Jeep Garage  - Jeep Forum banner

2014 Ecodiesel DEF Injector Class Action?

Tags
2014
13K views 36 replies 17 participants last post by  philbytx 
#1 ·
Hey guys. Just got the call from my service department. My skid plate is already on order, but I got hit with the DEF Injector being broken much like a lot of others on here. Anyway probably ran through a puddle too fast or slow or who knows. Anyway does anyone know if there's any pending class action lawsuits about this? My dealerships hitting me with a $500 fee for parts and labor, is what it is I don't blame them. Chrysler is the one with the faulty design. Not about the money either just the principal.

Anyway was just wondering. I'm sure this has happened to enough people at this point for some lawyer somewhere to at least scare Chrysler enough to settle.
 
#3 ·
If your trying to get rich no a class action suit isn't for you. But for lawyers that see the value and don't charge the clients anything and just get there 50% of the cut of the winnings then yes the lawyers do get rich and the defendants get there damages back in some cases. I for one don't really care, but it would be nice if 10 years from now I got $500 or $1000 check in the mail.

As for pounding the pavement, that takes time. I do not have time. Need my car back when I get back to NY from my Florida vacation. Not having my vehicle is far more expensive to me then the $500 I have lost.

Fighting the dealership would be like fighting against a small business. Something I try to never ever do. Chrysler on the other hand and just about any corporation I have no problem sticking it to when they are at fault.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Did you have the RRT performed before the injector broke? If so, you might have more leverage because you can point to the fix as evidence that Jeep knows about the issue, tried to address it, and was unsuccessful. You could still use the RRT to your benefit as evidence of Jeep's knowledge of the issue but I'm not sure which way it cuts for you if you didn't have it done before the incident.

The class action route is a loser. This isn't like the Pinto where people were dying in horribly disfiguring fiery crashes. Safety defects like that were not only a financial disaster for Ford, they were a public relations disaster. That's what made the class potent. This would be a consumer class action about cars breaking down. It might piss you off, but nobody else who doesn't own one gives a crap. It's not news. It will put a couple of bucks in class counsel's pocket, it won't take much out of Jeep's pocket in 5-10 years when the class claims are settled, and it won't provide you with much relief, either in terms of money or in terms of putting the fear of God In Jeep. Don't kid yourself.

If you aren't getting any help, consider filing a complaint in small claims court for breach of warranty. Filing fees are low. It'll still be a pain in your butt and ultimately I doubt it will be worth your time, but it is an option.


Sent from my iPad using JeepGarage
 
#10 ·
Understood completely. Think i'm going to just hand over the $500 and chalk it up as a loss. I could bitch and complain and go that route, but I really can't be bothered to be without my vehicle while going through all that. The other issue is which probably isn't as big an issue. I get my car serviced at a dodge dealer. (I bought my Jeep about 50 minutes away) and 2 of the 3 Jeep dealers close have terrible ratings and the third one isn't currently accepting new customers that didn't buy there vehicle from them (as a small business owner this one blows my mind, turning away business). So not too sure how that effects things.
 
#11 ·
I wouldn't necessarily cave either. At least not yet. Try speaking with everyone you can in the chain of command. Ask to speak to the general manager. Call the regional manager. Gripe to customer care. Write letters. Squeaky wheel stuff. You shouldn't have to pay for this. You might have to, but I'd make a few calls and plead your case. You are wise to keep your expectations low, however.


Sent from my iPad using JeepGarage
 
#13 ·
They have to prove you voided warranty for the broken injector as it is part of the emissions system. I think the dealer is trying to rip you off and make a profit off of the deal. Bring it to another dealer and tell them they lost your business forever.
 
#17 ·
Claimed I ran over something when they called. I then spoke with them and said no the only thing I may have ran over is a puddle. They even admitted its a terrible design, but nothing they can do warranty wise. Yes I could have argued and gone to a different dealer and wheeled and dealed. Issue is time. I don't want to pay for a loaner. I don't have a third vehicle in my family. I especially don't like depending on others to give me a ride, even my gf though she doesn't mind. Right now i'm driving around one of the work trucks F250 Diesel King Ranch. It's a bit of a pain and getting my dog in and out of it is even more of a chore.

Needless to say it just wasn't worth it for me to go through the hassle of being without a car. Not to mention if I just continue to drive it which I coudl have the DEF was leaking at a rate of half a tank a week. That can get pricey in itself. As every week that is probably around $40.00. Not a huge amount, but it adds up fast.

So rather then argue my choice was to just pony up the $500. Was I happy about it, no, but on the same token given my options that made the most sense to me.
 
#25 ·
Try harder - $500 is not trivial!. Call Jeep Customer Service for help in getting you the part (it should still be on backorder, and even if your dealer has one in stock, call for help anyway to get it documented). Your dealer SHOULD NOT be charging you for this. My dealer didn't even hint at any cost to me for replacing mine, and they helped get me into a rental paid by FCA corporate until the part came in. THIS IS NOT YOUR FAULT. If your dealer won't fight for you, then find one who will...
 
#18 ·
I broke mine with < 1k miles on it by driving through a puddle and my dealer honored the warranty. Try another dealer if you can is what I'm saying and don't rely on that one dealer (though not sure if any other dealer is remotely close to where you live) - I'm not too familiar with long island and how difficult it maybe to get anywhere.
 
#19 ·
There are tons of Jeep and Dodge dealers close the issue is this one is the closest and I had been traveling to where I pruchased it in the past, but that is a hassle. (About an hour away).

And then as I outlined in earlier pots the one good Jeep dealer that is local isn't accepting any new customers that didn't buy jeeps from them and the other 2 local Jeep dealers have the absolute worst dealer ratings ever. A lot of the vehicles that go into those service departments come out worse off.
 
#20 · (Edited)
I think it's clear that rubberjeep has made the personal decision that it is not worth the time and aggravation to fight over a $500 repair bill even though the repair should be covered. I can certainly respect that, and it's a reasonable decision.

Everyone who has the inclination to keep fighting the dealers and Chrysler over this issue is also making a reasonable decision.

Personally, I think the best scenario would be if Chrysler redesigned the injector and retrofitted our Jeeps. I doubt that will ever happen. I installed Dom's skid plate and I hope that will suffice to permanently resolve the issue for me.
 
#21 ·
Nail on the head. It sucks, it is what it is. And I certainly wish I could afford the time to fight the dealer, just a lose lose no matter what I do.

I'm more upset that Chrysler doesn't have a fix for this and same thing you said with Dom's fix.
 
#22 ·
Yes, it IS in an exposed place and it IS a "plastic" part. Fortunately, I became an informed consumer and bought Dom's DEFHI plate. I just had the Jeep wiring 'fix' done and then replaced the DEFHI plate over the 'fix'.

I've done the best I can and I'll just have to see how things work out in the long run.

I previously owned a BMW 525i and BMW, in their wisdom, designed a water pump with a steel shaft and a plastic impeller:eek:. It was a known defect with the M50 motor and was like a time bomb! If and when the impeller broke off and disintegrated, it would block water passages and cause the motor to overheat, which is a VERY expensive proposition.

So all the 'educated' BMW owners (who joined and monitored their cars forums, just like this one) simply replaced the factory plastic impellered pump with an aftermarket metal impellered version that was not at all expensive!. Not all vehicles with the M50 motor experienced the water pump impeller issue, but those that did ended up with an expensive repair bill.

Just sayin'......so I've taken all the sensible and appropriate steps and will just have to see what happens!

And this, my Jeep friends, is a definite plug for Dom's DEFHI plate:thumbsup:......which is a sensible solution to our DEF injector issue.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dom42
#23 ·
I previously owned a BMW 525i and BMW, in their wisdom, designed a water pump with a steel shaft and a plastic impeller:eek:. It was a known defect with the M50 motor and was like a time bomb! If and when the impeller broke off and disintegrated, it would block water passages and cause the motor to overheat, which is a VERY expensive proposition.

So all the 'educated' BMW owners (who joined and monitored their cars forums, just like this one) simply replaced the factory plastic impellered pump with an aftermarket metal impellered version that was not at all expensive!. Not all vehicles with the M50 motor experienced the water pump impeller issue, but those that did ended up with an expensive repair bill.
I see your point, but it is not being treated the same. The difference is in the case of the BMW is it would have been covered under warranty if the part failed during the 4Y/50K warranty. Jeep dealers should be doing the same if no physical damage is detected, but they are not.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Sorry, I should have clarified my post a little better, as I was ranting more about "design" and implementation LOL!

Most all of the failures occurred AFTER the warranty had expired, although some did happen toward the end of the basic warranty. All those of us intent on keeping our Bimmers immediately 'upgraded' to the new design pumps. Interestingly, BMW changed the water pump design back to metal/composite after their "experiment" with plastic!!

I had that car for almost 16 years.......it was a great car. I only had a couple of minor recalls and minor issues with it.

And we are really enjoying our GC.....no issues whatsoever in almost 14k miles:thumbsup:.
 
#30 ·
I don't frankly care if I get reimbursed for the plate I bought. The good it does and the peace of mind it instills far outweighs the cost of it. We fixed a problem before FCA could even admit there is a problem. Now I can drive it like I should have been able to drive it from day one. 175.00 is cheap to put that problem behind you......:thumbsup:
 
  • Like
Reactions: dom42
#37 ·
During our travels since I installed Dom's plate, several times we've run through flash flooded streets with anywhere from 6" to 2' of water without an issue. Peace of mind is a wonderful thing. Let's face it, nothing is perfect on this planet...sometimes it is easier to just adapt and deal with it yourself.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top