Jeep is a mess right now. Customer care takes weeks (yes, WEEKS) to get in touch with you for these cases, and then has very little to offer. The 95B case managers don’t even have the authority to provide any additional information above and beyond what you’ll read here. They’ll say they can give you a month of rental and $100 in gas for each month the recall persists. But then they’ll transfer your case to the “rental department”. More waiting.
Then, after I mentioned that my lease is winding down (6 months to go) and that it didn’t make sense to throw $1500 on a rental and gas for what could be the duration of the term. So, their financial liability, aside from legal liability if something were to happen with these vehicles (both of ours are under recall having been produced in 23), is substantial. Substantial to the point that what they’re willing to pay out is essentially a wash for what the lease payment is for at least one of them.
So, I mentioned that I would like to speak with them about early termination of the lease without penalty due to the fire risk and financial trades on the table already. My Jeep case manager said that I should speak with Chrysler capital and said they had the authority to grant that request. So I called Chrysler capital to hear that they’re just the financial institution and have no authority to do so. So, yeah, the bank doesn’t know what’s going on, Jeep doesn’t know what’s going on, and the dealers don’t know what’s going on.
While on the phone with CC, they suggested a “solution” for me… They said I could trade in the car at the dealership and that would release me from financial liability for the last 6 months. I literally started laughing on the phone at the thought of jumping into another vehicle from a Jeep after this experience. Effin bank doing effing bank stuff… She also said that I could get out of the lease without any issue. All I do is drop it off at any dealer without inspection, they pick it up, they auction it off to the highest bidder, and I am financially responsible for the Delta between the residual value in the contract And the actual sale price. Again, LOL. I’d wager that would put me between 8-10K upside down. 😂 that makes zero sense for me.
Anyway, so everyone knows and hears it from someone who spoke with Jeep just yesterday, they will reimburse you for a month of rental after you open a case and take care of paying for the rental. It essentially works like getting reimbursed at work via an expense report. Jeep cares can also get you a $100 a month gas card, which is supposed to be emailed directly to me (or you when you open the case), which will continue every month until the recall is resolved.
Anyone a Simpsons fan? If I were a betting man, I would say the inanimate carbon rod is in charge over at Jeep/FCA.
