TSB - Covered under Extended Warranty or not??

[JustForFun]

Can someone please clarify for me whether a repair that was done for a TSB is covered under warranty or not? More specifically - under the Chrysler extended warranty?

We have a Jeep Grand Cherokee which my wife took in for an intermittent "no-start" condition before I was informed she had done this.

The service department said she needed a TCM flash and some other updates to address some TSB's (still waiting on the #'s) they wanted to perform which would "cure" her issue. She went and authorized this work and now I have a bill for over $200! The tech is telling me it took approx. 3 hours to do these updates?!

And she is still covered under the MAXIMUM Care Extended Warranty that we purchased, but they say these "needed" flashes are not covered.

Is this correct?

JFF

[Rambit]

Well, your question intrigued me, so I called my service manager. He tells me a PCM flash would have been covered as it falls under the emmisions warranty, but the TCM is NOT covered as it's considered an "adjustment"!!!

I mentioned you had a Chrysler Maximum Care warranty, and although I'm in Canada and you're in the US he says it's the same. I would have thought it would be covered, but short of knowing someone who owns a StarScan or getting "friendly" with a service tech it looks like we have to bite the bullet on this. Kinda sucks IMO.

Bernie

[JustForFun]

Rambit,

That was nice of you to call for a "second opinion". I appreciate that - and the fast reply!

Yeah - this "repair" has got me a little bugged. I could see if this was something we requested for a flash that I wanted just for convenience sake - say a flash to have DRL's enabled or something.

But the car presented a no-start condition for several minutes and just as she was preparing to call a tow - she decided to try one more time and it fired right up! So she drove to the dealership immediately and got (IMHO) suckered right into this. "oh you need these flashes to make everything better - that will be $200, please".

So what are we paying the thousands of dollars for the MAXIMUM care warranty for then? The tech says that these were needed to correct the issue she experienced. These TSB's apparently are pointing to these symptoms and direct the tech to the repair. I realize this isn't a recall issue, but if the TSB exsists AND she came in with the symptoms specified in the TSB AND she has a valid warranty - how can they deny coverage? I just know they are going to bill Chrysler for what they have done for reimbursement.

You are right - this does suck.

JFF

[Rambit]

I would be in the same situation as you with my 2005 300C SRT8. I don't know if you'll get any satisfaction by contacting Customer Assistance, but you never know. They say "you talk, we listen". Maybe voicing your disappointment would help by contacting them...

Report specific vehicle and dealer issues via one of these channels:

Phone
1-800-992-1997

Email
Send us a message

Mail
Chrysler Customer Assistance Center
P.O. Box 21-8004
Auburn Hills, MI 48321-8004

Bernie

[joey]

IMO, your dealer is wrong.

I also have a Maximum Care Warranty and basically every repair is covered unless the repair is listed in the Max Care agreement under the
THE PLAN WILL NOT COVER, OR APPLY TO LOSS OR EXPENSE RESULTING FROM:

No where in my Max Care contract is flash/updates/software or anything similar mentioned. So it should be covered.

Print your Max Care agreement and take it to your dealer and ask them to show you where the flash is NOT COVERED

You can also try calling the Chrysler Service Contracts number
1-800-521-9922 (in USA)
1-800-465-2001 (in Canada)

You want the Contracts dept to give you a repair code/number that the dealer can use to charge Chrysler for the warranty work.
Explain the repair to them. They will search their database for a repair code that the dealer can use to charge the warranty work to Chrysler.
Dealers can be lazy and not spend the time looking up these repair codes/numbers, and just try to charge you the customer.

I went through a similar issue with a dealer.
I only got the work covered after I called the Chrysler Service Contracts dept. and obtained the repair code/number.

[jeepgrady]

I agree with Joey. After paying for the Maxcare warranty, there is know way that they should charge you for this. The vehicle wasn't working properly and in order for it to do so, the flash was required. Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

Don't take no for an answer.

[joey]

Also, if you can't find your Chrysler extended warranty, you can get a pdf softcopy online from here. Just enter your vin number and you will get the full contract.

Chrysler LLC Service Contracts - My Plan

[Mr. iNCREDIBLE]

going to side with Joey on this one..


I have the Max Care Coverage as well and even when I have ASKED if there were flashes and if I could have all my modules updated (prior to me purchasing my own star scan) I was never charged for them.

matter of fact, on 2 occasions I left the car specifically for TSB work that required TCM/Sunroof/FCM flashes and was given a rental car while the work was done..

I think you need to pursue this via Chrysler... might also try to locate who your Chrysler "District" Manager is for that dealership.. All dealerships have a Chrysler Employee who oversees the warranty coverage and can approve/deny dealer warranty claims.. they are also charged with enforcing the warranty/service contract at the dealers (making sure the dealers are not charging for covered work AND submitting the claim to Chrysler to get reimbursed)