Nate The Great
Member
Hopefully my story/situation will help others...
Last Wednesday (day before Thanksgiving) returned from lunch, started up the machine and had service code 9516 on the message center/dashboard. Looked up the code and it stated “Coolant Valve for Def Tank”. I called the dealership and they said all the mechanics had left at lunch for the holiday and she couldn’t answer any of my questions. So, I parked the machine and went home as well.
Returned to the job Monday morning, (Hopeing maybe, just maybe it fixed itself over the weekend
) code was still on. I called the dealership and talked to the Owner, gave him the code and he said immediately.... “I know what the problem is, it can’t be fixed in the filled, run it until it goes in limp mode, in the meantime, I’ll get a loaner ready and loaded up. As soon as I can, I’ll send one of my guys to go swap it out with yours.” (I asked no questions at the time, just said Ok, Thanks). About 30 mins later, it went into Limp Mode, I drove it back to our staging area.(Very slowly) When I got there I turned the key off, removed the key from the ignition and the machine stayed running!! I thought... what the heck?? So, I put key back in, turned the key as if I was starting it, and nothing. Turned key off, removed it again... Still Nothing (it’s still running, heater on, radio on, etc..)!! So, I called the Owner of the dealership again. Gave him the update, he told me to open the engine door, on left side of engine compartment, up towards the top, unplug that main wiring harness. So, I did...still nothing. Then he had me turn the fuel shut off switch off, and just run it out of diesel. So, I did. Engine finally shut off!!
About 1/2 an hour later they showed up with a loaner machine, and picked mine up. Before they left he showed me the connection to the wiring harness that I unplugged. IT WAS ALMOST SOLID BLUE from corrosion and had actually eaten a hole in the plug!! He said what the cause was... that def fluid is leaking out of the def injector itself and the def fluid runs down the wire, into the plug and ultimately corrodes, shorts out, etc...
They left with the machine. I stopped by the dealership the next morning to check in, ask questions, get prognosis, etc..
Long story short, they have to replace the entire wiring harness for the skid loader. (Luckily it is covered under warranty) I asked if they have had many of these problems. They said not really, not until recently! They said they had done maybe 4 or 5 in the last year or so. But recently we’ve had a bunch. I said how many is a bunch?? They said...look around the shop, almost every one of these machines have the same problem. I counted 6 or 7 machines! So, I asked why so many all the sudden? They could not answer that. They said Kubota headquarters obviously knows about the issue and are working feverishly to come up with a fix.
After thinking about it, seeing the problem, and talking with the mechanics, and Owner. As for why so many, so recently.....I think it has to be Weather Related and the last cold snap we had triggered it. I think the seal/o-ring on the def injector gets hot, cold, and hot, cold, and hot, cold, so much. That then a true cold (freezing temps for several days in a row) hit and they aren’t sealing anymore. Then the fluid leak, runs down the wire harness, corrodes the terminals, and bam, your are in Limp Mode!!
The Owner called me this afternoon and told me they should be done replacing the entire wiring harness (and doing the air filter campaign) tomorrow afternoon and will be ready to return to me by Monday morning. He told me that he would let me know what the long term fix is, and what they are going to do with the replacement wiring harness that may start corroding immediately. Hopefully they figure out something soon!!
I do want to take the time and opportunity to brag, and say that my Kubota Dealership is the best!!! They have handled my issue perfectly, professionally, quickly, informative as they can be, honest as they can be, etc. I honestly can’t think of anything they could have done to make this bad situation, any better!!
Sorry, for the long post/book I’ve written above. I wanted to be as specific as I could be, in hopes of helping others!
Let me know if you have any questions...
Nathan
Last Wednesday (day before Thanksgiving) returned from lunch, started up the machine and had service code 9516 on the message center/dashboard. Looked up the code and it stated “Coolant Valve for Def Tank”. I called the dealership and they said all the mechanics had left at lunch for the holiday and she couldn’t answer any of my questions. So, I parked the machine and went home as well.
Returned to the job Monday morning, (Hopeing maybe, just maybe it fixed itself over the weekend
) code was still on. I called the dealership and talked to the Owner, gave him the code and he said immediately.... “I know what the problem is, it can’t be fixed in the filled, run it until it goes in limp mode, in the meantime, I’ll get a loaner ready and loaded up. As soon as I can, I’ll send one of my guys to go swap it out with yours.” (I asked no questions at the time, just said Ok, Thanks). About 30 mins later, it went into Limp Mode, I drove it back to our staging area.(Very slowly) When I got there I turned the key off, removed the key from the ignition and the machine stayed running!! I thought... what the heck?? So, I put key back in, turned the key as if I was starting it, and nothing. Turned key off, removed it again... Still Nothing (it’s still running, heater on, radio on, etc..)!! So, I called the Owner of the dealership again. Gave him the update, he told me to open the engine door, on left side of engine compartment, up towards the top, unplug that main wiring harness. So, I did...still nothing. Then he had me turn the fuel shut off switch off, and just run it out of diesel. So, I did. Engine finally shut off!!About 1/2 an hour later they showed up with a loaner machine, and picked mine up. Before they left he showed me the connection to the wiring harness that I unplugged. IT WAS ALMOST SOLID BLUE from corrosion and had actually eaten a hole in the plug!! He said what the cause was... that def fluid is leaking out of the def injector itself and the def fluid runs down the wire, into the plug and ultimately corrodes, shorts out, etc...
They left with the machine. I stopped by the dealership the next morning to check in, ask questions, get prognosis, etc..
Long story short, they have to replace the entire wiring harness for the skid loader. (Luckily it is covered under warranty) I asked if they have had many of these problems. They said not really, not until recently! They said they had done maybe 4 or 5 in the last year or so. But recently we’ve had a bunch. I said how many is a bunch?? They said...look around the shop, almost every one of these machines have the same problem. I counted 6 or 7 machines! So, I asked why so many all the sudden? They could not answer that. They said Kubota headquarters obviously knows about the issue and are working feverishly to come up with a fix.
After thinking about it, seeing the problem, and talking with the mechanics, and Owner. As for why so many, so recently.....I think it has to be Weather Related and the last cold snap we had triggered it. I think the seal/o-ring on the def injector gets hot, cold, and hot, cold, and hot, cold, so much. That then a true cold (freezing temps for several days in a row) hit and they aren’t sealing anymore. Then the fluid leak, runs down the wire harness, corrodes the terminals, and bam, your are in Limp Mode!!
The Owner called me this afternoon and told me they should be done replacing the entire wiring harness (and doing the air filter campaign) tomorrow afternoon and will be ready to return to me by Monday morning. He told me that he would let me know what the long term fix is, and what they are going to do with the replacement wiring harness that may start corroding immediately. Hopefully they figure out something soon!!
I do want to take the time and opportunity to brag, and say that my Kubota Dealership is the best!!! They have handled my issue perfectly, professionally, quickly, informative as they can be, honest as they can be, etc. I honestly can’t think of anything they could have done to make this bad situation, any better!!
Sorry, for the long post/book I’ve written above. I wanted to be as specific as I could be, in hopes of helping others!
Let me know if you have any questions...
Nathan
