quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
Oh, and the entire radio/HVAC/bluetooth management cluster in the center console locks up about 1 in 10 times that you turn it on. You can turn it off, but that's it. Volume controls, channel buttons...all stuck at where they were when you last turned it off. The only way to reset it is to shut the car off and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Dodge dealer has no answers. There's no firmware update, and no combination of buttons you can hold down to force it to reset. It wouldn't be such a huge deal, except the car is my office and we get in trouble for handheld cell-phone use, so I need the stupid thing to work.

I had exactly the same problem with my 2018 Challenger. The dealer did a firmware upgrade (curious why your dealer said there is no FW update) and said "If that doesn't fix it then we'll replace the unit." It sort of fixed it, in that the behavior changed. It didn't completely freeze up again, but within days it started acting like the touchscreen was either disconnected from the unit or was being ignored. I took it back again, they ordered a new unit, and it took almost three months for it to arrive. As soon as they got it swapped out I sold the car (for other reasons, but I had about zero confidence that the new unit would really be any better than the original one).

quote:

Originally posted by NK402:
Consumer reports recently did a piece on cars that have really poor reliability, yet they continue to enjoy a loyal fanbase. Jeep was prominently mentioned.

Yeah, for some reason there’s that ‘Jeep thing’, maybe it’s waving to each other on the road? My last Chrysler vehicle was in the 80’s, never been on my radar since.

Some people seem to have good luck with certain auto manufacturers while others do not. I have a good friend that always buys GM. I have yet to own a GM that was not troubled.

Basically the same story here... So many crazy thing just failed on that damn thing: Clock Spring (twice), Motor Mounts (three times!), Rear brakes (36k miles max), dumped thousands into the HVAC/Coolant system over the years; yet a/c worked maybe 1/2 its lifetime...

quote:

Originally posted by patw:
The worst Chrysler I ever owned was the PT Cruiser. My wife liked the look of it and the way it drove. A friend of ours had one and he never had a problem. I bought it used and it was only needing to last about a year or so but the problems came right away,within a month, with the main problem being a engine seal/oil leak from the crank shaft. After that, it was just a money pit- the starter, alternator, electrical door and hatch switches,radiator leak, heater coil in the dash leaking, then a/c issues to name a few off the top of my head. We wound up trading it in on a new car and couldn't come to soon. Again, fortunately, I was able to do the repairs-that I could, but it was the worst car I ever had by far.

PT Cruiser(s) are POS honorable mention:
- Chrome clad wheels had a cool way of rusting from the inside out
- Cheap materials used in headlights would yellow WAY earlier than any other car I've ever owned
- Fog Lights broke in the on position ($$$ repair, forced to pass VA inspection)
- Burned thru brakes way too often for a vehicle of it's size/power (must have been undersized)
- ANY engine compartment work = PITA (no space)

quote:

Originally posted by NK402:
Consumer reports recently did a piece on cars that have really poor reliability, yet they continue to enjoy a loyal fanbase. Jeep was prominently mentioned.

Ha ha. I have a friend's who's wife had to have a Jeep. They bought her a 4 year old Wrangler four door. First year it's left her on the side of the road twice. She's finally realized it wasn't the way to go.

quote:

I have yet to own a GM that was not troubled.

Same here. I love how my Tahoe drove but it was not reliable after 100K miles. Meanwhile at the same time my wife's Explorer was traded at 146K and never broke down once.....

The fact that Chrysler still hasn't been able to improve quality is so frustrating - this has been a public black eye for them for years.

I am a die hard Toyota fan and have 3 of them right now but I am looking for a new SUV and the Toyota inventory is LOW.

I was starting to look at the Jeep Grand Cherokees again since there are more available and they've had this engine/trans combination out for a long time now and there is no reason the bugs shouldn't be worked out by now.

Started doing some research on them and it sounds like there is still all kinds of issues.

After reading this thread I will just wait for the inventory levels to stabilize and get another Toyota...

.

There's no doubt in my mind that the european control of these companies is detrimental to them. It's as if they are doing this on purpose to make it seem as their domestic products are better than the ones they are controlling.

Renault did everything in their power to destroy Nissan. Now Nissan is just told Renault to fuck off and doing as they wish, legalities be damned.

I have had bad cars in many different manufacturers…and good ones too both foreign and domestic.

It’s really part luck of the draw…

If I get a problematic car/ truck…I trade it ASAP.

quote:

That was all done under the MaxCare Unlimited Mileage/Lifetime warranty

Good call!

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:

quote:

That was all done under the MaxCare Unlimited Mileage/Lifetime warranty

Good call!

One of the most lucrative purchases I've ever made and it keeps getting better (see my update). I really am surprised that they haven't offered to buy me out by now. I know plenty of folks who have this warranty and have gotten buyout offers from FCA with far less on the books.

-Rob

quote:

Originally posted by BurtonRW:

Two more extremely inconvenient days without my vehicle because the dealer doesn't stock parts

Do they provide a loaner at no charge?

If not, you might want to chat with a lawyer.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by BurtonRW:

Two more extremely inconvenient days without my vehicle because the dealer doesn't stock parts

Do they provide a loaner at no charge?

If not, you might want to chat with a lawyer.

LOL. I think I might know one.

Original dealership had loaners at $35/day. (The rate under the terms of the warranty after 100K miles.) Only requirement was photocopy of my DL and name of insurance company (didn't even ask for proof). Drove a LOT of those over the years. Great advertising for them.

Mid-sized family dealership group sells out to larger mega dealer chain and now if you need a loaner, they shuttle you down the street to a Budget office. You get the same $35/day rate, but you have to go through the standard rental car BS (significant deposit, copies of everything in triplicate, etc.) and it takes at least an hour.

For the same money and less hassle, I can grab an Uber to the family farm and borrow the farm truck for the day. It's still a PITA, though.

That part isn't FCA's fault. Neither is the dealer not stocking parts.

-Rob

I had a Dodge Dakota years ago that was a POS and a 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited that was bulletproof. That said I bought a Toyota 4Runner last year because I don't want to buy problem vehicles anymore!

I had a Mini Cooper S (one of the original Supercharged models, not the newer turbos) that had all sorts of problems. However, every time I took it down to the BWM dealer for repairs, they would give me a much nicer complimentary 3-series loaner to drive while they worked on it! It was hard to be all that mad about the Mini being a turd when they kept letting me have year-old 335i's to drive around. I wouldn't want to own one, but damn were those early twin-turbo inline 6 engines fun!

I haven't ever owned an FCA-family vehicle, or even a GM for that matter. I've driven a few Fords, but they were all used enough by the time I got them that it was tough to say how many of their problems were design issues, and how many were owner abuse. I will say, however, that I know more people who have blown engines in Dodge Neons than any other car. Maybe I just knew a bunch of people who treated their cars like crap, but I recall at least three different people I've known whose Neons had catastrophic engine failures and I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting a few more.

- Bret