[Candyman]

Hey Abgmauldin,

I am sorry to hear you are having these continuing problems! For what its worth, here is my two cents.

I had a slight ticking noise in my engine as well acouple of years ago. It was'nt loud, but annoying, so I took it to my Mechanic to see what he thought. He said it sounded like a sticking lifter so we replaces the lifters, and pucks and it did go away for a short while but came back within days so back it went. He then called a Viper Tech Specialist he knew at a high end repair shop who said their was a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) that called for the Pucks to be rounded off. After my Mechanic machined down the Pucks the ticking sound went away and has not been back in over 14,000 miles. Please note that I am not a Mechanic, and this could be a totally separate problem, but it might be something to look into.

Now, as long as the vehicle is under warranty they should be obligated to fix the vehicle, or remedy the situation in some other acceptable manner. I am not sure if this is still in effect, but Chrysler should still have Corporate Representatives that are in charge of unresolved, or ongoing problems at Dealerships. Their purpose is to handle issues like yours, and try to work with the Dealer, and Chrysler to figure out what steps need to be taken to resolve the situation. They are authorized to do things the Dealer cannot.

These Corporate Reps will usually visit the Dealers in your area once a month. I would either ask the Sales Manager, and if he does not want to tell you when the Rep will be at your Dealer, ask to speak to the GSM (General Sales Manager) If you still are not able to get anywhere, I would ask what specifically could be done to resolve the issue once and for all. If they try to blow you off, or do not have a good plan in effect to handle your situation, or if they do not want to work with you on getting in touch with the Corporate Rep, I would explain that you will be calling the Corporate Offices, and filling a formal complaint on the Dealership! Most Dealerships try to compete in a points race with the Corporate Office for special discounts, and incentives on their inventory which increases their Profit Margin. This is where you may here a Dealer some time boast, or advertise that they are a 5 Star Dealer. Customer Complaints bring their Points Ratings down which drives their inventory costs up. The problem is not many people know this, and do not file complaints which put pressure on the Dealer to try to work out a better solution to a given problem. Normally issues like this can be resolved without taking extreme measures, but it sometimes may be necessary to do so if no other alternatives can be met!

I am not sure if these steps will bring you a quick resolution to your problem, but they should provide you with a good place to start.

I wish you the very best of luck, and please keep us informed as to how you progress in your situation!

Candyman