I have taken the good and the bad with my 2004 Crossfire, and in the past the service has been fantastic, but this time they are really jerking me around and Chrysler told me today they are powerless to help.

I took my car into service yesterday for the following reasons:

1. Popping sound from the rear of the car; a known TSB'd issue. Result: We can't hear it, but we'll do it anyways.

2. Loud noise from the left rear of the car, at all speeds. Since tires don't make noise at low speeds, I thought they'd take this seriously. Result: After a 4 mile test drive they quoted me $675 for new tires. Solution: Buy new tires.

3. Ticking noise from the engine when engine is hot or cold. It is loud enough to be heard in the cabin and has done that since new. Result: It is a noisy injector. Solution: Nothing.

4. Transmission is popping out of 1st gear every two weeks. History: Transmission was replaced less than two weeks after purchase and a year ago I brought it in for the same problem. The tech at that time adjusted it and up until the last two months things are fine. Result: After a 4 mi test drive the problem can't be duplicated. Solution: Nothing.

5. Glaze on headlights. Result: Hard water from being parked outside. (It's been garage kept since new and there's no hard water spots anywhere on the car.) Solution: They polished them off as a courtesy and were quick to remind me of that.

So, my transmission is a liability. And 3 months before my lease expires my warranty does. I want to document this stuff and get it fixed now, because they will screw me over if something breaks during that three months.

I decided to call Chrysler this morning to file a complaint against the service department and get a manufacturer rep to look at my car the next time they are in town. Chrysler said they can't make the dealership do anything, but can make suggestions and they could not schedule anything with their manufacturer reps, because that is up to the dealer to decide if I am allowed to see that person or not.

The Chrysler rep called the dealership and they told her the problem could not be duplicated therefore it did not exist and could not be troubleshooted. I explained to her the liabilities this could cause and she told me there was nothing she could do except advise the dealership. I asked her if she could make them look at it. She said no. I asked her if she could do anything other than call them, and she said that Chrysler can't make the dealerships do anything. I asked to speak to a supervisor...

She said the supervisors can't talk to me. I said fine, get me their boss. She said no. I said get me someone else. She said there is nobody else. So I asked her if the dealership won't work with me and you can't do anything, what do I do? She suggested that I try to work with the dealership or take it to a different one.

I'm not happy. And I'm sure I'm not the first person to get caught up in this mess.

My options are:

1. Call Chrysler and ask directly to speak to a supervisor without stating my problem and hope I get someone who has some authority to get things done.

2. Call the dealership and tell them I want an appointment with the manufacturer rep to which they will agree and then never do it.

3. Tell the dealer that if I don't get an appointment with the manufacturer rep that I will file for arbitration.

4. File for arbitration.

Any advice from those who have been down this road?

 

how do you go about filing for arbitration?

 

i wouldn't worry. none of the issues you mention should have any detrimental effect on your lease when you drop the car off. things like the ticking noise or popping out of gear are covered under your 7yr/70k powertrain warranty. new tires - buy some inexpensive continental all-season tires from tirerack if yours are close to 2/32" tread left and get them installed. it is expected that the tires will wear out during the lease period since high performance tires wear quickly. the lenses can always be polished in a couple minutes. your transmission would only be a liability if one of it's non-covered parts, like the clutch, fails.

 

I have to replace the tires before the lease is up, so no worries there. I'll do that in a couple weeks. I'm not convinced it is the tires.

The transmission is a liability if I pull out in traffic and it pops out of gear and cause an accident. Sounds like negligence on behalf of both Chrysler and the dealership for not looking into this problem.

There is info in the manual about how to file arbitration if neither Chrysler or the dealer will help you. It says to call an 800 # to request the package.

 

if neither Chrysler nor the dealer will help who answers the phone at the 800 #?

have you established a paper trail on the recurring transmission issue? make sure the dealership is documenting any problems you report gives yo a receipt - even if they report that the problem cannot be duplicated.

 

Chrysler does not participate in arbitration. Your best bet is to start the lemon law process. That will probably get their attention. Check your owner’s manual for a tear-out post card that you fill out and mail in. I think the post card was either for 'Lemon Law' or serious problems with your car. I don't remember what the title was but I'm sure you'll find it. I believe this is the only way I got someone to pay attention to me.

I got the same run around with the Chrysler Reps. It's such a racket!

Good Luck!

It all worked out for me.

 

I have an '04 XF with 6 speed manual, and it's only popped out of 1st gear three times on me within 3,500 miles. Now I just keep my hand on the shifter until I'm in 3rd gear then I will remove my hand from the shifter. No problems so far and this seems to work. Give it a shot.

Since it's a manual car your hand should always be on the gear shifter, why remove it from the shifter when your still in 1st?

 

If you call customer service and open up a care ticket then that it is the process to get a rep to come look at your car. But most of these reps are young kids who don't know anything about the cars like the rep in my town. I talked to dealerships in Houston, Dallas, and Phoenix and they have the same type of rep (young inexperienced kid). It is a very long process for you to get in touch with the rep. The dealership has to cooperate by calling him too which in this case, doesn't look good for you either. Just to give you an idea, I had a care ticket that went from November of 2005 and wasn't done until the end of April or so. That is one option.

Other option is do the lemon law process like it was suggested. Send the yellow card, return receipt requested so you know they got it. Then you are supposed to hear from someone higher up on the DC food chain, possibly even the rep from your area.

I tried to get in touch with someone from Chrysler and I could never find a another number really. You need a secret number. You can call BMW or even Mercedes and get an operator on the phone will try to help you or send you to the right department. Chrysler has no such operator and you always get the same department with the same I can't help or do anything attitude. One time I got the Chrysler information hotline and the representative was so nice and took down all my info and so forth but never heard from her and was never able to get her back on the phone.

Hopefully I made some sense and good luck.

 

As one that has put Chrysler on final notice, there is a procedure you must follow and each state is different. If you live in a Lemon Law state, you have to follow ALL steps or else you get nothing. It took me a total of 4 months when all was said done and I believe my car has been fixed.

Another idea? Do what I did - file a complaint with the NHTSA, Consumer Affairs and contact a local Consumer Advocacy Group - they can direct you on what you need to do. Last resort? Contact an attorney.

But first and foremost, complete the form you find online if you live in a Lemon Law state.

Good luck and if I can assist you in anyway, PM me.
Sharon

 

Sounds like I have to put up quite the fight from all of your stories.

When I had problems with my Mitsubishi, the factory rep was order and laid down the law. I assumed buying a premium coupe like the Crossfire that Chrysler would want us to be happy.

I think I will buy new tires and see if the load noise from the rear persists. If it does, as I believe it will, they will be forced to look at it then.

The points on the extended powertrain warranty are valid and I did not consider that, so really I am covered to the end of the lease.

Odds are when the lease is up they will sell it at auction so Chrysler can wash their hands of it and not be too picky about a couple problems they can't reproduce.

Why can't companies stand behind what they sell? Certainly I won't buy another Chrysler after this, not that they have any I am interested in.

 

Write a letter to the Vice President of Chrysler (not the President). Keep the letter very professional and to the point, with a few compliments (no threats). It worked for me with Thompson Electronics. I ended up with a bigger and better HDTV. You could also try clarkhoward.com

 

The loud noise you're hearing from the rear is probably a result of your driver's door not closing all the way. My Crossfire has had this problem since seven months after I bought it.

I've filled out the cards and e-mailed the help line repeatedly. Eventually I got to talk to the Chrysler service rep. After six service visits Chrysler had been unable to fix several problems with my Crossfire so I asked him to refund my money and take the car back as is required by Ohio's lemon law. His reply was "we don't do that".