Stihl sucks at customer service

[Dave P 71801]

Update to the situation I am leaving the dealership currently I took it in this morning first thing and made the dealer run it and make some cuts so he could see exactly what I was talking about on low power and it grenaded it was the most spectacular violent saw explosion I have ever seen the rod let go and came out through the side of the case and ripped open the fuel tank on its way out then hit the dealer on the foot the piston hit the top of the cylinder so hard the cylinder came loose from the case and popped the top cover up and somehow the flywheel went skipping across the parking lot with a small piece of crank still attached I don’t know how it got through the recoil start but it just pushed it out of the way like it wasn’t even there. Of all times not to have a video camera rolling oh well . He said he was gonna have to talk to the Stihl regional people and find out what to do because I am pushing the issue to get a replacement saw versus a refund and since the 461 is no longer in production there are none available at the warehouse. On the bright side the cases, crankshaft, fuel tank, piston and cylinder, top cover, fly wheel, recoil start, Oiler, clutch, clutch drum, and I’m sure a few other parts are destroyed so there’s no chance they will try to make him reuse them I did get him to admit that more parts should have been replaced the first time and it probably would have prevented this if he had been allowed to replace everything necessary to do it right the first time and he did show me the emails where he sent pictures and a description of the failure along with a list of parts required to Stihl Southwest and Stihl Southwest replied that they see nothing wrong with anything other than the piston and cylinder everything else was fine and that the only thing he would be allowed to replace under warranty is the piston and cylinder. That makes me feel better about my friend the dealer but way worse about Stihl as a company

 

[PV Hiker]

Wow!

 

[jp233]

Well, this should work out..... although if the 461 really is gone, gone, gone, hopefully they replace it with something comparable or what you want, +/- cash for all your hassle. If you lost work because of this saw..... tell them. Since you had to make multiple trips to the dealer..... time and fuel etc, tell them.

Make them make you whole again.

 

[jp233]

Oh, and seriously glad that there wasn't a resulting explosion and fire when the rod tried to go into orbit.

 

[Dave P 71801]

I wish I had a picture of the guy standing there with the saw looking at his foot with a rod laying right beside it gas all over the ground watching the fly wheel bounce across the parking lot I bet if I had put a lump of coal in his ass I would’ve had a diamond in five minutes. I’ve already told him that I expect to be compensated for all my trips to town each one is 16 miles one way so 5 trips at 32miles each is 160 miles using the irs mileage rate of .50/mile that’s $80.00 plus 5 hours of lost work there and that’s not counting the job I had to sub out because the saw went down on a Sunday and I had a deadline I lost 100.00 there. It’s also not counting the fact that I only got half what I should have the days it did run. Then there are the 2 jobs i didn’t even bid because of it. I figure that saw not doing right cost me 1200-1500 between taking it to the shop, jobs not bid, and lost production because it would not run right.

 

[Dave P 71801]

I hope he can find me a 461 I mean I spent that kind of money because that’s what I wanted if I wanted something else I would’ve bought it. Hell if he will just order all the parts I’ll build one from parts At least then I’ll know it’s assembled right. But if I’m forced to go with something else what are some recommendations? I do a lot of land clearing for development, A lot of tree removals anything from a small 4” pine tree to the biggest oaks 60” plus I really like the 461 I ran a buddy of mine’s clearing land and with a 24 inch bar it did great in everything I put it in. It’s also light enough I can drag it up the tree climbing if I have to.

 

[Dave P 71801]

No M-tronic I hate them with a passion

 

[holeycow]

Your suspicion of them leaving junk in the cases was correct. Loser mechanic.

When junk flys all around a motor, it needs to be extracted. Every single particle.

Although there was that broken easy-out way inside my GS1100 one time... it stayed for years..

 

[OM617YOTA]

Your mechanic buddy should have been more up front with you from the beginning.

"Stihl corporate says it's not busted enough to replace. You know that's horse poop, and I know that's horse poop, and they probably know it's horse poop too, but it's their dime so I replaced what they told me to replace. The saw's a time bomb, go finish blowing it up and then bring me the pieces and we'll make them take care of it then."

Sales is my day job. Customers aren't stupid and they aren't emotional little kids(well, some are), just tell them what's up. They'll appreciate it more than blowing sunshine up their ass and you'll be able to look yourself in the mirror.

 

[John Lyngdal]

Just tuned into this story. If you had a video of the rapid disassembly it would have been pay for view material on this forum.
I run a 461 and a 046, and they are both solid saws that are M-tronic free.
046 parts are everywhere so keeping the 046 running for another couple decades shouldn't be an issue.
Newer doesn't always mean better.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Probably one of the gouges became a big stress riser and a crack formed.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

 

[holeycow]

Probably a piece of junk got between the crank webs and the case.

Common in bikes anyway..

 

[Dave P 71801]

Your mechanic buddy should have been more up front with you from the beginning.

"Stihl corporate says it's not busted enough to replace. You know that's horse poop, and I know that's horse poop, and they probably know it's horse poop too, but it's their dime so I replaced what they told me to replace. The saw's a time bomb, go finish blowing it up and then bring me the pieces and we'll make them take care of it then."

Sales is my day job. Customers aren't stupid and they aren't emotional little kids(well, some are), just tell them what's up. They'll appreciate it more than blowing sunshine up their ass and you'll be able to look yourself in the mirror.

You are correct he should have been more upfront in the beginning but I do believe him when he says that Stihl corporate would not allow him to do anything more than the piston and cylinder under warranty especially since he showed me the emails he received from them I know the Stihl dealers around here are having to mind their peas and cues if you know what I mean there’s three in a town of 12,000 people and they’re trying to eliminate at least one. So I understand he is following their directions to the T how ever he should have told me upfront especially considering we’ve been friends for 20 years .

 

[Dave P 71801]

Your suspicion of them leaving junk in the cases was correct. Loser mechanic.

When junk flys all around a motor, it needs to be extracted. Every single particle.

Although there was that broken easy-out way inside my GS1100 one time... it stayed for years..

I don’t know if they left stuff in there or if it was the damage it did when it came apart the first time either way it should’ve been done differently but with Stihl corporate telling you what to do your hands are kind of tied and I understand that but This whole situation should’ve been handled differently

 

[HarleyT]

You need to call and talk to the distributor rep yourself, you will get better results. Also, contact Stihl in e-mail, and raise hell. That will get you more action.

 

[drumbum]

If I buy a new saw, I expect a new saw.

 

[HarleyT]

The dealer can only warranty what the distributor approves, and the dealer must follow the rep's direction, so calling the distributor is the best move. The more hell you raise, the better your results.
Trust me.

 

[Dave P 71801]

Just tuned into this story. If you had a video of the rapid disassembly it would have been pay for view material on this forum.
I run a 461 and a 046, and they are both solid saws that are M-tronic free.
046 parts are everywhere so keeping the 046 running for another couple decades shouldn't be an issue.
Newer doesn't always mean better.

I would give every last cent I’ve got for the video of that but unfortunately there was not one made the look on his face was absolutely priceless he looked down and there was a rod by his foot there was gas pouring out of the saw everywhere where the rod ripped the fuel tank open Then he looked up at the fly wheel bouncing across the parking lot at 200 miles an hour. The fly wheel was about 80 yards away when it stopped and he had about an inch to an inch and a half of crankshaft still attached to it . I didn’t find out till later but when the piston came up and knocked the cylinder lose it actually came up and hit his hand and it looks like he may have broke a finger. It’s all swollen and black and blue . The fly wheel is the one that gets me not only did it make it 80 yards away it went through the recoil starter like it was nothing it literally looks like somebody hit that recoil with a 10 pound sledge. And the rod has about 30° of bend in it. I’m trying to get pictures to post unfortunately the camera on my phone is broken and for some reason his phone will not text to mine.

 

[Dave P 71801]

When it came apart this time it put a hole in the fly wheel side case it broke the crankshaft into four pieces the biggest piece of piston and we can find is about the size of a dime when the cylinder came off it ripped all four bolts out of the cases and broke the top cover. The recoil was disintegrated by the fly wheel exiting rapidly the fuel tank has a hole all the way through it about as big around as a quarter, and we still have not found the wrist pin, the piston rings, or Either one of the rod bearings and there is absolutely zero nylon cage left in the bearings.

 

[HarleyT]

Maybe the crank's twisting caused the poor running by changing the timing, and then finally let go.
Stihl will want to see it now!!