Jeep decisions

[Septu]

So am still having issues with the JK overheating under load, and have more or less resigned myself to the fact I have zero faith in the dealer to fix it. I'm now trying to decide how I want to proceed. Do I sell it, and go buy another 2012/13/14? Buy a 07 and put a new engine in it? Buy a TJ/LJ or a Brute? Or Get an XJ? Do I want a diesel, or a v8? Even with a trailer (either my m101 or a teardrop), I'm not sure I could handle not having a 4 door (even though it's just me). However the only way I'd go back to a 07-11 is with a different engine.

The JK will be paid off once I sell my place (next couple months), and I'd like to not have to go back to having vehicle payments. That then means I have to deal with selling it, trading it in on something, or spending the money to have the issue fixed so that I can keep it. I don't think I would do an engine swap in the 2012. Not that I'd have the funds anyway, and money wise I'd be better off selling/trading it in on an 07 to finance the new engine.

I think the biggest issue is I do not know what I want. I mean ideally mine wouldn't be having issues, and I'd keep it. But it is... so I don't know. If I sell it, I figure I can get between 33-36k. If I trade it in, I likely won't get more than 32k (US folks, keep in mind it's Canada and prices are higher up here). A diesel would be nice, but not a requirement. I love being able to take the doors and top off, which limits me to a Wrangler. But if it had a sunroof, I think I could probably manage with a Brute or a XJ.

Anyway I'm just venting bc I'm frustrated that Dodge can't seem to fix the issue, and it pisses me off everytime I go up a hill. Especially as I'm getting ready to do another 5k road trip next week.

 

[reece146]

I forget where exactly you are... is there another dealer a reasonable distance away (day's drive) that you could manage to limp the Jeep towards? I'd really try to fix what you have... it shouldn't be doing that.

At this point maybe it makes sense to take it to an indy shop and submit the bill to ChryCo after the fact (or threaten your dealer with that, send duplicate to ChryCo corporate).

2012 should should not be doing what it is... make ChryCo step up. Start with your dealer service manager. If no joy then ask for whomever he answers... Make sure they know you are or will be talking to Corporate at the same time. Call them, get a case ID in place... work their system against them.

2¢

 

[The Swiss]

Don't know how many kilometers you have on your JKUR and if you have any mods that could void your warranty but Chrysler really should take care of this. I have zero overheating issues with mine here in GA, even pulling trailers in the hills in summer heat and Georgia humidity. What warranty does Chrysler give in Canada? How does the Canadian lemon law looks like? Run it up the ranks at Chrysler, nicely, politely but persistently, don't let them come off easy.

 

[Septu]

As I'm going through coolant, the dealer admits there's an issue. They (and Chrysler) just do not know what to do. Before they saw that I'm going through coolant, they were ready to blame the tires (33x13.5x17 ~80 lbs each). My local dealer has actually been pretty good. I just don't have any faith they'll fix it. But the next closest dealer is over 900 miles away, so going elsewhere isn't really an option. I could potentially see another dealer when I'm down south next week, but honestly, I'm sick and tired of screwing with vacations to have the jeep in the shop. That and I'm on a pretty tight schedule.

I did email Chrysler a couple months ago, and they just said that I need to deal with this through my dealer. Canada unfortunately doesn't really have a lemon law like the US does.

JK has ~33,000 KMs (~20,500 miles). Mods are front and rear bumpers, winch, tires. No lift, no engine mods.

Our service network at Chrysler requires that all contacts be handled by
our authorized dealer body. Dealership service personnel are provided
factory training, equipment and information to assist in diagnosing and,
if required, remedying identified problems with Chrysler vehicles.

We have contacted the Service Manager at Metro Chrysler
Ltd. on your behalf and we would also like to let you know that the
dealership did contact our Technical System Support Group regarding your
vehicle issue and we assure you that there is no hesitancy on our part
to comply with warranty provisions in the case of an identified defect;
however, in the absence of a confirmed abnormality by an authorized
dealer, we cannot pursue any service under warranty.

We note that Recall Campaign N28 is outstanding on your vehicle. Please
contact your dealer to arrange completion of this service, at no charge
to you, please note I have advised the dealership to complete this
recall as the vehicle is at the dealership presently.

Not sure if they did the N28 work while the JK was there. I know it's tranny work, so I assume that it's the lines rubbing (recall).

 

[jscusmcvet]

Sorry to hear about your issues. I would continue to work with your dealer, however I think the suggestion to push corporate at the same time is the correct one. I saw their email response to you, which in my slightly jaded view was their way of dismissing your issue. I would follow that up with an email back stating their answer was unacceptable, request the next step wuth corporate and that all you are after is for the issue to be fixed. It is seriously important that they know and understand that. You just have to find a way to get past the so called "customer service" procedure. What that really is is the "how do spend as little as possible and not get sued" department.


In addition to that, I would follow up the email with a phone call and letters, describing the issue and the response you have gotten to this point. A call and a version of that letter should go to the owner of your dealership, and to the highest level of customer service you can identify at corporate. ID an individual to talk to and send it to, hand address the envelope, send it certified mail, send it overnight. This shows you are serious about getting a resolution and sometimes gets a letter past a secretary or keeps it from getting put in the customer service bin. Make sure to state that all you want is to get the issue resolved. You are not looking for anything else from them. You can sometimes find the names of company officers, high ups on business registration websites... that is government sites that identify who is really responsible for a business.

Lastly, if you do not get satisfaction, identify each and every member of the board of directors for jeep or Chrysler. This is another thing you can find with some serious keyboard time on the internet. It will take finding their name, then searching that individual and finding their place of work (usually high up in another corporation) and the address of that workplace. If you want a quicker response, cc your attorney general (or whatever legal business oversight mechanism is in place in Canada. That will make them angry, so consider where this addition carefully. Send as many of these as you can again certified, again overnight. Outline your issues, actions you have taken, responses you have gotten (include positives) and the result you are after. Include your contact information of all types.

They will likely respond through the customer service dept, but somewhere along the way, someone high up will say "Take care of this guy".

Sorry to say I have been through this (not with jeep but with another non vehicle company. We got no response from them until we took this final step and the situation was resoled in days. At some point they either decide to do the right thin of that it is easier to take care of you than to continue to deal with you.

Good luck.

John

 

[Septu]

Thanks.

Right now the dealer and me are in a holding pattern while monitoring my coolant usage. I believe this is the dealers way of validating whether there's an issue. Chrysler says there isn't one.

I bought brand new so I wouldn't have these issues, and would have a warranty to deal with what little things did come up. Will see what happens on my drive south next week. It's just frustrating.

 

[brianjwilson]

What amazes me is that you're even considering buying another!
I really enjoy my jeep but based on my experience so far, this was the first and last jeep/Chrysler/dodge for me. So many people keep buying jeeps and accepting the many problems and just say "well it's a jeep". Not acceptable for brand new vehicles, especially when they have become so expensive.

I just wish someone would compete with them and offer a solid axle, body in frame mid size truck/SUV with a manual transfer case, manual trans option, and actual quality components. With no competition they can (and do) charge ridiculous prices for poor quality and terrible customer service.

 

[yossarian19]

Take it to the dealer and bring one of their guys on a test drive, show them what's going on, and keep hammering the service desk or better yet the manager. Or sell it as is and get a clean xj and have it gone over. You could make an xj shine, mechanically and otherwise, for 5k.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[SamM]

Go Diesel!

 

[Septu]

What amazes me is that you're even considering buying another!
I really enjoy my jeep but based on my experience so far, this was the first and last jeep/Chrysler/dodge for me. So many people keep buying jeeps and accepting the many problems and just say "well it's a jeep". Not acceptable for brand new vehicles, especially when they have become so expensive.

I just wish someone would compete with them and offer a solid axle, body in frame mid size truck/SUV with a manual transfer case, manual trans option, and actual quality components. With no competition they can (and do) charge ridiculous prices for poor quality and terrible customer service.

If there were other options that were as capable with the amount of after market support/options that the wranglers have, I would probably consider them. And honestly, other than this one issue, my experience has been very good.

 

[reece146]

It sounds like the dealer has accepted that there is a problem with the engine... consumes coolant. So, that sounds like head gaskets or similar to me... if they try to say they just want to change the head gaskets insist on a new engine. Coolant in the oil and on your crank bearings leads to premature wear.

It's a year old - shouldn't be doing this... they should "man up". A new engine is the correct action in my mind.

If they start back pedalling go straight to documenting in written format and CC:ing your lawyer on all correspondence. It's amazing what the mere mention of a lawyer will do to facilitate corrective action.

As to the comments about the quality of Jeep/Dodge/Chryco products... yep, it's true. It is so disappointing but there are not many options in this market. In my own case I bought a cherry 2001 XJ in 2003 and spent a lot of time and money building the h3ll out of it. If I'd realized how crappy it was put together I wouldn't have spent the money. What's disappointing in particular is that conceptually it is such an awesome vehicle. It's the right size for the dense eastern trails, has a great little tractor engine, goes pretty much anywhere you care to point it, gets decent fuel economy for what it is... just wish it was built to a higher standard. I looked at the JKs when they came out... knowing what to look for after my XJ experience I took a pass. Supposedly the newer ones are better but I can't be compelled to buy ChryCo again.

If I was buying today my short list would be a G-wagen or a Land Cruiser 100 series... possibly an LR3/4.

I'm still in a love-hate relationship with my XJ so I'll stay in the holding pattern for now. I really doubt I'll ever go to a JK though but that's just me.

2¢

 

[Septu]

I had them do the last oil change a few weeks ago... no coolant in the oil. And oddly today while heading up a mountain, temp went up to 247f (past 3/4 mark), yet coolant level was still normal when I got to the bottom. They tore into the engine a couple weeks ago, and didn't find anything wrong with the engine.

 

[The Swiss]

It sounds like the dealer has accepted that there is a problem with the engine... consumes coolant. So, that sounds like head gaskets or similar to me...

Yup, using coolant and overheating normally is a leaky head gasket!

BTW regarding Jeep reliability. There are right now 5 Jeeps in my extended family, 3 of them 18 years old with high miles; the most dependable vehicles we had so far.

 

[GetOutThere]

I'm sorry to hear this man... but I put my vote in with anyone saying stick it out, get it fixed right, and get to enjoying the vehicle you paid for.

Give Chrysler hell until they fix it under warranty.

And I hear you on the no Canadian lemon law thing... we really don't have a leg to stand on when it comes to brand new vehicle issues, and it pisses me off to no end. This is despite having zero problems with my JK thus far.

 

[Septu]

Well my overheating temp issue got significantly worse on the trip to Calgary. However it's still only intermittent (but when it's bad, it won't cool below 230 (or higher)). Phoned my dealer and spoke to the mechanic... blamed the tires and the fact I'm pulling a trailer... but completely ignored the fact I pulled the same trailer last summer one this highway (without this issue) and the fact that the issue is intermittent. Anyway, Jeep goes into the shop in Edmonton on Monday, and I'm not leaving here with that JK unless it's fixed. If they can't fix it, I'll take the loss, and leave with something else. So will see what happens next week. Good news I have a free place to stay while it's being sorted out.