Jump to content

Need some info on who to contact regarding warranty issues...


Recommended Posts

Do you have an unresolved problem or just general questions?

Well. Not really an unresolved problem, just a little mad that I had a leaking power transfer unit a couple of times late last year and they (the dealer) brushed it off as normal. Then Dec 31, 2013 came around and my warranty expired and last week the power transfer unit died and I have to pay out of pocket to replace it. I would have expected they knew about the problems with this part and should have done something earlier given the amount of problems with it. I've been a member of this forum for quite a while (even though I don't post much, I read quite a lot of the topics), I knew at the time when the unit started leaking, it was on it's way out. I even notified the dealer to pay special attention to inspect the unit.

I'm mad because the cost to replace the unit is probably the most expensive repair I've had to pay for ANY vehicle I've ever owned. In fact, if I added up all the unexpected repairs of all my previous owned vehicles combined, it still wouldn't even match the cost for this single repair.

I guess at the time I created this topic I was still in a fit of rage and all I wanted was a number/email to contact Dodge/Chrysler and vent my anger at some poor customer service agent. I've calmed down now, but I need assurances that the new power transfer unit is not going to end up like the last one in a year's time when the warranty is up. I really don't want to get rid of this vehicle because it is actually quite nice when it's operating normally. It's got all the features that I need that other comparable vehicles don't have. I just can't get over the fact that Dodge put some seriously shoddy components on it hoping that customers won't get angry when they have to continually bring their vehicle in for repairs. That's not good for business, but what's done is done... what are they doing for damage control?

Edited by ckl
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you had the repair done yet? If so, have you picked up your vehicle yet and paid the bill?

Regardless of the answer(s) to any of my questions, you may be entitled to some warranty assistance if the basic warranty or powertrain warranty has expired on your Journey. If, in fact, you do have documented PTU leak concerns that were not addressed and now you are facing PTU replacement, I would contact the number that I provided for you above and inquire about getting some assistance for this repair. You have absolutely nothing to lose and may only be faced with a co-pay which may be significantly less than the quoted repair amount. There are several factors - year and mileage of your Journey, are you original owner, maintenance history and records, etc - that come into play when determining goodwill assistance. Give it a shot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you had the repair done yet? If so, have you picked up your vehicle yet and paid the bill?

Regardless of the answer(s) to any of my questions, you may be entitled to some warranty assistance if the basic warranty or powertrain warranty has expired on your Journey. If, in fact, you do have documented PTU leak concerns that were not addressed and now you are facing PTU replacement, I would contact the number that I provided for you above and inquire about getting some assistance for this repair. You have absolutely nothing to lose and may only be faced with a co-pay which may be significantly less than the quoted repair amount. There are several factors - year and mileage of your Journey, are you original owner, maintenance history and records, etc - that come into play when determining goodwill assistance. Give it a shot.

The repair is done and is ready for pick up which my wife will do this afternoon. I will try and call the number you provided (thanks, BTW), and see where it goes. And the factors you mentioned are 2009 DJ with 65000kms (40000miles), original owner, maintenance history is with the same dealer so they should be able to look that up. Basically, what they will find with history is a TSB fix on the sunroof, the infamous brake problem x 2, suspension squeaking, dash rattle, the PTU leak x 2, and power stearing belt squeal. I had to pay half for the brakes the second time even with all the issues other people have with them and even though there is a class action lawsuit in progress regarding them. I think that was considered a goodwill gesture.

As you can see, the vehicle is 5 years old with 40000 miles. Normally, people don't expect the drivetrain to fail that early. We don't take the vehicle off road and with the exception of a 300 mile road trip back in 2010, all we use the vehicle for are short trips like dropping off/picking up the kids from school, grocery shopping, and visiting friends/family... probably max 70 miles round trip.

EDIT: just called. That number is the US number. The Canadian number is 1-800-465-2001. Spoke with CSR, currently on hold.

Edited by ckl
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just an update today. Yesterday, I was on hold for about a half hour while the CSR was trying to get a hold of the service manager but wasn't able to. I ended up not picking up the vehicle due to this unresolved issue. This morning, she called back to tell me that the issue is being referred to the regional manager in the area and should be getting a call back this afternoon. Not sure if that is a good thing or not but the fact that it has esculated to that level has me worried. Nevertheless, the CSR was very helpful and I applaud her for her efforts.

Edited by ckl
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's Monday today and I still haven't gotten a call back from anybody. I wonder what's taking so long? I'm hesitant to call them back... but I need the vehicle back, so I may have to.

Edited by ckl
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay. Good news! I got a call back and they were able to provide some assistance, so the final cost is significantly lower than what the dealer wanted to charge me. My faith in Dodge is partially restored. The unknown variable I must face now is how long the new PTU unit will last... I fear that at the first sign of leaking, I may have to get rid of this car.

Maybe if I understood what caused the PTU unit to leak and inevitably fail would give me some idea on how to prevent it? Any ideas?

I would like to especially thank Journeyman425 for the assistance... my hat's off to you.

Edited by ckl
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are most welcome. The good folks at Chrysler want to keep their customers happy, and standing behind their product is the number one way to do it. In the big picture, some out-of-warranty assistance to a customer for an unusual failure is a relatively small investment to make in the hopes that the customer will become a repeat buyer. Think about it. How many millions of dollars do companies spend on Super Bowl Sunday just to attract buyers to their products? How much did Chrysler spend to satisfy you? A whole lot less, but it just may very well get you back to their showroom if you have faith that they stand behind you.

I don't advocate people picking up the phone and complaining to the company about every nickel and dime they have to spend on off-warranty repairs. The vehicle has a stated warranty which we all agreed to when we purchased the vehicle. But some items are expected to last for a significant period of time or mileage, especially with proper maintenance. We have to show Chrysler that we did our part. If you have done so - and in this case you did - and you have a major repair just outside of warranty, then the company should step up and help. Glad to see that they helped you out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

By the way, I have only seen one PTU leak at my shop. Honestly, I don't remember the exact cause, I just recall that we replaced the unit itself. I think there was a seal leaking which was pressed into the housing and the factory allowed a replacement PTU rather than a repair. The vehicle was an early build 2009 R/T. We don't sell a whole lot of Journeys at my shop but all except that one was free of this issue. Most of our sales have been AWD.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was doing some research on AWD systems and why they fail and found that most problems occur when tires of different tread depths are used. Mainly the problem lies when a vehicle gets an unrepairable flat tire and has to be replaced. The general consensus is that it is not a good idea just to replace the damaged tire if the rest of the tires have worn noticeably. The argument is whether to replace all 4 or just the 2 on the affected axle. So I just checked mine and found that the front pair of tires have less tread than the rear... I would say 60% on front and 90% on rear. I plan to replace the front tires this weekend just to be on the safe side.

Edited by ckl
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why not rotate them for now?

My understanding of AWD is that all four tires should be the same brand and similar tread depth. Unless the AWD in the dodge journey operates differently than a traditional AWD, I think it would be safest to spend a little on 2 new tires than a new PTO unit... if the differing tread depths is what caused the failure.

correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the AWD in the journey was full time until it reached a certain speed at which point it would disengage and become FWD? I've heard other people say that the journey is FWD most of the time until it detects slip, then engages the rear wheels to become AWD. Which is correct?

EDIT: I found a post on this forum that seems to indicate it is the on-demand type of AWD.

Edited by ckl
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...