$180 for a new key!!! And other Chrysler rants...

[Teekypt]

In response to the tire issue:

I don't think you have to have the dealer balance your tires. I love my service dept. at my dealership, but I have Discount Tire Co. balance and rotate my tires for free. One of the service guys told me that Discount is the best place to buy tires...even if you don't purchase your tires from them, they will still balance 'em for free...

So I would suggest you take your tire issue to a tire co., if you can Discount, because they will balance, rotate for free. If you bought the car used, damage could've been caused to the car, which could cause all these front-end probs.

Let us know what you find out.

[2007]

Originally Posted by BLUEH20

Okay--now we go to work--

Your information indicates that your warranties are intack.

A. Tire balancing is generally covered for 12 months or 12000 miles which ever occurs first. You should not have to pay for a spin balancing at the dealership. Net to verify the time/milage constraints with the repair facility.
They charged me $14 for rotation. It has not been discussed if there is a charge for balancing, but I'm guessing there is.

Tires are not covered by Chrysler waranty--you received a tire warranty document in you packet--you may have a tire issue--take the vehilce to the appropriate tire company and discuss it with them.

B. Did the dealership open a repair order for the surging issue. If your concern is not corrected you may have an arbritation position. This requires 3 unsuccessful attemps at correction--does not have to be at the same facility. You need to have three documented efforts at a dealership for the same complaint. Arbritration is sometimes called lemon law--same out come. It could result in a buy back. The directions are in you owners packet you recieved at delivery.
Nothing has been documented. They don't even want to look at it. They just blow it off like it's something else common causing what I *think* is a problem. I went to another dealer and test drove another PT and it did not have the same problem mine has. The problem seems like a surge, but may also be described as a "wobble" in the front end also. The tire rotation that was just done eliminated the vibrating at 70 MPH, but now it's present at 55 MPH.

C. The clunk entering/departing parking lots may infact be a normal thing. Does this occur when you go over a speed bump at a speed of, let' say 10->15 mph? Just something to consider.
In a straight line over a bump such a speed bump - no, there is no noise. It happens when turning into lots that have a small drainage ditch thing or a small incline into the lot. It seems like some side-to-side makes the noise.

D. The window just needs to be addressed. They can't fail to fix it unless you let them. Yep, something I still need to get to. I'm actually waiting for the noise to get much worse so there is no doubt it's broken.

E. Squeal when turning--Is this a tire noise or running gear? Tire noise the outside timer in a turn rotates at a different rate than the tire on the side of the turn--this noise is generally heard in slow turn duiring parking lot manuvers. More info please. No, it's a rotational squeal when driving straight between speeds 35 MPH and 70 MPH. It's just a continuous squeal. I'm fairly certain it's not the brakes - it makes the same noise if the brakes are applied or not. I'm guessing a bearing.

F. The dealerhip must record your visists via a repair order in order for Chrysler to compensate them for their efforts and for Chrysler to be aware of your issues. These repair orders are necessary for the abritration process should these issues come to that. Of course you should also your visists that were not recorded by a repair order--who, what, when, where--get it on paper as memories differ from customer to service department.

G. If you feel that you have been blown off by the dealerhip--your next stop is Customer Assistance Center....1800-992-1997. This gets your concerns recorded, forwarded to the dealership--generally by placing you on hold and a call is made directly at that time. In any case you should request a CAIR Case Number for your records. This CAIR goes to the Zone Manager and requires a response from the offending dealership. Again maybe a phone call from the Zone DM to the Facility or it could require them to submit a written report. I found a number online, but it wasn't the one you just provided. The best advice the guy could give me was to try another dealer, lol.

In any case when dealing with CAC--keep it very cool--no venom--no threats--If they feel that you will not be satisified with anything they do--they have no incentive to do anything. These people will work for you if you let them.

Keep us informed and let's see if we can help you.
Thanks for the time you've spent so far on this, I really do appreciate the information.

.....

[2007]

Originally Posted by Teekypt

In response to the tire issue:

I don't think you have to have the dealer balance your tires. I love my service dept. at my dealership, but I have Discount Tire Co. balance and rotate my tires for free. One of the service guys told me that Discount is the best place to buy tires...even if you don't purchase your tires from them, they will still balance 'em for free...

So I would suggest you take your tire issue to a tire co., if you can Discount, because they will balance, rotate for free. If you bought the car used, damage could've been caused to the car, which could cause all these front-end probs.

Let us know what you find out.

I bought it new, and at first I just figured it was the GoodYear tires. <-- not my favorite brand. I'm going to have as much done at the dealer that I can because I'm over-paranoid about being denied some lifetime powertrain warranty coverage eventually. The more work I have them do, the less they can blame on other shops. Other shops around here want $50 to $80 just to balance the tires, and unfortunately we don't have a Discount Tire nearby. I've heard many good thing about them, though.

[BLUEH20]

The key, maybe not the best word, is to get the concern on the record. You say the repair department is blowingyou off.

Set an appointment for your top three issues. Get a repair order open for the three items. Ensure that the service writer read your stated concerns back to you and that you agree with the wording completely.

The Chrysler Warranty Maual requires that the three C's are on each warranty repair order.

C1-Concern-as stated by the customer--not paraphased by the service writer. A good service writer will ask additional open ended questions to fill in the who, what, when, why and how things as needed.

C2-Cause-This is the story as writtten by the diagnostic technician. Only the dignostic technician's statement are accceptable here. This is where the tech states the testing, diagnostics and the like that either support or does not support your concern.

C3-Correction-Again the technician performing the repair/correction is the only one that has input here. It can be amplified by the service manger/parts manager but that should be the most that have access to this item.

This is where the document becomes a legal document--when you sign a repair order--in the fine print you are granting a mechanic's lien aganist your vehilce to ensure payment should it become a non-warranty issue.

Legal on you and it is also legal on them--the 3C's are the pie filling. This why you need RO's open. Can it cost you--yes it can. It will also give you a leagal record should you need to follow up on this.

If your dealership is refusing to explore your concern-document it. Supply that information to CAC in writing--ensure to ask for their assistance in having your concerns addressed including ZONE DM envolvement--dont demand the DM's phone number--your arent going to get it......no way!

I do not want to be preachy--I do have experience in this area and I hate to see a customer not being taken care of in the same manner I tried to take of mine. I like a win/win conclusion to as many warranty concerns as possible.

[2007]

Originally Posted by BLUEH20

This is where the document becomes a legal document--when you sign a repair order--in the fine print you are granting a mechanic's lien aganist your vehilce to ensure payment should it become a non-warranty issue.

I'm curious how this works... Am I signing a "no limits" repair order should the problem become a non-warranty issue? Will they notify me as soon as it is determined that it's a non-warranty issue, and provide a repair quote before they continue with the repair?

I think the chances of this are slim, but I'm still curious how it works.



.

[BLUEH20]

Absolutely not--you must specificy what work is authorized, a limit on how mcuh time and effort is to be expended and a written estimate of any and all work that is not covered by the vehcile's warranty prior to any work is completed beyond your authorized amount unless it covered in full by warranty.

This is rather straight forward and applies to all repairs in the automotive industry.

[2007]

Thanks, that makes me feel better about it. I've never had any vehicle fixed at a shop other than warranty work on other vehicles I bought new, so I know very little about how they work.

[loxmith]

About the Key...

Should be able to self program...IDK as I have not dealt with the keys with the built in alarm keyfobs...check with a local locksmith shop, they may be willing/able to cut you a new key cheaper.

[PokonoPT]

Originally Posted by 2007

So I'm at the dealer for my 3rd oil change.

Me- How much is it for a new key for that car?

Him - It would be around $170 to $180.

Me - Is that programmed?

Him - Yes.

Me - How much for a key that's not programmed?

Him - Why? It does you no good. We have to program the key or your car won't start.

Me - I read in the owner's manual that I could program the key myself if I have 2 keys that work. (which I do).

Him - No, I don't think so.

Then he goes into the 4 digit code thing and says he needs to hook up the computer to the car and argues with me about it for a few minutes until I gave up.....



So now I'm just a little agrivated, so I call Chrysler customer service...

His only advice was to try another dealer to get a second opinion. I guess the fact that this dealer just lied to me and was trying to steal me money makes no difference?


I call the second dealer, and I can get a key for $140 there, or just the blank for $80.


So, the first dealer lied to me, then argued with me, which really makes me think they were trying to rip me off. The second dealer being $40 dollars less helps to confirm my suspicion of being ripped off.



Anyway, has anyone ever tried one of these blanks from ebay - and can a hardware store cut the key? Like the vibration won't hurt the key? eBay Motors: 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER SENTRY KEY (item 110296605684 end time Oct-12-08 13:54:49 PDT)





I've mentioned twice to them about a surging from the engine when accelerating form a stop. It's like it's missing out. First they say it's because it's a front wheel drive, then they say it must be my A/C compressor turning on when I have the defroster on. I explained to them that I could name every component of the A/C system and explain in detail what each does, and that the compressor is certainly not the problem, especially because I rarely use my defroster because I already knew the compressor turns on and takes away my MPG.

The front right wheel makes a squeeling noise when the outside temp is 90* or higher... still unfixed.

The front right window makes aweful noises when going up/down - I still haven't mentioned it.

The steering components "clunk" when entering parking lots and on rough roads. This car has only 8,886 smooth road highway miles on it. This problem has also not been mentioned to them.

Another problem I did mention to the dealer today is that the steering wheel shakes real bad @ 70 mph. He said my tires needed rotated. I asked what if it still vibrates? He says it could be a balance issue. I asked if I balance the tires, and it still does it, then what could it be? He says maybe a bent wheel or bad axle. I said the car has done it since it was new, and if neither the rotation or the balancing fixes the problem if I could expect a refund for the service. The answer was "no" of coarse. WHY SHOULD I PAY TO HELP DIAGNOSE THEIR PROBLEM!!!?

I'm tired of telling them things that are wrong for them to say it's something else without even looking at the car!

This is my first, and last, Chrysler vehicle.

If the car has had the vibration issue since it was new, why wait over 8000 miles to bring it up at the dealership? I have had five PTs, and none of them vibrated at ANY speed. If they did vibrate, I would have them to the dealer ASAP, not 8000 miles later.

[loxmith]

Originally Posted by 2007

Anyway, has anyone ever tried one of these blanks from ebay - and can a hardware store cut the key? Like the vibration won't hurt the key? eBay Motors: 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER SENTRY KEY (item 110296605684 end time Oct-12-08 13:54:49 PDT)

Yes any place that cuts regular keys can cut those keys. Cutting the key is easy. Aside from the chip in the head there is no difference between those keys and "regular" keys.