Dodge Journey - catastrophic mechanical collapse - only 4.5yrs old

[Cormac O'Hara]

I would appreciate your consideration of the shocking situation I have experienced with my Dodge Journey – now off the road and worthless following an unexpected, catastrophic and unbelievable internal mechanical collapse.

 

My Dodge Journey is only four and a half years old with just 64,000 miles driven and was registered by the Chrysler dealer on 24th December 2009 and purchased direct from Chrysler Oxford by me in the summer of 2010 at just 6 months old with no other prior owners. My car was exclusively maintained and serviced by Chrysler Oxford until I relocated during 2013, after which it was only ever maintained and serviced by Chrysler Peterborough (Stoneacre).

 

On 13th August 2014, during a journey through a local town the car came to a sudden and unexpected halt accompanied by some mechanical crunch-type noises. No warning lights, no sign or signal that anything was wrong prior to that moment.

 

Following recovery and delivery of the car to Chrysler Peterborough the diagnosis was explained to me and confirmed by the dealership with the e-mail content below:

 

.....After an initial diagnosis and strip down of your Dodge Journey here are

the findings as discussed:

 

The offside drive shaft has spun in the differential due to the splines

being worn. This has in turn caused extensive damage to the

differential splines. The vehicle requires a new transmission and

driveshaft. Price as discussed is £11467 inclusive of parts, labour and

VAT.

 

Kind Regards

Service Manager

Stoneacre Peterborough

Fiat, Chrysler, Jeep & Dodge

 

As I am sure you will appreciate I was absolutely shocked and stunned by this outcome. I foolishly assumed that no reputable, quality, luxury car manufacturer would accept one of their vehicles collapsing in this way, at this age, at this, mileage. This was clearly always going to happen – it was just a matter of when this internal material defect would surface. There is nothing I could have done, nor could I have known this was going to happen.

This was an expensive car to buy and I wanted to have a quality car, suited to the needs of my family. I wanted it to be maintained and serviced only by Chrysler – so that I could be sure that it would be well cared for and that I would know I had done all the right things to look after this car correctly. I have a disabled child that requires constant care and supervision and as he grows this car was to be a comfortable, safe, reliable, quality car from a reputable luxury brand. I did not get what I paid for as this car is no longer fit for purpose.

 

While I fully understand that my car is beyond its original 3year warranty, this mechanical collapse surely must be an unusual and exceptional situation – which I assumed would be as big a shock to Chrysler UK as it was to me. I contacted Chrysler Customer Services and explained the events. I was advised that a Case Manager would be assigned and that contact would be made with Chrysler Peterborough to review the damage described by them. I waited 48 hours and as no contact had been made with me, I caller Chrysler UK again, only to be advised that no Case Manager had been assigned and that no action of any kind had been taken with my case. I realised then that Chrysler UK had no interest in my situation and were not intending to treat my case with any level of concern at all. After protesting at this appalling treatment a Customer Service ‘executive’ called me back and immediately advise in as prompt a manner as possible, that my Dodge Journey was out of warranty, that Chrysler UK had no intention of offering any goodwill solution to this situation, that there was no one else in Chrysler UK that I could escalate my case to and that I was not to contact Chrysler UK again as there was nothing else to say on the matter.

 

My complaint is, I am sure, very clear: that through no fault of my own – at just four and a half years old and at just 64,000 miles - my luxury Dodge Journey car has suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure. I have a car that is now beyond economical repair and of no value to anyone in this current condition. I do not have the quality car I paid for and as the consumer I am left with nothing. This mechanical collapse was as a direct result of defective manufacture, be that materials or process – a situation that someone, somewhere should be taking responsibility for.

 

I believe this situation is worthy of consideration at the highest level within Chrysler UK and my car should be repaired fully or replaced to honour the commitment to provide a vehicle fit for purpose and an appropriate expected lifespan.

 

I am requesting help from you to assist in any way possible with getting someone to agree that this is unacceptable and to step in to offer a credible and honourable solution or could there any UK or European consumer law that might help me in this situation? Any advice offered would be of great benefit.

Edited September 5, 2014 by Cormac O'Hara

[Conniff]

If you are certain that you have not assisted in this premature wear, your next move is to take the offending part to a metallurgical lab and have a technician test the integrity of the steel and the quality of the case hardening.

You will have to pay for this but should the results be in your favour, you can claim the cost back from Chrysler as well as free replacement of the transmission.

[Bandit127]

I appreciate you are disappointed and stressed by this, but your stress level might be clouding your vision.

 

If having a car on the road is more important than extracting your revenge from Chrysler UK then get a second hand gearbox and a new driveshaft. Fit them yourself or get them fitted by a local garage. I got a 6 speed gearbox sourced and fitted for £320 for my Audi A4. The driveshaft would probably have been another £100 fitted. Less than £500 all up.

 

If, however, you are hell bent on banging your head on a wall with Chrysler over this, I will not try to stop you.

[rebel11]

Hi Cormac

 

Welcome to CAG

 

Have you carried out an online search to find out if other consumers have encountered the same fault? Is there an inherent fault? Do your research first.

 

Write a Formal Letter of Complaint, mark it as such. Explain what's happened, how they have let you down and what you want them to do. Put your case to them, but you need to keep it meaningful, you want them to take interest in your issue and help you.

 

Send it to:-

 

Mr Steve Zanlunghi

Managing Director

Fiat Chrysler UK

Smz2@chrysler.com

[veganite]

Hello Cormac, you have received shocking treatment from Chrysler!

 

I know below quote is not going to help you, but it is similar to your situation. 8 Years ago..

 

You know i wrote chrysler a letter telling them about the problems on our 97 voyager the transmission was slipping and asked them if there was any thing they can do to help beeing that so many people where having problems with trannys and they said there was nothing they could do. You know i will never buy another chrysler vehicle. We should all write to chrysler cause one person cant do it alone so if you all get together and pass the word i would appreciate it lets all do something here maybe some of you with newer vehicles might get something back even half of what you spend on a tranny would be nice. good luck

Above quoted from:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/t196775-everyone_with_transmission_problems__a_chrysler_secret____read_this__.html

[heliosuk]

See the complaint about Volvo. The same applies to you. Chrysler were owned by Merceds when you car was built and they used the same pro-rata principle.

[rebel11]

If it doesn't further the OP's cause and the post has no relevance, it will be removed.

[heliosuk]

So we can rely on you removing most of your irrelevant posts which are pretty standard and boring and no real help to the OP at all then?

[rebel11]

My posts are boring but empowering, I'm not a flag bearer for the motor industry, the motor industry is very poor as borne out by the stats from CAB, they are third on their lists of complaints and it isn't getting any better.

 

I could point out some irrelevance, but I don't want to go down that route. If you want to get my posts removed, simples, ADMIN tab at the bottom of this page.

 

So we can rely on you removing most of your irrelevant posts which are pretty standard and boring and no real help to the OP at all then?

[Hammy1962]

You see, those of us who are flag bearers for the motor industry don't mind announcing it on here.

 

We know and understand the subtleties of our responses which for someone 'not in the know' would deem to be irrelevant and or unhelpful. (The Mods then delete them).

 

There are not many who post on here who are true experts in the fields that they offer advice on. This is clearly stated in the disclaimers those who are unsure put in their signatures. I, and a couple of others, don't need a disclaimer.

 

The motor trade has millions of people employed, most of which are upstanding and professional at all times and I have no hesitation in advertising my profession publicly on here.

 

For instance 'rebel11' what is you expertise or profession?

 

My advice would be to follow Heliosuk's advice.

(maybe you are a Politician as you ignored, and failed to answer, a direct question, choosing instead to ask another)

 

H

Edited September 11, 2014 by Hammy1962
Complience

[rebel11]

Where is the advise for the OP or did I miss it?

 

You see, those of us who are flag bearers for the motor industry don't mind announcing it on here.

 

We know and understand the subtleties of our responses which for someone 'not in the know' would deem to be irrelevant and or unhelpful. (The Mods then delete them).

 

There are not many who post on here who are true experts in the fields that they offer advice on. This is clearly stated in the disclaimers those who are unsure put in their signatures. I, and a couple of others, don't need a disclaimer.

 

The motor trade has millions of people employed, most of which are upstanding and professional at all times and I have no hesitation in advertising my profession publicly on here.

 

For instance 'rebel11' what is you expertise or profession?

 

H

[Hammy1962]

My advice would be to follow Heliosuk's advice.

[Surfer01]

See Honest John for a review on the Dodge Journey.

 

 

It seems that this car may have a VW engine and may have other parts common to another car.

 

 

Perhaps an independent would be able to fix it at a third of the price.

Chrysler Jeep quoted me over £600 to repair a front wheel bearing.

I got the job done for £200 as I bought the spare from the eBay Jeepchrysler website!

 

 

In addition, Oxford Chrysler diagnosed the wrong wheel bearing being faulty

so in the end I had to replace both.

 

I can recommend a workshop who are located in Shropshire and are experienced in Dodge and Jeep,

but not sure if that is allowed on the forum.

 

 

i have used them in past and I am happy to deal with them.

Their labour charge is a lot lower than a Chrysler dealer and they source the OEM parts.

I know Shropshire is a long way, but if you can save a couple of thousand

it will be worth it being towed there.

 

Secondly look on a US Dodge forum to see if any other owners have had similar problems

because if you can show it is an inherent fault in the design under the Sale of Goods Act you may be covered.

[rebel11]

There has never been a requirement for me or anyone else to do so, unless they were advising on behalf of a company, in answering that question there is no benefit to the OP whatsoever. As an actual motor industry expert, can you actually provide some advise / or things the OP can do to resolve their issues.

 

The following doesn't help, surely you have more advice to offer then that?

 

'My advise would be to follow Heliouk's advice', or '+1'.

 

'For instance 'rebel11' what is you expertise or profession?'

 

My advice would be to follow Heliosuk's advice.

(maybe you are a Politician as you ignored, and failed to answer, a direct question, choosing instead to ask another)

[heliosuk]

Rebel, what you provide with your standard link does not necessarily help either. It gives a guide to the law as it stands but as with anything in the law it is open to interpretation and challenge which you fail to point out with regular monotoney.

 

There is a major problem with SOGA, the industry and customer expectations as a whole which is why I am a strong advocate of regulation.

 

However to remove posts which you think are irrelevant from industry experts when you freely admit you are not get's peoples backs up.

 

Numerous experts have left the forum having given good and solid advice purely on the basis of the incessant censorship of posts where the expert challenges the opinion of posters, mainly from the site team, some of which seem to be in cloud cuckoo land at times.

 

The beauty of this site is that more professionals subscribe to it than many others. Don't ruin it by censorship as it will degrade into a sham like some of the other sites.

 

If you post then you can expect some flack but again unlike other similar sites, on CAG you get some decent debate!!