Kubota refuses to honor my 5 Year Emissions Warranty on my B3350

HAWD

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I’m reaching out to this community for guidance and support regarding an ongoing issue with Kubota and their refusal to honor the 5-year emissions warranty on our 2019 B3350 tractor.

Here's the background: My father, who was 75 at the time, purchased the tractor new at the end of 2019 from M&R Power Equipment in Butler, PA. The primary use for the tractor was to cut about 7 acres of fields. My dad was incredibly meticulous with maintaining the tractor. Unfortunately, in 2021, my father passed away suddenly due to COVID, leaving my sister and me to take care of his property and the tractor.

The tractor has only 104 hours on it. About a year ago, it started repeatedly going into regeneration (regen) mode. We contacted the dealer, and they advised us to keep running the tractor until the regen completed, which we did. However, this winter, when we tried to move the tractor, it kept shutting down. We eventually got it into M&R Power Equipment, but it sat there for months before we were told that the DPF filter needed to be replaced because it had reached level 5. This is when the real frustration began.

Both Nick, the head of the service center, and Sam, the general manager, confirmed the tractor was still under the 5-year emissions warranty. I even contacted Kubota Customer Care in July and spoke with Simon, who also reassured me that everything would be handled. However, after waiting for the DPF filter to arrive (which finally did on August 5th), I learned that both Nick and Sam had quit. The dealership then informed me that we were responsible for a $5,700 bill to replace the DPF filter, three sensors, and the labor costs.

Evan, a new contact at the dealership, informed me that Kubota would not cover any of these costs under the warranty. This was shocking, especially since the previous representatives and customer care had assured me we would shouldn't worry.. M&R Power Equipment has a poor reputation locally, which is evident in online reviews, but this level of service is unacceptable.

I’ve been researching this issue and have learned that the B3350 model has a history of problems with the DPF system and reformers. Unfortunately, my dad wasn’t aware of these issues, and now I’m stuck with a tractor that Kubota won’t support despite their promises.

We’ve contacted various people within Kubota's Customer Care department, but with no success. The original representative, Simon, has left the company, and despite our efforts to resolve the issue with Sergio and Sabrina, we’ve hit a dead end. They haven’t provided any reason for the DPF failure—no codes, no explanations.

Given that there’s supposed to be a lifetime warranty on this model and it was still under the 5 Year Emissions warranty, I’m at a loss for what to do next. Has anyone else dealt with a similar issue? Where do I go from here? Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

Heidi
 
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HAWD

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On what grounds are they denying if it has a Lifetime Warranty?
22R
The only response the dealer will give to me or Kubota Customer Care is that it didn't throw any codes. That it was only in PM5. P3008 PM5 is the only code
 
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DustyRusty

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This might be of some help to you.
Requirements of the Magnuson-Moss Act
Congress also directed the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to adopt rules to cover other requirements. The Act and the FTC Rules provide three basic requirements that apply to either warrantors or sellers: Warrantors must describe the warranty as either a limited or full warranty.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) oversees product warranties through a number of rules and regulations:



  • Pre-sale availability
    The FTC requires written warranties to be available to consumers before they purchase consumer products that cost more than $15. This includes mail order, catalog, and door-to-door sellers.



  • Warranty description
    The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act requires warrantors to clearly describe their warranty as either full or limited.


    Warranty information

  • The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act requires warrantors to provide a single, clear, and easily readable document that contains all relevant warranty coverage information.
    Warranty availability
    The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act requires warrantors or sellers to ensure that the warranty is available where the product is sold.




  • Warranty compliance
    The FTC conducts warranty compliance checks to ensure that companies are honoring the requirements of the Warranty Act.


If you have a problem with a product warranty, you can report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or to your state attorney general.
I would start with your state attorney general's office, your local state and federal representatives, and state and federal senator.

Since this model of tractor has a history of problems that can be documented, you might want to up the anti by contacting a law firm that is familiar with class action law suites. At this point, since they are not honoring the warranty, you have nothing to lose. Just don't lose the tractor by the dealership claiming that you haven't paid the bill and it is now over due.
 

RCW

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@SDT knows quite a bit about the B3350 and some of the implications of the warranty modifications that have come along after them. He has/had one and he’s followed the developments.

Maybe he’ll come along.

Alternatively, you could search his posting history, as he has explained it several times in the past.
 
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North Idaho Wolfman

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Read this post:
PSB-2021-050-E-R4
March 31, 2021
Revised: January 15, 2024
There is no emissions warranty on the tractor but there's a Reformer System Warranty Extension for the tractor's life. If the reformer malfunctions, the repair is completely covered at no cost to the owner.

There is no Kubota exchange for the DPF, it is a welded one-piece unit. We have not found any facility that cleans the DPF from Ag or construction equipment. They will only do trucks DPF.

Now they also offer a redesigned Meter Panel and ECU Software Update to support it.
These updates will add the following functions to help prevent the repeated failures of the reformer system.
• Indication lamp is on at 50% of PM accumulation level.
• Enable the parked regeneration at PM warning level 1.
• Regeneration status will be displayed.
• DPF regeneration error codes (DTC: Diagnostic Trouble Code) will be displayed.

TSB-2023-041-E-R1
September 18, 2023
Revised: February 19, 2024
 

HAWD

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Read this post:
IF there is no causal issue.. wouldn't the reformer be the reason for the DPF failure. They did mention that 3 of the sensors had to be replaced because the threads got too hot and damaged them? How do I properly connect the dots... I know they are well aware of the failures of both.
 
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HAWD

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This might be of some help to you.


Thank you! I am willing to do anything. I refuse to allow them to cheat him after his death. My Mother is in tears worrying about covering a $5700 bill. I just don't understand how a company as big as Kubota is willing to deny cover things.. how can they treat their hardworking customers like this. I don't trust the dealer either..

I would start with your state attorney general's office, your local state and federal representatives, and state and federal senator.

Since this model of tractor has a history of problems that can be documented, you might want to up the anti by contacting a law firm that is familiar with class action law suites. At this point, since they are not honoring the warranty, you have nothing to lose. Just don't lose the tractor by the dealership claiming that you haven't paid the bill and it is now over due.
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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IF there is no causal issue.. wouldn't the reformer be the reason for the DPF failure. They did mention that 3 of the sensors had to be replaced because the threads got too hot and damaged them? How do I properly connect the dots... I know they are well aware of the failures of both.
I'm pretty sure the Reformer is the DPF, that is why I can't understand how they could deny the claim.
 

22R

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Although it would not be right IMO I wonder if they are saying he was the original owner? Does Kubota warranty transfer with change of ownership? I would think so. Contact your local news station and have em march into the dealer with the cameras rolling and they may decide to assist...... Do you have any papers or emails stating it would be covered by the former Dealer or Kubota employees?

22R
 
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HAWD

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I'm pretty sure the Reformer is the DPF, that is why I can't understand how they could deny the claim.
I agree..but Kubota Customer Care is saying


after speaking with dealership and our field service representative
The unit only has 1 active code for a PM5 P3008. After reviewing the active code and the past codes there was PM 3 and PM 4 which were staged approximately .8 hrs apart as they set the code.

With the unit at a PM5 the only way to proceed is to replace the DPF. This is per emissions requirements EPA. When removing the 3 sensors from the old DPF the threads stripped out do to the heat that the DPF experiencing over the years. That is why the sensors needed to be replaced. Once the DPF was replaced Nick stated that M&R completed 4 regens cycles complete. No error codes were activated so the unit was repaired correctly.

With only a PM 5 P3008 error code according to the bulletin issued by Kubota this doesn't fall under the limited lifetime reformer warranty. It is very clear in the bulletin that only a P3008 error code does not warrant a warranty repair.

Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
 

HAWD

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Although it would not be right IMO I wonder if they are saying he was the original owner? Does Kubota warranty transfer with change of ownership? I would think so. Contact your local news station and have em march into the dealer with the cameras rolling and they may decide to assist...... Do you have any papers or emails stating it would be covered by the former Dealer or Kubota employees?

22R
Three people quit within 3 months..the customer care rep, the general manager and the service manager. Everyone I had spoke with.
 

Bearcatrp

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Find a lawyer that deals with farm equipment and knows warranties. And if issue has been well documented, as posted above, check out a class action lawyer too. Otherwise, you will need to get it repaired if you want to sell it to get something out of it. Is it paid off?
 

emac

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It sounds like they are saying that you ignored the multiple regen warnings and caused the clog. Once I exhausted (no pun intended) all my attempts to get them to honor the warranty, I think I would look into just bypassing it, if I was going to keep the tractor. Maybe an attorney could negotiate a middle ground, after going after them. Sucks for sure. My Dad is elderly, and I know he wouldnt understand the regen stuff.
 

SDT

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@SDT knows quite a bit about the B3350 and some of the implications of the warranty modifications that have come along after them. He has/had one and he’s followed the developments.

Maybe he’ll come along.

Alternatively, you could search his posting history, as he has explained it several times in the past.
We have been in direct communication.
 
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SDT

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Read this post:
I sent a copy of the PSB to the owner before I learned that her tractor was still within the federally mandated 5-year emissions warranty when initially taken to the dealer for repair.

Coverage under the so-called "lifetime emissions warranty" should not be necessary in this case.

Problem here appears to be turnover of personnel at dealer and inability to learn just what dealer has told Kubota Customer Satisfaction.
 

SDT

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I'm pretty sure the Reformer is the DPF, that is why I can't understand how they could deny the claim.
Actually, the reformer is a device between the exhaust manifold and the DPF that raises the temperature of the exhaust during regeneration operations. The exhaust passes through the reformer where fuel and air are injected into the exhaust to raise the exhaust temperature high enough to burn away the accumulated soot in the DPF. This is necessary as the engine in the 3350 is mechanically injected so there is no way to inject fuel on the exhaust stroke as is done for regeneration purposes in electronically injected engines. Reformers have been problematic from day one (not just for Kubota but also VW) and are no longer used by any manufacturer.

FWIW: My B3350 continued to cause problems (despite meticulous adherence to instructions in the Operator's Manual) until the reformer (and DPF) was replaced under warranty. No problems either for me or the subsequent owner thereafter. Apparently, there were design changes to the reformer during the B3350 production run as evidenced by attention to reformer serial numbers by the Kubota Service representative that I became acquainted with on a first name basis.

Still cannot understand why Kubota would deny this claim unless (as I suspect) the dealer has told Kubota incorrect or fraudulent information in order to protect itself.
 
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SDT

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Although it would not be right IMO I wonder if they are saying he was the original owner? Does Kubota warranty transfer with change of ownership? I would think so. Contact your local news station and have em march into the dealer with the cameras rolling and they may decide to assist...... Do you have any papers or emails stating it would be covered by the former Dealer or Kubota employees?

22R
Yes, both federally mandated 5-year warranty and so-called "lifetime emissions warranty" are transferrable to subsequent owners.