Originally posted by illflem:
Minor problems can turn into major ones. While you're under warranty you should establish the problems on paper. If they don't fix it or the problem comes back after the warranty expires DC is still under obligation to get it right. Part of the high price of these rigs is the warranty,might as well get your moneys worth.
It may not be that simple. It depends what the dealership writes on the paper. I had my truck in several times for a complaints of difficulty engaging the transfer case. Every time the dealership wrote something to the effect of "unable to verify problem, no problems found, etc". About 8000 miles after the warranty expired the transfer went out. I forced the issue with the dealership and DC's 800 number and got no where. Their opinion was (you guessed it) nothing was wrong with the transfer case when under warranty because the Know-it all Dodge boys said each and everytime I had the truck in there was "no problem" with the transfer case. DC said they might partially pay for repairs if a tear-down (by Dodge of course) indicated the failure was related to my earlier complaints. DC did not seem willing to cover any costs since I was out of warranty and also because of the BS crap that was written on paper from the dealerships, "no problems found, etc".
Oh yea, did I mention that if the tear-down did not show enough prove for DC, I would be responsible for all costs (estimated 1 day labor costs + parts). That along with the fact I felt the dealership was not compitent enough to properly repair the transfer case (due to previous ****ty warranty repair work from this dealership). I decided to go to a transmission shop that specialized in this line of repairs. Upon tear-down the transmission shop found the washer/shim on the rear of the output shaft broke. It was the opinion of the transmission shop that this was most likely the cause of my prior problems. More than likely this would not have been enough evidence to prove my complaint to DC anyway and since the tear-down was done by a non-Dodge shop it was of little use tring to further pursue the issue with DC. I have had no further problems with the transfer case.
Sorry about the long story, but the point is once you are out of warranty and something finally decides to fail, that piece of paper documenting a prior problem may be of no use, depending on what the dealership writes on it as their findings.
Is there a way to have dealerships not write statments on paperwork saying no problems exist when you know otherwise? I would like to know so on my next truck I don't get screwed again!!
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