The Flag Has Been Lowered!!

As I have stated many times before over the last couple weeks, when in doubt, it’s best just keep your mouth shut. Trust me, no matter how bad of an experience you may of had with your dealership, providing a customer evaluation that’s anything less than stellar will come back to bite you. Your evaluations are NOT confidential, are purposefully shared with your dealership and believe me, if your review causes them to feel any pain, they will do what they can to return the favor. In my case, the dealership in question was Tuttle Click Jeep in Irvine, CA, and they decided to retaliate against me by placing a “flag”, or what Chrysler refers to as a “restriction” on my Jeep.

Now, while Chrysler will try and suggest that a restriction should only require a dealership to closely inspect any aftermarket modifications that you might have made prior to performing any warranty work, the reality of it is, your Jeep will be seen by ALL dealerships as having NO warranty at all. Essentially, you are guilty until proven innocent or, more specifically, your warranty will be voided until you jump through hoops just to get Chrysler to review your case. At least, that’s what happened to me and what I had to go through before I could get Chrysler to finally admit that an exhaust manifold leak I paid to have fixed at another dealership should have been covered under warranty. While I was refunded for the charges, I was dismayed to find out that the wrongful restriction placed on my Jeep was still in place and that’s when I decided to write about my experiences and fight to have it removed.

After doing some research online, I decided to try and send an email directly to Sergio Marchionne, the current CEO of Chrysler Group, LLC as well as C. Robert Kidder who is the current Chairman of the Board. As luck would have it, this put me in touch with the Head of Top Care at Chrysler and thus began a two week long dialogue that was certainly frustrating at times but, ultimately proved to be an educational experience. During this time, I learned a whole lot about warranty restrictions and the fact that the one placed on my Jeep was clearly given as a form of retribution. However, in spite of the fact that my restriction was wrongfully given, I was told that it would not be removed as my Jeep was still modified and therefore should have been restricted anyway. As Chrysler would explain, they have a policy that requires all dealerships to apply restrictions on any customer vehicle if it is determined that it has been modified.

Fortunately for me, I have the wonderful support of the members on JK-Forum.com and thanks their keen attention to detail, I was shown that no such policy was listed in the Jeep owners warranty handbook. Sure, there are sections that go over what would be covered under warranty, what wouldn’t be and there’s even a section that covers restrictions.  However, this section clearly states that restrictions would only apply to vehicles that have been neglected, abused or not properly maintained. Absolutely NO language exists regarding modified vehicles or that they should be restricted just because of it and to be quite honest, I don’t see how there could be without it standing in direct conflict of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. 2302(C)). Needless to say, I made to sure let Chrysler know as much.

In the end, this is what would make all the difference. Even after their lawyers spent days looking into this matter, Chrysler ultimately came to the conclusion that the restriction placed on my Jeep had no merit and, as a result, finally decided to lift it. Yes, you heard right, my 2009 Jeep JK Wrangler Unlimited X once again has a clean record, has no restrictions placed on it and, a call I made to 877-I-AM-JEEP this morning confirmed as much!

While justice prevailed, it certainly wasn’t without its trials.  And, if you wish to avoid all the trouble I had to go through, please try to learn from my experiences.  When in doubt, keep your mouth shut, refuse to participate in any customer evaluation you might get by phone and toss the ones you get by mail in the trash.  If I had known what I know now, that’s what I would have done and will do from here on out.

SPECIAL THANKS: I would like to take a moment and thank everyone for all the encouragement and support I received during this crazy ordeal.  I would also like to thank Nate over at Chrysler for all his help. Unlike some of the people I’ve had to deal with over at Chrysler, Nate was always professional, friendly and really went out of his way to help me out and for that, I’m grateful.

18 Comments

  1. Congrats buddy !!

    That was a nice story with a nice ending !

    Thanks for opening the road for all of us too !

    G.

  2. So, what is the deal now, if a vehicle is modified, will it still have its warranty? (once they have completed their inspection?) and just wondering, do you know what these ‘modifications’ refer to? Lifts? Bumpers? Sliders?

    Thanks a ton and well done in your battle for flagging removal!

    Max

  3. Hey I tried a new dealer for service and I told them not to flag my jeep. they agreed but denied any warranty work saying they could not touch my leaking axle seal (that chrysler caused during another repair) they also showed me my pitman arm was loose and dangerous but would not simply tighten it instead stamped my R.O with “VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE” AND SENT ME ON MY WAY???????,,

    May I state for the record that if it was not for the few jeep dealerships that understand our sport and passion. I would be a toyota owner already I love my jeep but hate the B.S that is going on with warranty issues. I worked for Chrysler for a few years in sales and can not believe the amount of crappy service going around now…sad really sad

    I am really happy to hear you won your case. I was told by the dealer that denied my work that if they had installed my lift it would be fine hahahahah talk about foot in mouth…..

  4. Been following your plight.I have had a similar problem with the Track Bars on my 08 TJ. Dealer singled out the specific manufacturer of my 2.5″ lift, as the root cause. NO WARRANTY. Have discussed it on this sight, a few replys said they would check theirs.
    Dealership, they stated they do not honor warranties when the jeep is lifted or modified. They do not even warranty lifts they install. So you buy a $40K lifted jeep there is no warranty. I wounder, Do they inform the buyer of this or is it an “un-documented… feature”….

  5. Correction 08 JK. And, can we group togther all warranty problems and go public some way?
    We all love Jeeps and what we do with them. Chrysler bases all Jeep sales on what they are capable of “Trail Rated”..Can you please define Trail rated.
    My JK has 30K miles, ball joints tie rod ends look like 70K, track bar mounts have literally torn off the axel tubes,35″ tires with 4:88’s with a tuner allows it to barely get out off its own way. Mr. Chrysler what have you done with my Jeep???

  6. You are to be congratulated for your perseverance. As the retired head of customer service for one of Jeep’s competitors I can say with some authority that Magnuson-Moss clearly renders illegal any form of blanket warranty restrictions based upon vehicle modifications. Had you chosen to sue you’d have won, and easily, which I’m sure their attorneys recognized. There are certainly many internal political and management issues at play within Chrysler that may have led to the implementation of this wrong-heaaded policy. Regardless, you illustrate the difficulty many consumers face in the marketplace.

  7. I just purchased a 2011 Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited and contacted my dealer about their policy on lifting and increasing tire size. They told me that any changes to the lift or tire size will void the warranty. I haven’t made any changes to my Jeep yet, but I’d like to. What to do now?

  8. I was told by 2 area jeep dealership service reps that as long as my jeep was not lifted more than 2 inches, that I would not have problems with my warranty on my 09 jk.
    I did a 2″ superlift spacer lift with skyjacker nitro’s, 33″ M/T tires and rims 6 months ago. I just had a wheel speed sensor go out and was holding my breath that they would cover it with all the new hardware. No problem. I seems that the two Daytona Beach area dealerships get what Wrangler jeeping is all about.
    I’ve never had a problem complaining to upper management at a dealership, but a good lesson to not go above the local level.
    Good job, Mr Squeeky Wheel!

  9. hmm i wonder if this was my red flag when i called to complain to costumer service and got a quick response of “oh it says you’re not supposed to go back to that dealership..?” and i said..WHAT!? and she quickly said “nothing.”

  10. I lifted my jeep with a 4inch super lift. The dealership told me everything in covered on my warranty execpt the suspention that was changed. They also stated that any upgrade replacment parts that caused a factary part to fail, that they would show how the non-factory part caused the proublem. If they could not find any direct proof that the replacment part caused the proublem, then all factory installed parts will be covered under the warranty. I use only on dealership in Philadelhpia Pa, Gary Barbera’s on the bulovard.

  11. hey that you for posting this, I have always had a lot of questions around lifting and what it would do to the warranty. I just bought a 2011 70th sahara 2dr and got suckered into the extended warranty. As you know once you own a jeep it is very hard to keep the thing on the road and out of the mud!!! So I was looking at options for lifting and upgrading tires blah blah.

    Absolutely first jeep I’ve ever had, and I can’t believe I never bought one sooner!!!

    Mike
    Thompson, Manitoba Canada

  12. First congratulations to your victory!! I love that us “Davids” can go up and take down “Goliath”.
    Second I don’t feel you should not show or show your support on a dealership rating. You could save someone else alot of the same pain you went through. Dealerships that are shady need to be put out there. So they can either correct it or ultimately be there own demise. My dealership Bill Harris Jeep was awesome they explained the warranty inside and out. I hope next time you have better luck. Thanks though great info.

  13. Tuttle Click is the reason I did not have a Jeep for many years….what a bunch of idiots. Sorry…but they are. Glad your situation is resolved, but man….I’d rather drive a hyundai than give those jerks my business.

  14. Just a note on the other side of the coin. I have had a great experience with the Normandin Jeep in San Jose, Ca. Including replacement of my rear diff after it seized in the engaged position while wheeling in the Sierra Nevada. My jeep has a lift and 35s as well as plenty of weight in the form of armor, rack, tuffy box. It was 100% covered under warranty, no questions asked. I’d check with your Service Manager if your concerned, before doing a lift.

  15. I live in the Jeep capital MOAB UTAH and I own a 07 jk 4inch lift 35s and a lot of upgrades both exterior and interior, engine and drive train. Larry H Miller jeep in sandy utah has never had a problem repairing anything ive taken to them. I have the life time warenty and they have honnered it. I am proud to be a jeep owner I now own 4 from a 50s willies to a 2010 4 door rubicon.

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