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'07 '09 Lifetime Powertrain Warranty Class Action

6K views 14 replies 12 participants last post by  Roadijeff 
#1 ·
I was pretty sure the lawsuits were going to start ramping up on the '07 - '09 Lifetime Powertrain Warranty, not ony because of the "inspection" clause, but because FCA is obviously forcing the dealers to cancel the warranties for any plausible reason. The newest of these vehicles is now about ten years old and the costs on this are no doubt climbing rapidly as the major components age and fail. We'll have to see how this progresses. FCA is playing with fire. Although this is a California based suit, the violations are Federal.

https://www.classaction.org/news/fia...ain-warranties
 
#2 ·
I read the link. People are calling it a hidden and a surprise requirement.
When I bought mine in Feb '08, I read the warranty book that came with the Jeep. It is plainly written that 5 year inspections are required. It's not fine print.
I still have the 2008 Wrangler showroom brochure. In it, the lifetime warranty is addressed by telling the reader to get a copy of the warranty from the dealer. I would assume if reading the brochure, the Jeep would not have been purchased yet.
I even got notifications from Jeep several months before each required inspection.

It sounds like they are trying to blame Jeep for their own oversights.

Now, voiding the warranty for the slightest of unrelated reasons is what they should be going after.
 
#3 ·
I just had the inspection on my 2009 with 70k miles done this month. They complimented me on the condition and only suggested rear brakes would be due soon, but no attempt to sell me anything. They did replace the airbag and the clockspring under warranty. This was at Bob Baker Jeep in Carlsbad, CA. I've got a two inch lift with 33" tires so nothing major and it's never been to the dealer other than the five year inspections. I knew about the inspections when I bought it and I've received notifications by mail each time. There's a 60 day before/after purchase date window to have it done.

(classaction link shows "page not found" btw)
 
#4 ·
Yep it's time for mine as well. April 18 is my buy date so I have time.
 
#5 ·
In Canada we were not offered the Lifetime Drivetrain Warranty. However, it is a well know fact across the board since 2007 (even is Canadians know the requirement) that those inspections were required to maintain that warranty in good standing. There certainly was no change or hidden wording to the paperwork. Plan and simple all you had to do was read the warranty requirements..

This past summer I traded my 2008 JKU in with 312,000Klm still runs like a top. My daughter also traded in her 2009 at 245,000klm, my son still has his 2007 with 198,000klm none of them have been problem.


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#6 ·
I had my the 5year inspection on my 09 JK last week at the same dealership I had the first inspection. I noticed the inspection this time is less throughout because they only checked for fluid level and possible leaks. I suppose if they find leaks and you don't fix it, the warranty is voided. My JK is maintained 100% my me so there is no problem with leaks. Let hope this JK holds up in the next 5 years.
 
#7 ·
I was just notified on June 24, 2020 that my unlimited mileage and expiration date of March 30, 2092, was no longer found in my dealer's computer. The service advisor spent hours trying to get through on the phone to Mopar Vehicle Protection and a number of individuals there, each with a ten to fifteen minute music-on-hold wait time.

The final statement was that my warranty was canceled because I did not get the free ten-year power train inspection on time. I had the five-year inspection done, but I missed the ten-year inspection because I didn't read my contract every year or wear a reminder pendant around my neck. I can't be positive whether I was notified or not for the five-year inspection, but I definitely had no warning of the ten-year inspection.

You have to know that a FREE inspection doesn't amount to much of anything and no one monitors the technician doing these inspections! Everything in service is done behind closed doors!

The service advisor had conversation with the service manager and it was decided that I should call Customer Care to see if I could get the warranty reinstated. Many phone calls with the over ten-minute wait time were endured. 800-514-5360 800-521-9922. In the end, I was abruptly told that there would be NO reinstatement.

Seriously, I believe this was a superfluous FIAT decision in order to get out of the contract, with them being under financial duress!
 

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#8 ·
The past couple years they've been trying to maximize quarterly profits, at the expense of the brand, to support their attempts to acquire a large European OEM to support European requirements to switch over to inefficient battery-powered vehicles. Counter-intuitive, since the company only makes money in North America. They should be reinvesting their scare resources in North America instead of squandering it on European political priorities.

By the way, does anyone know the real-world benefit of a 5-year "inspection" besides draining and refilling the HOAT? Above, someone mentioned brakes.
 
#9 ·
I believe the only reason for the every 5 year inspection is to confirm the maintenance is being done. I was told at purchase of my 2008 Wrangler that I needed to have the inspection every 5 years.

I now have around 141,000 miles and need repair on the manual transmission. Jeep is saying I must wait 60 days for parts. This is my main mode of transportation. Jeep customer service is saying no to a rental car. Any suggestions, or am I out of luck?
 
#10 ·
Lifetime Warranty

I got that 60 days for parts too when I needed new read end gears a few years back. It's like when a vehicle is a few years old, there is no need to stock parts any further. My dealer ended up getting the part from an outside source. It did work fine.

As for my previous lifetime warranty, it was the sneaky way that they got out of it. No matter, it was time for a new one anyway.

1962 Jeep 4X4 Utility Wagon 1968 Jeep 4X4 CJ5 1996 Jeep 4X4 Grand Cherokee Limited 2009 Jeep 4X4 Grand Cherokee Limited 2020 Jeep 4X4 Grand Cherokee Limited As you can see, I get a lot of miles out of my Jeeps!
 

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#11 ·
I have a friend that had a 2008ish Patriot with the lifetime power train warranty that got cancelled because of the five year inspection. She only found out because the cvt was making some weird squeak noise when she went to have it looked at. She didn't get anything in the mail about it and ultimately paid out of pocket to replace the cvt only to have it start squeaking later and then she traded it in. I spent years trying to get her over to the Jeep brand and that is a lost customer for life. I might be fine with the warranty on the transmission being voided but as I recall it was a sealed unit that could not be serviced and ultimately was a dumb reason to lose warranty over.
 
#15 ·
When I bought a 2007 Sebring, it included the lifetime powertrain warranty at no additional charge. I kept it for 11 years. At around its 5-yr anniversary, I received a card in the mail reminding me about the free powertrain inspection. I took it in and they did whatever they had to do.

At around the 10-yr anniversary, I had not received a reminder so I stopped by the service department and inquired about the free inspection. The service advisor acted like he didn't know what I was talking about and he asked the manager. They told me at that time that the 5-yr inspection was no longer required to maintain the warranty. If there had been an issue after that with them refusing to honor the warranty because of a lack of a 10-yr inspection I would have had a lawyer sort it out with them. As it turned out, I traded that vehicle in after 11 years, so things never got to that point.
 
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