Fram Ultra FAILURE

[drtyler]

Any word from Fram with regards to this filter?

Originally Posted By: DriveHard
Originally Posted By: stickybuns
When my BMW's ticking sound stopped, I attributed it to the change in engine oil brand, since oils can have differences in anti-foaming performance (less aeration) due to more effective silicon additives etc. Speculating of course.

The BMW housing holds everything in place, and Fram Ultra's wire backing makes a lot of difference here. Still, its troubling to see it come unglued.


The ONLY thing that was changed was the oil filter. The oil fill was not changed...I am still on the same Mobil 0w-40 from when I first changed it. The engine was ticking, I changed the filter, and ONLY the filter, and now it is not ticking at all. Draw your own conclusions, but I can't think it gets much clearer than that.

I just received a MAN filter in the mail, and plan on changing the oil and filter when this current fram hits 1,000 miles. Still no response from Fram on the filter I sent in, but I will update when I get one.

 

[David1]

Did your car overheat????

Somtimes if you engine overheats or say it gets very HOT it can cause the oil to get HOT and that could cause the filter to do that.

Reember FRAM ULTRA is for LONG OCI... its not a racing oil filter.

 

[DriveHard]

Wanted to give an update.

I switch to the Man filter, and changed the oil to Rotella 5w-40. Still no ticking, and everything is peachy.

Fram sent me a certified letter saying my claim was valid and a claims department would contact me within two days. A week later I had not been contacted yet. I called Fram from the number on the certified letter, and later that afternoon I got the call from the claims department. The lady asked me what my damages were, and I said that as far as I know the engine was not damaged, but I would at least like my money back for the filter and the cost of the oil. She asked if I had receipts, and I did not. She asked me to send her proof of purchase for the oil and filter, and a copy of my registration proving the car was mine. It seemed very odd, and I don't have the receipts...so I guess this is where it ends. I was hoping for at least a free oil filter (I could use one for my truck).

So in summary...Fram agreed the filter was at fault, and turned me over to a claims company who asked for documentation I could not provide to get any sort of reimbursement.

Fram was responsive, and the certified letter was a nice touch...maybe they should find a more customer friendly way of dealing with the claims though?

 

[dlundblad]

Was it Fram's claims department or some 3rd party company?

Pretty disappointing either way. Even without documentation, I think they should at least give you the money back for the filter or at minimum just give you a replacement of exactly what failed.

I should start keeping receipts myself.. I've always been terrible about it.

 

[spasm3]

Its good that they listened to you and responded.

 

[Merkava_4]

I always keep my filter receipts; at least for the duration of the OCI.

 

[sir1900]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
I always keep my filter receipts; at least for the duration of the OCI.


+1 sometimes you never know.

Not a FRAM fanboy here, but I am glad to see they have taken steps to remedy the problem.

 

[SilverC6]

So if you toasted a BMW engine due to a failed FRAM Ultra and you didn't have your receipt, you'd be out of luck.

Ouch!!

And if the OP hadn't removed and replaced the filter in response to the ticking problem, that's where he was heading.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: SilverC6
So if you toasted a BMW engine due to a failed FRAM Ultra and you didn't have your receipt, you'd be out of luck.

Ouch!!

And if the OP hadn't removed and replaced the filter in response to the ticking problem, that's where he was heading.


Well look at it this way. If a dishonest person reading this forum decided that all he/she had to do was call Fram and tell them that he/she huffed their BMW engine because a Fram filter failed, and all they had to do was send pictures, Fram would be paying out on false claims. It sucks for the OP but unfortunately dishonest people are the reason why proof is requested.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
... dishonest people are the reason why proof is requested.


Exactly ... anyone in business needs to protect themselves from scammers.

 

[SilverC6]

Having the blown out filter should work.

The OP clearly owned the product because he sent it in to FRAM in the mailer.

 

[UG_Passat]

for the cartridge filters.... I used to use Fram CH9911, back when they were repackaged Mahle or Mann filters... and made in Germany.... so they were a steal.

but when they switched to made in China...

they always looked crushed when I changed the filter....so I stopped using them.... and go with the cheapest of the Euro filters... Mann, Mahle, or Hengst (though I think the made-in-China ones were modeled from a Hengst)....

...P.S.

here's a Mobil 1

 

[UG_Passat]

the shocking thing is.... someone was willing to pay 4x more than an OEM filter.....

http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E83-X3-M54_3.0L/Engine/Filter/ES7028/

$5.79 each (maybe you can find it cheaper)

or... 2.5x as much as BMW stamped filter
http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E83-X3-M54_3.0L/Engine/Filter/ES24008/

 

[Nathan]

Looks like lots of debris on the filter media? or is that just the picture fooling me?

 

[Cristobal]

It is not the Fram Filter.

It is the BMW curse.

 

[Sayjac]

Quote:
It is not the Fram Filter.

It is the BMW curse.

It could be except as posted in this thread earlier there is another similar Fram cartridge failure on a Hyundai linked below.

And now that Fram has admitted the failure here and those implying the OP did something wrong, or the vehicle was somehow at fault or worse yet there was no failure (lol), have been proven incorrect, the thread title has been confirmed.

Of course he then entered the claim zone which put him s o l, but for whatever it's worth he was proven correct in his initial evaluation.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3411091/1

 

[SilverC6]

Sayjac,

You hit the nail on the head in your summary.

Failed Ultra confirmed by FRAM.

FRAM sidesteps the opportunity to do right by their customer, who asks only for replacement oil and a filter, when they hide behind the lack of receipt.

Where are all the FRAMites now?

Are they renting their clothes down at the Orange temple?

 

[ZeeOSix]

^^^ If it was Purolator in this situation, he wouldn't even have gotten a response. Companies have rules, and Fram is probably just going by the rules on monetary compensation. How many guys did you see here get compensation for their torn up Purolators?

 

[SilverC6]

What's that got to do with anything here?

Oh, it's the debate team tactics again.

If you can't prevail on the topic, change the topic...

 

[ZeeOSix]

^^^ Just trying to keep it real since you seem to think only Fram has rules about compensation on failed items and aren't "reponding" like you think they should. Big pair of one way glasses that you always seem to be looking through. Where's all the monetary compensation and free filters from all the other filter manufacturers when their filters fail?