New Gladiator - bent sway bar & axle! Help please

[Zepyhr]

Hi, I’m hoping someone could provide some feedback for issues I’ve had with my new 23 Gladiator - purchased with 25 mi on the odometer (end of October 2023).

I noticed a clunk on solo test drive then let the salesperson know - we couldn’t reproduce it. I purchased the Jeep and started noticing the clunk more. Two weeks later at 555 mi I took it in and they determined the sway bar was bent.

I’ve had continued drivability issues and was in December to test drive another which had a death wobble at 30 mph.

I told the salesperson and service department several times it did not seem to drive like the JL loaner (w / 60kmi) and the JT loaner (w/ 25kmi).

Fast forward I had them align it at 2nd oil service (6k mi), and we discovered the axle is bent!

I took a look last night and the steering gear appears to be leaking.

This was obviously damaged prior to delivery, and I have not had it off-road yet!

The new car sales manager told me they won’t buy it back and I could trade it in minus the cost to repair the damage.

Should I contact Chrysler or let service do there due diligence? How bad does this look?
I’ve attached the alignment - camber is 1.4 degrees to the left cumulatively - pull hard to left know that they removed the left from tire toe-in.

Any help is appreciated!

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[Lunentucker]

I would hope they'd replace the entire axle assembly as a complete unit and the steering box. Sounds like the damn thing got dropped or something.

 

[bleda2002]

Yeah, i'd be contacting stellantis as well, this seems like it got dropped somewhere along the way and bent the C's (or the C's were welded wrong). You've been complaining about the same issue since the start so it should be noted in the records that this isnt new.

 

[flipmode]

I would get a case started with Chrysler ASAP, that process takes a long time in my own experience. They may be able to help motivate your local service shop along.

Also would try to get them to warranty the repair/replacement of the axle and all the related parts that are damaged. Be aware this is going to be a long haul to get this all resolved.

 

[calipoontappa]

@JeepCares please help this member

 

[PuddleJumper]

Hi, I’m hoping someone could provide some feedback for issues I’ve had with my new 23 Gladiator - purchased with 25 mi on the odometer (end of October 2023).

I noticed a clunk on solo test drive then let the salesperson know - we couldn’t reproduce it. I purchased the Jeep and started noticing the clunk more. Two weeks later at 555 mi I took it in and they determined the sway bar was bent.

I’ve had continued drivability issues and was in December to test drive another which had a death wobble at 30 mph.

I told the salesperson and service department several times it did not seem to drive like the JL loaner (w / 60kmi) and the JT loaner (w/ 25kmi).

Fast forward I had them align it at 2nd oil service (6k mi), and we discovered the axle is bent!

I took a look last night and the steering gear appears to be leaking.

This was obviously damaged prior to delivery, and I have not had it off-road yet!

The new car sales manager told me they won’t buy it back and I could trade it in minus the cost to repair the damage.

Should I contact Chrysler or let service do there due diligence? How bad does this look?
I’ve attached the alignment - camber is 1.4 degrees to the left cumulatively - pull hard to left know that they removed the left from tire toe-in.

Any help is appreciated!

they should replace all that under warranty. If your done with it, I'm pretty sure there's laws in place that make them buy it back. I'd do research on your specific state laws. I bet it wasn't manufactured straight, or they dropped hard somewhere. Def take it up with FCA first.

 

[Hootbro]

Sounds like you got a shit dealer. Unless you had it documented before taking delivery your concerns, your verbal conversation with the salesman at the test drive is not going to have much weight.

I would also be worried about frame damage with what you said about the steering box.

Hopefully JeepCares can actually be of use here and get the right people involved to resolve it.

 

[Lmtz1633]

Contact Stellantis Jeep Cares program and open up a Claim. They helped me out recently.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

Dropping it is a thing that happens. Too bad you have to deal with this.

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