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Daimler/Chrysler Warranty

ecrogers

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Anyone have any experience with a chrysler extended warranty. I purchased one with my '00 cherokee a few weeks ago. I just got off the phone with Chrysler and the dealership to see how a lift or bigger tires would affect my warranty and I already feel like I am getting the run-around. Has anyone had a good or bad experience with a major claim?
 
Read the fine print. In theory, any part that is not directly affected by owner modifcations "should" still be covered by warranty. However, in practice this often depends on the dealership's attitude toward customer satisfaction, and the owner's degree of perseverence.
 
And if necessary you can bring SEMA in on it... provided that products you add have the sema sticker on it..
 
What type of major claim ?

I had a 5/70K mile factory extended warranty on my '91 when it was NEW... a few years later I bought a Rancho 2.5" lift from a dealer ... had them install it and my warranty was still valid. But at the time, it was my understanding the Rancho brand lift was the only lift recognized by Chrysler Corp---select dealers sold and installed those lifts on new and used vehicles.

Since Monroe Corporation owned Rancho, I'm assuming Chrysler had a corporate-wide policy to continue honoring the factory components while still under warrantee... I'm sure only if the lift was dealer installed. I guarantee you'll never see a Rancho lift over 2.5" either.

But if you bought a used vehicle, with a used car warranty, I can see where they would balk at honoring a warrantee if you or someone else altered the vehicle beyond the factory recognized tolerances and months later made a claim for some driveline problems.

Ask your dealer what lifts are recognized by Chrysler Corp... I still see dealers around here selling new Jeeps with lifts.

Good luck with it.
 
I don't have any claim yet, I am considering doing a lift, but I don't want to throw away the $1,300 I just spent on a 3 yr/45K warranty that will take me to 100K.
 
John Elway Jeep in Littleton, CO has a sign offering 2.5" dealer-installed lifts (either Skyjacker or Rancho, I don't recall which) - along with the warning that the warranty will be voided by anything taller...I talked to the parts guy about it and they seem pretty adamant about that statement. If you have any inkling of a plan to lift that Jeep before the extended warranty runs out you might want to get a prorated refund right now...
 
ecrogers said:
I don't have any claim yet, I am considering doing a lift, but I don't want to throw away the $1,300 I just spent on a 3 yr/45K warranty that will take me to 100K.

I'm assuming that's a dealer warranty you bought. If so, that's probably why you're having problems with them.
 
Recently a friend of mine purchased a Rubicon. Before he completed the paperwork he stated that he wanted a lift installed by the dealership and wanted it completely covered under warranty. He also stated that he wanted it in writing. So, in conclusion you have to negociate this prior to mods. Even after all this cya (cover your a**) he still is running into problems with warranty concerns. Although, they have honored all warranty repairs, he still has to deal with the run-around from the dealership manager, and supervisors.
 
abonnett said:
Recently a friend of mine purchased a Rubicon. Before he completed the paperwork he stated that he wanted a lift installed by the dealership and wanted it completely covered under warranty. He also stated that he wanted it in writing. So, in conclusion you have to negociate this prior to mods. Even after all this cya (cover your a**) he still is running into problems with warranty concerns. Although, they have honored all warranty repairs, he still has to deal with the run-around from the dealership manager, and supervisors.
IIRC there was a discussion a while back about mods and so on and the bottom line is that there is a federal law that protects you on components you dind't mess with as long as your mods didn't cause the damage (burden of proof is supposed to lay on the dealership/warranty people). Any case it's something along the lines of :
1. if you install AAL and your leaf pack fails it is not covered
2. if yo uinstall AAL and your tcase fails it's covered as long as the failure wasn't caused by the AAL
 
The law is the Magnusson-Moss Act, and although the burden of proof is supposed to be on the dealer, they take full advantage of every loophole and trial lawyer they can buy...to take Kejtar's second argument one step further and put it back in the dealer's hands, their argument could easily be that the AAL caused vibrations and pinion or t-case output damage because the u-joints weren't operating at the proper angles. Now the burden is back on you...
 
In addition to the legalities and loopholes, I'm certain DC is sensitive to providing warranty service on a vehicle that's been lifted ... and the implications and potential for liability as a result.

I've never had a problem with DC providing factory warranty service on my XJ. In fact, the steering shaft isolator went south right after the Rancho lift and 31's were installed. The dealer fixed it under warranty.

Now, DC (or dealer) could have argued that the bigger tires caused the steering shaft to go south ... if that had happened, then we would've engaged in a pssing contest. But since steering shaft isolators are items that often fail... essentially there's no argument or reason to believe big tires caused the defect.

If you want to lift your XJ ... lift it ... but also be ready to assume some risk for failed parts as a result---especially when you near the 100K mark. If you plan on going up over 2" - 2.5", I think you better forget about making any warranty claims on the T-Case or other associated driveline parts.

Again, I question if you have an actual DC warranty ... or just some used car warranty that's offered through a 3rd party---in any case you should find out what you have.
 
ecrogers said:
It's definitely a DC warranty, I contacted DC to confirm that the dealer had actually sent the check and everything.

I have a DC extended warranty on my XJ from a prevoius owner. I have not had any problems getting mine fixed under warranty (I have an in at the dealer though).

I had an aftermarket on my prevoius cherokee and had some issues with them where I had to get the GM to overwrite the warranty inspector to get it fixed (again I worked there, but still said I would take my car elsewhere if it wasnt covered)

If you get a dealer that's "modification friendly" and really do care about customer service you should be ok so long as you don't beat the daylights out of it.

-Marisha
 
ecrogers said:
It's definitely a DC warranty, I contacted DC to confirm that the dealer had actually sent the check and everything.

Then I would go ahead and lift it... but not more than 2.5" overall----that should be enough for 31's, definitely 30's depending on the model year.

Taking into consideration the Jeep Upcountry option is approximately 1" lift over stock .... that only puts your driveline up about .5" over the factory lift if you use 1" spacers to drop the transfer case. If you do that it should be close to the factory angles.

Approaching your dealer with the Upcountry argument should loosen them up a bit.

Good luck with it.
 
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