Started a case with RAM today - lemon law??

[firemedic10584]

I was also just told that the dealer has to actually attempt a repair, not just give me a service record showing there was no errors noted by the computer. However, they do admit they can repl

Lemon law sounds like a challenge for this, but hopefully it’ll work out for you. The very first statement of Florida lemon law says “covers defects or conditions that SUBSTANTIALY impair the use, value or safety of a new or demonstrator vehicle”.
It also says that AFTER the third repair attempt you must contact the manufacturer (not the dealer) in writing by certified mail and let them know in order to give them one final attempt to fix it.
As far as your tires and mods, take whatever you can with you, and you’ll have to eat the rest.

I agree it's going to be a stretch. However, the heated seat is turning off for a reason. Whether that be it in fact is reaching a temperature too hot and POSSIBLY could cause a fire (safety concern) or another reason is causing it to shut down. Regardless, the dealer tells me it's normal and there's no fix for it. So, I'm sticking to my guns and pursuing a new replacement vehicle that works 100% as it should.

 

[TXCOMT]

This has got to be one of the strangest tales on this forum...again, I really hope things work out for you and we see pics of your new rig (all the mods) soon, brother! Good luck and thanks for keeping us posted.

TXCOMT

 

[firemedic10584]

This has got to be one of the strangest tales on this forum...again, I really hope things work out for you and we see pics of your new rig (all the mods) soon, brother! Good luck and thanks for keeping us posted.

TXCOMT

I agree! Sucks to have to even go through it but...on the bright side, I could come out in a better position if this actually works out in my favor. Speaking with the state regarding the lemon law and my modifications to the truck - they said if the case is approved, most, if not all the modifications can be reimbursed. So, we'll see and cross that bridge if we make it there.

 

[GLucas]

Same here!


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[firemedic10584]

Same here!


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Push on! Stand your ground and don't back down. I think we can win this. If they won't or can't fix it, why would I want to keep a truck that doesn't work all the way?? Unless they accept my partial payment from here on out!? lol

 

[huntergreen]

I was also just told that the dealer has to actually attempt a repair, not just give me a service record showing there was no errors noted by the computer. However, they do admit they can repl

I agree it's going to be a stretch. However, the heated seat is turning off for a reason. Whether that be it in fact is reaching a temperature too hot and POSSIBLY could cause a fire (safety concern) or another reason is causing it to shut down. Regardless, the dealer tells me it's normal and there's no fix for it. So, I'm sticking to my guns and pursuing a new replacement vehicle that works 100% as it should.

.


In 2004 or 2005, there was a recall on wife's 2004 grand Cherokee limited. The heated seats could potentially catch fire. Iirc, they removed the seats and replaced the elements. My point is, it isn't a stretch to say an injury could occur.

 

[wallacemf]

I have a 2018 2500 BH with the sport appearance pkg, and the sport bucket seats. I’ve never had this issue with the heated seats, they stay on until they cook your ass. My wife and daughter use them no matter what the temperature is.

 

[firemedic10584]

I have a 2018 2500 BH with the sport appearance pkg, and the sport bucket seats. I’ve never had this issue with the heated seats, they stay on until they cook your ass. My wife and daughter use them no matter what the temperature is.

My seats in no way get hot. Warm at best. Does your truck have the vented seats too or only the heated?

 

[wallacemf]

My seats in no way get hot. Warm at best. Does your truck have the vented seats too or only the heated?

Heated only. I’m probably exaggerating slightly but they do stay on until you turn them off. They don’t turn themselves off that I’ve noticed.

 

[Hootbro]

Well I'm back. My dealer is pretty much willing to work with me but they want me to basically pursue the lemon law route. The service department gave me another service record (second service attempt) with todays date on it but said there was no point in hooking it up to the computer because it's going to say the same thing that there are no errors. I was told to just come back by Monday and they'll give me the third service record and that will satisfy what is required to begin the lemon law process. My dealer tells me, and you all let me know if this sounds right, that if the case is approved - the FCA will give me a check for the MSRP amount of my current truck and then I must get a similarly priced new truck with the same MSRP, or if there's a difference I either roll it over into the payments or pay the difference up front. I'm going to get a '19 if this all plays out how it seems to be. But, the sales manager told me that I can't get any rebates or anything on the new truck that I must pay full MSRP?? That part doesn't sound right. If FCA buys my current truck back for the MSRP which I obviously don't owe MSRP on the truck - won't I basically just be a new customer coming in for a new vehicle with no trade in or anything?? Anyways, it seems that my dealer really isn't going to try to fix it and they would just rather me lemon law it..which I'm ok with too. My next question would be though - what happens to my brand new tires I just bought for 1200$, my window tint for 200$, side steps 200$, leveling kit 300$?? How does that all work? I submitted the form to FCA a bit ago to begin the process since I'll have the 3rd service attempt record on Monday morning.

If it goes lemon law, you are going to get back purchase price minus mileage already accumulated at a certain rate deducted. MSRP has nothing to do with it unless your purchase price was MSRP. If your purchase price was like most sales MSRP minus incentives both dealer and factory, that is what you are going to get back. Also, buyer installed accessories are not usually cover.

It is going to vary somewhat by state but not by much.

 

[Fitz-0518]

Dealers know their State lemon law. It is common for them to tell a customer, actually encourage, a lemon law complaint. When they know/believe that the claim will be denied. This is most common when a dealer believes/feels the repair complaint has been corrected or found to be a normal operating condition, but not to the customers satisfaction. When the complaint is not clear, known or common, lemon law complaints tend not to prevail. By pushing the customer into a lemon law complaint and the customer losing, the dealer is done and has nothing further to do. For many dealers, a lemon law buy back is no great financial loss for obvious reasons. What the dealer puts on the work order or invoice is critical to prevailing in a claim. Properly timing the notice to FCA is also important. Maybe you can tell,,,, got an education today.

 

[JohnnyMac]

I would think that the dealer isn't culpable for any lemon law claims. If the car ends up being deemed a lemon, wouldn't the onus be on FCA to make both the dealer and the customer whole since they manufactured and provided the lemon to start with? If everything works out like the process is laid out, the dealer gets to sell a different truck so he's gonna get his after the claim goes through. I'm sure it's not this simple but I don't think a dealer would push a lemon law claim to get out from under it, I think he'd push it to get a possible upsell to a newer model.

 

[firemedic10584]

I would also think they would push the lemon law to sell me a newer truck and to not have to fix the problem.

 

[firemedic10584]

If it goes lemon law, you are going to get back purchase price minus mileage already accumulated at a certain rate deducted. MSRP has nothing to do with it unless your purchase price was MSRP. If your purchase price was like most sales MSRP minus incentives both dealer and factory, that is what you are going to get back. Also, buyer installed accessories are not usually cover.

It is going to vary somewhat by state but not by much.

Well, that's not quite what my dealer said or what the state told me when I called them. They said it does in fact go by MSRP because the new truck I end up getting has to have the same or less MSRP amount. My financed amount currently won't change, but the MSRP of the two trucks has to be equal or less than my current truck.

 

[mtnrider]

Dealers know their State lemon law. It is common for them to tell a customer, actually encourage, a lemon law complaint. When they know/believe that the claim will be denied. This is most common when a dealer believes/feels the repair complaint has been corrected or found to be a normal operating condition, but not to the customers satisfaction. When the complaint is not clear, known or common, lemon law complaints tend not to prevail. By pushing the customer into a lemon law complaint and the customer losing, the dealer is done and has nothing further to do. For many dealers, a lemon law buy back is no great financial loss for obvious reasons. What the dealer puts on the work order or invoice is critical to prevailing in a claim. Properly timing the notice to FCA is also important. Maybe you can tell,,,, got an education today.

Yep, I agree completely. The dealer is pushing him to the Lemon law because they feel there is nothing wrong with the truck and it is operating as normal. The fact that they have not even tried to swap anything out also leads me to believe they think it is operating as designed. May not be how the OP feels it should work but the dealer is saying otherwise.


I think there is very little chance of winning a lemon law case here. They just booted him off to the lemon law thing to get him out of their hair.


.

 

[firemedic10584]

Yep, I agree completely. The dealer is pushing him to the Lemon law because they feel there is nothing wrong with the truck and it is operating as normal. The fact that they have not even tried to swap anything out also leads me to believe they think it is operating as designed. May not be how the OP feels it should work but the dealer is saying otherwise.


I think there is very little chance of winning a lemon law case here. They just booted him off to the lemon law thing to get him out of their hair.


.

Well, I disagree. I think my dealer just doesn't want to bother trying to fix it and will most likely just sell my truck used on the lot and just hope the new buyer doesn't notice the heated seat issue. I think they'll just make more money by getting me into a new 2019. But, without a doubt, the seat is absolutely not functioning as it should. I made another video of it yesterday just for giggles. I was sitting in the seat when I performed the test and it completely shut off just under 2 minutes. So, if that's normal, then why does my driver side stay on like it should and how the owners manual states it should operate?? I know some of you guys don't think this issue is that big of a deal, but it is. A brand new truck should work how it is designed to or at least be able to be fixed if it does not. Also, as I've mentioned, who is to say the seat is not a fire hazard?? It's turning off for a reason. What that reason actually is I don't know. But it certainly can't be 100% ruled out that there is a safety hazard there.

 

[wallacemf]

According to the 2018 manual, his front heated seats are not operating as they should. They should not turn off for at least 45 minutes. See manual page below.

 

[firemedic10584]

So my gf was at the dealer this morning getting the cruise control recall done on her grand cherokee. The service guy mentioned to her they believe there's a sensor in the seat that detects when it's too hot outside and that's what is turning the seat off. My argument to that is, why does my driver seat stay on as it should? The outside temp has no affect on whether the seat stays on or not. I will add the service department has been more than willing to help, they just need a direction to go. But sadly, if that computer doesn't tell them anything is wrong, then that's just the end of the road for them.

 

[firemedic10584]

According to the 2018 manual, his front heated seats are not operating as they should. They should not turn off for at least 45 minutes. See manual page below.View attachment 135636

Yep. I've got these two pages printed out as well. "boosted" HI mode for 4 minutes then "normal" HI mode for 60 minutes. Then it should kick down to low for another 45 minutes. So one hour and 49 minutes total the heated seat should remain on. I'm not that great at math, but 2-3 minutes does not equal one hour and 49 minutes lol

 

[xACRx]

I would take it to another dealership to try and fix it and if they can’t, then go to another one and so on until you find the right dealership who can fix it. You may have to drive many miles away to find the right one. I have experienced bad mechanics and poor management in shops before.