Problem with Jeep Wrangler warranty?

Question

My throwout bearing broke on my '04 Jeep Wrangler and took out:
*the clutch
*the slave cylinder
*the pressure plate
*and the flywheel

The throwout bearing is covered by the drivetrain warranty but, apparently, everything else that it took out when it failed is not so Jeep wants me to pay for it outside of the warranty. What can I do about this?

I don't suggest ever buying a Jeep. This was my third one ('46 Willys, '89 Wrangler, and 2004 Wrangler) and I really thought that things would be better with a newer model, but they never are.

Customer care told me that it's their job to stand by the dealership and then hung up. This is insane. Last Chrysler I'll ever buy...

Answer 1

Don't deal with customer no service find the regional service rep and ask for the explanation of why. be on the offense not defense, I repair vehicles and I have heard that even holy Honda does tis crap to their customers. You have to be a squeaky wheel....

Answer 2

That is a problem. I googled the warranty at:
http://www.chryslerwarrantys.com/powertrain_care.cfm
Covered Transmission Components

* Transmission Case and all Internal Parts
* Torque Converter
* Flex Plate / Drive Plate
* Transmission Range Switch
* Transmission Control Module
* Bell Housing
* Oil Pan
* Seals and Gaskets for Listed Components
* Manual Transmission Clutch Parts are not covered at anytime

Now it would seem you were due another clutch. BUT seems to me if a covered part like the throwout bearing broke and the pieces screw the other non-covered parts then you are RIGHT. Now the Jeep Company is like the insurance trying to get by with murder if they can. I would only tell the manager that if the part had not given out that you definitely would have not need a new flywheel. Do you know how hard it is to damage one. In my younger days going to college I was like flat broke and had a faulty starter which eventually messed the flywheel up. But tell him to put the parts together and you will go talk to a lawyer about it.

Now talk to the lawyer before hand. Reason is that if you have a case the manager may give in some. Like you pay for the new clutch and the cost of resurfacing the pressure plate (not the price of a new one). Now what ever way it goes and the lawyer says you do not have a case, tell the manager to just put everything in the back seat. Have a body tow you home.

Reason is, that you can do the clutch, plate and flywheel job a whole lot cheaper. Don't know how. Just buy the Haynes Repair Manual. If not you could also check around with some local shops and tell them that the tranny is off and you got the parts and how much they charge to put it back. Just tell them that when you took it off you REINJURED your back and the doctor said no heavy lifting . Reason is so they do not take it that you are Mr. Sucker, I mean an easy mark for some quick overprice labor. If they think you know somethng they may not try to gouge you. Just tell them what they will charge and what the warranty is IN WRITING. Tell them in writing or nothing. Again, you tell them that if you drive 10 miles and they did not do something right then they will pay to get it towed back to fix it. But you do this for the principle. Once in a blue moon something will go wrong. Besides all the years I worked on putting clutches in I have not screw up, YET. Whew, not that I know of anyway.

One lady a friend of my brother's came back bitching that I had screwed up her tranny. When I looked she had cracked the housing. I told her that her or someone had took it on a rough 4 wheel drive somewhere and had cracked the casing and it was leaking. She was still bitching till my brother looked at it. Then he told her the same thing. I charged her a little extra, know what I mean for the extra moaning. I went to the junk yard, got a non working transmission housing for $20 then changed housing and charged her $700. Pay back was sweet. Besides, I know she could not have got it done any cheaper.

But gripe and see what happens. Also call the Jeep or Chrysler main dealer at the car plant.

Answer 3

Piss and Moan!! Tell them straight out that this is absolutely ridiculous. Everything that got ruined will end up costing you probably well over $600 in parts. A throwout bearing is LITERALLY a $10 part. Be as annoying as possible, be confident and take a stand. This is NOT your fault, it was a manufacturing defect.

The reason that the clutch, flywheel etc. is not under the warranty is because with improper driving, they can easily be worn out before the warranty is up. Obviously however this was not your fault however.... just complain.. that's all you can do.

Answer 4

If the causual part was a covered item, the rest of the failed parts are also covered under the claim - if the dealer is refusing to cover, tell them to login the dealerconnect, go to efiles, go to warranty bullitins & read their manuals. all they need to do is list the throwout bearing as the failed part & the other parts as incidental damage. remember, this is not Jeep denying the service to you but the independant dealer acting on their behalf. if they still refuse to cover, call chrysler customer care and plead your case. they will resolve this for you.

Answer 5

i have had problems with brakes on a 2006 rubicon. left rear wheel kept heating up. i took it to the local dealer, adventure chrystler in willoughby ohio. they pulled the left rear wheel and said the pads were worn out. they wanted to replace the pads and rotor. since the right side was un touched and i only had 20,000 miles i declined thier offer. i replaced the pads and rotors myself and the same problem exisited. i tried to tell the service writer that the caliper was hanging up causing the pads to drag. they said the same thing, nothing appears to be defective so they could do nothing even thouch the new rotor and pads were severly heat damaged.

i contacted customer service via thier website and they were useless, told me to keep working with the dealer.

i took the vehicle back to another dealer, junction auto in Chardon (Munson) OH. intially they said the same thing but when i raised my voice a little, they scheduled an appointment.

They allowed the mechanic to talk to me about the problem rather than goimg through the service writer. Short line, they replaced the caliper under warrenty.

Remember service writer make commission, always try to speak to the management and learn to complain.

it is easier for them to fix the problem than to try and undo all the negative publicity that can happen.

Answer 6

Contact an attorney. If the part that is under warranty caused the others to go bad, then they should be covered in the repair as well.

Answer 7

Fight it.

Call your insurance company for help-they will help, technically you could make a claim on it also, so theyll try to do it the proper way.

Or just go ahead and make a claim. If they dont pay out anything to you it wont affect your rates. They will hire a lawyer if necessary. Let them work for you if the dealership wont.

Answer 8

The part that caused the damage was under warranty they should pay, you may need a lawyer to contact them sometimes that's all it takes.