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Chrysler not approving warranty coverage

23K views 203 replies 65 participants last post by  eyad.arabi 
#1 ·
Hi there

I have a 2014 JKUR with about 11k miles in El Paso, TX. I take it off road pretty frequently, and I've stacked up a few issues that finally added up and I decided to take it to the dealership to have them sort it out. Most of these issues have been around for a while:

-Horn doesn't work after my latest trip from 2 weeks ago. We got a pretty muddy; but not really in the engine compartment.

-Brake lights stay on. This one has been for a while. The actual brake pedal isn't coming back all the way to rest on the little switch that makes the lights go off. I'm not sure how this came to be.

-Airbag light is on. This I can pinpoint to having my top down in El Paso. With all the sand blowing around I'm not surprised. I remember hearing the sand in the steering column while steering for a while as well.

-Electronic Stability control light comes on while driving. Sometimes it will be after driving for a while, and sometimes it will seemingly come on right after hitting a bump. I'm thinking maybe a connection somewhere?

-Check engine light. I cannot recall exactly, but when I took it to O'Reilly it was something to do with the electric radiator cooling fan. Also possibly the brake lights staying on, according to the O'Reilly gentleman.

-Power steering is out. I can remember exactly where and when this happened too. It went out on a trip to the Gila Wilderness in NM about a month or two back (I could find the exact dates from my GoPro album). There was nothing extreme whatsoever about that trip. I remember it pretty much just went out.

After taking the Jeep in earlier this week I've been waiting on approval from Chrysler for warranty to cover the issues. Now today I get a call from my guy at the dealership saying that Chrysler has decided to cover NONE of the issues. After calling the Chrysler number he provided, I was informed that the district manager looked at my Jeep and says that due to water damage the issues can't be covered! Now, I did get into a lot of mud a couple weekends ago before I took the Jeep in, but all of these issues but the horn have been around since long before that. And evidently him looking inside the Jeep was part of it, due to the mud/dirt nature situation, and I haven't vacuumed in a long while.

Now to caveat this, I do have some modifications. I have a 3.5" Rock Krawler lift and 35" tires. But to my understanding the suspension modifications should have no bearing on any of these issues. For anyone not familiar, El Paso is in the desert. The notion of water damage is completely ridiculous to me. Especially since these issues have trickled in over a large period of time, not from one incident.

I'm still going back and forth on calls with the dealership on the situation. I plan on taking it to another dealership for another opinion, but the Chrysler lady said that it was the DISTRICT (she put heavy emphasis on this) manager, and that it would likely be moot.

I'm freaking out a wee bit and am really displeased. If anyone has any advice or information that could help me out I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

(Sorry for the long winded post)
 
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#35 ·
Fiat owns Chrysler...

I had the same thing. Mud destroyed my jk. Insurance covered the engine swap and all the work. That was about 3 years ago. I went to change my spark plugs and they were all over-tightened when the engine was put in. As I pulled them out, porcelain broke and went into the holes, the 5th spark plug ended up pulling threading out. I towed it into the dealer saying they need to fix the problem they caused. 5 days later, I get a call saying Chrysler won't cover the cost since it has been too long since the work was done.
 
#4 ·
You will likely get a lot of responses about Magnuson-Moss laws and such but the fastest way to get a positive response after the dealer has turned you away is just have a lawyer send them a letter of intent to pursue legal action. You'll be out around $150 to have it done but shouldn't have any more issues after that. Much faster and easier than standing around arguing.
 
#7 ·
weird. The Jeep website shows Wranglers doing some pretty hard wheeling for stock and rinsing out the tub with a garden hose saying don't worry go ahead and soak it.

Some of your issues are cheap like the brake lights...it's just a spring. But considering the more expensive ones, I'd file for arbitration or hire a lawyer to send a letter. Chrysler can choose between the expense of their lawyers or just fixing the damn Jeep.
That's definitely something I'll keep in mind if this stuff doesn't work out. The fact that almost all of the issues have accumulated over time and not from one incident or my latest (muddy) excursion really solidifies my stance that I'm in the right.
 
#5 ·
weird. The Jeep website shows Wranglers doing some pretty hard wheeling for stock and rinsing out the tub with a garden hose saying don't worry go ahead and soak it.

Some of your issues are cheap like the brake lights...it's just a spring. But considering the more expensive ones, I'd file for arbitration or hire a lawyer to send a letter. Chrysler can choose between the expense of their lawyers or just fixing the damn Jeep.
 
#9 ·
It's worth a shot going to another dealer but it's Chrysler that turned the warranty service not the dealer. Chrysler will have a record based on Jeep's vehicle ID.


Something that might help build a case, is to go to another dealer to get an estimate of the cost of the repairs. It will include parts and then you can check those parts to see if any of them exhibit signs of water or mud damage.
 
#10 ·
These vehicles and their warranty is junk. I would never recommend a jeep unless you plan on doing all the work. Clutch failed at around 10K. They refused to fix it because I took it off road.

No more Chrysler new vehicles for me.
 
#11 ·
I've worked two dealerships, if a District Rep denied that claim then another dealer won't help. That vehicle has been declared water damaged to every Chrysler/Jeep dealer. Had you gone in when these issues arose you might have gotten some or all of them fixed. Coming into a dealer with a laundry list of warrantee issues is the best way possible to piss off the service manager. I do see your side, but going into a dealer with a lifted, muddy rig with a host of problems is not the way to endear yourself towards the service people. Did you ever go to this same dealer for service other than warranty?
 
#13 ·
I have gone to this dealership in the past, but I found them unreliable so I wasn't in a rush to go back with only minor issues. I didn't bring a muddy rig in, I washed it quite thoroughly on the outside, I just didn't have time to vacuum out the interior before my appointment. I didn't expect them pull something like this, especially with some of the issues blatantly having nothing to do with water damage (airbag light, brake lights sticking).

Some fat clown in a tie simply looking at a dirty Jeep does not prove water damage.

They have to prove the malfunctions were caused by water damage to deny coverage.

Before you get into a battle with these dopes see what you can do on your own.

Might start with a can of electrical contact cleaner and a tube of dielectric grease.
Disconnect your battery and start cleaning and packing each and every electrical connecter you can find with dielectric grease.

After you done start cleaning and packing the connectors you can't see. A good portion of the dash comes off with 4 screws, there are literally dozens of electrical pugs under there.

Might have to pull the carpet to get a good look at that brake pedal but you can do it.

Sorry to hear Chrysler is bending you over. been there, battled with them and it'; SUPER frustrating.

good luck man.
That's a good idea. I enjoy fixing what I can and working on my Jeep to learn, but I figured I might as well get stuff fixed by the dealership while I still have the warranty. I wouldn't be too worried about the smaller things that I think I could manage, but having the more major ones written off like this is really troubling.
 
#12 ·
Some fat clown in a tie simply looking at a dirty Jeep does not prove water damage.

They have to prove the malfunctions were caused by water damage to deny coverage.

Before you get into a battle with these dopes see what you can do on your own.

Might start with a can of electrical contact cleaner and a tube of dielectric grease.
Disconnect your battery and start cleaning and packing each and every electrical connecter you can find with dielectric grease.

After you done start cleaning and packing the connectors you can't see. A good portion of the dash comes off with 4 screws, there are literally dozens of electrical pugs under there.

Might have to pull the carpet to get a good look at that brake pedal but you can do it.

Sorry to hear Chrysler is bending you over. been there, battled with them and it'; SUPER frustrating.

good luck man.
 
#14 ·
Ok you kind of have to step back and look at what you posted and try to see it from the other side I mean just looking at your post I can only imagine with the amount of things broken this thing is not been exactly babied. These are not normal things that everybody is having issues with I mean quite frankly from the sound of it you play hard and if you do go hard you're going to have to pay and for god sakes if you're going to try and get the dealer to fix things don't let them add up. And one other tip if you're going to play hard in the mud you need it absolutely **** and span clean it before you take it to the dealer I mean top bottom inside out make it look like a mall crawler because otherwise this is what happens sorry to say but sounds like you're SOL.
 
#15 ·
When I declined an extended warranty they were shocked . When they asked why I said because you wont even cover the original warranty let alone paying for an extended one .
 
#16 ·
The fact that you allowed issues to "stack up" coupled with your self described vehicle condition suggests to me that you don't take very good care of your vehicle. I would suggest that Chrysler Jeep is making the correct decision in denying your claim.
 
#17 ·
That's a little rough jeez
 
#19 ·
you are most likely better off going through your insurance company.. My wife hit the sun roof open on my 7 series when it was 3 months old, problem was the car had 14"s of snow on the roof which within 5 seconds was in my car soaking my warmed up interior, if anyone ever seen the controls and gadgets on the center console of a 750i it doesnt look like much, shifter, vents, couple little knobs, lol, well underneath that console is all kinds of expensive goodies, the damage totaled $8K and the insurance company covered it, the dealership laughed and said it happened all the time and to call my insurance company because they dont cover it and would never cover anything in the future that got damaged because of this damage {which was false, the insurance co paid th dealership to fix it, so it kept the original warranty since they used new parts and was factory repaired...

Anyway long story short, give it a try, they paid for my car, they even took the dash out and replaced the internal ducts because if you look at the interior on a 2012 750i you will see the ducts face upwards and they got full of water when the snow and ice came in, they were worried about mold so paid to have it all replaced... good luck
 
#47 ·
you are most likely better off going through your insurance company.. My wife hit the sun roof open on my 7 series when it was 3 months old, problem was the car had 14"s of snow on the roof which within 5 seconds was in my car soaking my warmed up interior, if anyone ever seen the controls and gadgets on the center console of a 750i it doesnt look like much, shifter, vents, couple little knobs, lol, well underneath that console is all kinds of expensive goodies, the damage totaled $8K and the insurance company covered it, the dealership laughed and said it happened all the time and to call my insurance company because they dont cover it and would never cover anything in the future that got damaged because of this damage {which was false, the insurance co paid th dealership to fix it, so it kept the original warranty since they used new parts and was factory repaired...
Man, as a person who loves cars that just made me cringe so flippin bad. How do you drive around without cleaning 14"s of snow off the top of your car?? That's not funny at all.


And to the OP - reading your post makes me not want to go off road for at least 3 years until my "useless" warranty is up - And I would probably never go muddin' after reading all your issues

But Good Luck!
 
#22 ·
It's unfortunate. I feel bad for you. Good service departments, and good dealership rapport, are often hard to find. Your list of issues is long and they've been an issue for a long time. If Star/Chrysler denied your claims, it won't matter what dealership you vist. It's the sad reality of off-road duty. Warranty coverage is not without exceptions. Best of luck!
 
#23 · (Edited)
If you're going to use your Jeep like a motocross bike then you'll pay to play alright. Brake pedal won't return to resting position.. sand in the steering column.. electric radiator fan malfunctioning, brake lights stay on... ?

Appears you've been having fun... bottom line, Chrysler won't warranty that kind of fun... nor will any other manufacturer.

.
 
#26 ·
I totally get that principle, and when you put it like that I can understand them not wanting to cover it. At that point I would really just blame myself for not putting up with the stupid dealership earlier and just taken it in, because like I said earlier, the brake pedal and sand in the steering column had nothing to do with my Jeeping. Sand is crazy pervasive here in El Paso, and I can't imagine what I could have done do cause the brake pedal to not fully hit the switch.

I definitely do a lot of stuff with my Jeep. It just sucks that now my genuine issues can be so effortlessly attributed to "abuse" when I know that's not the cause. If I can get through this stupid crap with the dealership this time I'll certainly adopt a new personal policy when it comes to suffering through some interaction with the dealership service people.
 
#25 ·
I don't know if this has been covered, but did the OP go in to the dealership with a mud covered car?

I believe that the way you present yourself (and in this case your jeep), goes a long way when tackling situations, and I feel that had the jeep been clean, it could have helped win over the service reps even if you were in the 'wrong'.

Either way, in today's world, these battles with warranties is all the more common. I hope you manage to solve the issues and get your jeep back ASAP!

Good luck
 
#27 ·
No, I had thoroughly washed the Jeep. I just didn't have time to vacuum the interior. (The more I mention the interior I feel like I'm giving off the impression that it's wild, but it's anything you'd expect from living in a desert)

Thanks for the luck!
 
#28 ·
wow, lots of hate in this thread.

a jeep is a 4x4 and advertised as an off road vehicle, therefore it should be covered for the items described. sand in the steering column, well the roof is made to come off and it gets windy in the desert, which is a hot sunny place where one would want the top off.. maybe the steering column should be assembled with better quality standards.. water and dirt inside, big deal, what if you live on a dirt road at a farm?

jeep ads showing off road use;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30s7nh5K5bs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVpBGj4hiCM
 
#30 ·
wow, lots of hate in this thread.

a jeep is a 4x4 and advertised as an off road vehicle, therefore it should be covered for the items described. sand in the steering column, well the roof is made to come off and it gets windy in the desert, which is a hot sunny place where one would want the top off.. maybe the steering column should be assembled with better quality standards.. water and dirt inside, big deal, what if you live on a dirt road at a farm?
Thank you! Haha. I mean you can NOT drive around in El Paso with your top down without getting quite sandy, let alone hit the dunes without ending up with a sandbox in your Jeep. From a legal standpoint I can dig Chrysler having limitations on what they'll cover, and it doesn't surprise me that they'd try to not cover what they can. But on the other hand, I bought a damned JEEP. In my bones it just doesn't feel right that I'd get so boned having issues derived from doing what they advertise (and several issues deriving from plain old daily driving).


I think you're being very reasonable in trying to figure out what to do. IMHO I agree with some of the comments on your strategy here, you unfortunately set yourself up for a bad time at the dealer (unknowingly). Lesson learned eh?

Not sure what your best course of action is now, some good suggestions on speaking with Chrysler and potentially contacting your insurance. I'm not sure I'd go legal just yet. Can also contact the BBB and file a complaint. There's also places like the NTSB (is that right?) that regulate manufacturers, can place a complaint there.
I agree. I would really rather not go legal until I really had to. That said, while I know I could have gone about this better (live and learn), I absolutely don't believe I deserve the situation. Thank you for your thoughts.
 
#31 ·
This is kind of a mixed bag IMHO. Read the warranty - it covers workmanship for items covered as they left the factory, not sand damage, water damage, etc. Some of these things seem like clear non warranty issues but some might be warranty issues. I think Jeep is taking the easy route by denying everything . They probably would have seemed more reasonable if they took the time to compromise and cover some of the warranty issues and articulate why they denied others. I wish you good luck but I can't blame Jeep for denying these.
 
#32 ·
Seems to me you would have a pretty legitimate insurance claim with regard to the sand in the column particularly if it's associated with a particular event (e.g., caught in a dust storm). Of couse that is only worth it if fixing it is more than your deductible and you risk insurance going up.
 
#36 ·
i used to wheel a 4.5 inch lifted chevy tracker, gm dealer warranted everything from broken axles to transfer case output seals, the front end broke many times to be honest and they just did it. service was amazing. then got a reg cab tacoma, had a bunch of warranty work done to it also with a 3 inch lift on it, no major issues there either but of course the front end never broke on that truck, i would expect the same from chrysler, if not i will go back to toyota next round. gm and toyota both tried to say well this isn't really covered because modifications a couple times but i was able to talk my way through their bs calmly and in the end i was very happy with their warranty service. an example of chrylser dealer bs with my 2015 is that the steering wheel is off center, was this way when i picked it up, dealer i bought from says we can't touch that til you have 5000km on it, i said bs, that is retard talk, guy says sorry no can do, go to next dealer guy says that's odd, why would they not just fix it, we can do that for you no problem....
 
#37 ·
OP, .....the issues with your horn, airbag, ESC, and CEL are probably your clockspring and I will say this, dust and moisture kills them. Warranty will cover defective products and parts. As far as your brake light goes, it could be mud or dirt there, also, causing it to malfunction. Warranty wont cover that. But as for your PS system, IDK there!
The clockspring issue is why I would like to see JEEP build a true off road vehicle! I run topless and doorless all summer in dusty conditions,and yup, you guessed it! Clockspring is bad, CD player doesnt work, etc. etc. These are reasons that JEEP/Mopar/Fiat needs to get their head out of their ass and either build a JEEP without any electronic shit, or get smart enough to figure out a way to seal the electronics to make them dust/moisture proof! Not just maybe resistant!
Now people might understand why I call the Wrangler just another SUV in JEEPs clothing! Best I can say about the electronics in a JEEP is LOL!!!
But, as the ad says..........There is only one JEEP, so I put up with the bullshit cause I want to drive my JEEP! And I dont worry about the clockspring and the other shit that doesnt work because it wont help me get down the next trail anyway!
 
#39 ·
I've had a number of Jeeps, but only a couple of Wranglers. Here are my two basic thoughts on Jeeps and service departments... for what they are worth.

1. If you have a choice in dealerships, put more emphasis on their service department than their sales office. The sale is over in a day, but the service goes on for years. Do your routine services there. Get to know the people, especially the service manager. Smaller dealerships are probably better than bigger for networking. They're less likely to screw you if they like you. Treat them respectfully and expect the same back.

2. This ones even harder to swallow: If you have a high end Wrangler with all the bells and whistles, keep it close to the road. A few gentle trails, no problem. A little dirt and mud, go for it. But a true off road experience is less frustrating in an old school Jeep. Who needs air conditioning in a foot of mud? Or factory navigation? Or heated seats, side airbags, painted fenders, etc. etc. etc. The best trail vehicles get towed to the trails. No carpets. No stereo. No power steering or brakes. No un-dented body parts. Nothing but guts and a toolbox in the back.

Serious off roading is for the mechanically inclined that don't need warranties. That's another reason to keep a new Jeep on the road. Why waste a warranty that only has a few years of life?

Face it, JK's have to be driven like mall crawlers if you expect Chrysler to warranty them like minivans. I know it sounds ironic, but my $47K Hard Rock will hopefully never see much more challenge than driving down some really bad roads and soft beach sands around my vacation home. If I ever get interested in serious off roading, I'll buy an old Jeep and rig it appropriately for a fraction of what I paid for my Hard Rock. I love the thing, but I bought a vehicle with off road capabilities to get my out of trouble, not for me to get it into some.

Bottom line? If you want a shiny new Jeep, keep it clean while it's in warranty.

Want to go off road? Buy a beater and learn how to fix it as it breaks.
 
#41 ·
I've had a number of Jeeps, but only a couple of Wranglers. Here are my two basic thoughts on Jeeps and service departments... for what they are worth. 1. If you have a choice in dealerships, put more emphasis on their service department than their sales office. The sale is over in a day, but the service goes on for years. Do your routine services there. Get to know the people, especially the service manager. Smaller dealerships are probably better than bigger for networking. They're less likely to screw you if they like you. Treat them respectfully and expect the same back. 2. This ones even harder to swallow: If you have a high end Wrangler with all the bells and whistles, keep it close to the road. A few gentle trails, no problem. A little dirt and mud, go for it. But a true off road experience is less frustrating in an old school Jeep. Who needs air conditioning in a foot of mud? Or factory navigation? Or heated seats, side airbags, painted fenders, etc. etc. etc. The best trail vehicles get towed to the trails. No carpets. No stereo. No power steering or brakes. No un-dented body parts. Nothing but guts and a toolbox in the back. Serious off roading is for the mechanically inclined that don't need warranties. That's another reason to keep a new Jeep on the road. Why waste a warranty that only has a few years of life? Face it, JK's have to be driven like mall crawlers if you expect Chrysler to warranty them like minivans. I know it sounds ironic, but my $47K Hard Rock will hopefully never see much more challenge than driving down some really bad roads and soft beach sands around my vacation home. If I ever get interested in serious off roading, I'll buy an old Jeep and rig it appropriately for a fraction of what I paid for my Hard Rock. I love the thing, but I bought a vehicle with off road capabilities to get my out of trouble, not for me to get it into some. Bottom line? If you want a shiny new Jeep, keep it clean while it's in warranty. Want to go off road? Buy a beater and learn how to fix it as it breaks.
reading this bummed me out and not because I think you're wrong.
 
#42 ·
Yes I have a 2014 Jeep JK Unlimited Rubicon w/ 7500 miles on it. I have been off-roading twice and the last time it was mostly sand but just a little mud. On the road back my temp gauge shot up real quick! Had to pull over. Lifted the hood and lots of mud was covering the engine. So i tried my best to clean it with the little water I had available. Got it a few more miles down the road then the System Charging Light came on! So I had to pull over again. And this time it was making a funny noise. And when I turned it off it wouldn't start again! Had to call a tow... Next day had to get it dropped off at the dealer that I bought it from. They said alternator and battery was shot! Well the jeep only had 7500 miles on it so it should have been under warrenty, right? NOPE! The dealer and I both called Chrysler and they said that they won't cover it!!! Put me out over $800!
 
#43 ·
Yes I have a 2014 Jeep JK Unlimited Rubicon w/ 7500 miles on it. I have been off-roading twice and the last time it was mostly sand but just a little mud. On the road back my temp gauge shot up real quick! Had to pull over. Lifted the hood and lots of mud was covering the engine. They said alternator and battery was shot! Well the jeep only had 7500 miles on it so it should have been under warrenty, right? NOPE! The dealer and I both called Chrysler and they said that they won't cover it!!! Put me out over $800!
Ya why would you expect them to cover that? You just said you opened the hood and it was covered in mud? You fu*#£€ your alternator by incasing it in mud which then took out your battery because the generator failed.

Warranties are for manufacturing defects. Not for ignorance and abuse.
 
#44 ·
I remember back when one of the big 3 would run TV ads where their dually would be at a construction site...then they'd drop a huge payload of stones or something out of the sky into it.

Other's where they're climbing a mountain with their 3/4 ton trucks...running over EVERYTHING.

So who here really believes that because they saw it on TV, that they'd cover breakage if you tried that same crazy crap?

And I believe there are teenie-tiny disclaimers somewhere in those commercials.
 
#203 ·
Actually, I have had two of those trucks you have mentioned. The one climbing a mountain... The Ram Power Wagon. I still have one, used as a camping, fishing and towing rig and before that a 2010 PW. I have had 4 warranty claims on them so far. Broken u-joint.... No problem! Covered by Chrysler no questions asked. Broken left front tie-rod... No problem, covered by Chrysler no questions asked. Engine light on because of a vacuum issue with the fuel tank... No problem. Covered by warranty. Battery died after only 18 months? No problem, new battery. No questions asked. I drive my rigs hard but do take care of them and do not abuse them beyond their designed intent. Well, at least on the record I don't....:)

Chrysler has been really fair to me although I must admit I do think I have to see their service managers a bit too often...

I've also had my Rubicon in for warranty work or recall work 4 times now. Pentastar head issue.... No problem. New head installed. ABS and Traction Control lights on dashboard... No problem, wheel sensor replace no problem. Transmission cooler line recall and Mirror wiring issue. No Problem. My service department has never had any issues with my rig being 4x4'd hard.

On another note, here's a pic of my SRT Challenger Yellow Jacket. No warranty issues with this one what-so-ever but then I never take it off road...:)
 

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#45 ·
Ok this may upset a couple of you guys and I do apologize for that but you guys are kind of giving chrysler an unfair rap here. First you guys need to figure out the difference between a warranty and insurance ok, if you drive your Jeep into a mud hole and break shit that would be filed under insurance not warranty chrysler did nothing wrong you did.
 
#46 ·
I don't disagree with you. BUT...I can also understand the people that wish Chrysler would spend more development dollars toward making the Wrangler tougher and then stand behind that. Is the JK there? Nope, it's a great vehicle but it has its design limitations. Violate those and Chrysler isn't likely to help.
 
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