During a recent visit to the dealer to have a recurring Check Engine light issue checked, they mentioned that they noticed the pinion seal was leaking slightly so they had replaced it. They mentioned that the pinion nut was loose and felt that was the reason the seal had failed...so they covered it as part of the recall. Unfortunately, at the time, the recall part were not available they "cleaned up threads and reinstalled the pinion nut with Loctite". Work order also had the notation "Possible danger to drive". The service manager assured me the nut would be fine until the parts for the recall arrived.

Well....I just had my truck in to have the N 08 recall done. I spoke directly with the service manager and expressed my concern that since the nut had already backed off, and then the same nut reinstalled, there may be other damage beyond simply installing a new nut and retainer. My understanding is if the nut is loose, the rear differential is to be checked and "refurbished". The service manager assured me that everything would be checked. I had some concern because as soon as I picked the truck up I had a 350 mile round-trip drive to pick my daughter up at University.

I picked up the truck, and the work order said "Pinion nut and retainer replaced. No play at this time." No other work or parts replaced. Before leaving with the truck, I talked to the service manager and expressed my concerns. He said to "keep the work order and if a problem develops down the road Dodge will take care of it as recall related."

THREE HOURS later I'm on the highway and I notice a slightly different sound coming from the back of the truck. No choice but to keep driving and within an hour later the noise has turned into a roar. I'm in heavy highway traffic (Friday night, start of Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend). And I've got my daughter with me, who is worried because "it sounds like a helicopter back there". I figured it would be hours to get a tow truck and we're kind of in the middle of nowhere, so I pulled off the road and crawled under the truck to have a look. At least no fluid was leaking. I continued the rest of the drive home in the slow lane on the highway where I could pull onto the shoulder should the diff lock up and/or driveshaft snap. The noise was getting progressively worse. Made it home. Dropped it off at the dealer yesterday and talked to the service manager. Not happy. So now I'm driving a RAV4 rental car and dealer says it will be middle of next week minimum before I have my truck back.

I've been very patient throughout 5 trips to the dealer for Check Engine light issue, and now this fiasco with the recall. The service manager seem like a good guy, and I can understand you don't always get something fixed "the first time"...but to go in, have work done, and find they've created a huge problem in doing it is beyond frustrating.

 

Couple big issues there.
1) Reinstalled pinion nut with Loctite - they reused the nut and didn't replace the crush sleeve?
2) They did it a second time - used a new nut and didn't replace the crush sleeve.

I'd be curious how they thought they were getting the proper pinion bearing preload when they reinstalled the yoke and nut.

 

When I dropped the truck off, I talked to the service manager. He had no explanation as to why a "quiet" rear differential could develop such a load roar within hours of them installing a new pinion nut and retainer. I specifically asked him if they had disassembled and used a new crush washer and he literally had a blank look on his face. Didn't answer. I also said, "If they didn't use a new crush washer my guess is that the proper torque wasn't applied". He just said "Well, we won't know until we get it in the shop and inspect". It didn't take them long to do the recall--they called me less than 2 hours after I dropped the truck off. The work order only lists Pinion Nut and Retainer under parts used. I'm not a mechanic, and I don't know much about rear differentials, but looking at it logically - and how quickly the rear end component(s) failed after they did the recall - the only thing that comes to mind is that they didn't get the preload right as you suggest. The service manager is actually a good guy so I'm being patient (what option is there?) but it is really frustrating. I use the truck daily for work and 7 trips now to the dealer in less than a month is more than an inconvenience.

 

You can have the nicest people in the world work on your truck, BUT, if they didnt do it right the first time, taking it back to them time after time is never going to make it right. You`ve got the wrong people workin on your problem. Call chrysler, squeaky wheel gets the grease.

 

I know. I guess my point about the service manager being a nice guy is that sometimes you run into advisors who are indifferent, don't return calls, etc. This guy has been good that way, and covered some parts under "goodwill" previously. I contacted DodgeCaresCA (Canada) previously and they were helpful. I contacted them again last week regarding the pinion nut recall and asked for an update on what the procedure was in the recall...that was before I took the truck in...and before something got screwed up when they did the recall. No response yet. So I'll wait to hear what the service manager says and if I'm not comfortable with the answer I'll be in immediate contact with DodgeCaresCA.

 

Could you imagine if these same people were doctor`s and surgeon`s... you`d be a lot less of a patient.

 

No sir. Doctors get to "experiment" on you...and you pay them to do it. lol

 

This truck needs to be off the street until it's fixed. They need to get you a rental, loaner or something. This is ridiculousness.

 

5 times for a check engine light? Don;t you have lemon laws in your state?
IN NH if you go back three times or more for the same fix and you are still under even an extended warranty you get a new truck.....

 

Well, he's in Canada. Maybe the recall was in French.