Problems with Chrysler and Ram - Warranty Issue - Fan Shroud Radiator Failure

Just went out and looked at mine. I'm just north of 13K miles on my 2014. Looks perfect for now. You would think if this is happening broadly that considering the recent fiasco that fiat-chrysler is going through that they would be very attentive to warranty issues (if there is a pattern there should be a recall and this seems like a pattern). I also have a little troube understanding how it's a road debris issue as some are claiming especially if it pulls it in on the top or sides. Keep us posted. FIle against chrysler in small claims court and time to call the local news station trouble shooter.
 
I'm liking the idea of calling all the local news outlets.

"Local business owner, suffers poor customer service" bla bla bla with the related headlines.

As well, create a buzz with multiple news outlets competing for hits with similar stories, couple that with social media, and you can get it to go viral.

This is a good situation to use Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, as most news outlets and large companies ie: Chrysler-fiat monitor social media for what's trending that's related to them.
 
benmack1 said:
Just went out and looked at mine. I'm just north of 13K miles on my 2014. Looks perfect for now. You would think if this is happening broadly that considering the recent fiasco that fiat-chrysler is going through that they would be very attentive to warranty issues (if there is a pattern there should be a recall and this seems like a pattern). I also have a little troube understanding how it's a road debris issue as some are claiming especially if it pulls it in on the top or sides. Keep us posted. FIle against chrysler in small claims court and time to call the local news station trouble shooter.
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Like he said, small claims court... 90% of the time they will just cut you a check.
 
Mac5005 said:
I'm liking the idea of calling all the local news outlets.

"Local business owner, suffers poor customer service" bla bla bla with the related headlines.

As well, create a buzz with multiple news outlets competing for hits with similar stories, couple that with social media, and you can get it to go viral.

This is a good situation to use Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, as most news outlets and large companies ie: Chrysler-fiat monitor social media for what's trending that's related to them.
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While it could work,its more likely that CF will not give a rats ass about some guy in NC.
 
Did you buy it from kville dodge? If so I'd try another dealership for further help. That c*** Lori and that fag John Powell over there in the service department know me well now. I'm pretty sure after the fiasco with my 2012 they screwed all up they were ready to file a restraining order on me. Best of luck resolving the issue.
 
YotaOnRocks said:
Did you buy it from kville dodge? If so I'd try another dealership for further help. That c*** Lori and that fag John Powell over there in the service department know me well now. I'm pretty sure after the fiasco with my 2012 they screwed all up they were ready to file a restraining order on me. Best of luck resolving the issue.
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I did buy it from K-ville dodge, my first mistake. I agree 100% with your assessment of those two also. Unfortunately the truck is in Asheville at a dealership I know nothing about. So far I'm less than impressed with their communication skills.

Thanks for the comments guys. I'll update as I know more.
 
Is it at skyland? If so @Jody Treadway knows all the players there....
 
It is. I should have thought of that myself.
 
I'd have them show me how they came to the conclusion it was caused from road debris. Wouldn't this mean there would be damage to the grill? Just curious. Hope you get this resolved to your favor. Good luck
 
@UNBREAKABLE
YotaOnRocks said:
Did you buy it from kville dodge? If so I'd try another dealership for further help. That c*** Lori and that fag John Powell over there in the service department know me well now. I'm pretty sure after the fiasco with my 2012 they screwed all up they were ready to file a restraining order on me. Best of luck resolving the issue.
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Sounds familiar.
 
YotaOnRocks said:
Did you buy it from kville dodge? If so I'd try another dealership for further help. That c*** Lori and that fag John Powell over there in the service department know me well now. I'm pretty sure after the fiasco with my 2012 they screwed all up they were ready to file a restraining order on me. Best of luck resolving the issue.
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I agree with this. The service department there sucks. I hope like hell i never talk to them again. The buying process was OK but i go somewhere else for my recall work.
 
Kernersville dodge can eat a dick. Lori is a wretched bitch. I had it out with her too. Their "diesel tech" is an idiot. He got dirt in my fuel filter and took out 6 injectors. Service department is a bunch of morons.
 
@Oliver's Not sure if you mentioned it but what was the fix like? Did they just replace the parts like it was from the factory (same rubber flap to bridge the shrouds or is there an improvement)? I am wondering is this a design failure where all are susceptible to the same thing or do some come off the line with the rubber piece folded under and more apt to flex in the heat and get caught? I looked at mine and it seems like it overlaps the front shroud by a couple inches and is a fairly hard rubber. I could not see how it would get folded under and get caught but obviously there are many that are doing this. I wonder if some come from the assembly line with the rubber folded under rather than molded over the front shroud??? If the fuckers just put the same shit back on, what is going to stop it from happening again IF it is a design issue. I hope it's an assembly line snafu.

Also, where did it 'catch'? Top, side or bottom? I only looked at the topside of mine and didn't crawl under to see if there is a more vulnerable area underneath or even if the rubber goes all the way around. The pics on cumminsforum seemed to look like the top/side were chewed up on some but hard to tell from the pics and get oriented so I am not sure.
 
Don't give up. They kept refusing to fix mine after they attempted to 4 times. They actually damaged it more the fourth time they had it. After that 4th time that douche John Powell told me "to bad. If you don't like it go get a lawyer. Now get out of my office". I told him that I think he would look funny with a crew cab dually shoved up his a**. And that if he wanted to sleep another night without wondering if he would wake up he better change his attitude. I went to blake mitchell the owners son and got a check for a third party of my choosing to fix the truck a couple weeks later.

In closing I hope the kville dodge service dept all chokes on dicks at supper tonight.
 
Shitty situation. I briefly looked into a new truck this yr and called kville dodge about trading my one owner 02 cummins in for shits and giggles knowing full well I'd be better off selling it outright..... They offered me $5k... I laughed, said a couple 4 letter words, hung up on them and drove it to Colorado and back without issue the next week. I'll spend my money on repairs.

Hope you get this bullshit worked out.
 
benmack1 said:
@Oliver's

Also, where did it 'catch'? Top, side or bottom? I only looked at the topside of mine and didn't crawl under to see if there is a more vulnerable area underneath or even if the rubber goes all the way around. The pics on cumminsforum seemed to look like the top/side were chewed up on some but hard to tell from the pics and get oriented so I am not sure.
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The rubber came loose on the passenger side, about middle ways down the shroud.
 
XJfreakHO said:
Like he said, small claims court... 90% of the time they will just cut you a check.
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Small claims court where? While the dealer may be local, the warranty claim is filed with Chrysler Corporate which is most likely out of Auburn Hills, Michigan. Is that the appropriate jurisdiction for the small claims court?

My question would be how can they possibly make a claim that road debris caused damage to a fan which I'm assuming is on the engine compartment side of the radiator? Did the particular road hazard item go through the radiator and cause the plastic clip to get damaged and fail causing the cooling fan to be sucked into the fan from the back side? I think I'd want to see some proof from the warranty side of how it could have possibly been road hazard related.
 
Trust me, I totally agree that their find is total horse sh!t. The even more amazing thing is, how did this "debris" make it through the fan into the radiator, cutting a 4" radiused gash in the motor side of the radiator, yet didn't destroy the fan or for that matter harm it in any way?

I've been told by many folks via PM and Phone to get an attorney. My question is, now that I have involved the insurance company, if the insurance company pays the claim, (Don't know yet) do I still put the time and effort into hiring a lawyer? If so, how will that work? Will I have to pay the insurance company back for what they've paid out?

Right now, I'm in a rental truck, costing me 40 bucks a day plus mileage. I would surely like to be reimbursed for this expense. The insurance company is not going to cover the rental. So this in itself may be worth contacting a lawyer over.

Thanks for the replys guys!
 
Also, I have been advised to report this to the NHTSA. My only concern is that this will be a scarlet letter on the truck, when I go to get rid of it. Anyone have any experience with this?
 
If it were road debris, how were the charge air cooler, trans cooler and radiator not damaged from the bottom or front side, but damage is only inside the fan area of the radiator fan shroud and Engine side of the radiator ?

Think this thru carefully and use logic. They don't want to pay, and will make it your fault until you can beat them to prove it.

I HATED warranty work and the way the dealer/manufacturer treated the customer and the tech ( who is also caught in the middle of this, he'd rather it be customer pay cuz it'll be worth his time them, a warranty repair won't pay him shit, and I'd probably expect that sort of work in exchange as a result )

You can pretty much bet they've seen your problem before, but haven't had anyone savy enough to prove the problem exists so that they just have to eat it. Be THAT GUY !
 
ManglerYJ said:
Small claims court where? While the dealer may be local, the warranty claim is filed with Chrysler Corporate which is most likely out of Auburn Hills, Michigan. Is that the appropriate jurisdiction for the small claims court?
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That's why it usually wins. It costs more for them to fly an attorney and make sure that attorney knows the situation than it does to write a check
 
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Oliver's said:
Also, I have been advised to report this to the NHTSA. My only concern is that this will be a scarlet letter on the truck, when I go to get rid of it. Anyone have any experience with this?
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Seeing that your truck has been in the shop a dozen times already and is still less than a year old, what's one more scarlet letter?
 
It's simple. They don't know you, you didn't buy it there, they don't want to have a tech pissed of because warranty only paid them 1.7 hours to do a 3-4 hour job. So they claim road debris, get their buddy buddy rep to sign off on it, and you get screwed because you had bad luck and they don't want to help you out. Happens more than anyone wants to admit, sometimes dealers are douches, sometimes customers are. This sounds a lot like a dealership service department blowing smoke to get out of it.
 
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