Backwards thinking

[otis24]

Have a customer, generally a pretty good guy and seems reasonably intelligent. We serviced his transmission on his 2005 F150 back in June.It had about 100k miles on it at the time of service. This weekend, he was towing a car trailer, in rough terrain. He started blowing transmission fluid out of his pickup. From our initial diagnosis, it looks like it is a pump and/or pump seal.

He is of the opinion that servicing the transmission caused the problems. "I was always told that if you change the fluid, you will have problems. That's what caused it. I should never have had it serviced".

We tried to explain that actually, had he had it serviced regularly, especially since he tows a car trailer, he might have avoided the problems. Our explanations have fallen on deaf ears. I can only think what his excuses might be after we repair his transmission and he has problems down the road from failing to service it regularly. I just hope his engine doesn't blow within three months of an oil change. Of course it will be our fault because we "just serviced it".

 

[tribocessive]

when my vehicle was new, i did a flush with D4; i'm going to leave it alone for a long time.

 

[blackandblue]

I think you are wrong in your diagnosis...


He's obviously NOT reasonably intelligent. Why would he tow a car trailer in rough terrain? As long as you used the spec'd fluid, he's the idiot and you aren't liable...

 

[RiceCake]

My dad was like that too, how changing the transmission fluid was pointless since "it'll need to be rebuilt eventually anyhow."

The reality I think was the cost he figured, of him getting the transmission fully flushed and serviced at high labor costs led him to believe it was just cheaper to eventually replace the transmission.

But hey I work in telcommunications. I've gone out and found out people have complained about me disconnecting their service to /other/ companies I'm not even affiliated with. Its a human thing to make poorly informed correlations with unfamiliar events.

That is why if you want people to believe your new magic synthetic oil change with fuel cleaner to boost your mileage really works, do it in spring right after a bitterly cold winter.

 

[Colt45ws]

You wont be able to convince him of this. Its a lost cause.

 

[chad8]

If he is reasonably intelligent, why don't you turn him on to bitog so he can learn more about transmission service and car care from educated consumers.

 

[Pablo]

The spirit world does not bother with mechanical parts. So we can leave that out of it. That leaves the laws of physics, material properties, heat, etc - and that's plenty.

So it's almost October, and the transmission was serviced over 4 months ago......soooo.... the explosion was caused by the service? Hmmmm......no.

If he wants to believe something like that, have him explain why. He won't be able to, so that's when you pounce with your knowledge.

 

[oilboy123]

People can be such problem children. He just wants you guys to pay for it probably......

 

[JamesBond]

How much transmission fluid was lost? Was there just a puddle on the driveway after his towing? How much diagnosis did you have to get into?

The reason I ask is because I once changed the transmission fluid on a 4R70W (different transmission I realize) and believe that I over-filled it a little. The car drove normally and everything was cool during day to day driving. However on longer highway drives or on drives with high revs and (I assume) higher temps, there would be a transmission fluid leak (oz. or two) under the transmission after parking. This happened a few times after the transmission fluid change and then stopped.

Maybe the transmission was over-filled and the high temps caused it to puke a little out.

 

[Kestas]

What prompted him to service the transmission after 100K?

I've heard some shops refuse to sevice neglected transmissions without having the customer sign a disclosure statement stating the shop is not responsible if the transmission takes a dump afterward.

4 months?... and he draws a connection?

 

[mechtech2]

Another case of :
You touched it - it's your fault!

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: JamesBond
How much transmission fluid was lost? Was there just a puddle on the driveway after his towing? How much diagnosis did you have to get into?

The reason I ask is because I once changed the transmission fluid on a 4R70W (different transmission I realize) and believe that I over-filled it a little. The car drove normally and everything was cool during day to day driving. However on longer highway drives or on drives with high revs and (I assume) higher temps, there would be a transmission fluid leak (oz. or two) under the transmission after parking. This happened a few times after the transmission fluid change and then stopped.

Maybe the transmission was over-filled and the high temps caused it to puke a little out.


+1

When I first bought my Jeep I didn't have access to my own garage like I do now, and had the dealer change out all the fluids. They overfilled the transmission and after longer drives it would spit some fluid out the breather. I checked the level, drained some out so it was at the proper level, and haven't had any fluid leak out since.