Complain about a product or service

Cub Cadet

J of San Benito, TX October 15, 2009

I have been cheated by Club Cadet on what should have been warranty replacements. I bought a Club Cadet 50" riding mower Model LT1050 from Home Depot on 4/08/08 for 1,999.00 and it came with a two year warranty. The steering bearing (9.83) wore out in August '09 after only about 90 hours of use. The plastic right fender (65.66) broke that same month. The spindle assembly (74.85) and V Belt (40.11) tore up the next month. The Mower Deck (416.08) rusted through 9/20/09 after 98.2 hours and tore up another spindle (74.85). I took it to the warranty dealer who agreed with me and made a warranty claim with Club Cadet.

Club Cadet reviewed our photos and refused to honor the warranty saying it was caused by "Sand blasting of the deck." One glance at the photos (Attached) will show the original factory paint. Obviously the deck has not been sandblasted -- It just rusted out from poor paint over thin untreated sheet metal. After extensive correspondence Club Cadet refused to budge from that decision. I am out 681.38 for items that should be covered by the Club Cadet warranty and they refuse to honor it. I would like to tell anybody that will listen, that Club Cadet makes a piece of junk and refuses to stand behind their product. Don't buy from Club Cadet and don't handle their products.

Steven of Zebulon, NC September 27, 2009

In 2003 I purchased a new Cub Cadet Lawn Tractor, model 2180, serial number 1L153G10024 from Lowes in Knightdale, NC. The tractor performed well until the past spring when cutting lawn the front end engine compartment erupted into flames. The tractor proceeded to burn to the ground, leaving only the metal framework. I was not injured but as you can see from the pictures the tractor was unsalvageble.

Noel of Clearfield , PA September 22, 2009

2004 when I purchased a Brand New Cub Cadet 5252 compact garden tractor From Carns Equipment in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. The day I purchase the tractor I asked J. Carns if the deal he was offering me was one with revolving credit, He said no, which was a flat out lie. I didn't figure out until later that in fact, my GE line of credit with Carns Equipment was revolving credit. Then the problems with the tractor started.

The FIRST 5252 tractor had several problems. The tractor couldn't do the simple jobs Carns promised it could do. The throttle would vibrate back and lower the RPM's after running for several minutes. (was adjusted several times and did not fix the problem) The forward and reverse linkage binds. (was adjusted several times and did not fix the problem) The loader linkage fell apart due to faulty workmanship.

One of the hydraulic lines burst within the first 100 hours of use due to faulty workmanship. The battery light would flash on and off sometimes, due to faulty electrical system. The tractor would overheat on a even 70 deg. Day, due to the engines inability to breathe. The transmission failed due to minimal and inadequate engineering at the factory. It took 1 year to get me a new brake pedal that did not hit the loader frame. After that Carns said He would replace the tractor and transfer my attachments.

The SECOND 5252 tractor broke the differential lock cable. It had similar electrical problems. It had similar over heating problems. It had the same throttle problem. It had the same forward and reverse linkage problems. The transmission failed. I was given a THIRD, but this time a 4x4 5234, tractor with cruise control and a canopy on loan while my 5252 tractor was again being repaired. Again this tractor had similar problems.

Carns gave me a list of repairs and fixes the factory supposedly had made to the 5000 series tractors. It had no logo or Cub Cadet specific information and was probably written by Carns in a Word document. He stated that this was written as a tech bulletin by the factory. He promised that all my problems would be over if, I would get a FOURTH new 4x4 5234 tractor and he said it would only cost me 20 more bucks a month.

Feeling as if I had no other options, I agreed. This tractor has overheating problems. The fuel gauge works sometimes. The battery light will flash on sometimes. The glow plug light will work sometimes. The front axle started leaking from both lower king pin joints when it had 280 hours on it. Now at just over 300 hours, something broke in the transmission and the tractor hardly moves

My new tractor (FOURTH) which I am pretty sure is just the Previous 4x4 model 5252. I say this because, I noticed months later that there are marks where the cruise control cable was removed. When I pressure washed the axle to get a better look at the leaks, the paint flaked off of the #7 king pin bolts telling me the axle was previously repaired, but I never had this tractor in for service. As for the canopy, Carns had my FIRST tractor with no canopy mounting marks on the roll bar, which I believe he transferred over. All tractors were garaged when not in use. At Carns Equipment, all tractors were left outside.

My current tractor is out of warranty and I have been asking for help from both the dealer and Cub Cadet for months. They don't seem to want to help, unless it means a considerable amount of more money for them by me being required to trade up and loosing most of the apx. 12,800 I paid for the Cub Cadet 5252DL with front end loader. I called other Cub Cadet Dealers in the area and they told me things like there were a lot of bad ones, their transmissions are a nightmare, Cub Cadet had a quiet recall and one winter took hundreds of new tractors back to the factory to replace the transmissions and they are marked with a sticker on the frame of a red or green X about the size of a quarter which sometimes peels off, that cost them a lot and that's why they sold out to YANMAR.

This tells me Cub Cadet has failed to provide a quality product. I paid a lot for a brand new pile of junk (12,800). After only 300 hours is virtually worthless. I am having a difficult time trusting Carns Equipment and Now Cub Cadet as well. Cub Cadet told me that I had refused to have the tractor looked at and I never refused to have the tractor looked at. I was very patient through the first three tractors.

Considering how I have been treated, as well as the product, I am disheartened and out of patience. I have been back and forth with J. Carns and he is hiding behind the Manufacturer with a smile on his face and when I call B. Jakeway of Cub Cadet I am interrupted, distracted and talked over or diffused and ignored. I am not given the time to explain or get my story out. I took all of my 401K out to pay off the revolving credit debt. My tractor is now worthless. Being very angry and having no results with Carns Equipment or Cub Cadet for months, I developed stomache problems and had a nervous breakdown.

Christopher of Chicopee, MA September 18, 2009

Purchased Cub Cadet push mower little less than 2 years ago. Had problems with starting\rough running after 1st summer of use. This year could not keep it running so brought is to authorized service center in early May(still under warranty). Today is 9/18 and they still have my mower. They say they are waiting for carburetor to come in, which they say is on backorder. I am very disappointed with both Cub Cadet and the Service Center. Cub Cadet doesn't seem to care about their customers and neither does the service center. I will never be bringing anything else I need repaired to this place, nor will I ever purchase another MTD product. Should have bought a Honda.

Richard of Anniston, AL September 4, 2009

I have a Z-Force 50 zero turn cub cadet still under warranty with less than 60 hours on it. the transmission has gone bad. Cub Cadet refuses to repair it under warranty they say it has water in it from condensation. HydroGear who makes this transmission told me today that the transmission is built to Cubs specs, is sealed and builds up condensation as part of the natural design of the product. There is nothing that can be done about it and that it is excluded from warranty. Checking forums nationwide you finds 100's of people in the same situation, so cub has built a known flawed design, excluded the flaw from warranty and then rips you off for 900 to repair it. Now that is a scam and I believe an illegal action. Cub owners need help on this. MIne is in the shop now for over 4 weeks trying to get this resolved

regina of woodbine, GA August 13, 2009

I have had my cub cadet lawn mower about 3 yrs. After 1 yr I have had nothing but trouble with the deck belt popping off and snapping. I had it repaired and it cost me 250 and I am still having problems with it. It is back in the shop. I live alone and I cannot even depend on this mower to mow my grass. I have to borrow my neighbors lawn mower. I am ver displeased with this product.

Eric of Fountain Inn, SC August 6, 2009

I purchased a Cub-Cadet Lawn Tractor i1046 series from them on 09-01-07. I started having trouble all about six months later. The tractor has been back to the dealer seven times . They have change the left rear pump, the right rear pump, the steering box, and now the engine oil is flashing which the books states it has low oil pressure. THE LAWN TRACTOR CAME WITH A 3 YEAR WARRANTY or 120 hours. It is two years old with 100 hour on the meter. I have taked it to the dear 7 times hauled the lawn tractor 420 miles back & forth to the dealer. I thas spent 18 weeks at the dealer ship & i have spent 60.00 dollars in gas hauling it. The cub -cadet dealer ship has been unable to fix it .

Melissa of Green Springs, OH August 6, 2009

Where to begin...... First is to warn all future Cub Cadet Purchasers!

To start out we have an acre of land so we decided to purchase a 42' Cub Cadet May 14, 2006. We have had NOTHING but problems since we bought it from the Tractor Supply CO. The first time we had a problem with this Cub Cadet lawn mower was on July 31, 2006, yes less than 2 1/2 months after purchasing (just the beginning). The problem was blowing smoke and oil from the front part of the motor, then backfiring & killing grass. After not having a lawn mower for approx 3-4 weeks and making other arraignments to cut our grass, we got it back. The repair shop said it was supposedly fixed by changing the valve cover gasket, yea right.

The second time it there was a problem was May 12, 2007 and it just so happened that it was blowing oil & smoke, backfiring & still killing grass. Now 2 times in a year we had it "serviced" again FOR THE SAME PROBLEM LESS THAN A YEAR BEFORE. Again the lawn mower was gone for approx 3-4 wks and again it was supposedly fixed by changing the valve cover gasket, yea right. Now mind you we live in Ohio and you can only use the lawn mower roughly 5-6 months out of the year so having less than 60 hrs on this Cub Cadet mower and the second time in for same problem. Ok so now for the THIRD time would be NOV 5, 2008! Once again FOR THE SAME PROBLEM plus one more issue: now not starting and blowing smoke and oil, backfiring, KILLING grass. So they changed the valve cover gasket (AGAIN) and starter-alternator.

Once again they said it was fixed after being gone and making other arraignments to cut our grass, we got it back for 3-4 weeks. This was all within having LESS than 100 hrs. Now for this last time June 24, 2009. Our extended warrant ran out May 14, 2009, but of course having less that 15 hrs since it was "repaired or fixed" again it started to blow smoke and oil, backfire & kill my grass we had to call the extended warranty center, National Electronic Warranty. They were aware that our warranty ran out, but they authorized a service center to pick up our mower and started to repair it. Well after not hearing from the service center for over 2 weeks I called to get an update. They told me that they had been trying to contact N.E.W. for 2 wks but could NOT get a response to get the ok to fix the Cub Cadet lawn mower. I called N.E.W. myself & told the story that the service center was not getting a response. Basically I was called a liar until the phone rep called the service center direct. They couldn’t explain why no response was being given so he passed me on to a supervisor.

The next day the service center received an e-mail that said “Extended Warranty expired, bill customer”! Now N.E.W. knew that the warranty expired but authorized everything anyway. We have been in contact with Cub Cadet & Kohler directly. Of course they kept passing it off to the other person. Kohlers solution to it blowing 4 valve cover gaskets in 3 YRS was to change the valve cover because it COULD be warped. Well I'm not a mechanic but I would think if it was warped it would leak all the time. Cub Cadet has been helpful but still CANNOT tell me why it is killing my grass. The answer to why the mower was killing the grass to the service center when they called MTD & Kohler was “It is what it is DON’T let the lawn mower set on the grass.” Now I don't know about anyone else but we DID NOT pay 1600+ to have a lawn mower KILL spots in our yard. NOT ACCEPTABLE!!!! So since the mower has been gone since June 24, 2009 and making other arraignments to cut our grass. All we were asking was a replacement mower or our money back but both still to no avail. This has been a very LONG ON GOING problem that is extremely frustrating. Nobody is willing to say “we see you have a problem” (same problem at that) what can we do to dissolve this problem. Just a warning “DO NOT BUY CUB CADET” they DO NOT stand behind equipment, if so then I would think we would of had a new lawn mower or repair correctly by now! We liked the lawn mower but just NOT ALL the problems that came with it.

Kevin of Hiram, GA July 30, 2009

My mother purchased a cub cadet self propelled mower for me as a house warming gift. The first time I used it something went wrong and it cut off halfway through my yard. After calling the "support line" that basically asked me if there was gas in it they referred me to the local authorized service center. This guy has had my mower for 3 months and claims to be "waiting on a part." If he is the authorized service providor for Cub Cadet shouldn't he stock the parts to fix them?

I can't find a number for Cub Cadet anywhere that isn't just an automated hotline, and emails weren't responded to. Cub Cadet obviously doesn't back up their products, and isn't concerned about problems customers may have. Very dissapointing. I have had to either pay a local kid to cut my grass at 30 a pop, or borrow my father in laws mower just to keep the yard looking ok

Willard of Rhome, TX July 28, 2009

bougth a Cub Cadet weed trimmer,and an extened 2 yr.warranty, used it maybe 5 times before winter,the first time we used it in spring it worked once then started running backward,we took it to the nearest repair shop,they laughed at us said no way it could run backward,keep it several weeks, on the invoice it said,it ran backwards,and had wear and tear causing bushing to wear. After 6 uses? They charged us 40.59 for 1/2 hr labor.What good is a warranty if you have to pay so much to get it worked on?Could buy several cheap on each year and come out ahead. We live on a small fixed income,that amount really is a lot to us. Had to wait on some of our medication to pay the bill.We want buy anymore cub cadets of any kind.

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