Thanks @RamCares (drag link)

[dhay13]

Thanks to @RamCares for helping with my drag link. Mine was still under recall but I didn't want it welded. RamCares PM'd me a few months back and I gave them all the information. Got a call last week to get it replaced but dealer called and said they couldn't replace it and welded it. Contacted RamCares and got a call Monday night from my dealer. Took it in today and the replaced it with a new one!

 

[HEMIMANN]

Chrysler has some really poor dealerships. You'd think FCA would pay better attention to enforcing standards, but it appears Fiat isn't concerned.

 

[dhay13]

Chrysler has some really poor dealerships. You'd think FCA would pay better attention to enforcing standards, but it appears Fiat isn't concerned.

This dealer is much better than my local one. I refuse to go to that one again. Here is a list of issues there:

-5 oil changes 4x left the filter loose and leaked oil (on my 1500, my wifes Commander and daughters GC)

-dripped oil down the fender of my freshly washed truck and left it there

-front end alignment on daughters Jeep GC a week after having the lift installed. They claimed bolts that had just been installed had been froze and broke. They had it a week and charged $600

-bought new tires for my 1500 when they had a special. drove to work the next day and rattled my teeth out. called them and spoke to asst service manager and they said i had a bent rim. told them no way cause it was fine when I dropped it off and if it was bent they would have called me. went back the next day and service manager checked with mechanic and he said he never told her i had a bent rim. both rear tires were out of balance

-step-son took his Dart in for new engine under warranty and they cracked his front bumper and messed up his wire routing under the hood so it looked like crap. They also lost his inner fender flapper door in the passenger side

-picked my truck up for oil change and had permanent fingerprints in my fender above my headlight. Assume maybe he had brake cleaner or something on his fingers. Tried buffing it off with no luck. When I went to the other dealer told them and they said they tried everything except wet sanding and buffing but I told them not to worry about it

-he went back for oil change and tire rotation and they stripped his locknut socket and one of the locking lugs. It was a sport with black wheels and they chipped that wheel up pretty bad. Took it back a week later after they got a new socket and they touched up his wheel. He went and talked to the General Manager and told him about all the issues we had with them and the GM raised his voice and told him they would replace his wheel but was done with him and didn't want him back there again. He told them to stick it and left. Bought a GMC after that.

This was probably all in about a 1 year span. Haven't been back there in about 3 or 4 years and won't go back. My daughter teaches at a vo-tech school and said one of her 10th graders told her he got hired there as a mechanic. He was in the auto tech shop. Not sure if that was true but after the service we got I wouldn't be surprised. Before the current owner bought it you had to wait a week for an appt. Now you go in and 1/2 the bays are empty in the garage. They have lost a ton of business

 

[IRSmart]

Chrysler has some really poor dealerships. You'd think FCA would pay better attention to enforcing standards, but it appears Fiat isn't concerned.

Why was this a poor dealer? Because they were being compliant with how the recall is to be handled? Lol!

 

[chrisbh17]

Why was this a poor dealer? Because they were being compliant with how the recall is to be handled? Lol!

It sounded like they contacted RAMCares and RAMCares arranged that it would be completely replaced, but instead the dealer did whatever the f they wanted (i.e. whats cheap and quick).

Then OP contacted RAMCares again and got it taken care of correctly.

The fact remains FCA really does not seem to do a very good job of maintaining consistency and quality with its dealers. Im sure they are not the only brand with that issue, and Im sure its gotten worse over time (since the last time Ive needed to use dealer service under warranty), but I agree: the worst experiences Ive had in service are my RAM dealers.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Why was this a poor dealer? Because they were being compliant with how the recall is to be handled? Lol!

I suggest reading some more threads.

 

[IRSmart]

It sounded like they contacted RAMCares and RAMCares arranged that it would be completely replaced, but instead the dealer did whatever the f they wanted (i.e. whats cheap and quick).

Then OP contacted RAMCares again and got it taken care of correctly.

The fact remains FCA really does not seem to do a very good job of maintaining consistency and quality with its dealers. Im sure they are not the only brand with that issue, and Im sure its gotten worse over time (since the last time Ive needed to use dealer service under warranty), but I agree: the worst experiences Ive had in service are my RAM dealers.

Um, no, that’s not exactly how it works. The recall (which is federally regulated, btw) states that the drag link must be welded unless it is tested and fails spec. They can’t just change how the recall is handled because the customer “wants” it done a different way. They don’t have the authority to do that, FCA does. So when they reached out to the dealer to give them the okay to perform the recall in a way other than normal, they did.

This sounds like it was handled properly and professionally. Stop trying to find “**** the evil dealership” conspiracies.

 

[IRSmart]

I suggest reading some more threads.

I’ve read plenty of threads, and have been on both ends of this recall. A dealer can’t (or more accurately, shouldn’t) arbitrarily change how they perform a recall. The bulletin states weld, and replace only if it fails spec. This dealer did nothing wrong, and complied with the modified recall claim once the only people who had the power to change it authorized such a modification.

 

[dhay13]

So what happened was I got a call Monday from someone at FCA and they left a voicemail saying everything was taken care of and they spoke with the service manager (and mentioned him by name) and said both he and the asst service manager were aware and that the parts were there to replace and it had been authorized and all I had to do was make an appt. Dropped the truck off later in the week and got a call about 2:30 in the afternoon from one of the guys in the service dept saying they had to weld it as they couldn't replace it without authorization from FCA. I said that they had talked to the service manager and the asst service manager was also aware. He then told me he talked to both of them and they knew nothing about it. His story did seem to waiver from saying they knew nothing about it to that they had to submit pictures before they could replace it. He did say they had the new drag link there. I told him I did not want it welded and he said 'the proper way to handle this isn't to leave it alone'. I told him the proper way to handle it isn't to weld it either. He agreed. So after that call I called the number that left me the voicemail and talked to a different person who took down my info and said they would look into it. Got a call from the dealer the next day telling me to bring it in to get it replaced.

So I don't know who dropped the ball here and don't really care. I suspect maybe the dealer but I had the truck almost 2 years and my drag link never moved so I was confident it would be ok as it was.

 

[oe542bob]

Dhay13, I’m going through this tomorrow. I called yesterday to verify the appointment with the service writer. I said I was to have the DL replaced. He said yeah, and that they would “have to weld the nuts on the replacement!” I said no, that it was the updated one and there would be nothing to weld. I then asked him to go and look to make sure it is the updated DL.
Came back on the phone and said it is the updated style. So, fingers crossed for this tomorrow!

 

[dhay13]

Dhay13, I’m going through this tomorrow. I called yesterday to verify the appointment with the service writer. I said I was to have the DL replaced. He said yeah, and that they would “have to weld the nuts on the replacement!” I said no, that it was the updated one and there would be nothing to weld. I then asked him to go and look to make sure it is the updated DL.
Came back on the phone and said it is the updated style. So, fingers crossed for this tomorrow!

i didn't even look to see if they welded the new one and not sure how to tell the difference between the old style and new style? i just glanced under and saw it was shiny and new. will look closer today

 

[oe542bob]

New one doesn’t require any welding. Uses a clamp with a thru bolt/nut to tighten after adjustment to steering wheel is done. The clamp squeezes the tube to prevent any movement.

 

[dhay13]

New one doesn’t require any welding. Uses a clamp with a thru bolt/nut to tighten after adjustment to steering wheel is done. The clamp squeezes the tube to prevent any movement.

Just checked mine and it is the new style with the clamp. The stickers with p[art numbers are still on it but i didn't feel like crawling on the ground to read them

 

[crazy jerry]

Chrysler has some really poor dealerships.

its 100% dependant on the people working at the particular dealership in question. no different than mcdonalds or any other business for that matter. some have exceptional service and some dont. the employees make or break it