corrosion warranty experience / suggestion

[woodthecrab]

Hi all. First post. But thank you for all the great insights on this forum.

Just got back from David Dodge in Glenn Mills, PA where I asked them to look over my 2021 Sting Grey Gladiator. There are two layers to this story.

My wife has a 2021 Wrangler Unlimited. About 6 months ago I noticed some bubbling along the edge of her hood where it meets the quarter panel. It wasn't much but I know there is only one way these things go. Brought it in to the dealership and it turns out she needed a new hood and four new doors. This was covered entirely and repaired within a few months. She has an extended warranty so I feel ok about her vehicle for the present.

After this, I started looking at my vehicle very closely when I cleaned it, knowing that my 6 year corrosion warranty comes to an end next year. Sure enough, I found a small patch of corrosion at the top of my window frame on the driver side. Right on the corner. I made an appointment and brought it in today. The verdict came back that the corrosion was everywhere. I talked to the body shop guy they bring out for these things, and he showed me where it was beginning on the doors, the hood, and even the bottom of the bed door - a spot I would never have looked in a 1000 years. I have a good eye for these things typically, but I couldn't believe all of the stuff he found that I never saw.

The good news is that all of it will be replaced. The dealership has been good to deal with. We bought my wife's truck there, but not mine. We do NOT do most of our service at the dealer, but my wife has done some there, and that seemed to matter to them.

My point, if your truck is still within the 6 year corrosion warranty, you may want to pop into a body shop and have it looked over by someone who is familiar with these issues. There may be stuff there that you are not even aware of. My guess is that a lot of people have this issue, but simply haven't observed it yet. They will be out of warranty by the time it fully emerges.

I've given serious thought to moving on from this truck to a newer model, even though I really like it and finally have it set up the way I want. I own it and don't want to get into another payment if I can avoid it. Hopefully, the shear volume of work here gives me a reset.

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[Thunderspud]

My point, if your truck is still within the 6 year corrosion warranty....

Did I miss this warranty being extended from 5 years/unlimited miles?

 

[woodthecrab]

The service manager specifically said 6 years to me, but she did not produce any documentation. All I can say is that this is far from the first of these claims she has dealt with. They have a body shop make a scheduled visit every month. But don't take it as gospel.

 

[Thunderspud]

I wish our area dealers were half as accommodating. Sounds like you found a decent one. Here's to hoping you get it resolved.

 

[Hootbro]

There is no 6 year corrosion warranty. Not the first time or last some dealership does not know their own warranty data.

 

[kcZ]

My wife's Wrangler MY21 just got a bunch of corrosion fixed last week. My MY21 Gladiator got in next week. They are painting the hinges which were chipped up... surprised they did not say that is from the tires. They are also fixing some rock dings for a bit of cost on my end. I would have left it all, but my wife stays on top of all that warranty business plus she's getting repairs on her 4xe like it's going out of style anyway.

 

[Great Offender]

Dealer farms the work out to a body shop that is currently backed up over 6 months but needs to know the exact warranty start date. I called the dealer headquarters, Lithia, and was told "no such warranty existed". I would have called the local dealer for information but NO ONE answers the phones. Only a 15 minute drive to the dealer but I would never purchase a vehicle from a Lithia dealer ever again!

 

[woodthecrab]

I guess I'm really fortunate with David dodge. My wife got 4 new doors and a new hood. I'm getting new doors, window frame if it runs deeper than what is visible, new bed door, and hood if needed.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

I guess I'm really fortunate with David dodge. My wife got 4 new doors and a new hood. I'm getting new doors, window frame if it runs deeper than what is visible, new bed door, and hood if needed.

That's what they all do. They replace the body parts. Not worth messing with old stuff.

 

[kcZ]

That's what they all do. They replace the body parts. Not worth messing with old stuff.

I don't believe my wife's Wrangler got any new panels. There was corrosion on the hood (they had to remove the graphic), the tailgate, and hinges. I have corrosion on the hinges and doors on my Gladiator. I cannot say that I notice anything on the doors but those hinges, yes. When they said that mine is covered under the warranty they also offered to fix the dent for $250. I told them I have some scrapes on the top of the bed rails (from a cap) that I would like to also have done. They said that they should be able to get it all done for under $500 on my end. I'm fine with this and it goes in next week. The body shop is part of my dealership so that probably helps this all.

 

[Thunderspud]

That's what they all do. They replace the body parts. Not worth messing with old stuff.

This may very well be what the remedy is for folks who have dealers who choose to honor the warranty, even if its out of the specified time frame.

But this is absolutely not what any of the half a dozen dealer service depts within 50 miles of my house do. I have visited them all for various reasons over the years, and you are lucky if the service advisor even remotely acts like you aren't wasting his time.

 

[JoeJeep74]

I had a very positive experience having all 4 doors, hood and tailgate replaced at 4 1/2 years old. The corrosion time frame is 5 years, unlimited mileage. All free to me and they provided a loaner for the week and a half it took them to complete the work. Truck was cleaner than when I dropped it off.
Now , beware, I had another dealer body shop tell me it would cost me $2000.00 to have paint job blended because “Jeep doesn’t pay for that”. BS said body shop that did the job, Jeep doesn’t pay indeed pay to blend. My truck looks like it did brand new, perfect paint job.

 

[JoeJeep74]

I had a very positive experience having all 4 doors, hood and tailgate replaced at 4 1/2 years old. The corrosion time frame is 5 years, unlimited mileage. All free to me and they provided a loaner for the week and a half it took them to complete the work. Truck was cleaner than when I dropped it off.
Now , beware, I had another dealer body shop tell me it would cost me $2000.00 to have paint job blended because “Jeep doesn’t pay for that”. BS said body shop that did the job, Jeep doesn’t pay indeed pay to blend. My truck looks like it did brand new, perfect paint job.

 

[JoeJeep74]

Oops, fat fingers, should read “Jeep DOES pay for blending the paint job.

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