Nightmare On Elm (SRT-4) Street

[ptcruzin42]

you know alor of the dead units may not even be Mopar's fault. With all the confusion of ordering I'm sure alot of numb-skull mechanics didn't know how exactly to order and input a wrong VIN number or something similar and that is why soem ECU's won't work.

[bigdogdad]

Nothing is wrong with Kirby or anyone voicing their opinons. This IS what these threads are all about. The one thing we don't want to hear in these threads are the stupid and immature comments like the new to Froum PTCHIK and the young kid about a month back who voiced his constant threads on the OLD PT Cruisers. For me, I want a warranty on the $3.98 can of Rust Oleum or the new CD I just bought. If a manufacturer of goods don't offer a warranty I am very leary about it, such as many here. So argue, nothing is wrong with that if its done in a mature way. [?]

[TripleJackInGA]

You guys have forgotten about one possibillity: It is very easy for a static discharge to occur while handling or installing the computer, thus rendering it 'dead'.

[PT GT]

They do not include a disposible static strip with each ECU. Grounding yourself is a good idea.

[Kirby]

From PT-Dave:
I cannot and will not believe that any manufacturer will sell an item than arrives DOA and will not take care of the customer, in spite of the terminology on the package. That goes for Mopar as well. Instead of parading the problem as done; customer screwed, why not wait until we really find out what happens? Let it go for a while. Your negative attitude really is getting old!

I am sure that there are PT owners that do not want anything negative written anywhere. I can understand your point.

The fact that I am interested in following the quality control and support of our most important supplier should be obvious: I WANT TO PURCHASE THE STAGE I KIT IF IT CAN BE PROVEN RELIABLE, AND THERE IS A WAY TO DEAL WITH THE C.A.R.B.(DEQ)ISSUE.

Kits bought for previous models don't translate. Chrysler(with its new Partner/Boss)is a new company. The aftermarket is a new world.
The wording on Mopar's support document is EXTREMELY clear. My only hope is to track what Mopar REALLY does with the problems. Following the excitement with the units that work does not make me feel more confident about the prducts, it's what happens when things go wrong that is important (remember the sway bar issue?).

I will promise from this point to do my level best not to editorialize this issue, but I will not drop it. I think that the level of support by the manifacturer of my PT Turbo is the MOST important issue that I can discuss here!

[TripleJackInGA]

And for God's sake, make sure you follow the directions *exactly* as they are printed. I work in customer service for an automotive aftermarket lighting company and I love it when people call and say something like this:

ME: May I help you Sir?
Dumbass: Well I bought some of your fog lamps, and they don't work.They must be defective, or they're just crap.
ME: Did you follow the directions when installing them, Sir?
DUMBASS:Yes, I followed them exactly!
ME: Did you connect the green wire that runs from the switch to the headlamp circuit?
DUMBASS: no, I didn't think I needed to connect that one.
ME: I thought you said you followed the directions exactly?
DUMBASS: I did except for that......So what's wrong with these things?
ME: [I now have the phone on mute while I call this guy some choice names, not the least of which is, of course, 'DUMBASS'.]

I know it sounds silly, but many many people think they are following directions exactly when in fact their brains or thought-process is skipping around things, etc.

This all being said, it is possible, of course, that it is just defective.

Speaking of static discharge, I used to work for a warehouse for service parts for HP computers and printers, and we had to have a whole class on static discharge.They said something like 85% of all of their DOA parts are caused by static discharge.

[Kirby]

I'm sorry, but didn't Mopar promote "the do it yourselfer" to install, giving expected install times,etc. Along with that comes the inevetable bad install. What do you do now? (Besides call the customer a DUMBASS behind his back.)
If Mopar promotes self install, they must assume the whole package of self-install (DUMBASSES and all).

[TripleJackInGA]

Me calling anyone anything wasn't based on variables beyond his or her control, it was someone saying he followed the directions exactly, and then it turned out he didn't, and then blaming the product.

Take a pill, Kirby.

[Kirby]

I'm not dissing your language(I may be one of those dumbasses that don't follow instructions), I was trying to make a point that if you promote self-install the inevetable bad install is part and parcel of the game.
Let's try to focus on the point, not the verbage.
(You did use that word 5 times, in bold letters in your post didn't you?)

[TripleJackInGA]

I understand your point, but to account for all of the possibilities of bad installs, the directions for various things would have to be huge, and even then you wouldn't cover every possible screw-up.I've had people call with anything from not following the directions, to not installing the bulbs when the hook lights up, to beating the hell out of them off-road and thinking that somehow it's covered under warranty.
and no, I didn't post it in bold letters, just caps.I also types 'ME' the same way. My whole point was that while it's easy to assume that you did everything correctly, and that there must be something wrong with the product, too often our own individual nature allows us to skip over certain small but important steps. I assume DC probably has a warning in the literature with the package warning against possible static discharge or electrical surge, and I bet one of the simple, but possibly overlooked or ignored steps just might be unhooking the battery.