I contacted an old buddy from high school today. He had a long career in law and was a to litigator for a major law firm, now retired. Hopefully he will be able to connect me with a lawyer that will take an interest in this issue. I also visited another nearby Chrysler dealer and while they couldn't help me to get a part, they said this issue has existed for a long time. Crossfires that have been towed in with this problem have been towed away again. I wonder what the total financial loss for this situation of no parts, no codes has cost Crossfire owners so far.

Hi Russ -


I hope you and Patty Jane are both well - perhaps up in New Buffalo enjoying the summer - such as it is. I’d hoped to see you at Judy’s but you didn’t make it. Oh well...


So I have a problem, and wondered if you might be able to suggest a lawyer I might contact regarding a potential class action suit I am looking at initiating. Let me tell you what it’s about.


In the late 90s the German firm Daimler - parent of Mercedes Benz acquired Chrysler in what was then calle “a marriage of equals.” Well, for a variety of reasons that didn’t work out, and the more powerful equal, Daimler, divested Chrysler by selling it to an outfit called Cerberus, based in Canada, They too lost their *** and eventually sold it to Fiat, which created a new company called FCA - Fiat Chrysler of America, owned mostly by Fiat. When Daimler and Chrysler were still on their honeymoon they created a slick little two-seater - the Chrysler Crossfire that came in both a fastback coupe and roadster version. A few years ago I bought a little yellow Crossfire roadster, which is currently parked in my garage where it has been sitting for many months because Chrysler can’t or won’t provide a “vehicle specific part called a SKREEM - a cig pack sized little module that just seem to stop functioning whenever it chooses. Without this ignition demobilizer module with a Chrysler controlled code number for my specific car, the vehicle is useless - won’t start, won’t run, can’t be driven or even sold. This thing stops and the car is suddenly essentially worthless.


Daimler Chrysler built 75,000 of these cars in 2004-2008 and sold them through Chrysler dealers. They were built in Germany by Karmann of Osnabruck, under contract. Essentially they are the mechanicals of a German Mercedes-Benz SLK - the little convertible that made for many years and maybe still do - under a Chrysler designed body. They used the MB ignition and security system used in many MB cars. The part that I can’t get is in their parts computer but Crossfire owners can’t buy one because their system will not accept a Chrysler VIN. The part has to come from Chrysler with a vehicle specific code installed as it is a “theft related part”, and Chrysler is unable or unwilling to supply the part. Owners can’t get the part from MB (which charges $270. for it while Chrysler, when they had it, charged $550.) If I go to a Chrysler dealer - and I’ve tried three, they want full price paid up front to order it with no ETA for when I can get it.


So everyone of that big bunch of Crossfire owners still out there stands to have a totally inoperable car that they may still be paying for or already have a sizable investment in if totally inoperable and worthless when this part fails. And they do fail. Lots of Chrysler owners complain, but FCA does nothing to supply the part and only they can put the code in if we could get the part. Siemens made these parts, and still does. I have been told they have approx. 600 showing in their parts inventory, but we can’t access them or the code that Chrysler controls. Is this restraint of trade or something else that has legal grounds for getting this situation corrected?


I drove my car and parked it in the garage prior to my operation last October. When I got out of the hospital I went to start it and nothing. I looked around, gathered info and found this to be the cause. An aftermarket supplier in Michigan used to be able to get them, so I put my name on the list and paid him $710. for it, but again, no ETA for when it will be available. In the Manley letter below there is the URL for a little repair video that they have on their website that shows what a simple fix this is, if you have the part. It clearly shows the module, the Siemens name and even the MB star, as the MB dealers use them to fix the MB SLKs (and probably other MBs as well.) I ordered and paid $710. for one of these from them when it seemed they could get them, but now their web page shows no ETA.


Well, needless to say I’m mad as hell. I tried to contact the Chrysler Customer Care people but they don’t have a clue what I’m talking about. I contacted the MOPAR division (Chrysler parts) and they don’t even answer. I wrote to Michael Manley who, since Sergio Marchionne died last year is the head of Fiat Chrysler America,heard nothing back. I contacted the Detroit Free Press writer that covers the auto industry and he is interested, and checking around to see if he can find someone that can help me/us. Every time any Crossfire owner drives anywhere they can be in immediate jeopardy for instantly having a useless car and losing their investment because the car is not repairable without this part and the secret Chrysler code. I stopped at another Chrysler dealer today to inquire what there answer is, and they have none, but did tell me this has been going on for a long time and if anyone brings a Crossfire to them with this problem, the cars just leave on a tow truck. I’m sure it’s the same story at all Chrysler dealerships - they blame Chrysler (now FCA) for not getting the parts in stock and making them available as Daimler Chrysler did before. It seems to me that Chrysler, whatever they call themselves now, can’t evade the responsibility for providing this part and the code for each car that only they have.


So, could you suggest a lawyer I might go to with this problem? Could this be a class action suit? Would you know of someone who would write a letter to FCA and threaten doom if they don’t fix this PGQ? It seems to me that since the part is still made by Siemens for MB, they ought to be able to get some form somewhere. I was hoping some big firm like Mayer Brown would get interested - pro bono of course - but what do I know.


So, here’s my letter to to Manley, the CEO of FCA. It’s my second - No answer yet on either one.



Yesterdays letter with link to Needswings video was attached.