[DoubleJeepFam]

Just wanted to share my experience with my 2014 Cherokee. We actually have two, both Latitude trim package, red one for hubby and silver one for me. It was love at first sight and I thoroughly enjoy my new ride, a replacement for my much loved 2004 Liberty. Sadly, the first day I drove it I noticed a whistling under the hood, never noticed it on the test drive probably because the sales guy was playing with the radio to show me all the cool things the Uconnect system could do.

I called the dealership for service and the vehicle has been there a few days already. They've ruled out what they thought were probable causes of the whistling noise, which the tech described as a whine. Now I'm told they think it may be something "inside the engine" but they have to get in touch with Chrysler to get authorization to "tear it down". This is pretty upsetting since the car had only 160 miles on it and they seem to have no clue what is wrong with it. (aside from the fact that I have an awful loaner minivan that is killing me on gas) Just wondering if anyone has ever heard of anything like this, what could the problem be and why would Chrysler have to give the service tech 'permission' to work on it?

 

[SkipW]

Welcome to JCC, sorry to hear about your issues.

The dealership probably needs authorization because it is warranty work. Chrysler will foot the bill for everything and they will need to authorize the expense to "tear it down".

Sounds extreme, but I doubt he means a full engine tear down. Probably just enough work to get at components that might be 'whining' like a water pump or idler pully or the like.

Lots of luck and please keep us posted.

 

[jamie1]

They need authorization to do any engine work because the 3.2L is a new engine to Chrysler. Variation on the 3.6L, but new none the less.

 

[DoubleJeepFam]

Update on my whistling car saga. The vehicle has been in the service area for a week now with the as yet unidentified noise. Yesterday I was told that it appears to be 'coming from somewhere around the manifold and Chrysler is sending an engineer out tomorrow'. They then asked me if I had a loaner or a rental and when I said rental (which they are paying for) they said they would like to get that back and give me a loaner and they'll call me tomorrow to arrange that. I think I'll be telling them to bring the loaner to me and pick up their rental, I don't have time to drive back and forth nor should I be paying for the fuel to do so.

To add insult to injury my first payment notice arrived in the mail yesterday for a car I have driven about four times, one of them being to the service bay. I'll be composing a letter to Chrysler soon detailing my not so happy new car experience.

 

[bruceg]

To add insult to injury my first payment notice arrived in the mail yesterday for a car I have driven about four times, one of them being to the service bay. I'll be composing a letter to Chrysler soon detailing my not so happy new car experience.

Sorry to hear about your problems.
Sadly, your letter to Chryselr will likely not even get a response. Most of the time, they don't really give a **** about anyone's problems. My sister had an RX-8 that was in at the dealer for work about 10 (no, seriously, 10) times for the SAME CEL. Eventually they replaced the entire engine and the SAME CEL STILL kept coming on. Mazda hq didn't really care or have much of anything to say about it.
Fortunately she got rid of the piece of crap.

 

[Gurgle]

Sounds like they are sure it's UNDER the hood. But sometimes you get wind whistling around those dopey windshield washer squirter things that are ON TOP of the hood. We noticed it on a vehicle we test drove. Only when going a certain speed, a certain direction and probably there was a certain wind that day too. I suppose there's absolutely no possibility this is it?

 

[DoubleJeepFam]

Coming up on two weeks in service now and the technicians still have no clue what is wrong with the car. They had a tech from the factory consult and still no idea where the noise originates. It's definitely under the hood, loud enough that people on the street turned to look when I drove by, and they were not just admiring the styling of the car.

Last night the service manager told me that when they opened up the engine compartment to investigate the noise has shifted positions. They it was something near the manifold but now it's moved. Bizarre.

So now I'm about to make a payment on a car I drove probably four times, once home from the dealer, twice to work and once back to the dealer where it's been sitting for almost two weeks. The service manager gave me the number for Chrysler Care Hotline, hoping that my call will escalate the response from them. I'm also going to call the head sales manager at the dealership to see if they can do anything for me like swap the car out. Meanwhile I'm researching Pennsylvania's Lemon Law to see when that will kick in to help me. I'd hate to go the legal route if I can help it but this is ridiculous.

 

[SoCal Bob]

Coming up on two weeks in service now and the technicians still have no clue what is wrong with the car. They had a tech from the factory consult and still no idea where the noise originates. It's definitely under the hood, loud enough that people on the street turned to look when I drove by, and they were not just admiring the styling of the car.

Last night the service manager told me that when they opened up the engine compartment to investigate the noise has shifted positions. They it was something near the manifold but now it's moved. Bizarre.

So now I'm about to make a payment on a car I drove probably four times, once home from the dealer, twice to work and once back to the dealer where it's been sitting for almost two weeks. The service manager gave me the number for Chrysler Care Hotline, hoping that my call will escalate the response from them. I'm also going to call the head sales manager at the dealership to see if they can do anything for me like swap the car out. Meanwhile I'm researching Pennsylvania's Lemon Law to see when that will kick in to help me. I'd hate to go the legal route if I can help it but this is ridiculous.

Time to consider very strongly asking.... no demanding.... a new replacement vehicle for what appears to be a lemon. That is what I would do......actually that is what I did when my, almost new, TH was in the shop for a week with an undiagnosable multiple systems failure. The dealer was going to replace it had the technician not found the problem. Kudos to them for doing so.

Hopefully your dealer can do the same. Let us know.

Bob

 

[scarpi]

Time to consider very strongly asking.... no demanding.... a new replacement vehicle for what appears to be a lemon. That is what I would do......actually that is what I did when my, almost new, TH was in the shop for a week with an undiagnosable multiple systems failure. The dealer was going to replace it had the technician not found the problem. Kudos to them for doing so.

Hopefully your dealer can do the same. Let us know.

Bob

I agree with Bob. Especially since you bought two Cherokees there. Your vehicle has been there for two weeks and they still can't find the source of the problem. These things can be hard to diagnose and perhaps the dealer is doing their best. But this happened the first day you drove the vehicle. Now Chrysler needs to replace that vehicle.

 

[SoCal Bob]

I agree with Bob. Especially since you bought two Cherokees there. Your vehicle has been there for two weeks and they still can't find the source of the problem. These things can be hard to diagnose and perhaps the dealer is doing their best. But this happened the first day you drove the vehicle. Now Chrysler needs to replace that vehicle.

I didn't realize you had bought 2 there! What I failed to mention is the dealer agreed to replace the TH before I planned to arrive on a Saturday. I received a call from the service manager on Friday at 11:58 AM that they had found and fixed the issue. I picked it up that afternoon. Because of this they have a customer for life (hopefully a long one).

Bob

 

[Ausgti]

G'day, welcome to the forums, and congrats on your new 'Kee, lots of great info and tips here,

I would seek a second opinion at another dealer

Cheers

 

[Ol'Greg]

With only 160 miles I think I would request a new vehicle. Let us know what happens.

 

[Saterley]

Coming up on two weeks in service now and the technicians still have no clue what is wrong with the car. They had a tech from the factory consult and still no idea where the noise originates. It's definitely under the hood, loud enough that people on the street turned to look when I drove by, and they were not just admiring the styling of the car.

Last night the service manager told me that when they opened up the engine compartment to investigate the noise has shifted positions. They it was something near the manifold but now it's moved. Bizarre.

So now I'm about to make a payment on a car I drove probably four times, once home from the dealer, twice to work and once back to the dealer where it's been sitting for almost two weeks. The service manager gave me the number for Chrysler Care Hotline, hoping that my call will escalate the response from them. I'm also going to call the head sales manager at the dealership to see if they can do anything for me like swap the car out. Meanwhile I'm researching Pennsylvania's Lemon Law to see when that will kick in to help me. I'd hate to go the legal route if I can help it but this is ridiculous.

Any update?

 

[DoubleJeepFam]

I've been in contact with Chrysler Care who have offered to reimburse my first month's payment. Kind of them since i haven't had the car for almost three weeks now. The service tech, in consultation with the Chrysler techs, have decided to try replacing a timing chain guide which they believe may be the source of the noise. As of Wednesday I'm told the part is on order and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that is the fix. I'm giving them until Tuesday (which will the three week point) to demand a replacement vehicle. If not, I'll be contacting an attorney under the Pennsylvania Lemon Law.

 

[DoubleJeepFam]

Over three weeks now and I still don't have the car back Some kind of guide for the timing chain has been replaced and the noise was still there. Chrysler sent an "area tech" out to look at it and he recommended yet another part, some sort of rollers? Those parts were supposed to arrive at the dealership today. Who knows how long it will take them to be installed in hopes that it will fix the car. I honestly don't think they know what the problem is but instead are replacing parts one by one hoping they get it.

I'm beyond disgusted at this point, particularly since the seemingly very nice guy at Chrysler that I have been dealing with got ugly when I very politely said 'I think it's time we discuss a replacement vehicle. The car will be down for 30 days next week and by rights I have the option to a new vehicle or a refund at that point." He told me I didn't know the law and that the car hasn't been in the shop three times for the same problem..it's three times and 30 days. I told him it is he who needs to read the law, in Pennsylvania it is 3 tries OR 30 days. Researching lawyers now... Though I liked the car, and my husband's Cherokee is fine (so far), my replacement car will most likely not be a Cherokee, or anything else made by Chrysler for that matter. What makes me really sad is that I traded in a 10 year old much loved Liberty for this nightmare. Every time I see one on the road I could kick myself.

 

[rt-texas]

I'm so sorry to hear about how this is dragging on. You sound a lot more patient than I know I would be in your situation.

Ask your friends if anyone has an attorney they can recommend. Maybe something as simple as just a legal letter can get this moving in the right direction.
Three weeks in the shop before you even make a payment is ridiculous. They should be delivering a new vehicle too your doorstep.

I hope you can get them to work this out so your satisfied.

 

[Megarep]

1-800-MY-LEMON
I have heard good things about them located in Bryn Mawr area, no cost to you, manufacture bears the cost

 

[DoubleJeepFam]

Updating to say I got my car back after 35 days in the shop. New camshaft, roller, timing chain, timing chain guide, tensioner. Sounds fine now and I hope it stays that way.

I tried numerous times to speak with the sales manager at the dealership, calling him directly and leaving voicemail messages and asking the service manager to have him call me to no avail. The sales manager did call me back once but said "I'll talk to the service dept. to get the details and call you right back."..which he never did.

I did, however, get a call from the exchange program team at the dealership however, asking me to come up to talk about swapping the car out. I got all the way there and was shown a few vehicles, found one I liked and we went inside to talk about the paperwork. I was surprised when she showed me the payments were higher, when the car was the same price as the one sitting in the service area for the last month. I was told this is because "it had lost value the minute I drove it off the lot". What??? Turned out they weren't working with me to swap a defective vehicle out, they were trying to upsell me. I walked out after requesting she have the sales manager, director or GM call me asap. You guessed it, no call.

Thanks for the number Megarep, those very nice folks will be handling this for me from here out. Oh, and I'm still waiting for the payment reimbursement check from Chrysler.

 

[Jeepster1]

Some dealers never fail to amaze me with what they will pull from their bag of tricks.
Yet there are some that I have read about that go above and beyond the call of duty.

Here is a suggestion for you. If you will have to keep the repaired car then I think you need to get at no charge a Max Care unlimited lifetime service contract from Chrysler with a $0 deductible. I do think they should replace the Cherokee but a lifetime $0 deductible would be sweet and take care of a lot.

 

[Buddy]

I feel very bad for your awful experience in what is supposed to be a great one. The dealership and Jeep treated you poorly. I have to wonder, don't manufacturers have employees read the forums on their products??? Yes one can say they don't really care, but the people on these forums, like this one for Jeep Cherokees, are people who 'have bought' their product - and so if they have good experiences, will probably buy again. They have customers, why not keep them and work on getting new ones, seems easy. These forums are a wealth of information for enthusiasts, but also manufacturers. They have lost a current customer and possibly 2 in your husband - and rightfully so - because of the poor treatment. The dealership managers should have been at your disposal without question, it's not like they are so busy they can't make so much as a phone call within a day. It probably wouldn't do any good, mostly self satisfaction, but send all parties - management at dealership and Jeep customer service - a link to your thread here and others like it. Maybe a lightbulb will go offin someones head and they will see it's better and easier to keep existing and future customers happy than trying to get the new ones, you already have the existing ones.

So sad, in this day and age the biggest $$ items people buy are 1st a house, and then an automobile. And you can buy a pair of socks at a store (here in Canada eg like Marks) and get crazy good service everytime. The bigger the ticket item, the worse the customer care and service.