YACT: Am I SOL **Update**

[Codewiz]

Four months ago I had my serpentine belt replaced at a dealership. It is the only belt in my '95 Dodge Ram. Yesterday, I heard some awful noises coming from my engine. I was tired last night so I decided I would wait til today to check it out.

Turns out the belt shredded. About 1/8th of an inch of the belt completely shredded and got looped around the fan.

Do I have any chance of getting the dealership to replace it for free? My lame dealership isn't open today so I can't give them a call about it.

UPDATE:

Took it in on Monday and they fixed it no charge. Thought I was home free. Today, the SOB did the same thing. Damn belt shredded and wrapped around the shaft that turns the engine fan.

Is there something I am missing here. This should not happen. Before I took it in the first time, the belt had lasted 93K miles. Hell it wasn't even broken, I just decided to get it replaced before it did break.

Is this just a case of a dumbass person that can't put the belt on right? Is there something I should look for that could be causing this? I looked at all the wheels that the belt goes on and there is nothing obviously wrong with them. There is nothing sticking out to snag the belt on.

I am at a loss. I am going to have to take it back to the dealership tomorrow.

 

[her209]

did they give you a warranty on it?

 

[Kilgor]

I don't see why they wouldn't replace it should be under warranty still. It must have been a faulty belt to fail so soon.

 

[NogginBoink]

If they've got any business sense at all, they'll replace it for free.

ESPECIALLY since it was done at the dealership!

Tip: be unfailingly polite when you go in and request that the redo the work.

 

[aircooled]

Take it back to the dealer that replaced the belt and demand they fix it.

 

[Codewiz]

I have never had good experiences with dealerships. But I had to get it replaced and I was new to the area. A dealership was my best bet. I hope they aren't assholes like the rest of the dealerships I have dealt with.

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: aircooled
Take it back to the dealer that replaced the belt and demand they fix it.

I would start by ASKING that they replace it before DEMANDING that they replace it.

If you come into my shop and are a butthead, I can deny you service and enjoy your ranting all day. I'm still the one with the power to say yes or no, no matter how right you might be.

If you come is and are polite and show me that I made a mistake and politely ask that I rectify the situation, I will offer gushing apologies for making the mistake, and do everything I can to get all the resources I can to get you fixed and happy with my service as quickly as possible.

 

[Monel Funkawitz]

Originally posted by: NogginBoink

Originally posted by: aircooled
Take it back to the dealer that replaced the belt and demand they fix it.

I would start by ASKING that they replace it before DEMANDING that they replace it.

If you come into my shop and are a butthead, I can deny you service and enjoy your ranting all day. I'm still the one with the power to say yes or no, no matter how right you might be.

If you come is and are polite and show me that I made a mistake and politely ask that I rectify the situation, I will offer gushing apologies for making the mistake, and do everything I can to get all the resources I can to get you fixed and happy with my service as quickly as possible.

Yes, your supreme highness, sir.

If you come into my shop and are a butthead, I can deny you service and enjoy your ranting all day. I'm still the one with the power to say yes or no, no matter how right you might be

If you were working for me and I caught you doing stuff like this, your ass would be fired. It isn't up to you to determine how a customer gets treated by the company, based on their attitude. You should be professional enough to handle the asshats and the non-asshats and make everyone happy. I do it every day, and I wanna strangle some people after they leave, but my service is the same regardless.

 

[Codewiz]

Read the update please.....

 

[alkemyst]

could be the tensioner is bad, could be a pulley is loose or slightly bent or damaged.

Since this happened after they replaced the old one, I'd say something got damaged with either the replacement or when that replacement broke.

 

[Eli]

Well, the obvious solution is to take it back to them again.

They will eventually get it right, or figure out exactly what is wrong. If they replaced it after 4 months, they will have no problems replacing it after a day.

 

[Codewiz]

Originally posted by: Eli
Well, the obvious solution is to take it back to them again.

They will eventually get it right, or figure out exactly what is wrong. If they replaced it after 4 months, they will have no problems replacing it after a day.

Oh yeah, they damn well better replace it

I just want to figure out what the hell is causing this to happen. There is no way I got two bad belts in a row.

 

[Quixfire]

There has to be a bad pulley causing a mis-alignment. Request a senior mechanic look at this next time to double check the belt routing.