Ok... Be prepared for a long read. It's a long story, but I need to vent it out somewhere, and I couldn't think of a better place than here!

So, back in February, my truck developed a vibration/shudder on acceleration AND on decelleration. The truck has a 7yr 70k mile warranty, and I was still under that, so I took it to the dealer. Turns out the issue was the carrier bearing on the 2 piece driveshaft. It had torn out of it's rubber housing, causing the driveshaft to flop around basically... So.. It was replaced, and the vibes went away.

Fast forward to last saturday Oct 9th. I took the truck BACK to the dealer because the vibrations had come back, and I saw that they have a 12 month 12k mile parts warranty, and I figured that the carrier bearing had blown apart again. So.. I leave the truck with the dealer, and get a call 3 days later. (way to work quickly guys!). They tell me first that the carrier bearing is fine, but the tech did feel the vibration on acceleration, but it is normal for these trucks to have some form of launch shudder. He then tells me that there is a cure for this, but it would be a new one piece driveshaft, to the tune of $1100, and it would not be covered under warranty. I then asked the service advisor, did the tech feel the vibration on decelleration as well? He informed me that he would find out and call me back. So, I hang up.. I wait for about 3 hours, and get no call, so I call back. I ask if the tech had felt the vibes on decelleration. He said yes, the tech did feel it. I asked if he thought that was normal... He said, no, it's not normal. At this point I say, well, if it's doing something that it shouldn't be, and I am still under the 7 year 70k mile warranty, shouldn't the truck be fixed back to NORMAL under warranty? He said these exact words.....

"You would think so, wouldn't you?"

I flipped at that point. I said, well, you guys aren't going to cover it under warranty, and why is that? He said it was for two reasons.

Reason #1: The fix for this problem is a new one piece driveshaft, which did not come on this truck from the factory.

Reason #2: There is not an actual failed part YET, so we have nothing to warranty.

At this point, I said, "So what you are telling me is, in order to get this vibration issue fixed under warranty, I need to have you guys put this truck back together, then I have to drive it around until something breaks, possibly endangering other people or vehicles, as well as possibly breaking more things on this truck, then you guys will cover the driveshaft fix under warranty?"

The service writer said " Yeah, basically, that's the only way it would be covered."

At that point, I told him to have them put the truck back together, and I'd be there in the morning.

When I got there, I got the keys to my truck, got the number for the GM of the dealership, as well as the number for the owner of the dealership. I plan on calling them both, as well as Chrysler Corporate.

I guess my question is, am I in the wrong in thinking that IF there is a problem with my truck, like this vibration, that they admitted was "not normal", AND the service writer told me that he has seen a lot of trucks in with this isssue, and that the fix is a new one piece driveshaft, why is the fix not covered under warranty? I could be totally off base here, but I don't think I am. I mean, regardless, I won't have them put in the driveshaft, since they gouge you on it... I can buy the driveshaft for around $450 and put it in myself rather than pay them $1100 to do it... Anyway.. needed to get that off my chest. I don't want to mention the name of the dealership yet, until things start to get resolved, but if they don't get resolved, I'll be dragging them through the mud, even though they had been good to me up to this point.

Scott

 

chances are that the center u-joint is going bad but hasn't got to the point of having play yet. i know mine had the vibration for a long time before the u-joint showed play. i got my u-joints at autozone for about $17 each would have cost me $100 deductable for my extended warranty.

 

That's what I am thinking too.. problem is, I don't have time or space to do my own U joint changes... I need to just find a place to do it for a reasonable price, and I may just replace them all and be done with it..

 

If the vibration wasn't there, then appeared; then the shaft is not the cause...a vibration indicates a failed part to me (something failed has to be causing it).

Sounds like they have a "cure all" answer that they get reimbursed 100% for and they aren't going to hunt for the real cause. Find another dealer.

 

U joints tighten up before they develop play, if you remove your driveshaft they should move easily in all directions, if they are tight, or hard to move they are bad.

 

Exactly my thoughts. The vibration has actually gone away.. has me a bit worried, but on the other hand, I'm wondering if they DID actually pull the driveshaft and check the U joints, then re-install the driveshaft... Wondering if there were some bolts loose on the driveshaft before they looked at it, and now that it's tightened up, the vibes went away? Don't know.. I will keep driving it occasionally.. I may take it to another dealer for a second opinion.

Scott

 

UPDATE:

I took the truck to another dealer.. the vibes got worse. Got a call from them today, and they are replacing all the Driveshaft U joints, AND the center carrier bearing, all under warranty. The dodge dealer I originally took the truck to is going to get a nasty gram, courtesy of me, and I will also be calling Dodge corporate to let them know how I thought I was treated at this dealer. Pretty **** poor performance from a dealership that I BOUGHT this truck from. Props to Ontario Dodge in Ontario, CA for treating me right thus far though.

 

Ontario Dodge, the one right off I-15 just north of Norco?

If that's the same place, they have a really good folks there. I took my '98 Neon there trying to get it to pass smog and it was amazing to watch them jump hurdles to get my car right.

The problem I had was the evap canister and valve were throwing a CEL, and these folks actually had to pull out microfiche to find the part that the computers said "did not exist".



Kris