Remanufactured part in new truck!?

[setterguy]

Details -

2007 Ford F-150 5.4

Purchased new in June of 2007.

I've had some battery problems with the truck from about 1 year after purchase, battery going dead, not being able to leave the radio on for more than 20-25 minutes without truck running ect.

Brought the truck in winter of 2008 with 20,000 miles when battery went dead overnight (in my garage) with nothing left on. Dealer told me that my battery was defective and it was replaced, should have no more problems.

Still had the occasional problem, but it was always when I was running something with out the truck running. It always seemed that it was too short a time to cause a dead battery but didn't think much about it.

Fast forward to yesterday 65,000 miles.

Battery light goes on, then I can hear the alternator start to go, make it home, park it overnight and get after it this morning. Take the alternator out and while looking it over see a sticker right on it, labeled "re- manufactured" what the heii? This alternator has never been replaced or worked on to my knowledge, would/should a brand new truck have a remanufactured part in it? I would think no. My only thought is that when the truck was brought in for warranty work and they said they just replaced the battery that they indeed did replace the alternator but with a remanufactured one? Even if that was the case shouldn't they have replaced it with a new one if it was under warranty? Has anyone ever even heard of something like this?

Tomorrow the dealer I bought it from is going to receive a visit from me with old stickered up alternator in hand. I'll keep you updated on the progress.

[Big Buck Buster]

I wouldn't think so. "NEW" is "NEW" in my book. I would at least be expecting the replacement part to be new also. If I were in your shoes right now, I would hate to be the service writer tomorrow!

[deadeye]

I'm certainly not against remanufactured parts but on a new truck that seems pretty bad. I suppose they probably just slapped a remanufactured alternator in along with the battery when you were having problems. Sometimes remanufactured parts are better since they have trouble spots fixed but I still would be questioning them putting that in such a new vehicle.

For a new truck like that under warranty that's is a bad deal but you never know for sure what is covered and how it is covered with the warranty. They might sub parts that can be remanufactured in when possible to keep costs down.

Either way I am interested to hear what they got to say.

[Whoaru99]

The dealer is almost certainly under no obligation to replace parts with new. In fact, many OEMs require the dealer to use reman parts if they are available, and this is generally stated right in the warranty policy. Usually, it's something to the effect of, "...we will repair your vehicle using new or remanufactured parts, at our discretion..."

Besides, just because the truck might still have been in warranty it's not considered new 1.5 years later.

It would not be proper though for the OEM to put reman parts in a new vehicle at the time of manufacture.

Short story....

The tranny went out in my 1994 Chevy K-1500 at like 150 miles, never towed a thing, just stopped shifting about the third day I had it. The dealer put in a reman no matter how much I insisted that it was a new truck. The reman went in because that is their warranty obligation, to fix it, doesn't really matter how it gets done as long as it is a OEM-approved part.

203,000 miles later, that reman tranmy is still working like a champ and it has seen plenty of fairly heavy (for a 1/2 ton) trailer towing. At the time I was quite ticked off, but in hind sight, I might be happy they put in a reman given the luck I had with a brand new one.

[Scott K]

Setterguy, email me your email vin number and I can run a report for you that will tell you anything the truck was in for, and any parts that were repalced under warranty.

[setterguy]

Well it turns out when the truck was brought in the first time for warranty work they did indeed replace the alternator. I guess I'm satisfied with the explanation but still am concerned that my truck has 65000 miles and has gone through two alternators. Anyone have any ideas on that?

[Scott K]

Do you have a camper that draws a lot of power, or any other high amp draws, such as an amplifier? You stated that you listen to the radio and the battery gets weak, alternators are intended to maintain a battery, not have to keep charging it. If the alternator has many cycles of having to recharge your battery, or keeping up with a high amp draw, it gets hot, and wears the alt out faster.

[spearchucker]

Something is drawing current all the time. Shut everything off and check how much current is being drawn from the battery after everything is powered down. It should be next to nothing.

[Jeremy airjer W]

or less than .050 amps realistically around .020 amps or less

[JohnMickish]

Years ago when i was a General Motors tech, you could not buy a NEW alternator. Every alternator that came out of a Delco box was a reman. I don't know why but that's the way it was.