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SusanDallas's avatar
SusanDallas
Explorer
May 16, 2018

My Anger Meltdown over Service Dept.

Today,I had a nice leisurely drive to the dealership where I purchased my travel trailer. I was just taking it to have the antifreeze flushed out of the water lines.

All went well until I got home. I parked the travel trailer on my land and went to my house to eat lunch. Several hours later, I went back out to unhook from my tow vehicle and level the trailer.

After unhooking, I went into my travel trailer to get my level. Just out of curiosity, I went to the monitor to check my battery. I immediately noticed that the water pump red light was on. Also, my grey tank and fresh water tank were both completely full. I never fill the water tank and always use city water.

The lever to empty the fresh water tank is extremely hard to get to and is located under the bottom bunk.

I was very worried about the water pump being left on for over six hours with no water. I called the service department to ask if the pump would be okay. This is my first travel trailer and I never have used the water pump.

This is where things turned ugly. I asked the service department manager why they filled my water tanks and then did not tell me. I also said that the serviceman should have checked to make sure he turned the pump off. I only travel in the fall and winter months. If I had not by chance checked my meters, the pump would have been left on all summer.

The service manager told me that my tanks couldn't be full of water because the serviceman only used about a gallon of water. I told her that my tanks were full. She then replied that they must have been full when I brought the trailer in this morning. I had driven to Port Aransas in December and emptied the tanks before leaving. I am frequently going in my trailer to check the battery level and always check the tanks and knew they were empty. My water lines are not hooked up at home.

After telling the service manager that my tanks had been empty, she then replied that my meters were not functioning correctly. I told her that I have never had a problem with the meters. It was at this point that she hung up on me.

I went out to my yard and attached my sewer hose and pulled the lever for the grey tank. The water gushed out and took the normal length of time to empty the tank. The meter then read empty.

I called the dealership back and told them this. I again asked if there was another way to empty the fresh water tank without taking the lower bunk apart. She told me to turn on the water pump and open all my faucets. This would drain all the water out of the fresh water tank and go to the grey tank. Then all I would have to do is empty the grey tank again.

The service manager was still insisting that my fresh tank was not full and that I was mistaken. I went and turned on the water pump and opened all the faucets while I had her on the phone. I held the phone where she could hear the water gushing full blast out of the sink and tub.

She never apologized to me except for saying that the serviceman must have misjudged the amount of water that he ran through the system. In the meantime, I had apologized for getting angry but who wouldn't under these circumstances.

I hate to play the elderly female card, but do any of you men get treated like this? She hung up on me because she said I was getting loud on the phone. Who wouldn't get angry when she tells me that my tanks must have been full when I got there?

I took it in for a simple flush and I don't believe I should have spent a couple of hours emptying tanks and being abused on the phone. I was also told to hook up my fresh water hose to the city water connection to make sure it wasn't filling up my fresh water tank. It was not so all is well.

I very rarely drink but after stowing all my sewer and water lines back up, I had had it. I went inside and drank a full glass of wine. What ever happened to customer service and believing what the customer is telling you? The rudeness of their behavior just astonished me yet I was the one apologizing for getting angry.

I will never go back there because of this even though the sales and parts department are great.

Another day, another lesson learned. I am putting it behind me and going to enjoy the rest of my day. Thanks for listening to my rant. It helps to get it off my chest.

88 Replies

  • ScottG wrote:
    The problem I've run into it the dealer techs are idiots. You'd think they have to know something since they work on them every day but no.
    I second the suggestion of finding a mobile tech. They generally know much more.
    by the way, running the pump dry wont harm it at all because of its design (hydrostatic).
    I have run mine dry for two days at a time on two occasions and it still works great.

    Referring to the techs as idiots. Is pointing the finger at the wrong person. You have no idea what, if any training the techs received.
    Putting the blame on the last guy on the totem pole is not the solution.
    Someone should be in charge and being paid to manage the place and it is not the 15/hr tech
  • I don't know how people can do it. If I had to deal with all the goofballs out there every time I needed something there is no way in the world I would have one.

    When it comes to RV they say either have a lot of money or be handy. Even if I had a whole lot more money than I do there is no way in the world I would want to have to deal with having someone do stuff all the time I can't imagine it.
  • RV water pumps are designed to run dry. Should not have hurt anything. Once lines were full the pump should have shut off. If not, you may have a leak somewhere. Hope your day gets better.
  • The problem I've run into it the dealer techs are idiots. You'd think they have to know something since they work on them every day but no.
    I second the suggestion of finding a mobile tech. They generally know much more.
    by the way, running the pump dry wont harm it at all because of its design (hydrostatic).
    I have run mine dry for two days at a time on two occasions and it still works great.
  • Interesting Suggestion. I will put that in my bag of tricks too.
    Never thought of it like that, but.. I can see that..

    thanks
    56Jeff
  • “the pump would have been left on all summer.”

    Add a cutoff switch to disable all 12 volt equipment. Flushing isn’t hard. Consider DIY.
  • next time hire a mobil tech, they,ll come to you, and they know what there doing. dealer lot boys come and go on a weekly bases.

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