My Chrysler Recall experience:

[mbryson]

One of the most F**$## customer service experiences I've ever had.

'96 Jeep Grand Cherokee--Catalytic converter recall. I'd replaced before the recall was issued and they have a reimbursement program. Sounds reasonable. I provide proof or purchase and they give me HALF of what I paid because I didn't get it done at a Chrysler/Jeep dealership. Nevermind that I only paid HALF of what it cost at the Chrysler/Jeep dealership to have the work performed. So I get $92 back from Chrysler............ wow, I'm not sure what to spend that all of that on. It's not the $$ that make me pissed, it's the principle. There's no legal leg to stand on as in a Recall, Chrysler makes their own rules. As long as they abide by those, they're 'legal'. It's a customer service issue, now.

I've invested $200 of my money and about 8-10 hours of my personal time finding bank records and proving expenses to get F*$#ed at the end. Thanks mucho, Dr. Z


BEWARE of your dealings with Chrysler..........





{my axe is ground and that's all I have to say about this subject}

[jneary]

so if you went to the dealer, you would have gotten all of your money back? soundslie you should be mad at yourself not chrysler

[5-90]

Mayhap - but I'm also willing to bet that he got it fixed a lot quicker doing it himself (I know I usually would - there seems to be a semi-permananent backlog at most dealers around here, and recalls don't cover temporary replacement vehicles. Dealers may or may not provide "courtesy cars" - which are seldom useful replacements for trucks anyhow.)

Fortunately, all of mine are long past any recall service...

5-90

[mbryson]

so if you went to the dealer, you would have gotten all of your money back? soundslie you should be mad at yourself not chrysler



So let me get this straight. You'd get your recall service done at the dealership before there's even a recall? Can you get me a list of all the recalls that will happen the rest of the time I own this vehicle (when will I sell it, BTW? What will my wife be driving then?)? I'll make sure I get the $500 converter replacement at the dealership so I can get a refund from Chrysler (when I can get a local shop to do the work for $300 or I can weld the converter on and reconnect the two O2 sensors for $150).



Oh, and do you have any stock tips?

[xjtrailrider]

I got my E22 recall 2 weeks ago on my 96' XJ. So out of curosity I went by the dealer to see exactly what it involved.

This is what was told to me by the Service Manager;
(SM)"Do you like the way its running now"
(Me) "Yes"
(SM) "Is it getting good gas mileage?"
(Me) "Yes"
(SM) while looking around to see if anyone is listening "Don't let us touch it, just leave it alone!"

I took his advice and left the dealership!

[mbryson]

I got my E22 recall 2 weeks ago on my 96' XJ. So out of curosity I went by the dealer to see exactly what it involved.

This is what was told to me by the Service Manager;
(SM)"Do you like the way its running now"
(Me) "Yes"
(SM) "Is it getting good gas mileage?"
(Me) "Yes"
(SM) while looking around to see if anyone is listening "Don't let us touch it, just leave it alone!"

I took his advice and left the dealership!


conveniently our ZJ has avoided the 'flash' as well......... I just wanted reimbursement for the cat. converter that had to replace. Nothing more, nothing less...... I got 1/4 of the value of the replacement part from the Jeep dealer for my time.

[jneary]

obviously there is no way of knowing in advance if there is going to be a recall. but you will get what you pay for. we replace aftermarket junk all of the time after customers spend a ton of money at independents or do it themselves and get frusterated. i do take my personal vehicles to the dealer for factory repairs.

[jneary]

I got my E22 recall 2 weeks ago on my 96' XJ. So out of curosity I went by the dealer to see exactly what it involved.

This is what was told to me by the Service Manager;
(SM)"Do you like the way its running now"
(Me) "Yes"
(SM) "Is it getting good gas mileage?"
(Me) "Yes"
(SM) while looking around to see if anyone is listening "Don't let us touch it, just leave it alone!"

I took his advice and left the dealership!
if that represents the dealers in your area, try one that is more reputable

[mbryson]

obviously there is no way of knowing in advance if there is going to be a recall. but you will get what you pay for. we replace aftermarket junk all of the time after customers spend a ton of money at independents or do it themselves and get frusterated. i do take my personal vehicles to the dealer for factory repairs.


I don't. I find I know more than the techs in most cases esp. when it applies to my old XJ (kept the powertrain STOCK for just that reason---someone other than me could figure it out--however in two instances, I spent about $1,000 each time for misdiagnosis at the dealer........) or my wifes ZJ (basicly stock). I also don't have to pay extra for when a tech just starts throwing $100 and $200 sensors at a problem rather than figuring it out. I'm not impressed with the dealer techs and honestly can't afford to try them out until I find one that knows what they are doing. YMMV

[Kittrell]

So let me get this straight. You'd get your recall service done at the dealership before there's even a recall? Can you get me a list of all the recalls that will happen the rest of the time I own this vehicle (when will I sell it, BTW? What will my wife be driving then?)? I'll make sure I get the $500 converter replacement at the dealership so I can get a refund from Chrysler (when I can get a local shop to do the work for $300 or I can weld the converter on and reconnect the two O2 sensors for $150).



Oh, and do you have any stock tips?

Sorry to be the one to tell you, but you'll be divorced by then and not sure if the kids are really yours.

[mbryson]

Sorry to be the one to tell you, but you'll be divorced by then and not sure if the kids are really yours.



Uh........ We're at 15 years and seem to be getting along fine, but thanks for the positive vibes........ :D

[jneary]

you have the freedom to do what you want but when independent garages throw parts at it do you keep paying. i cant speak for all dealers but at least they do have the proper diagnostic tools ad not just generic scan tools. if you only ask around for a tech that has been working on the older jeeps, you might have better luck. it is hard to find techs anywhere, dealers and independent garages as well. ther just isnt many people getting in the business anymore. but if you find a dealer with long time employed techs you will have better results.

[ECKSJAY]

I've invested $200 of my money and about 8-10 hours of my personal time finding bank records and proving expenses to get F*$#ed at the end. Thanks mucho, Dr. Z

$108 is all you spent.

Where's your bank, 400mi away?

[jneary]

and the dealer keeps all of your records.

[mbryson]

you have the freedom to do what you want but when independent garages throw parts at it do you keep paying. i cant speak for all dealers but at least they do have the proper diagnostic tools ad not just generic scan tools. if you only ask around for a tech that has been working on the older jeeps, you might have better luck. it is hard to find techs anywhere, dealers and independent garages as well. ther just isnt many people getting in the business anymore. but if you find a dealer with long time employed techs you will have better results.


The people throwing the parts at the problem WERE/are? dealer techs. I expected quality service with uber-bitchin' scan tools so they could perform an accurate diagnosis. They just kept throwing sensors at it......... Guess who paid. Thanks for helping find a tech because I obviously know nothing compared to you who work at a dealership. They give you a shirt and it shoots all the factory service manuals right into your spine or what?

When I work on my own junk, I do use DEALER only electrical parts/sensors so if I do misdiagnose, I know it's not a bad part out of the box (usually....I've had great luck with dealer parts and my parts guy knows me by name.).

[mbryson]

$108 is all you spent.

Where's your bank, 400mi away?


True, as mentioned in my original post, I didn't spend a lot of money. However, I was assured by Chrysler Recall if I sent in my documentation (I still had the shipping box for the Cat in the garage) I'd be reimbursed in full. My bank is conveniently located (usually right in front of me......we've got this thing called the interweb here in Utah......) but I had replaced the part about a year ago. I can only access bank records to the last 6 months. It took me about 90 minutes to produce bank records.

Most of my time was spent getting phone screwed by Daimler recall and navigating their phone menu---(takes about 5-7 minutes to get in que to talk to whomever you need too).......


The original post was intended as a caution/warning. Take it however you want. Call me a whiny bitch or whatever. I feel I got f***ed and thought I'd share it with the class in hopes that it would help someone else.

[ECKSJAY]

The original post was intended as a caution/warning. Take it however you want. Call me a whiny bitch or whatever. I feel I got f***ed and thought I'd share it with the class in hopes that it would help someone else.

You didn't get screwed, you're just being nit-picky on something you NEVER should have been reimbursed for in the first place. I really wish they would have told you to go fornicate yourself. :)

[WB9YZU]

The original post was intended as a caution/warning. Take it however you want. Call me a whiny bitch or whatever. I feel I got f***ed and thought I'd share it with the class in hopes that it would help someone else.

Let's sum this up quickly:

You have a 96' and the emissions warranty was what, 7years in 96'?
So now it's 2006, a good 10years later ( and out of warranty) and DCX send out notices extending your original emission warranty. They indicate they would be happy to replace your Cat, but, hey, you already replaced it after the original warranty period, but before the recall.

You are angry because DCX is not paying you what You think they should be paying you for a replacement Cat after the warranty period.

Get real. You would have had to shell out for a Cat anyway and you wouldn't be getting shit from them if it wasn't for this lawsuit, which BTW, you likely did not help pay for.

So shut up, sit down and stop bad mouthing a person and a company you couldn't care less about anyway, you "whiny bitch".

[in2fords]

I understand your frustration man, they make you run in circles and then say "never mind here is all your getting". on the other hand you did get reimbursed for a part they could have simply said "to bad heres $0 and thats all your getting" it all works out in the wash. Im stuck with a f250 7.3 with its third blown stock tranny, sure I should have gone for the full out BTS E4OD. I never asked more then they said it could do, and why am I stuck in this dillema? because FORD never got the hint after the first several years of this tranny not being strong enough to ditch this stupid little tempermental thing for a allison!
great now you got me whinning, thanks alot!:)
Jeremy

[acrid]

all b.s. aside, we should all realize he's arguing the principle of the matter, nothing more, nothing less... chrysler will only reimburse if they made the profit on the replacement parts... that is crap, regardless of who replaces the part, it's a recall. has nothing to do with who replaced the recalled part, or in this case should have nothing to do with it.

unfortunately, chrylser feels that if you didn't come to them, they don't owe you the full replacement value.

!!!1

[WVXJ]

Hey, just got the call on my 96' cat reimbursement. They said they were going to give me 256.00. I didn't have it replaced at the dealership. I think i paid 182.00 in parts, and a little more in labor, but the girl on the phone said they would give me 256.00. I don't know why i got a different number, and maybe the actual check will be even less, but thats the number she gave on the phone. I'll let ya know what the actual check is.

[87xjco]

I have to say i'd be happy if the same thing happened to me.

11 year old vehicle and the manufacturer gives me money back for parts I had bought aftermarket.

I'd be posting up how cool I thought Chrysler was.

I wonder if I can $50 out of Chrysler for the converter I replaced for my 87 XJ.

If not i'm gonna raise some hell.

[jneary]

it really is a case of bad timing. however my point is , if this was dealer installed you would have been reimbursed totally. thats the benefits of the dealer.

[WVXJ]

check came today for 256.00. I don't know why they reimbursed me totally and not you, i didn't have it done at the dealer either. I sent in receipts from my local mechanic and everything......

[bjoehandley]

Just out of curiosity, how many miles did your trucks have on them when hte cat's were replaced? If I remember correctly doesn't the goverment require an 80k mile no cost to vehicle owner warranty on all emissions equipement and parts that are damaged because of failure and/or damage during replacement.

[falcon556]

check came today for 256.00. I don't know why they reimbursed me totally and not you, i didn't have it done at the dealer either. I sent in receipts from my local mechanic and everything......

I doubt I can get $256. I bought a new cat for about $45 and installed it myself. I don't have any receipts.

The cat I installed is a cheap universal cat. I wonder if the dealer would be willing to install a factory part at this point.