Photo: Ram
Not abiding by the manufacturer's recommendations could be costly if you happen to need a repair done under warranty. This is something a Canadian found the hard way after his truck’s engine broke and he was left with a 19,000 CAD (14,900 USD) bill he can’t afford.
Buying a vehicle is a great moment for anyone but buying it new is even more special. Knowing you’re the first one to drive it (well, not entirely true, but still) and the smell (oh, the smell!...) makes the whole experience unforgettable. And, unless you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, such moments are truly rare. For some folks, even unique.
You’d expect such special moments to be cherished and whoever buys a brand new vehicle to give it all the attention it needs. This means timely service jobs and the best possible parts to keep it running smoothly for as long as possible. And yet, not all people are the same, and some might think cutting some corners, saving some money is nothing bad. Until it is, and the money saved proves not to be enough to cover the repairs.
This is something Moses Fosuo, a Canadian from Ontario, found out after his three-year-old Ram 1500 truck broke on the side of the highway. Engine breakdowns are rare events these days, but they do happen and when they do, it might be a costly affair. The Canadian did not despair, knowing his vehicle was still under the warranty. The truck was brought to a local Ram dealer and from there the disaster followed.
“They informed me the engine was no longer working and I was looking at having to have the engine replaced,” Fosuo said on CTV News. After the initial shock passed, the man was relieved to know his truck was still under warranty. Only it didn’t, as the dealer informed Fosuo he failed to change the oil at the recommended time. “When I asked them why it was not covered under warranty, they mentioned at 50,000 kilometers the oil switch came on and I didn't get an oil change done right away,” said Fosuo.
Fosuo says he did have the oil changed, but at a third-party garage that told him the truck could drive for 24,000 km (around 15,000 miles) between oil changes. This is considerably more than the manufacturer’s recommendation of 16,000 km (10,000 miles) or 12 months, whichever comes first.
The truck probably would have made it past that 24,000 km, had the engine not broken down, leaving Fosuo in hot waters. Of course, Ram refused to cover the engine replacement because the Canadian had not followed the manufacturer’s recommendations.
“As indicated in the vehicle's Owner's Manual, under no circumstances should oil change intervals exceed 16,000 km or 12 months, whichever comes first. Our authorized Ram dealers reported that said maintenance was not performed to these parameters,” a Ram spokesperson said.
Ram quoted Fosuo 19,000 CAD (14,900 USD) for the engine replacement but unfortunately, he cannot afford to pay. The truck will have to be scrapped unless Fosuo finds a buyer interested to repair it himself. With the sky-high prices on the used-car market today, this could be a good deal, actually.
Moses Fosuo had to pay a steep price to learn his lesson, being left without his three-year-old truck that he bought new. It sure was a huge loss for the Canadian and a stark reminder to anyone that a vehicle’s warranty comes with strings attached. Follow the maintenance schedule to the letter, especially when the vehicle is still under warranty, to save yourself from trouble down the road.
You’d expect such special moments to be cherished and whoever buys a brand new vehicle to give it all the attention it needs. This means timely service jobs and the best possible parts to keep it running smoothly for as long as possible. And yet, not all people are the same, and some might think cutting some corners, saving some money is nothing bad. Until it is, and the money saved proves not to be enough to cover the repairs.
This is something Moses Fosuo, a Canadian from Ontario, found out after his three-year-old Ram 1500 truck broke on the side of the highway. Engine breakdowns are rare events these days, but they do happen and when they do, it might be a costly affair. The Canadian did not despair, knowing his vehicle was still under the warranty. The truck was brought to a local Ram dealer and from there the disaster followed.
“They informed me the engine was no longer working and I was looking at having to have the engine replaced,” Fosuo said on CTV News. After the initial shock passed, the man was relieved to know his truck was still under warranty. Only it didn’t, as the dealer informed Fosuo he failed to change the oil at the recommended time. “When I asked them why it was not covered under warranty, they mentioned at 50,000 kilometers the oil switch came on and I didn't get an oil change done right away,” said Fosuo.
Fosuo says he did have the oil changed, but at a third-party garage that told him the truck could drive for 24,000 km (around 15,000 miles) between oil changes. This is considerably more than the manufacturer’s recommendation of 16,000 km (10,000 miles) or 12 months, whichever comes first.
The truck probably would have made it past that 24,000 km, had the engine not broken down, leaving Fosuo in hot waters. Of course, Ram refused to cover the engine replacement because the Canadian had not followed the manufacturer’s recommendations.
“As indicated in the vehicle's Owner's Manual, under no circumstances should oil change intervals exceed 16,000 km or 12 months, whichever comes first. Our authorized Ram dealers reported that said maintenance was not performed to these parameters,” a Ram spokesperson said.
Ram quoted Fosuo 19,000 CAD (14,900 USD) for the engine replacement but unfortunately, he cannot afford to pay. The truck will have to be scrapped unless Fosuo finds a buyer interested to repair it himself. With the sky-high prices on the used-car market today, this could be a good deal, actually.
Moses Fosuo had to pay a steep price to learn his lesson, being left without his three-year-old truck that he bought new. It sure was a huge loss for the Canadian and a stark reminder to anyone that a vehicle’s warranty comes with strings attached. Follow the maintenance schedule to the letter, especially when the vehicle is still under warranty, to save yourself from trouble down the road.
Google News