells the fan to come on. Then they tell me the heater isnt designed for the 500 and it is not getting adequate fluid flow. So I shut off the valve Kubota gives you with the heater to isolate the heat radiator. same problem.Then they tell me the intake air hose is collapsing. Nope that would not make it get hot.
Again for the chump that riidiculed my usage, Kubota has a reputation hat is so good you cant hardly kill them.This is just a lemon.I only hunt with this.
It is so weak that on a hill on the county road by my house that I have to stop and put it in low range.
I served lemon papers on Kubota last Friday. After that they have 5 days to correct it or refund my money.
I am diisappointed in their lack of concern for the problem and a fix.

 

[texasjohn]

clogged radiator, then.

 

[bdaymon]

Wish it was a clogged radiator. We checked that. Dealer checked it and ran it and could not make it overheat. Within ten minutes of use here at home it boiled over. Let it cool down topped off the anti freeze and this time 30 minutes of travelling on a county road it boiled over before it even hit the red line or light came on. Again defroster blew cold air out immediately prior to boil over. Literally a few seconds after blowing cold air it boiled over.
That quickly tells me that the thermostat closed for some reason. Served Kubota with a certified letter,[return reciept requested}. They signed for it 11 days ago and not even a phone call.
I want to restate Kubota has a great track record and have the reputation as "Ya just cant hardly killem" history.
At 63 I just want to hunt. I will not waste time or cash to sue them over this. Again just really disappointed with Kubota. I would buy a Kubota tractoe tomorrow if I needed but certainly wouldnt buy another RTV whatever size.

 

[timswi]

Wish it was a clogged radiator. We checked that. Dealer checked it and ran it and could not make it overheat. Within ten minutes of use here at home it boiled over. Let it cool down topped off the anti freeze and this time 30 minutes of travelling on a county road it boiled over before it even hit the red line or light came on. Again defroster blew cold air out immediately prior to boil over. Literally a few seconds after blowing cold air it boiled over.
That quickly tells me that the thermostat closed for some reason. Served Kubota with a certified letter,[return reciept requested}. They signed for it 11 days ago and not even a phone call.
I want to restate Kubota has a great track record and have the reputation as "Ya just cant hardly killem" history.
At 63 I just want to hunt. I will not waste time or cash to sue them over this. Again just really disappointed with Kubota. I would buy a Kubota tractoe tomorrow if I needed but certainly wouldnt buy another RTV whatever size.

As a previous owner of an RTV 500, I'm a little confused by your reference to a defroster. Generally there is no HVAC in a 500 unless it was added on, a whole other issue at play. The only RTV's that have HVAC OEM stock are the 1100ish series. 16HP, that's pretty much the advertised HP no deception there. Not a RZR, well did you test drive it?

Me thinks there is another thing at foot here..maybe I'm wrong. There's also that whole thing about RTV500's being air-cooled--Just sayin'

The sort of OP post:

Wow what a big dissapointment. I bought a new 2014 RTV 500. Constant over heating problems. @ dealers cant fix it. Very weak power wise.
19 mph tops 16hp. Gets hot quickly.
I took it to the dealer and gave it back 70 hours total time.I told them the engine is compromised at this point. Boiled over a dozen times.
kubota generally have a great reputation. Lets see how they treat me on the buy back

 

[GolfAddict]

Actually, mine is water cooled and got it with the cab option and a heater. The cab is actually a Curtis, but was made especially for the 500 and (I'm quite sure) only offered through Kubota dealers.

 

[timswi]

Actually, mine is water cooled and got it with the cab option and a heater. The cab is actually a Curtis, but was made especially for the 500 and (I'm quite sure) only offered through Kubota dealers.

It's an option I know..The OP never mentioned that and whether it is dealer or self installed, that's why I wonder.

My bad on the liquid cooled, could have sworn it was air cooled dunno, been 5 years...The whole defroster thing still makes me wonder though. Can be done but that is a huge and expensive option. That's why I bought the RTV1100 and never tried any of that with my 500.

I fall on my sword for some of my response.:ashamed:

 

[GolfAddict]

It's an option I know..The OP never mentioned that and whether it is dealer or self installed, that's why I wonder. Liquid can be added but the base machine is air cooled.

I guess I didn't even remember that was an option. I know a bunch of the other stuff was, but forgot about that one.

 

[timswi]

I guess I didn't even remember that was an option. I know a bunch of the other stuff was, but forgot about that one.

See my previous edited post..The new ones are liquid cooled, could have sworn mine was air but I could be wrong..Removing the sword I fell on for part of my response.

 

[GolfAddict]

The defrost part has me scratching my head too, mine doesn't have a defrost. Makes me wonder if his heater/defrost was some kind of add-on? Could the plumbing have been messed up somehow, and now it's causing the over heating??

 

[timswi]

The defrost part has me scratching my head too, mine doesn't have a defrost. Makes me wonder if his heater/defrost was some kind of add-on? Could the plumbing have been messed up somehow, and now it's causing the over heating??

A very material question and one that got me too.

 

[bdaymon]

Yes mine is the same. Yes a retired GM engineer and myself installed the Curtis heater and cab as he had already done his.
By defroster I mean the air vent cut into the dash that supplies warm air to left lower windshield area. This is just a small hot water radiator with a 2 speed fan. Something electronically controlled is telling the thermost to close as the defroster blows cold air seconds before it reaches even close to red area of
temp guage. I had learned the temp gauges can go bad so yes the dealer changed it. I do appreciate input from current and previous owners.
The problem is inconsistent. There is a sensor somewhere telling the thermostat to close. Yes the dealer changed the fan sensor.
I had asked them to remove the thermostat as we have done many times on old farm tractors to eliminate the thermostat as a problem.
Dealer wouldnt do that. They said the temp guage actually tells the motor to run at an optimum operating temperature.
I also suspect the head gasket being thin metal is eroded by now from the numerous boil over events. Why the dealer did not pull the head also concerns me.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Just to clarify for myself, you and another person (not a Kubota certified mechanic) modified the engine cooling system on your RTV and it now has issues with the engine cooling system?

 

[GolfAddict]

I did have my thermostat fail to open on one occasion. I was hauling some pretty good size loads in a trailer, and was seeing the temp gauge rapidly raising. I was working it hard, but nothing it hadn't handled with ease before. Stopped to make sure radiator screen was clear, radiator fins, but they seemed ok. When I'd start working again, would quickly start to overheat.

Coolant in the reserve tank looked a little low, so didn't figure that could be the problem. I went to add a little 50/50 to it anyway, and just as I was there was a sharp "snap" noise from thermostat area, with some gurgling noise following. I just knew that the thermostat had snapped open. Sure enough, I started up and started working it hard again, and the temp never came even close to over heating.

It has never happened since, but I've wondered why it ever did happen in the first place. Wonder if somehow your thermostat is sticking like that - some obstruction or something? I wouldn't think they are electronically controlled as you suspect, and if it's been changed out wouldn't seem to be the thermostat itself.

Are you sure your plumbing job isn't creating some sort of airlock or anything?

 

[texasjohn]

Just to clarify for myself, you and another person (not a Kubota certified mechanic) modified the engine cooling system on your RTV and it now has issues with the engine cooling system?

And to further clarify, you are capable but unwilling to remove the thermostat yourself as an experiment at your place to see if that, alone, resolves the boil over problem, while realizing that operating temp would be compromised and lower than optimum?

 

[bdaymon]

No as stated the dealer would not remove the thermostat. Yes we installed the cab and heater. I should not have to take the thermostat out as it is brand new.
Now they tell me 4 tom,6 weeks before they can dig into the problem
They told me they dont take
back, vehicles. Well Michigans lemon law and the Magnuson Moss Act says they have to return my money once criteria is met.
After boiling over a dozen times,the motor is compromised at this point.Even if they offered me a new engine I no longer want the **** thing.
Totally disgusted.
There will be a new Polaris in my drive shortly. No I did not modify the cooling system. 2 hoses 4 bolts and a hot wire to the fan. Yes we burped the mtor after installing Kubota,s kit.