RUST WARRANTY CLAIM - Help with dealership needed ASAP!

[doc-ketamine]

BECAUSE THATS THE DEALERS JOB!

The dealer's job is making money. Some of them sacrifice customer experience and customer loyalty in favor of making money. It's one of the many faults with the dealer/service model.

But JeepCares can indeed help given enough time.

Sponsored

 

[Lunentucker]

I believe the Mojave has a steel hood and the others are aluminum.

 

[LiftedrubiconJT]

I feel your pain. All the dealerships in the northern va area seem like crap. There all over booked and under staff. Good luck. I’m having a rocker arm issue and have been to several local dealerships and been turned away because either no check engine light or because I changed my own oil. I would steer clear of Dulles dodge in leesburg. they are rude and very disrespectful.

 

[545moose]

I feel your pain. All the dealerships in the northern va area seem like crap. There all over booked and under staff. Good luck. I’m having a rocker arm issue and have been to several local dealerships and been turned away because either no check engine light or because I changed my own oil. I would steer clear of Dulles dodge in leesburg. they are rude and very disrespectful.

Sorry to hear that man, I'll keep you posted what I hear. I just got a call from the dealership Sales GM and the normal GM is supposed to be giving me a call later after some meetings. If he can make it right and will replace the hood I'll be happy, but yeah Dulles Motorcars in Leesburg is bad, their sales guys are bad and I just didn't appreciate their attitudes when test driving things prior to this truck. Nobody wants to work anymore and it's very apparent there. If you do some of your own wrenching and such let me know, I could use some experience when I get to a lift kit! Good luck

 

[545moose]

So the GM called me back and spoke from both sides of his mouth. One on hand he says "we're just a distributor and franchise, so we don't pay for the actual warranty, Chrysler does, so we don't decide what to cover or not" yet then on the other hand says that he is absolutely not a franchise in the sense that he cannot decide what to pay for or not and how to fix it, and Chrysler does that; this is specifically AFTER I've spoken with Chrysler and multiple other owners that have had similar experiences. @JeepCares let's get this straight, this is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[ifishihuntiplay]

So the GM called me back and spoke from both sides of his mouth. One on hand he says "we're just a distributor and franchise, so we don't pay for the actual warranty, Chrysler does, so we don't decide what to cover or not" yet then on the other hand says that he is absolutely not a franchise in the sense that he cannot decide what to pay for or not and how to fix it, and Chrysler does that; this is specifically AFTER I've spoken with Chrysler and multiple other owners that have had similar experiences. @JeepCares let's get this straight, this is absolutely ridiculous.

Had the same issue on the edges of the hood of my JTR. The aluminum is treated with anti-corrosion at the factory prior to painting. There have been other threads about this problem, so clearly there are some quality control issues with the treatment process, typically along panel edges.

I kinda freaked out when I first saw the paint bubbling. I expected Jeep to replace the hood as well, but they explained the issue, the solution (sanding, treating, repainting), and noted if the problem resurfaced, they would replace the hood.

I would suggest finding out if your dealer has an in-house body shop or if they outsource and then research customer reviews. If the reviews aren't great, I would try a different dealership until you find one you're satisfied with.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

After taking it in for a warranty claim and following their instructions, long and short of it is that I'm told they'll repaint it, and not replace the hood; which is insane to me since we all know rust is cancer and doesn't go away, and not to mention it's not 2 years old and still in warranty clearly.

Wrong about not going away. I've been into classic cars for years, I have done repairs and restorations on things that have rusted (steel/iron) and aluminum - which is what your hood and doors are.
The dealer isn't screwing you.
Jeeps TSB lays out very specific ways to make the repairs and only perforations are replaced.
If properly prepped and treated, rust won't return. I have proof in the hundreds of restorations I've done on component parts, as well as the several cars I've restored, some to show condition.
There's a 1970 Javelin in Texas now that I used to own and it had some minor rust on the quarter panels and the windshield pinch weld areas. That was repaired in about 2007. I sold the car in 2019 and there was zero rust on that car, the repaired areas were still clean.

I have the TSB if you want to read it and see how JEEP instructs dealers to make repairs.
Everyone jumps on the dealers - in this case, the dealer is not only correct, but they are following orders. IF they don't do what JEep says, they do not get paid!! (unless you are willing to pay for the new panels you do not need)

 

[545moose]

I found the TSB and have read it as well, and feel that’s valid on flat or easier to work surfaces, but on a folded/rolled edge, how exactly does that get sanded? And the TSB also says repair and repaint if possible, and if not feasible, then replace.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

So the GM called me back and spoke from both sides of his mouth. One on hand he says "we're just a distributor and franchise, so we don't pay for the actual warranty, Chrysler does, so we don't decide what to cover or not" yet then on the other hand says that he is absolutely not a franchise in the sense that he cannot decide what to pay for or not and how to fix it, and Chrysler does that; this is specifically AFTER I've spoken with Chrysler and multiple other owners that have had similar experiences. @JeepCares let's get this straight, this is absolutely ridiculous.

I found the TSB and have read it as well, and feel that’s valid on flat or easier to work surfaces, but on a folded/rolled edge, how exactly does that get sanded? And the TSB also says repair and repaint if possible, and if not feasible, then replace.

Have you done any pro body work or restoration?
I've done hatches, hoods, trunk lids, and doors. I've done engine bays and undersides. You can sand anything. I've got a whole cabinet full of power sanders and boxes of sanding blocks for almost any shape.
Unless it's perforated, it can likely be fixed. That TSB means if there's holes or tears as meaning not feasible, not "if it's rolled or not flat, replace it".
How do you think those $100,000 cars on the B-J auction get done? New panels? Not for cars llike mine! They don't exist.

This is also not just Jeep........... and the dealer has no control........
This is a corporate warranty thing and I'd bet you see the exact same wording from GM or Ford.
JEEP warrants your vehicle, NOT the dealer. The dealer is in the middle making repairs. The dealer MUST FOLLOW THE RULES as Jeep lays out or they do not get paid. Period.
Again, it's not just Jeep, it's how things are done.
People are so ready to jump down a dealer's throat - in this case for no reason.

You don't need new panels - unless there is perforation.
I should dig up some before and after pictures.........

The "before" pics were taken 2007-2011.
The after pics are from the last year or so.
NO PANELS were replaced. The whole car is original sheet metal except for part of the right fender because I killed a fair sized doe with the car and destroyed most of the fender. I was not able to find a replacement I was happy with so took two fenders and made one.

This is proof that you CAN stop rust if you know what you are doing.

How do you remove rust from and sand a battery tray that's 30 years old? I did it - and it's still fresh looking -

All of this red - including the underside of the hood which has a complex frame and a skin crimped over the frame and spot welded in places. I cleaned, sanded, prepped and painted the firewall, inner fenders, hood underside, you name it. Even the door frame and door jamb areas I sanded and prepped and painted. If it was red from the factory, I prepped/sanded/painted it.
Don't think for a minute that because it's not flat that it can't be fixed, sanded and painted.
Our vehicles are painted after assembly - that means there's no paint in the seams and under rolled and crimped edges.

Hood, roof, hatch, the CA sun baked all the paint off. No rust today.

There was rust starting where the fender bolts to the rocker area - I treated it, and painted, and there's no rust there to this day.

 

[545moose]

Nice ride… I get it, and point taken. Good to know it can be done yes. But do I have faith in “the process” at this point after all their BS and the dealer’s run around; absolutely not. If I don’t have a choice and get proven wrong then that’s on me. I hope that’s the case. Just not the experience or service you expect while being an issue under warranty. Hopefully it all works out soon.

 

[545moose]

To follow up and revive my thread, the shop that the dealer chose to do the fix did the work, yet managed to mess up more than they fixed, and I got my Gladiator back with more issues than when I dropped it off. I won't get into it all, but my question is should I let the dealer, or Chrysler know first, before it goes back, and detail with pictures everything that happened, so that I have a case to have it done at a proper shop should it happen yet again?

I say a proper shop because I happen to work in an industrial park in which my building is in front of the shop where the work was performed; and my boss informed me that he knows it's not even a registered body/painting repair shop but rather a detail shop, since body/paint shops aren't allowed in these buildings by code/lease rules etc. for one.

I got my Gladiator back, and my Rubicon decal was ripped on the "N" which they mentioned and said they would reorder, but that was applied last like an afterthought, and should be under clearcoat correct? On top of that, there's a huge drip on the front lip of the hood, chip and sticky gouge on the other side clear as day they caused that was just missed, the entire front edge of the front lip underneath was still wet, and stuck to the rubber weather seal stripping, stuck and dried, and now is silver and shows no paint across the entire grill area, passenger side hood grill was popped up 1/4" somehow amidst all the "fixing", and all my hood mounting hardware is all gouged and chipped up, and the drivers side hinge is all scratched up like a dremel router got away from someone and zig-zagged back-n-forth a bit before they caught it. Oh and they just clear coated over the 2 small chips in the front of the hood during all this 'fixing" because they "must have missed them, but they did clear coat over them" was their exact words. Again, I can't make this stuff up, but this is the repair shop chosen from my local Jeep dealer. Clearly they have no idea what they're doing.

 

[MonkeySkunks]

To follow up and revive my thread, the shop that the dealer chose to do the fix did the work, yet managed to mess up more than they fixed, and I got my Gladiator back with more issues than when I dropped it off. I won't get into it all, but my question is should I let the dealer, or Chrysler know first, before it goes back, and detail with pictures everything that happened, so that I have a case to have it done at a proper shop should it happen yet again?

I say a proper shop because I happen to work in an industrial park in which my building is in front of the shop where the work was performed; and my boss informed me that he knows it's not even a registered body/painting repair shop but rather a detail shop, since body/paint shops aren't allowed in these buildings by code/lease rules etc. for one.

I got my Gladiator back, and my Rubicon decal was ripped on the "N" which they mentioned and said they would reorder, but that was applied last like an afterthought, and should be under clearcoat correct? On top of that, there's a huge drip on the front lip of the hood, chip and sticky gouge on the other side clear as day they caused that was just missed, the entire front edge of the front lip underneath was still wet, and stuck to the rubber weather seal stripping, stuck and dried, and now is silver and shows no paint across the entire grill area, passenger side hood grill was popped up 1/4" somehow amidst all the "fixing", and all my hood mounting hardware is all gouged and chipped up, and the drivers side hinge is all scratched up like a dremel router got away from someone and zig-zagged back-n-forth a bit before they caught it. Oh and they just clear coated over the 2 small chips in the front of the hood during all this 'fixing" because they "must have missed them, but they did clear coat over them" was their exact words. Again, I can't make this stuff up, but this is the repair shop chosen from my local Jeep dealer. Clearly they have no idea what they're doing.

The decal does go on last or you wouldn't be able to remove them, not under the clearcoat. The drip can easily be fixed.

Sounds like a pretty crappy shop though. Reassembling while wet is a problem as well as scratching it all up. I would be hesitant to let them have another go at it but if you end up needing to take it to another shop, they'll have to fix it all again anyway so why not let them have a second shot at it. Definitely document current condition with photos so if they screw anything else up you have it.

Honestly sounds like it's probably a staffing issue, not enough people to get it done right or on time so corners were cut and less skilled/experienced employees were working on the assembly side.

 

[Rckjeep]

The dealer's job is making money. Some of them sacrifice customer experience and customer loyalty in favor of making money. It's one of the many faults with the dealer/service model.

But JeepCares can indeed help given enough time.

What the time frame? My claim was started over two months ago. It’s just getting worse.

Sponsored