Yamaha HPDIs: Blown Powerheads

B

big shooter

Guest
This past summer we had four 200 Yamaha HPDIs go down with blown powerheads.Each engine had less than 500 hours on it and two of the engines had less than 400 hours on them. Yamaha and the dealer have refused to address this problem and by all accounts they were well aware that these engines were mechanically defective and they had a history of failing in the first 500 hours.These engines represent a cost outlay of about $70K. What do you feel we should do in a case like this? Do you think that we have grounds for a lawsuit and who should we sue? The dealer or Yamaha or both? Would appreciate your input on this.
 
3 of my buddies who ran these units also blew up one only had 100 hours of running time on it and the rest was a trolling speed for a total of 300 hours and a place that sells yamaha in vic wont give him the time of day very sad but I dont think Yamaha really cares as the market here on the west coast is very very small compared to other parts of the world. Good luck on your quest whatever you do.

With the way things are going you wont have to worry much longer as most of the coast will be closed for fishing anyways and you will see even more boats sitting.

Wolf

Blue Wolf Charters
www.bluewolfcharters.com
 
quote:Originally posted by big shooter

This past summer we had four 200 Yamaha HPDIs go down with blown powerheads.Each engine had less than 500 hours on it and two of the engines had less than 400 hours on them. Yamaha and the dealer have refused to address this problem and by all accounts they were well aware that these engines were mechanically defective and they had a history of failing in the first 500 hours.These engines represent a cost outlay of about $70K. What do you feel we should do in a case like this? Do you think that we have grounds for a lawsuit and who should we sue? The dealer or Yamaha or both? Would appreciate your input on this.

A lawsuit against the dealer probably wouldn't go anywhere, all warranties are factory. I think that you would have to go armed with statistics that show that an abnormal number of Yamaha's blew up. You would need stats that can be verified. Dock Talk, I don't think will weigh heavily, even though a number of us seasoned boaters "know" that these motors are a problem, Yamaha could prodeuce several thousand pictures of several thousand boats sitting with HPDI engines at marinas that are NOT blown up. If I was Yamaha, I would just find a couple lodges that didn't have as many problems as yourself, and spin it around to the tune of "Look, this guy blew up 3 motors". Just thinking what I would do in Yamaha's case.

Unless you can bring about something class action, going up against a big company is probably a futile move at best, as they will just get some big shot lawyer to set the trial, then some "numpty lawer" to sit there and examine expert after expert (Which Yamaha can find a steady stream of for free),for days untill you run out of money.

I'm no legal expert, but if I was in Yamaha's shoes, the above is what I would do.

Last Chance Fishing Adventures

www.lastchancefishingadventures.com
www.swiftsurebank.com
 
yamaha did have techs that went around replacing blown powerheads on hpdi's and replaced them all with the updated corrected power heads, but i think that was only for the first few years as most engines went... i dont know if they would still do it if an engines out of warranty.. theres defiently two sides to this one,
a - your warranty is up, not our problem, pay us to get your engine fixed youve had x number of years covered by us, its gone now and your paying
or b - yes our engines had a major design flaw and its our job to recall all troubled motors regardless or warranty and give our customers a reliable motor up to standards.
 
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