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Topic: so much for "Cummins Coach Care" (Read 966 times) previous topic - next topic
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so much for "Cummins Coach Care"

Yahoo Message Number: 11364
After 20 months, my AGM batteries will not hold a charge, dropping like a rock after a charge.

I took the coach to my local "approved" Cummins shop, to have them check the batteries, and they said they were shot.
I noticed they were measuring the batteries, and they said they were trying to decide what battery to order for replacement.
I reminded them that the batteries were "AGM", and they looked at me with that dreaded "blank stare".

They had no idea what I was talking about, so I called CC, got the number of Lifeline, the mfgr, and they had me try to equalize them, over 8 hours, but to no avail.

I will have them replaced when we get to Phx, Arizona at the end of the week.

I had them check the coolant level, it was low, so they had to add some.

Total bill: $185.00 to check the batteries and add 4 qts coolant.
You gotta love it!

Bill Harris

03 Allure 1st Ave, 30912

Re: so much for "Cummins Coach Care"

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11479
We can go one better, althought I don't know if the onus is on me or them for letting them do it.

Cummins in Spokane charged me $80.00 to show me how to set the AGS on our '04 Allure.

Quote from: Bill Harris
After 20 months, my AGM batteries will not hold a charge, dropping > like a rock after a charge.

I took the coach to my local "approved" Cummins shop, to have them > check the batteries, and they said they were shot.
I noticed they were measuring the batteries, and they said they

were

Quote
trying to decide what battery to order for replacement.
I reminded them that the batteries were "AGM", and they looked at

me

Quote
with that dreaded "blank stare".
They had no idea what I was talking about, so I called CC, got the > number of Lifeline, the mfgr, and they had me try to equalize

them,

Quote
over 8 hours, but to no avail.
I will have them replaced when we get to Phx, Arizona at the end

of

Re: so much for "Cummins Coach Care"

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11483
Larry and Bill, I just don't get what the problem is with Cummins CoachCare? I'm not really surprised that they wouldn't know anything about AGM batteries and I'm not shocked that they would charge you for coolant and labor. Same with charging labor to teach how to set the AGS (though I must confess I don't know what the AGS is and maybe I need to know how to set it)

I guess I am missing something.

George Sanders
'04 Allure 31038
Mountain Brook, AL

Quote from: Larry Gallagher
We can go one better, althought I don't know if the onus is on me

or

Quote
them for letting them do it.
Cummins in Spokane charged me $80.00 to show me how to set the AGS > on our '04 Allure.

[quote author=Bill Harris"

> After 20 months, my AGM batteries will not hold a charge,

dropping

Quote
like a rock after a charge.
> I took the coach to my local "approved" Cummins shop, to have

them

Quote
check the batteries, and they said they were shot.
> I noticed they were measuring the batteries, and they said they > were

> trying to decide what battery to order for replacement.
> I reminded them that the batteries were "AGM", and they looked at > me

> with that dreaded "blank stare".
> They had no idea what I was talking about, so I called CC, got

the

Quote
number of Lifeline, the mfgr, and they had me try to equalize > them,

> over 8 hours, but to no avail.
> I will have them replaced when we get to Phx, Arizona at the end > of

> the week.

> I had them check the coolant level, it was low, so they had to

add
George in Birmingham
2003 Magna 6298

Re: so much for "Cummins Coach Care"

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11493
Well George,

What I think you're missing is this: They are an "approved Coach Care" facility.
That means that you should be able to take your coach there, and they are supposed to be trained in the systems on the coach.
The AGM batteries in my coach were about a $600-$800 upcharge, if I remember right.

They were going to replace them with basic 8D batteries, and were going to decide which to use based on the dimensions of the battery, not the amphour rating.

They never heard of AGM batteries.
They never heard of equalizing batteries.
When the guy tried to add the coolant, he did not have the proper funnel, and spent most of an hour fooling around, just to add 4 gallons of fluid, spilling at least a half gallon in the process.
My point is, for service that should have taken all of a half hour, plus the cost of the coolant, the bill was excessive.
But the worst is the lack of understanding they have of our coaches.
Just as an aside, he wore those little "booties" when he went into the coach, but when he came out, he left them on as he wandered around the shop, then went back into the coach. He may as well not have had them on.

Bill Harris

03 Allure 1st Ave 30912

Quote from: George Sanders
Larry and Bill, I just don't get what the problem is with Cummins
CoachCare? I'm not really surprised that they wouldn't know

anything

Quote
about AGM batteries and I'm not shocked that they would charge you > for coolant and labor. Same with charging labor to teach how to

set

Quote
the AGS (though I must confess I don't know what the AGS is and > maybe I need to know how to set it) >

I guess I am missing something.

George Sanders
'04 Allure 31038
Mountain Brook, AL

[quote author=Larry Gallagher"

> We can go one better, althought I don't know if the onus is on

me

Quote
or

> them for letting them do it.

> Cummins in Spokane charged me $80.00 to show me how to set the

AGS

Quote
on our '04 Allure.
>
>

[quote author=Bill Harris"
>]
> > After 20 months, my AGM batteries will not hold a charge, > dropping

> > like a rock after a charge.

> > I took the coach to my local "approved" Cummins shop, to have > them

> > check the batteries, and they said they were shot.
> > I noticed they were measuring the batteries, and they said

they

Quote
were

> > trying to decide what battery to order for replacement.
> > I reminded them that the batteries were "AGM", and they looked

at

Quote
me

> > with that dreaded "blank stare".
> > They had no idea what I was talking about, so I called CC, got > the

> > number of Lifeline, the mfgr, and they had me try to equalize > > them,

> > over 8 hours, but to no avail.
> > I will have them replaced when we get to Phx, Arizona at the

end

Quote
of
> > the week.

> > I had them check the coolant level, it was low, so they had to > add

> > some.

> > Total bill: $185.00 to check the batteries and add 4 qts

coolant.

Re: so much for "Cummins Coach Care"

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11501
Bill,

I'm not susprised that coach care was not up on the way things work on your coach.
Compared to other companies ther are not a lot of CCs out there. and each year is different. The attachment I used to put coolent in my 2001 Magna hardly works on my 2005 Magna and it will not work at all on a Newmar Mountaire. We need to understand this is a custom built coach, there is nothing standard about it and by the time a repair shop learns how to work on it, it will change. When I go to a CAT shop I will let them use the equipment I use to put in coolent so they don't use a universal fill which could spill some coolent. I find that working with the shop instead of expecting them to know everything get things done at a cheaper price. Last year when we had our valve lash adjusted on our 2001 Magna by Cat we spent an hour removing the bedroom floor so they could work on the engine. If we would have asked CAT to do that for us we would have probably paid for 2 extra hours of labor. I am the type of owner that says if I can't fix it with a screw drive and plyers then I'll take it to a shop but when it comes to working with the shop and helping them do some things I'm right there. You can't leave these coaches and expect every teck to know every coach. .

Bill G. 2005 Magna #6425