[mattocs2000]

For my 2013 SLT Ram 1500 with 54k miles, the airbag light started flashing intermittently. I took it to the dealer, where they decided to re-seat the driver seat airbag connections. Also... they said I should service the front and rear differentials. They 'removed the covers, cleaned gears and bearings, resealed, refilled with lubricant, and drained refilled transfer case.' I was charged for the airbag work ($125) and for the differential and transfer case work ($625). I should have said "no" when they wanted to do the non-airbag work, but they called when I was in a meeting and I just needed to get them off the phone and stupidly said yes. Was I ripped off on both counts? That is, I thought the airbag work would be free (safety issue) and differential/transfer work a ripoff since I never heard of anyone removing the covers and 'cleaning the gears and bearings.' Thanks for any comments.

 

[Richard66]

Don't know about the air bag service, but my dealership will do the differentials and transfer case work for $350. Thinking about spending a $100 bucks for oil and RTV and doing the job myself.

 

[johnnyboy02]

Yes you got screwed. But not on the airbag work, safety equipment or not I can't really see how a person would think that would be free... are brake pads free?

Anyway they bent you over on the diff/tcase service by about 50% and i5vwould have been 1/3 of that if you did it yourself. Sorry man.

 

[Burkdadhemi]

Diff covers come off to drain and inspect the gears and to clean the magnet at the bottom of the diff housings, there is no drain plug. The only other way is to use a suction tool but dealer won't do that. Transfer case runs about 125 buck, and diff fluid change runs about 150 bucks per diff depending on your area.

 

[GTyankee]

RTFM !

The Air Bag light was coming on after 36,000 miles, so you pay for it, unless you have an Extended Warranty & then you usually pay $100

Every dealership will try to upsell fluid changes, they want to make money
They want everyone to believe that their vehicle falls into this category ..
from page 700 or your Owners Manual
If using your vehicle for police,
taxi, fleet, off-road or frequent
trailer towing, change axle fluid

If you go a ways out in your roadless area every other weekend, you might be on the fringe of that that category, If you pull a loaded 2 axle trailer 5 days a week, you might fit into that category

If you use your vehicle to go to a campground on weekends, you don't fit into that category

 

[scoobyxj]

I can't comment on the air bag, but I feel you where grossly over charged for the fluid service. You're talking less than $200 (and that's being generous) in materials, and I can't see it taking over 1.5 hrs in labor.

 

[Thunderhorse]

There was a recall on the airbags, if that's what it was and/or you had the recall performed because it hadn't been done you shouldn't have been charged.

No offense but you got taken for a ride on the diff fluid change. I did both diffs (which use different viscosities) and the T-case for maybe $170 for the front and rear diff fluid, t-case fluid, lube pumps and silicone-and that was using the highest quality group 5 synthetic oils. $445 for labor seems way high, becasue it sure didn't take me that long, and I just have my home tool set and a driveway, not a full shop like the dealer. Then again, the dealer here is basically a predatory business so I try to do everything myself. They tried to charge me $912 to replace a $70 fuel pressure sensor. GTFO

 

[mattocs2000]

Thanks for the many replies. I really appreciate the help. :smileup:

I did look in the manual, and the transfer case fluid change is at 120k miles. I cannot find anything for the differentials. I looked around elsewhere on the internet, and it goes from 30k to never. 'Never' is wrong of course, so maybe 50k or 75k (I do tow a little bit, with about a 4,000 lb trailer).

I think I will go back to the dealer and calmly explain :fca5278d: that I do feel a bit ripped off, and that they could have made a friend (like my Honda dealer service shop), but instead I will never be back unless I have to... and I will tell all my friends the same.

 

[Thunderhorse]

Thanks for the many replies. I really appreciate the help. :smileup:

I did look in the manual, and the transfer case fluid change is at 120k miles. I cannot find anything for the differentials. I looked around elsewhere on the internet, and it goes from 30k to never. 'Never' is wrong of course, so maybe 50k or 75k (I do tow a little bit, with about a 4,000 lb trailer).

I think I will go back to the dealer and calmly explain :fca5278d: that I do feel a bit ripped off, and that they could have made a friend (like my Honda dealer service shop), but instead I will never be back unless I have to... and I will tell all my friends the same.

The diffs are 20,000 miles for severe service, otherwise just inspect the axles and change it if you suspect a leak. I do mine at 50,000 miles with the t-case, dad has ever done his in his 100,000+ miles 2009 Ram. Some people never do it

 

[striker2237]

You got taken for a serious ride. Sorry man.

 

[Thunderhorse]

If it makes you feel better it happens to lots of people. I paid $300 for my 30,000 mile plug change; then I got married and had less money to waste because my wife does that for me now. For my 60,000 mile plug change I did it myself and saved $220 after buying the plugs and tools for it.

I'm in a military town so the dealer here is a predatory business, they rip off young Marines who don't know better-its disgusting. I went to test drive Durangos with my wife and when we started talking price they laughed at anything less than MSRP. They also wanted to charge me $912 to replace a $70 fuel pressure sensor that took me about 10 minutes to do.

Needless to say, I drove to Texas to buy my Durango (well, that's not the whole reason I was there, I got it while on leave visiting my family) and saved thousands even when you factor in the cost of gas to drive my truck 1500 miles there and both vehicles back

 

[mattocs2000]

Just in case anyone is interested.... I was sent an email survey by the dealer, and answered it politely in the negative about the experience. I wound up talking to the head service manager, and after a good and polite conversation, I got 50% of my money back. I also contacted Chrysler Group, and was in good contact with some help. So in the end it worked out.

 

[blok2400]

I hate those horror stories from the dealer, they need serious reform. I'll probably do like Thunder and change my diffs and Tcase around 50-60k

 

[Guy Montag]

:smileup: it's great that someone at this dealership stepped up and did the right thing.

 

[rjs2005]

It's a shame that upselling is the norm at dealerships, but it is, and it's up to the informed owner to beware. I allowed myself to be "duped" into buying an oil change package when I purchased my '13 Challenger R/T. I took my car into the dealership- one of those with the name of the winningest car owner in NASCAR history on it- and they put the hard upsell on for spark plug replacement, to the tune of the same $300 bucks that Thunderhorse mentioned above- I declined. The service writer insisted that I absolutely needed to perform this vital service or my Hemi 5.7 would not perform at it's optimum and I may be in the territory of voiding my warranty- which brought out the Navy Chief in me. I let him know in clear terms that I would change the plugs myself before I would pay that kind of money, and would he simply get the damned oil changed, please? That did the trick, and he wrote it up.
At the end of the day, you must read the manual and know your vehicle's service intervals. On the same token, if you are going to perform your own maintenance, make damn sure you are using the right parts and lubricants for your vehicle- I had a neighbor who just couldn't seem to understand why Ford wouldn't cover the replacement of his engine in his Mustang V6 4.0, when he simply used the oil he's always used- straight 30W. Trying to explain to him that Ford specified using 5W-20 semi-synthetic for a reason went right over his head. Ford durability jokes aside, I can't imagine anyone using single-viscosity oil in a modern engine this side of a Briggs & Stratton lawn mower, but there he was, stubborn in his own "I've always done it this way" mindset, and it cost him several thousands.

 

[striker2237]

It's a shame that upselling is the norm at dealerships, but it is, and it's up to the informed owner to beware. I allowed myself to be "duped" into buying an oil change package when I purchased my '13 Challenger R/T. I took my car into the dealership- one of those with the name of the winningest car owner in NASCAR history on it- and they put the hard upsell on for spark plug replacement, to the tune of the same $300 bucks that Thunderhorse mentioned above- I declined. The service writer insisted that I absolutely needed to perform this vital service or my Hemi 5.7 would not perform at it's optimum and I may be in the territory of voiding my warranty- which brought out the Navy Chief in me. I let him know in clear terms that I would change the plugs myself before I would pay that kind of money, and would he simply get the damned oil changed, please? That did the trick, and he wrote it up.
At the end of the day, you must read the manual and know your vehicle's service intervals. On the same token, if you are going to perform your own maintenance, make damn sure you are using the right parts and lubricants for your vehicle- I had a neighbor who just couldn't seem to understand why Ford wouldn't cover the replacement of his engine in his Mustang V6 4.0, when he simply used the oil he's always used- straight 30W. Trying to explain to him that Ford specified using 5W-20 semi-synthetic for a reason went right over his head. Ford durability jokes aside, I can't imagine anyone using single-viscosity oil in a modern engine this side of a Briggs & Stratton lawn mower, but there he was, stubborn in his own "I've always done it this way" mindset, and it cost him several thousands.

*Slow clap* Nice work.........not just the wrong weight but a SINGLE ONE!!!

 

[rjs2005]

*Slow clap* Nice work.........not just the wrong weight but a SINGLE ONE!!!

The funniest part of this was after the engine was replaced and he went through this whole ordeal, I was in the yard doing some work and heard his wife scream at him "GET YOUR @$$ AWAY FROM MY CAR! YOU KILLED IT ONCE, YOU WILL NOT KILL IT AGAIN! It was her car, and she actually listened to the service manager as he explained what (lack of adequate lubrication) destroyed the engine, and she was determined it wasn't happening again.

 

[dg8r]

It's a shame that upselling is the norm at dealerships, but it is, and it's up to the informed owner to beware. I allowed myself to be "duped" into buying an oil change package when I purchased my '13 Challenger R/T. I took my car into the dealership- one of those with the name of the winningest car owner in NASCAR history on it- and they put the hard upsell on for spark plug replacement, to the tune of the same $300 bucks that Thunderhorse mentioned above- I declined. The service writer insisted that I absolutely needed to perform this vital service or my Hemi 5.7 would not perform at it's optimum and I may be in the territory of voiding my warranty- which brought out the Navy Chief in me. I let him know in clear terms that I would change the plugs myself before I would pay that kind of money, and would he simply get the damned oil changed, please? That did the trick, and he wrote it up.
At the end of the day, you must read the manual and know your vehicle's service intervals. On the same token, if you are going to perform your own maintenance, make damn sure you are using the right parts and lubricants for your vehicle- I had a neighbor who just couldn't seem to understand why Ford wouldn't cover the replacement of his engine in his Mustang V6 4.0, when he simply used the oil he's always used- straight 30W. Trying to explain to him that Ford specified using 5W-20 semi-synthetic for a reason went right over his head. Ford durability jokes aside, I can't imagine anyone using single-viscosity oil in a modern engine this side of a Briggs & Stratton lawn mower, but there he was, stubborn in his own "I've always done it this way" mindset, and it cost him several thousands.

Another crusty old chief on here recognize BS before it rears its ugly head.

EMC (SS) before I was given an Honorable for medical reasons after 14 years.

 

[catch 22]

Just in case anyone is interested.... I was sent an email survey by the dealer, and answered it politely in the negative about the experience. I wound up talking to the head service manager, and after a good and polite conversation, I got 50% of my money back. I also contacted Chrysler Group, and was in good contact with some help. So in the end it worked out.

Good for you! It's about time a dealer fessed up to ripping someone off, and returning some change. My service writer (go to the same guy every time) has given up on trying to upsale me, my truck is 3½ years old and has 13,000 miles on it (I do the oil changes on the time limit and bring my own Mobil 1 and Mann filter). I'm also an ASE certified Master Tech and not afraid to hurt some feelings.......they don't try to BS me anymore.

 

[GTyankee]

I take my own Mobile One 5W-20 oil & Wix filter to my dealership & they install it for $18
They tell me that the $18 is for Hazardous Waste fees & is B.S., but i'll let that pass.

The company that goes to the dealerships to pick up the waste oil, actually pays the dealership for the waste oil, as long as it is not cross contaminated, ie: anti freeze & oil mixed in the same waste storage tank.
The same company picks up the waste fluids from the Auto Parts Stores & most of the time, they don't check the fluid before letting the customers empty their gallon jugs into the waste tanks, the stores get paid for the waste fluids also.
There are several private companies collecting waste oil around here, not just Safety-Kleen