Lack of response from Kioti on loader repair program

[Highbeam]

Thanks Wallace. Seeing that scanned document was very valuable.

 

[IslandTractor]

Rick, thanks for posting. Kioti could have saved themselves a whole lot of unpleasant publicity by sending out letters like the one you posted six months ago even if it was vague on the ready date and required follow up letters.

I have a couple of concerns still:

1) The note does not instruct either the owner or dealer to remove the inspection panel to check for cracks. Someone who does a cursory exam without removing the panel will not see any cracks yet the entire program has an April 30 expiration date so cracks that are found and repaired after that time would not be covered. Also, it is not the easiest thing to remove the inspection plate. The plate comes off with just four bolts so that is not the problem. The problem is that you really have to raise the loader to full height then walk underneath the bucket to easily access the inspection panel. That is generally a no-no without bracing the FEL so it does not accidently fall on you while you are underneath it. Will Kioti be providing more detailed instructions on how to check safely? Is Kioti expected each dealer to go out and check all the loaders they have sold? (good luck Rick!!!).

2) This is apparentlly a bolt on repair. I guess we will have to wait to see what it looks like but I am having unpleasant visions of Highbeam's bridge structure on my loader. Any repair that results in a funky looking loader will pretty clearly have a negative affect on resale value and that is a concern too.

3) Given that Kioti took their sweet time (almost a year) coming up with this program, it seems a bit mean spirited to give us less than 100 days to get all the repairs done (no notification letters yet and it is mid January). I for one was trying to get information about the repair program this Fall so I could make arrangements to get my loader to the dealer (my tractor lives at a summer house on an island....it is not a simple matter to get it off the island between January and March. This selfish imbalance (Kioti takes their time but asks us to be ultra efficient) is annoying and might cause real problems for some people.

4) I have never received a single piece of mail from Kioti ever. How do we know that Kioti has all our addresses etc.?

I am please to hear that Kioti will finally start to deal with the loader cracking problem but their initial response continues to ignore important issues. Those guys need some help in customer service if they are going to live up to their new motto of "Run ahead of the pack".

 

[CurlyDave]

I don't own a Kioti, so i don't have a dog in this fight, but I do feel that this is probably the shortest recall repair period since the start of the industrial revolution.

Kioti really should extend this to cover all loaders for as long as Kioti is in business. After all, they would like us to think that their tractors will last a generation or more...

 

[wallace]

My understanding is that even if your loader is not cracked and it falls within the serial #'s you will be getting the update.

Amy went thru all of our past history of sales with the KL120/130 FEL and I have over 100 of them out there so I will be a little busy.
I will let all know what is involved in the kit and I will also try to post some pictures.

I would recomend that if anyone does not understand how to or is just not capable of checking their loader that they leave it up to their dealer.

 

[VictorW]

Thanks for all the information you have to date, Rick. Good luck getting all 100 plus loaders fixed. A few pictures and some info when you get it would be great. I would be happy to just get the kit and do it myself. If the update is a bolt on reinforcement, I imagine it would be about a 30 minute job. Definately less than trailering the tractor and I can usually find free time for playing with my tractor.

When someone receives a letter from Kioti, it would be helpful if they posted that they got it. The rest of us would know that the letters are going out and especially because there is such a short time for the repair to be completed. Anyone who didn't receive a letter who thought they should have will be able to contact their dealer or Kioti if needed prior to the termination date.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

Hey DAP maybe you need to ask your friendly neighborhood Kubota dealer what is Kubota's company line on warranty trucking? Like Rick said all companies put the trucking on the customer's back with warranties. If you're lucky enough that your dealer trucks it for free,you better make sure he stays in business.

Actually, for known product issues Kubota gives a trucking allowance to help defer travel costs.

 

[wallace]

 

[Dodgeram]

Actually, for known product issues Kubota gives a trucking allowance to help defer travel costs.

I will applaud Kubota for that. It must have cost a mint in transporation cost alone just to repair/replace all those BX 24 fenders. There had to be 5-10 thousand of those units sold in the US alone.

I'm guessing they'll do the same for all those M5XXX owners who didn't get their dashboards completely hooked up at the factory.

 

[wallace]

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I will applaud Kubota for that.

I can't say anything about Kubota because at nearly 7 years old the B2910 has never had to go into the shop for any warrenty or recall work (in fact it has never had to go in for any work at all). I would certainly expect that Kubota should pick up, repair, & return both the BX and the M series machines that they had problems with.

My New Holland had a loader repair issue where some little 59-cent (at least they looked like they were worth that amount) brass fittings had to be replaced on the loader. There were 2 of those fittings. I got a letter in the mail from CNH corporate notifying me of a 'possible problem' and then a day or 2 later I got a call from my dealer to tell me that a letter would be coming from CNH. The dealer came out, picked up the tractor, made the repair, and returned the tractor. No charge.

Can't say if NH covered the dealer costs or not.

Regardless of brand, it seems like it is very important to pick a quality dealer. Guys like Wallace stand behind what they sell. My NH dealer does the same. My Kubota/Cub dealer has treated me very well for over a dozen years. I think that brand is often less important than a good dealer.