What do you do when you've brought your new 4x4 in for service and you're told "it can't be fixed, they all do that, we can't find anything wrong with it..."?

A common problem with a simple answer-be persistent!

Here's a little background. I have been involved in the automobile business for 7 years as a salesperson and inventory manager. I can tell you quite a bit about how to deal with a recalcitrant service writer and get yourself some satisfaction!

The first thing to remember is that the service writer has the hardest job in the dealership. Everyone wants their car fixed now, everyone wants their vehicle to have priority. The service writer performs a delicate balancing act trying to keep everyone happy and also trying to productively schedule his mechanics for the whole day and week. Unfortunately many of them do this badly. That said, of course as a customer you only care about your vehicle and getting it fixed in a timely manner, and fixed correctly the first time. There are right and wrong ways to go about this.

The best example is a customer of mine, let's just call her Erin, who bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee V8 from me. She lived a long way away from the dealership, up in the mountains and had a long drive to and from work every day. Erin and her husband noticed the transmission was acting funny and brought it in for examination. This was a well-to-do couple who have owned a number of luxury cars, Audis, Porsches, Saabs and some Jeeps. They knew what they were talking about when they said their car had a transmission problem. The service department, as always seems to be the case, couldn't replicate the problem and told them their was nothing wrong.

A week later they were back, stating very matter-of-factly that there was a problem with their transmission and they wanted it fixed. Again, no problem found. Again, they brought it back. This happened several times. Needless to say they were upset at the time they had to spend trying to get the problem fixed and still no resolution. Sound familiar? They of course came to me, their salesman, and here's what I told them to do.

The rules vary somewhat by state but generally read that after a certain number of repeat visits for the same problem, whether it's been replicated or not, a customer has some recourse.

If it is determined that the vehicle cannot be fixed, you can, under most state Lemon Laws either: a) Get your money refunded, less a certain amount of use that you have had before the problem, or b) Get a new vehicle. The procedure is usually a long hard haul, but you'll get there.

Every manufacturer has a customer service department. The contact number will be in your owners manual, probably in the back. Call the number. Keep documentation of your service visits so you can prove your case. The manufacturer will send a representative to the dealership regularly to deal with service and warranty problems. An appointment will be made for you to come in and see this person and have them look at your vehicle. If you've been having a serious problem with a particular dealership, sometimes they will meet you at another dealership, "neutral ground" so to speak. This usually gets the vehicle fixed, but not always. The key is persistence . The squeaky wheel gets the grease you know.

My customer Erin went through this process, and got a new transmission, with an admission from the District Rep (this is what Chrysler calls him anyway) that there was a known transmission problem This is known as a "silent recall", where the manufacturer is aware of a problem, but there either are not enough people complaining or they've managed to keep it quiet. The only way to get service under a "silent recall" is to complain, loudly, until you are satisfied.

The new transmission was not the end of Erin's problems. The Jeep started acting up again, same problem, with the new tranny. This time, the District Rep offered them a $2,000 voucher to trade in their not-quite 1 year old vehicle on a new one. The 2 G's was to soften the blow of depreciation that their vehicle had suffered during that time to make the problem go away. And they did buy a new one, a Limited model this time, that they are happy with. Interestingly enough, the dealer sold the trade-in to someone else who, to my knowledge, has never complained about the transmission.

What should you do? If your vehicle is not being repaired to your satisfaction, your first step should be to talk to the service manager. This is the "boss" of the service department and sometimes once you speak to him your problems are over. The next step is to see the General Manager or even the owner, the Dealer himself. Chrysler actually spells this procedure out in their warranty literature that comes with every new vehicle. If the GM or the owner don't deal with your problem satisfactorily, then you contact the manufacturer. There will be a local office from which someone will be dispatched to help you. Probably they will want you to call the 800 number and not contact the local office directly. If you can find out the local number, from your salesman probably, I would call that and the 800 number. Once the manufacturer is involved, your problem should go away - quickly.

It's disappointing when your new vehicle starts acting up, and even more so when you feel you are being ignored or just not being treated fairly by the service department. Every manufacturer has programs in place to deal with these sorts of problems, and every dealer is rated for their C.S.I., or Customer Satisfaction Index. Surveys are sent to you when you buy a new vehicle and every time you service it. Fill them out and send 'em back. It's the only way to let the manufacturer know the good dealers form the bad, and it does matter to the dealership, believe me. High scores mean more allocation and bonus money and the dealer wants that money.

You can get satisfaction with a nagging service problem. It might be a long haul, but eventually it will be fixed, your money will be refunded or you'll get a new vehicle. Be persistent. Don't back down. Let them know you won't be dissuaded. And good luck!

PJ (Jack) Longmont, Colorado
No Longer a Jeep Salesman,
But I play one on the Web!
http://www.cris.com/~pjacke