I don't have anywhere to work on my truck so I called around for prices on installing my plenum fix kit from Hughes. The local Dodge dealer here in Albany, GA quoted the best price and turnaround time. Long story short: A 3 hour job has turned into a 3 day nightmare. The mechanic forgot to change the bypass hose while he was supposed to be installing the kit, put it all back together and then wanted to charge an extra hour's labor for him to fix his own mistake. Then he said when he went back in to replace the hose that the intake gasket "slipped". What does he mean slipped? I don't see where he would have had to take the intake back off to change that hose......

 

He must have fired it up and noticed it was leaking coolant from his shady install and blamed it on the bypass hose,(what else was he gonna say?) You dont have to remove the intake to change the bypass hose........

 

So the dealership basically needs to get a new kit from Hughes and install everything all over?

 

no, the intake gaskets can easily shift when putting the manifold back on...there is a coolant passage on the drivers side rear of the manifold....this is what he probably screwed up...

to be honest you should have done it yourself....i found it to be very easy, and nothing went wrong when i did mine....aside from not replacing fuel injector o-rings lol...not good.


i did it in my driveway in a day...you could have the manifold out in less than an hour...take a few hours to clean, then put together. very easy IMO

 

****in sucks man

 

or he put the intake gaskets in wrong all together....you are supposed to have them "hook" up to the headgaskets....they go in a certain way.

 

I would have tried it myself, but like I said I really don't have anywhere I can work. There isn't even enough room for all of us to park where I live right now. I hate learning lessons like this man

 

Talk to the service manager. Point out to him, what folks here have said. (use this as your own knowledge). Let him know that you know the mechanic screwed up, and you are not going to pay for his mistakes. Its the dealership, you expect them to be at least competent..... If they are no better then taking it to midas......

If you speak to him, and hold your ground, but, remain polite, and adamant, you will get it fixed, and it won't cost you any more than the original estimate. If they start hemming, and hawing, there is a customer satisfaction hotline you can call, and get chrysler corporate involved.

 

That much I will definitely do, but how confident can I be that this guy didn't screw up other things? I really don't feel confident in their shop's ability. I think they are going to try and go the cheapest way out they can. They already have been complaining about all the "labor" that they are going to have to eat. Anyway I am going up there Monday and I will have a good talk with the service manager. Hopefully they just make it right. That's really all I expect. Too bad I don't live closer to one of you guys...would have been done by now.

 

Well..... I would test EVERYTHING carefully before even leaving the lot. Make sure everything that worked when you pulled it in, still works. Carefully inspect the work that was done. Hang on to your receipts as well. (i know, just common sense that...)

Most dealerships will own up to their errors, and fix 'em. Most. Not sure about your particular dealership there..... they just tend to get creative on the 'warranty repair' side of things..... as they should give you a 12/12 warranty on anything they have done. Now, don't expect to be able to go back in 10,000 miles, and claim they did in your transmission though.

If you remain rational, and present valid arguments, you should be ok. If you don't get satisfaction from the service manager, go to the general manager. Just work your way up the food chain. That's what it's there for.