ATTENTION - Chrysler WILL VOID Your Warranty if You Lift Your Jeep

wayoflife · Jan 25, 2015

The following was originally posted by me on June 6, 2010 and on JK-Forum, back when I still owned it. I am reposting it here now as the new owners of JK-Forum have since buried the post but feel the information to still be pertinent and helpful.

Originally Posted on 06-07-2010, 07:22 PM

As some of you may recall, we had some issues with a dealership called Tuttle Click Jeep in Irvine, CA, where a negative customer evaluation I made regarding the service we received resulted in them profiling us and harassing us on a subsequent visit. If you are unfamiliar with what had happened, you can read all about it here:

Dealership Evalutation = Dealership Harassment

Of course, the whole point of me sharing our experience with Tuttle Click Jeep was to make sure you knew that your customer evaluations are NOT confidential and that the things you say regarding them can be held against you. And, unfortunately, the reason why I’m writing this article today is to also inform you that your customer evaluations can lead to very real dealership retaliations as well.

Being that we never got our fog lights turned on and that we still had what sounded like an exhaust leak we wanted to have looked at, we decided that it was time to start looking for a new dealership to take our Jeeps to. So, back on May 12th and thanks to a recommendation that we got from our good friend Moochie, we decided to take our 2009 Sunburst Orange Jeep JK Wrangler Unlimited X into Bob Baker Jeep which is located in Carlsbad, CA.

As we had been told, the staff was in fact very friendly and we felt comfortable leaving our Jeep in their hands. However, when I got a call from our service advisor this morning, I was told that our exhaust manifold was cracked and that they had the parts in stock but that it was going to cost us over $400 to fix. Surprised to hear this, I asked why it wasn’t being covered under warranty and she told me that her system indicated our Jeep wasn’t eligible for any warranty work. After hearing this, I explained that this was a 2009 and that was supposed to have a LIFETIME WARRANTY and so she asked me if we bought the Jeep new. I said yes and so she did a bit more digging around and found that a previous dealership had flagged our Jeep’s VIN and put a restriction on ALL future warranty claims due to the lift kit we had installed. When I pointed out that I wasn’t asking to have a suspension related component warranted, she quickly agreed but said that her hands were tied and that the most she could do is recommend that I call the Chrysler Dealer Complaint Line and explain our situation with them. The only way she could authorize warranty work to be done on our Jeep now is if Chrysler removed the restriction placed on our Jeep. Needless to say, as soon as I got off the phone with her, I made another call to Chrysler.

Back on the phone with Chrysler, I explained my situation to the Dealer Complaint representative that answered my call and as he was very sympathetic and understanding of my situation but unfortunately, he had to inform me that there was nothing he could do and that he would have to forward my case to a case manager. I let him know that I understood and decided to call Bob Baker back to let them know what was going on and much to my surprise, my service advisor informed me that a quick inspection revealed that my exhaust manifold bolts had come loose a bit and tightening them up back to spec seemed to fix the leak I had. Best part was, the fix was only going to cost $45.

About a week after picking up our Jeep from Bob Baker, I got a call from an irritable Chrysler Case Manager by the name of Blade, #BB879 (I was informed that they are not allowed to give out last names), who promptly informed me that he wasn’t sure why he was given my case, that his job was to oversees the training of representatives and that there was nothing he could do for me. In short, this was his only purpose for calling me and he didn’t want to hear a word I might have to say. When I pressed him on who I should speak to regarding this matter, he informed me that I needed to write a letter and mail it to Chrysler and it’s what I should have done in the first place. And, after obtaining the address I needed, I did just that. I summarized my experience on paper, put it in an envelope, placed a 1st class stamp on it and mailed it off.

May 13, 2010

Chrysler Group LLC
P.O. Box 21-8004
Auburn Hills, MI 48321

Dear Chrysler,

I am writing you today in hopes that you might be able to assist me in having a warranty restriction that was apparently placed on my 2009 Jeep Wrangler removed. I feel that this restriction was placed unfairly and unjustly as a means of retribution from Tuttle Click Jeep located in Irvine, CA.

To summarize the circumstances regarding my Jeep, I purchased it new from Orange Coast Jeep in Costa Mesa, CA, back in June 2009. In August of 2009, I did have a 3” lift and 35” tires installed on it and in late September of 2009, I noticed that I was having some handling and ride quality issues. After doing an extensive check of all the suspension components, I found that the ball joints might be worn out. On October 11, 2010, I took my 4 month old Jeep with only 7,500 miles on it into Tuttle Click Jeep to have them check my ball joints and verify my diagnosis. When I dropped off my Jeep that morning, I was told that I would be getting a call back that afternoon to let me know what was going on but unfortunately, that call never came. Having still not getting a call from them by the following morning, I decided to call them to find out what was going on. At that point and time, I was told that the ball joints were in fact bad and that they needed to be replaced. When I asked if this was something that could be covered under warranty, I was told no due to the lift kit that I had installed. When I had explained that the lift kit had only been on for a couple of months and a couple thousand miles, my service advisor suggested that I call the Chrysler Complaint Line and provided me with the number.

When I called the Chrysler Complaint Line, I explained my situation to them and after being put me on hold for a period of time, the representative came back and told me that he spoke with Tuttle Click and said that the reason they would not warranty the ball joints is due to the lift I had installed. When I asked how this alone would cause my ball joints to fail so quickly, he stated that the technician at Tuttle Click indicated that I “did not have a heavy duty steering stabilizer installed”. Surprised to hear this, I informed the representative that I own multiple Jeeps, one of which is a 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited just like the one I was trying to have serviced and that it’s been riding on over 5” of lift, 37” tires and a stock steering stabilizer for close to three years and without any ball joint problems. I also explained that I’ve had a rear locker and a steering box replaced without any issues on my 2007 Jeep Wrangler in spite of the lift kit and large tires. He apologized, informed me that there wasn’t anything more that he could do and recommended that I take my Jeep to another dealership for a second opinion. He explained that each dealership is independently owned and operated and that I might have better luck with them. I let the representative know that I was very frustrated at the situation and was very much inconvenienced by Tuttle Click not calling me back when they said they would and it was at this point that the representative asked if I wanted to file a complaint. I agreed, he took my information, repeated it to me and then told me that “I would be heard”. From there, I went back to Tuttle Click, picked up my Jeep and proceeded to replace the $80 ball joints myself.

Fast forward to March 17, 2010, I took my Jeep back to Tuttle click to have a pair of factory headlights that I had installed on my 2009 Jeep Wrangler turned on and to have what I thought sounded like an exhaust leak looked at. As I started to explain to the service advisor what I’d like to have them do, he got interrupted by a phone call from someone who proceeds to ask him a series of questions about me and why I was there. After the service advisor got off the phone, he started to interrogate me as to why I gave them a “zero” the last time I was there. Unsure of what he meant, I ask him to clarify his question and he rudely explained that I gave them a negative review and wanted to know why. When I asked who called him and why was he now harassing me, he informed me that it was his service manager and so I asked if I could speak to him in person. After being lead to his office, I asked the service manager if it’s the policy of Tuttle Click Jeep to profile customers and harass them in the manner that they were doing and he responded by saying that he just happened to recognize my Jeep and wanted to know why I “dinked” them. He explained to me that I caused them financial hardship and was unhappy about it. I in turn let him know that while I did agree to have a formal complaint filed against them, I was unaware that it would cause them to get “dinked” and that I had no real idea of what that even meant. Distraught by the confrontation, my wife asked that we just leave and so we did. Once I got home, I called the Chrysler Dealership Complaint Line again, informed them of what had happened and expressed my frustration at the fact that my previous complaint was not confidential and how it was now being used to harass and intimidate me.

Unfortunately, due to work and travel, I had not been able to address the fog lights or exhaust manifold again until Tuesday, May 11, 2010. Thanks to a recommendation from a friend, I decided to take my Jeep into Bob Baker Jeep which is located in Carlsbad, CA. As luck would have it, the staff there was in fact very friendly and I felt very comfortable leaving our Jeep in their hands. However, when I got a scheduled call from our service advisor the next morning, I was told that our exhaust manifold was cracked, that they had the parts in stock but that it was going to cost us over $400 to fix. Surprised to hear this, I asked why it wasn’t being covered under warranty and I was told that their system indicated our Jeep wasn’t eligible for ANY warranty work. When I explained that I had a 2009 and that should have a LIFETIME WARRANTY, they explained that their system showed that a previous dealership had “flagged” our Jeep’s VIN and put a restriction on ALL future warranty claims due to the lift kit we had installed. When I pointed out that I wasn’t asking to have a suspension related component warranted, she agreed but said that her hands were unfortunately tied and that the most she could do is recommend that I call the Chrysler Dealer Complaint Line and explain our situation to them. Apparently, the only way she could authorize warranty work to be done on our Jeep now is if Chrysler removed the restriction that Tuttle Click Jeep placed on our Jeep.

Needless to say, I called the Chrysler Dealer Complaint line on May 12, 2010 and proceeded to explain my situation to them once again. After a very sympathetic representative took down my information, I was told that there was nothing that he could do and that a case manager would get back to me with in the next 48 hours. And, on May 13, 2010, I did get a call but from an irritable case manager by the name of Blade #BB879 who proceeded to inform me that there was nothing he could do, that my case should have never of been sent to him in the first place and that he was only addressing me as a matter of training. When I asked if there was anyone else I could talk to regarding my situation, I was told that I should send a letter to you and so, here I am.

If you would be so kind as to hear me out, I am respectfully asking that you please review my case and reconsider the warranty restriction that has been placed on my Jeep. I fully accept and understand that some dealerships are unwilling to warranty parts and components due to the lift that I have installed on my Jeep but from my own experience, I know for a fact that some will. Unfortunately, with this restriction in place, I cannot have ANY warranty work done regardless if it’s suspension related or not. I would also like to point out that it had been my impression that a customer complaint or dealership evaluation was something that was made in confidence and would something that Chrysler used to help improve customer service. Had I known these complaints and evaluations are not confidential and that making one would result in the kind of vengeful retribution that I am now suffering, I honestly would have just kept my mouth shut. Certainly, I never expected that I would lose my entire warranty over something like this and over something that I was actually encouraged to do.

I appreciate your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Eddie

Long story short, if you’re unhappy with the service you receive at your dealership, you’re better off just keeping your mouth shut. Chrysler IS NOT your friend and customer evaluations are NOT kept confidential. Anything you say can and will be used against you by your dealership. So, the next time you get a survey in the mail, I’d toss it in the trash and if Chrysler calls you to do a survey, just tell them you aren’t interested - trust me, it just isn’t worth it.

See post below as a lot more has happend since I sent off this letter. I will be posting up a follow up to my Chrysler Warranty nightmare shortly.

wayoflife · Jan 25, 2015

Originally posted on 06-07-2010, 07:22 PM

On May 26th, I got a call from a very nice gal named Stephanie who informed me that Chrysler received my letter and that she was given the responsibility of handling my case. Once again, I explain what I had been going through to her and she was very understanding and sympathetic about my situation. In fact, she went so far as to apologize for the trouble I had been going through and informed me that she would try to have the work I had done at Bob Baker refunded to me. Surprised by what I was hearing, I thanked her for all her help and asked if there was anything she could do to have the mark on my Jeep removed. Unfortunately, she let me know that was not something she was able to do but, she said that she would look into it and get back to me as soon as possible.

Fast forward to June 4th. Just when I was about to give up hope on Stephanie, I get a call from her to first let me know that the charges for the work I had done at Bob Baker were going to be refunded and that I should be getting a check for it soon. Unfortunately, she also informed me that the only way I could get the mark removed from my Jeep was for me is to contact what she referred to as, a “Business Center”. When I asked her how I could contact them, she let me know that I needed to have Tuttle Click contact them for me and work through them to have the mark reversed. When I explained that they were the reason why I had the mark in the first place and that I would prefer not to deal with them, she apologized and let me know that was the most she could do. After thanking Stephanie again, I hung up the phone and decided to try a new approach - go directly to the top…. if I could.

After doing a lot of research online, I managed to find what appeared to be an email contact to Sergio Marchionne, the current CEO of Chrysler Group, LLC as well as a contact for C. Robert Kidder who is the current Chairman of the Board. Granted, the email addresses weren’t theirs specifically but, I figured they were better than nothing. Anyway, I sent off the following email back on June 4, 2010:

Dear Sergio Marchionne,
I am writing you today in regards to Chrysler Case #19566798 and I’m hoping that you might be able to assist me. In a nutshell, I’m desperately trying to have a mark reversed that was applied against one of my three Jeeps. This mark was unjustly given as a form of retribution and now prevents me from having any warranty work performed on my Jeep at any dealership and all because of an honest formal complaint that I filed against Tuttle Click Jeep in Irvine, CA. Apparently, my complaint resulted in them getting “dinked” as they put it and this caused them to endure financial hardship.

Please note that I have already spoken to several Chrysler Dealer Complaint Center representatives regarding this matter but was ultimately told that I needed to speak with a case manager. After speaking to a case manager, I was told that I needed to write a letter directly to Chrysler Group, LLC. I did just that and eventually got a call from a representative who then told me that I needed to speak to what she referred to as, a “Business Center”. Unfortunately, I was told that the only way I could speak to them is to contact the dealership that punished me for apparently hurting them. Needless to say, I hope you can be understanding of my reluctance to speak with them and why I am contacting you directly now.

As mentioned, I am a proud owner of several Jeeps the first of which is a 2009 Jeep JK Wrangler Unlimited X, the second a 2007 JK Rubicon Unlimited and the third a 1997 XJ Cherokee. In the past, I have owned a 2000 TJ Wrangler Sport of which I just sold a few months ago, a 1994 XJ Cherokee 2-door and a beautiful 1981 CJ7. I have always been a loyal fan of the Jeep brand, I’m currently in the business of helping to promote it and in all my years of being a Jeep owner, I can tell you that I’ve never experienced anything quite like this before and to be honest, find it quite troubling. Believe me, had I known that a complaint made in an customer evaluation could result in the loss of my Jeep’s warranty, I would have just kept my mouth shut. In fact, it is what I currently advise all my readers to do now as well.

In short, all I’m asking is for you to do is review my case and if at all possible, I would be grateful if you could help me to have the mark placed against my Jeep reversed. If needed, I can provided you with names, dates and any other details you might need concerning this matter.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,
Eddie

Today, I received a call from a Chrysler representatives by the name of Mayone who informed me that she received the email I sent. Being all business, she cut to the chase, promptly informed me that the mark I have against my Jeep was given as a result of the lift that I have on it. She said that Chrysler would still warranty any work my Jeep may need so long as it had nothing to do with the suspension. I let her know that the work I was attempting to have fixed under warranty was an exhaust manifold that was apparently leaking. Much to my surprise, she agreed that this should have been covered being that it was a part of the the emissions system. I let her know that's how I saw it but was unable to have the work done in spite of the fact and that it was because my Jeep had been "flagged". She informed me that a dealership needs to go through a process of which included the need to prove that the lift kit on my Jeep caused the damage to the part in question. I let her know that this was my understanding as well but that Bob Baker told me that the exhaust manifold fell under the "Powertrain" portion of the warranty and, being that the mark my Jeep has is against the powertrain, they would not be able to help me. Upon hearing this, Mayone asked if she could look into this and call me back.

15 minutes later, Mayone called me back as promised and let me know that she verified that the exhaust manifold was in fact a part of the powertrain. Apparently, everything from the catalytic converter back is considered to be emissions and therefore, my exhaust manifold would not be covered. Upon hearing this, I said fine and reminded her of what she had stated in our previous conversation regarding proof and the need to provide evidence that my lift was directly responsible for my exhaust leak. To this, she said that the lift kit was the evidence. Stupefied by the answer, I paused and then asked... how? Following a condescending chuckle, Mayone informed me that "installing a lift changes the torque on the transmission and that is what caused my exhaust manifold leak." Dumbfounded by this response, I asked Mayone if she could explain what she just said again. Annoyed, she proceeds to tell me with a sharp tone that she's "not making this up" and that this is common knowledge. She goes on to say something to the effect that "if people want to lift their Jeeps, hey, Chrysler can't stop them but they need to know that their warranty will be voided if they do". I tried to respond by telling her about the Jeeps I own, about how built up they are and how I've been able to get warranty work done on them and without any troubles in the past. I start to explain how it was because of Tuttle Click flagging my Jeep that I was in this mess now and if it weren't for the formal complaint I made against them, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I explain how if I had known that I would be going through all this trouble over a stupid complaint that I was encouraged to make by a service advisor, I would have just kept my mouth shut. Frustrated with me, Mayone began to interupt me and so I let her know that I thought she was being rude. To this, she snapped at me and that's when I decided to ask for her representative number. I let her know that I knew she's not allowed to give me her last name but that I would appreciate it if she could give me her representative number and this is when she said "have a good day" and hung the phone up on me. Yes, you heard right, a direct representative of Sergio Marchionne, the current CEO of Chrysler Group, LLC or C. Robert Kidder, the current Chairman of the Board just hung up the phone on me just and because I asked for her representative number.

I've got to be honest and tell you that deciding to write these articles was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I absolutely love all my Jeeps, the Jeep culture and the Jeep lifestyle. I have always been a loyal fan and huge supporter of the brand but I have to say that this recent experience has left a really bad taste in my mouth. Certainly, in all these years, I never thought there would be a day where the company who makes the vehicle I love so much would snub me in the way that they have, without merit and right from the top. The crazy thing is, I don't have a problem with not being able to get my Jeep fixed under warranty. Heck, Jeeps are so modified that there wouldn't be much to get fixed under warranty. If proof can be shown that a modification I made caused a part to fail, I am fully willing to accept that it cannot be fixed under warranty. I just don't think it's right for Chrysler to be able to make the broad strokes that they have with their definition of "powertrain", effectively making it so that nothing can get fixed under warranty if they want. Likewise, I am trouble by the fact that Chrysler allows dealerships to flag customer Jeep's preventing them from getting any warranty work done anywhere. Last but not least, I am deeply trouble by the fact that customer evaluations are not kept confidential but can and will be used against you if you file a formal complaint against a dealership. Suffice it to say, I felt that the readers of Project-JK.com and the members of JK-Forum.com needed to hear about my experiences and see the truth about Chrysler, the way they handle their customer evaluations, the warrantees they pretend they have, the unwillingness they have to stand behind them and the eagerness they have to permanently void them the first chance they get.

As I’ve mentioned several times before, be careful what you say and when in doubt, just keep your mouth shut. Chrysler may make one the best off road vehicle on the face of the planet but unfortuantely, they are no friend of yours.

wayoflife · Jan 25, 2015

ADDENDUM - 06/10/2010
The Proof is in the Records

This morning, an interesting question was asked of me over on JK-Forum.com and it was one that I can honestly say I didn’t know the answer to. In fact, I wasn’t even sure if it was something that I wanted to know given that the answer had the potential to change the circumstances of things and put into question what I have been saying over the past few months. You see, the question asked was this - when did my Jeep actually get flagged? Was it on October 11, 2009, back when I first brought my Jeep into Tuttle Click and was first identified as being modified? According to the official policy of Chrysler, that is when it should have happend and if it did, it would prove that the flag on my Jeep was not administered by Tuttle Click as a form of retribution. Of course, if my Jeep was flagged on a much later date - oh, say maybe after a certain negative customer survey was filed with Chrysler, that would offer even more proof to the claims that I have been making all along. So, how was I going to be able to find out for sure?

Being that I never received an official notification in writing or otherwise regarding when and why my Jeep was flagged, I had assumed that finding out the answer to this question was going to take some leg work. Forutnately for me, Nate at Chrysler has been following the discussion over on JK-Forum.com and he already had a good idea that I would be contacting him soon. Needless to say, he was ready for me and soon after sending him an email regarding this matter, I received a phone call from him.

So, what was the answer to the million dollar question…… March 23, 2010.

While my Jeep still has a flag on it, one that I still feel was given unjustly and one that Chrysler is still unwilling to remove, I think it is very clear that my Jeep DID NOT receive it as part of routine policy enforcement but rather, as a form of dealership retribution.

If there is a bright side to all this, I will have to say that my recent conversations with Nate have been surprisingly pleasant and productive. More than anything, I am really encouraged by his eagerness and willingness to listen to not only my concerns but the concerns of JK-Forum.com members as well. It is my hope that there are more people like Nate within the Chrysler Corporation and if there are, it would go a long way in helping to restore my faith in them.

ADDENDUM - 06/22/2010
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.

BY REQUEST: From what i have found, this guy answers for both Sergio Marchionne, CEO and C. Robert Kidder, Chairman of the Board:

gualberto.ranieri@chrysler.com

JamesWyatt · Jan 25, 2015

Thanks for sharing this again. It's one of the biggest reasons I have not modified mine while under warranty. Glad to hear this ended well - had not seen that part before.

Wardell · Jan 26, 2015

Yes, thanks for sharing this Eddie. I've heard of people being given the run around before, but I hadn't expected that kind of horror story. It really puts what you said about "voiding" the warranty in the UD60 thread into perspective. I'm glad that everything worked out for you in the end, but it sounds like it probably wouldn't have if Nate hadn't read your posts and got involved.

Honestly, if this had happened to me, I'd be frustrated enough to consider going the courts with this sort of thing, but that situation reminds me of the line about "the formula" from Fight Club: if it's cheaper to settle out of court than to do a recall, there will be no recall. It sounds like, even with Magnuson–Moss, they are banking on it not being financially worthwhile for a Jeep owner to challenge them to court. And depending on the cost of the repair, they're probably right. It also sounds like they would rather give you an endless run around and lose a return customer than take the time to make things right. Although from a purely financial business model that might make sense, from a service based business model it's terrible - particularly when you consider that Jeep owners and enthusiasts are a tight knit "community" with whom good service will go a long way.

I guess that's where the media could come in. Essentially, that's what you have done by sharing this on your old forum, and you're lucky enough that it caught the right person's attention. Even then, if it had been someone other than you as the forum's owner, I'm not sure there would have been any response. I'm not sure what it's like down there in the US since all your media outlets are privately owned. Somehow, I doubt anyone would consider it newsworthy unless there was already some sort of high profile case, which is probably not going to happen over something like this. Up here in Canada we're lucky enough that the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC, which is a crown corporation and broadcasts nationally) does a semi-regular news piece called "Go Public" on just this sort of thing. They've run stories on way smaller issues, and pretty much every time they did the company in question made things right.

Unfortunately, this side of the border we don't even have as strong a law here as Magnuson–Moss either. Our consumer protection laws vary by province / territory, and they're therefore a lot more murky. Hell, even when it comes to vehicle regulations we have every extreme from Quebec, which limits lift and tire sizes to be street legal, to here in the Northwest Territories, where even if you fail certain emissions or safety standards you can register your Jeep as an "Off Road Vehicle" and still use it everywhere except a few blocks downtown. I guess I ought to be careful and not set my expectations too high when it comes to the dealer and warranties (not just for what you've said, but also because I'm starting to hear the dealer up here doesn't have a good reputation).

VScott · Mar 1, 2015

If Jeep can void the warranty on a modified jeep because of a 3" lift, how is it the dealership will install a lift and tires when you buy a vehicle, if they do it will the warranty remain in force? We purchased a 2014 Rubicon in June with the extended warranty. In December we had a 2.5" TeraFlex spring lift installed with Bilstein shocks (not by the dealership). Should I contact the dealership and find out if my warranty is voided and if so, request a refund on the extended warranty?

We have a member of our jeep group that performs his own oil changes. Last month he blew an engine. When he went into the dealership, his engine wasn't covered because he didn't maintain receipts of oil changes. He had receipts that he bought oil and filters, but not that he changed the oil. Long story short, he had to replace the engine out of pocket. It seems like they are forcing you to use the dealership to make sure your preventive maintenance is documented.

wayoflife · Mar 1, 2015

Honestly, it's all up to your dealership whether or not your Jeep gets flagged or your warranty is voided. So long as you maintain a good working relationship with them (i.e. have them do ALL your oil changes), you'll most likely have a much better chance of keeping your Jeep free and clear of any flags and have warranty work performed.

crippledpetey · Mar 1, 2015

wayoflife said:
Honestly, it's all up to your dealership whether or not your Jeep gets flagged or your warranty is voided. So long as you maintain a good working relationship with them (i.e. have them do ALL your oil changes), you'll most likely have a much better chance of keeping your Jeep free and clear of any flags and have warranty work performed.

I agree. We don't have them do our maintenance stuff but we are always very nice to them and offer to help remove any non warranty items prior to help them out. Our dealership has been great (to my surprise). I've commented to my wife a few times that I thought my warranty was going to be voided "this trip in". They have been good.

RedRum · Mar 1, 2015

I just read through this and honestly I'm not surprised ... Jeep dealerships like all dealerships have some of the biggest scum that society has to offer and I should know my fiancé works in the car business !!

07streetbobrider · Mar 2, 2015

Stories like this had me worried when I took my '14 wrangler in a couple months ago for a leaking rear end seal. I installed a 2" lift and 33's. I was worried that they would say the "bigger" tires caused the seal (and bearing) to go out. Big relief when they did it under warranty. Sad I have a 7 yr extended warranty and I still have to worry whether it's covered or not.::grayno:

Aldonoward3 · Mar 7, 2015

I JUST posted about my tranny not being warrantied.... I had to involve my attorney and all Bc they found clutch material in the transmission fluid after I brought it in for not shifting after going about 30-35 mph...

I was under the impression that if you modify a part that particular system was voided but not the whole warranty.... My jeep has a stock drivetrain and is now screwed bc the dealership is lazy.

jkugeza · Mar 12, 2015

When i went in to get one of my 4 years of oil changes, they noted i had a 3.5 rk lift and 35s. But it was only a note.

RjSkippy · Mar 13, 2015

Eddie thanks for posting this as it has been very helpful (Although I can't imagine how frustrating for you through the process). I am new to the jeep community and have received a lot of good advice from my jeep friends and also here on the forum that I am grateful for. I am looking to upgrade my jeep in the near future (saving the pennies takes some time), and during my last service and warranty work (shock went in 7,000 miles) I asked the service department about my warranty and what they would cover. It was a good experience and they gave me an idea of what would be voided and what wouldn't based on the mods. So far it has been a good experience with the dealership and I hope it continues that way. Thanks!

HighwayTrout · Mar 13, 2015

Eddie thank you for posting all this info and keep us up to date. In fact a lot of the information in that thread over at JKF helped me with my case with Chrysler.

After going through the whole lemon law process and getting Chrysler to buy my Heep back. I definitely know the frustration and the never ending circles of dead end phone calls and emails.

shipjim · Mar 23, 2015

Jeep red lined my 09 JKUR. I have 3" suspense lift armored front and rear bumpers and a pair of net steps.
I bought it used with 23000 miles and no wrecks or damage yet couldn't buy anything from Chrysler or any other warranty carrier. Some sales guys said yes but when I contacted underwritten myself the always said NO. I could lie when I buy the warrant but if I took it in I'd be busted.
How's this work for those of you buying mod jeeps from dealers?

wayoflife · Mar 23, 2015

It all depends on the dealership and your relationship with them. Ultimately, THEY are the ones that can approve warranty work or void it.

BeachCrawler · Mar 26, 2015

shipjim said:
How's this work for those of you buying mod jeeps from dealers?

That was going to my question as well. I recently bought a (brand new) 2015 Willys JKU from a local Jeep dealership. It came with a dealer installed 2 inch lift and 33s (or 35s..I'll have to check). Since it's dealer installed, I'm HOPING there wont be a prob should the need ever arise for warranty work. Ya think?

wayoflife · Mar 26, 2015

BeachCrawler said:
That was going to my question as well. I recently bought a (brand new) 2015 Willys JKU from a local Jeep dealership. It came with a dealer installed 2 inch lift and 33s (or 35s..I'll have to check). Since it's dealer installed, I'm HOPING there wont be a prob should the need ever arise for warranty work. Ya think?

Doesn't matter if it's dealer installed. What matters is your relationship with your dealership. If you go in once every 3,000 miles and pay them do your oil change, you'll have a customer/business relationship with them and you'll most likely have better luck getting anything warrantied. If you just pop in after 29,000 miles and want something covered, they will most likely blow you off and flag your Jeep. Of course, this isn't a rule - just how it typically works.

DMF · Mar 26, 2015

I bought my Jeep new at Huntington Beach Jeep with 2" Mopar lift and 33's installed by the dealership. My 1st time off-roading my rr sway bar link snag my brake line and pulled it down. I took it back to the dealer to have them fix it but they wanted me to pay for the repairs. My Jeep was less than a year old with 12k miles when that happened.

And I've prepaid for 10 oil changes in advance. And that was to keep a good relationship with the dealer. Guess it's not working out for me.

kingtj · Apr 24, 2015

VERY interesting stuff .....

As someone who has owned several sports cars and belonged to enthusiast's message forums and groups, this sort of thing ALWAYS comes up.

The law says you're protected if a dealership tries to void your whole vehicle warranty over a modification that can't affect the rest of the vehicle. The problem is, it's still your word against the dealership's if they come up with "creative" reasons why part A affects broken part B. (For example, I heard a story of a guy who couldn't get a blown engine replaced under warranty because he used an aftermarket K&N air filter. How the heck would that do anything, you ask? Well, this dealer came up with the theory that "by increasing the airflow beyond factory specifications with the high performance filter, the engine computer could no longer calculate the proper air/fuel mixture and it caused a lean condition that damaged the engine".)

Total B.S.? You bet it was! But now your options for warranty engine repair/replacement are limited to spending money on lawyers and taking time out to battle in court to prove your point. The dealerships and auto-makers know this, and figure it's a good gamble if they really don't want to be out of pocket for thousands of dollars fixing your ride. Worst case? They seriously inconvenience you and cost you up-front money to fight about it, and in the end, just wound up getting ordered to do the work they would have had to do anyway. Over half the time, they win because you won't go through all of that to make them do the right thing.

I think what I've learned is if you buy a car/truck/Jeep/van/whatever from a dealership and you have any interest in modifying it in the future? Do your research first. Talk, in person, to the head service technician and figure out if he's a "gear head" or not. The manager of the service techs is the guy you really need to have on your side, wherever you're going to take your vehicle for service. When you find the guy who drives heavily modified vehicles himself and maybe even admits he does a little bit of "side work" modifying them for other people? That's where to buy!

Aldonoward3 said:
I JUST posted about my tranny not being warrantied.... I had to involve my attorney and all Bc they found clutch material in the transmission fluid after I brought it in for not shifting after going about 30-35 mph...

I was under the impression that if you modify a part that particular system was voided but not the whole warranty.... My jeep has a stock drivetrain and is now screwed bc the dealership is lazy.

ATTENTION - Chrysler WILL VOID Your Warranty if You Lift Your Jeep

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