Hey guys. I have an 07 Dodge ram 2500 with the 6.7 diesel. This truck is 1 month old with 2k miles.

I filled my truck up on sat 09/01/07 with deisel fuel, then went home. (this was about 10pm sat night)
Sunday i ran to Home Depot ( about 1.5 miles from my house) and on the way home. The truck was running rough. By the time I got home. The check engine light came on. To describe the rough running. When idling , there was more engine vibration than normal. And driving when the tranny would shift to 5th or 6th there would be alot of vibration when i would accelerate.

Now a few days prior to this, My water in the fuel light came on in the cab. I turned off the engine, checked the manual on how to drain it. I drained it. There was a little water in there, got back in the cab turned on the key and started. The water in the fuel light stayed on and chimed once. I read the manual and it stated If the light stays on after it's drained and chimes 5 times theres still water in the system. If it chimes once. then there's a problem with the sensor. So I figured there was a problem with the sensor and since labor day was approaching. I hadn't planned on taking it in until after the weekend.

So back to the story. I parked the truck, Called the dealer monday to see if the service dept was open. they weren't. I didn't drive the truck the rest of sunday, monday or tuesday. I called the dealer tuesday to set up an appointment to take the truck in the morning. So Weds. I take the truck drop it off at the dealer. Then head to work in my backup car. A few hours later, the advisor calls me and says I have a $18,000 repair bill that isn't going to be covered under warranty, Because they took fuel from the truck and said it was 90% water. I was pissed, andCalled dodge corp. They called the dealer, Then the dealer changed their tune and said the fuel was contanimated 85% with gasoline. (Keep in mind i just refilled at the station saturday, and i have my receipt showing i filled with deisel.) So now dodge says well we're not going to cover that. My problem is The dealer is spouting off percentages without even doing a fuel analisys. Just speculating why my truck is running bad. Now after hearing this i left work. Stopped by the gas station to get a fuel sample from the pump i filled from on saturday. Took that to the dealer. Had them draw fuel from my truck while i was standing there. Then compared the two. The sample from my truck was a little cloudy. The sample i had just taken from the pump was more clear. BUT they both smelled the same both had the same color. I took the sample from my truck home. It's sat on the ledge for a couple days now, and is now clear. I took some clean deisel and mixed it with gasoline to see if i could recreate the cloudiness. It didnt get cloudy but I could clearly see the gasoline in the diesel Because of the alcoholy swirl.

I don't know what to do. In the mean time I've had to file a claim with my Insurance carrier, who thankfully is paying for the repair. However I don't think its right for my insurance to pay for the possible miss diagnosis on my truck. ESPECIALLY since there no fuel analisys done. Anyone have any advice?

 

Get the fuel analysis and right now the better business bureou (spelling) www.bbb.org and a attorney is going to be your best bet.

 

Does the truck run okay? Has the dealer had any other people with the same problem? Maybe drain the tank and see what happens. I would say that if the analysis shows water in the fuel, I'd be getting a lawyer and go after the place you got the fuel. I had this problem quite a few years ago with "blended" gasoline on a year old truck. They ended up paying for a new new engine because I had reciepts for the fuel.

 

dealer sounds like a idiot, whay would it cost $18K??? go elsewhere and get a lawyer..

 

I think I would get a real fuel analysis done IMMEDIATELY from both your tank and the sample at the station, then proceed from there.
As far as an $18k bill goes, I would surely not authorize them to do anything! I would get a second opinion from someone else.
If the insurance is going to pay for repairs, maybe forward any results of fuel analysis to them for their lawyers to deal with it.

 

my suggestion is let you insurance company do the repair. work with their claims department to get a fuel analysis done. in your clause of insurance it states that when you turn in a claim the insurance will settle it and then they can subrogate and go after a third party for the money. in most cases the insurance company will go after the fuel station or DC depending on which they feel is at fault. They might go after both. But in any cases, they have more money and more resources than do you and will have a better chance of getting money. In fact, most insurance companies will deny claims to third party until their insurance company is involved becuase chances of them winning are huge.

 

18g's what???? I have heard of guys that pumped gas on accident and ran down the road until the truck stopped and all it was at worst was new injectors how are they trying to charge you 18k?

 

Water or gasoline, drain, refill with diesel and flush it out up through the filter and start it up. It will run rough for a minute or two but you will be fine. Total cost should be a tank of fuel and a couple hours service.

You could end up with secondary damage to the injectors or high pressure pump but nothing that will cost 18 K. (even if it was in peso's)

 

Try lighting the fuel sample on fire, if it lights real easy, it's got gasoline in it.

 

Lately bad fuel seams to be te catch all phrase from stealerships for denying warrenty claims