Yeah, I've tried to get them to replace the BCM the last couple times I was in there to no avail. Talked to a service rep today & also talking to a salesperson to see what my options are. So done with this garbage :thumbsdown:
BODY CONTROL MODULE! BODY CONTROL MODULE! BODY CONTROL MODULE!
See: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f309/instrument-panel-causing-battery-drain-2829330/index2.html
That's exactly what was happening to my grand Cherokee, and it took them a month to figure it out. Call them and tell them the body control module needs to be replaced, and if it isn't done in a week you're getting a lawyer.
A buddy of mine has had one of these for just over a year and is currently trying to get it bought back under PA lemon law. Not sure what his first couple issues were (you need three) but he just drove it up here to Boston and once he was here, developed a weird rattle which got worse and worse and eventually stalled the engine. Dealership here says the engine needs to be replaced D:
He has a loaner off their lot which he drove back and is trying to make Jeep just take the car and loaner off his hands and give him a refund. I think he's going to end up stuck with it.
I've started the return process, hopefully I can get somewhere with it.
They didn't have a stick-shift Renegade available to test-drive, but I did take out a Dodge Journey & liked it. The SXT model would basically be a straight trade for what I have now. That's assuming I get Chrysler credit & not a refund from lemon-law, assuming lemon-law even gets approved.
Different badge, same problems as far as I'm concerned.
I'm surprised you're even considering Chrysler after what you've dealt with. I learned my lesson, and won't touch anything they make again.
Stories can be brought up about many brands though. Six of my last seven vehicles have been Chrysler owned (three Dodge, two Jeep and one Chrysler) and we have had very little issue with them (latest is 13 year old Intrepid fuel pump failure - fixed it myself). The four GM cars we had were all riddled with problems with the most being a 3.4 liter Monte Carlo Z34. Within six months of purchase, it was so bad that the dealer wanted to swap engines. We said no and GM basically bought it back. Side story: After GM bought it back (through dealer), it was placed on the lot within a day. I called the dealer to inquire about the car and was told that there was no issue with the car and everything was great with it. Said the previous owner (me) just needed a truck instead of a car (we purchased a Z28 after the Carlo was taken back). Goes to show how shady some dealers can be.
I'm sure there are people here who have great GM stories though.
As for the Renegade, not sure if it's just first model year issues of something rooted deeper into Fiat-Chrysler's design teams (or just poor quality suppliers). Time will tell.
I read the first page and the last of this thread. Pretty funny how it went from love affair to nasty divorce.
For quite a while Chrysler group had the reputation for failing to make functional products which at least the other domestics eventually figure out. GM cars will drive poorly for a long time, and Ford is actually getting somewhere by introducing their good intl designs to the US. The focus & esp. the fiesta are very competitive with the best out there, while their chrysler counterparts are relegated to rental fleets.
110% agree. However, here's my situation: I can either pursue the Chrysler buy-back program, or I can pursue lemon-law. If approved through Chrysler, I'd get a brand credit within about 4 weeks. With lemon-law, I'd need to involve an attorney & the process can take up to 6 months. With either one, I'm not sure if I'd get fair market value, or the original value paid. From what I've learned so far, Chrysler's buy-back usually gives you the full car value so you can get into something equivalent, whereas it's more varied with lemon-law & may only give me KBB value for it. So I can take a settlement check (if arbitration is in my favor) for an unknown amount of money, or I can swap directly into another Chrysler-brand product (again, if their in-house arbitration rules in my favor) without any cost to me & no loss of funds or value. The downside is, Chrysler has the the most complaints of 2016 so far. Here's the projected complaint index for 2016:
http://www.lemonlaw.com/carcomplaintindex.html
...Nine out of the top 20 cars with the most complaints are Chrysler-brand products. That's just pathetic.
Stories can be brought up about many brands though. Six of my last seven vehicles have been Chrysler owned (three Dodge, two Jeep and one Chrysler) and we have had very little issue with them (latest is 13 year old Intrepid fuel pump failure - fixed it myself). The four GM cars we had were all riddled with problems with the most being a 3.4 liter Monte Carlo Z34. Within six months of purchase, it was so bad that the dealer wanted to swap engines. We said no and GM basically bought it back. Side story: After GM bought it back (through dealer), it was placed on the lot within a day. I called the dealer to inquire about the car and was told that there was no issue with the car and everything was great with it. Said the previous owner (me) just needed a truck instead of a car (we purchased a Z28 after the Carlo was taken back). Goes to show how shady some dealers can be.
I'm sure there are people here who have great GM stories though.
As for the Renegade, not sure if it's just first model year issues of something rooted deeper into Fiat-Chrysler's design teams (or just poor quality suppliers). Time will tell.
Well, considering FCA's cars make up nearly 50% of the top 20 car complaints, I would say that the problem is in their design & manufacturing culture. I've had issues with every Dodge I've ever had (Dakota, Caravan, etc.). But you're right, all cars have issues, sometimes it's just luck of the draw; it just seems to be a higher percentage with Chrysler-branded products. My wife & I have both leased for the last ten years or so, never really had any issue with anything outside of her New Beetle (it ran fine, but anything that wasn't bolted down literally fell off...cupholders, 12V plug, holy-crap handles, trunk latch, you name it, and VW refused to pay for nearly all of it, citing user damage), so I guess I was due
I suppose that makes sense. If you get into something that has less problems then maybe you'll be happy long enough to trade it in down the road for something else.
Funny you should say this. My wife had one a number of years back and you had to use the car very gingerly in the winter or else all sorts of things would just start snapping off. It was terrible.
Ran fine and was 'reliable' outside of all the small things failing/breaking over time. Sad thing, those are mostly fit and finish items, and a few extra pennies here and there would have made a world of difference. Obviously it was built by an accountant vs. engineer. 'What cheap items can we use from the existing parts bin....hmm'
And to be fair, our Chrysler products were older models (short of the 2011 Chrysler 200 convertible) or more simple products with fewer electronic gadgets (two Jeep Patriots).
I'm not sure that the Patriots have any design influence from Fiat or not at this point as they have been around for quiet a few years (2016 is the last year they will be built as the Renegade is taking their place ).
The bulk of my issues are 100% computer-related. I was in the dealership yesterday & they still didn't want to replace the BCM
Any half-decent dealer would by now have swapped in a new BCM to see if it solved the problem.
Stories can be brought up about many brands though. Six of my last seven vehicles have been Chrysler owned (three Dodge, two Jeep and one Chrysler) and we have had very little issue with them (latest is 13 year old Intrepid fuel pump failure - fixed it myself). The four GM cars we had were all riddled with problems with the most being a 3.4 liter Monte Carlo Z34. Within six months of purchase, it was so bad that the dealer wanted to swap engines. We said no and GM basically bought it back. Side story: After GM bought it back (through dealer), it was placed on the lot within a day. I called the dealer to inquire about the car and was told that there was no issue with the car and everything was great with it. Said the previous owner (me) just needed a truck instead of a car (we purchased a Z28 after the Carlo was taken back). Goes to show how shady some dealers can be.
I'm sure there are people here who have great GM stories though.
As for the Renegade, not sure if it's just first model year issues of something rooted deeper into Fiat-Chrysler's design teams (or just poor quality suppliers). Time will tell.
What it boils down to is this:
1. I love the car itself, it's great.
2. My particular car is a lemon. My dealer has been great & my dealer's service department has been great, no fault to either of them. It was bad from the factory.
3. I have a couple friends with the car, no issues. I've had loaners as Renegades a couple times, no issues. Thus, not all Renegades are lemons.
4. I would be happy if Chrysler gave me a working car. I paid for a reliable car & did not get one. The dealership has no power to issue a replacement, which means I either have to go through Chrysler corporate or through my state's lemon-law program. There is no guarantee either one will be approved, nor that I will retain full value of the car if approved. Unfortunately, the process is not easy for either route. I simply want Chrysler to make good on their end of the deal: giving me a car I can trust, which is what I paid for. My particular model is a lemon.
Interestingly enough, both the Fiesta & the Focus make the top 20 complaint list, primarily due to transmission issues:
https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comme..._robert_silverman_founding_partner_at/cw0s30u
https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comme..._robert_silverman_founding_partner_at/cw2168l
https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comme..._robert_silverman_founding_partner_at/cw23zjx
Any thoughts on the refreshed Dodge Charger? The SE & SXT are offered in AWD now, which would help in the snowy winters where I live. It's a blimp of the car, but at least it doesn't make the Top 20 complaint list like a lot of FCA's cars...the 200, Cherokee & Grand Cherokee, Renegade, 500 & 500L, Journey, Town & Country, & Wrangler. Plus it has TACC as an option...AWD, TACC, and BT are pretty much my only wishlist requirements in a car.
I did like the Journey, but if I'm able to get credit for a replacement car, there's no way I'm getting something with such a high complaint index. I think the only other car I'd even consider is the Caravan...but no AWD or TACC available.