Dan Wray wrote:
> Here's my problem: My Dakota is a 99 club cab with 36000 Km on it. It has
> been out of warranty for about 7 months, and now they find that the ball
> joints are shot. (not sure if both upper and lower -will find out on
> Monday). I have had my truck in for a "clunking and popping" noise in the
> front end 12 times since I bought it new. They couldn't find the problem
> (which started 2 months after I bought it), until now that it is out of
> warranty.
I'm with Droo. This would have been covered by a Lemon Law. Also be
aware that (at least in the US), as long as the problem is reported
before you're out of warranty, if they can't fix it until it's out of
warranty, it should still be covered. If they look at it at 35K miles,
and can't fix the problem, and they look at it again at 37K miles, it
should still be covered. That the same dealer ignored or missed the
problem *twelve times* but now magically has an answer sounds fishy to me.
Side note on warranty stuff: 2 years ago when my '99 was about to lose
the warranty, my intermediate steering shaft started rattling. I could
not find a dealer that could take me that week, and still had most of my
post-BBQ '01 trip in front of me. Called a dealer, made an appointment,
and told him I'd be almost 1K over warranty by the time I got to him.
Response? "Not a problem, you're covered." Now, 7 months is quite a
big difference, but since you had been in the shop a dozen times before
without resolution, I would think it should be covered.
> The Service Manager talked to his Regional Rep. and came up with a
> deal that I have to pay "only" $450.00. (canadian). He stated that the job
> would cost $1800.00 and that the Rep is supplying the parts and that all
> that I will have to pay is the labour. Now I think that all that I should
> have to pay for is the alignment - it was the dealers fault that they didn't
> fix it before.
You are almost correct - since the alignment is a required part of a
balljoint replacement, you shouldn't even be paying for that! I didn't
when mine were replaced.
> I also talked to a Chrylser rep on the phone and she said
> that it was between me and the dealership.
If you can't get satisfaction from the dealer or regional rep, keep
going up the chain of command. Next time a Chrysler rep gives you this
response, ask for their supervisor. Do you have a Better Business
Bureau, or even a local TV station who does a "consumer helper" segment
on their news? Make sure you have every incident documented before you
go this route.
> Bottom Line- Is $450.00 unreasonable after having brought up this problem 12
> times while under warranty -or is it a good deal and I should pay it and get
> the crappy sealed Chrysler ball joints installed.
It's quite unreasonable IMO. It should have been fixed when you brought
the truck in with the original problem, under warranty, and every time
after.
-- -andyhttp://home.twcny.rr.com/andylevy/ --- andylevy@yahoo.com -------------------------------------------- "Whatever Adam does, do the opposite and you'll be fine" -Bob Tom --------------------------------------------
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