For the second year in a row, Caterpillar's 3406 engine ranks highest in heavy-duty diesel engine satisfaction among customers of Class 8 trucks, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2001 Heavy-Duty Truck Engine Customer Satisfaction Study.

The study, based on responses from 2,859 primary maintainers of two-year-old heavy-duty over-the-road and vocational trucks, examines customer satisfaction among several important engine factors, including engine performance and quality, warranty, noise and fuel economy. The 2001 study continues to focus on smaller fleets and owner/operators, with an average fleet size at a single location of 40 trucks.
Among vocational customers, Caterpillar's 3406 engine ranks significantly above the segment average on the heavy-duty truck engine satisfaction index, with strengths in engine life, performance, downtime and noise. The Caterpillar C-12 follows the 3406 in customer satisfaction in the vocational segment.
Customers driving trucks in the over-the-road segment also rank the Caterpillar 3406 engine highest in customer satisfaction, with strong performance in the areas of engine life, performance, downtime and noise. Following the Caterpillar 3406 in the over-the-road segment ranking are the Detroit Diesel Series 60 and the Cummins N Series.
"The average horsepower rating on a heavy engine has been increasing over time, with a 10 percent increase from 1997 to 2001," said Jen Loukes, senior manager of commercial vehicle research for J.D. Power and Associates. "While the Caterpillar 3406 performs well across a variety of horsepower ratings, the engine model shows an increase in satisfaction as horsepower ratings increase, with its highest scores for engines with over 400 horsepower."