NHTSA Complaint #10598472 — 2011 JEEP WRANGLER

I OWN A 2011 JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON UNLIMITED WHICH I PURCHASED AS A NEW VEHICLE. IT PRESENTLY HAS OVER 90,000 MILES ON IT. RECENTLY, I NOTICED A TICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE MOTOR - DETECTABLE FROM OUTSIDE THE CAR, BUT NOT NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING. A FELLOW AT A CAR WASH MENTIONED THAT HE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH HIS JEEP AND SAID THAT THE ISSUE TURNED OUT TO BE "VALVE LIFTERS" AND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED UNDER THE CAR'S DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY. I TOOK MY CAR TO A DEALER IN FOR A REGULAR OIL CHANGE AND ASKED TO HAVE THE TICKING SOUND CHECKED BY A MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE "TOP END" OF THE MOTOR - AND WOULD HAVE TO BRING IT IN AGAIN FOR A MORE LENGTHY EVALUATION - WHICH I DID. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE - TOOK THE VEHICLE IN - AND RENTED A CAR FOR WHAT I EXPECTED TO BE SEVERAL DAYS OF SERVICE. THAT WAS ABOUT A MONTH AGO. SUBSEQUENTLY, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE REPAIRS TO THE TOP END OF THE ENGINE DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM AND THAT THE ENTIRE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER APPARENTLY ORDERED A "LONG BLOCK" REPLACEMENT ENGINE FROM CHRYSLER, BUT HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS OBTAINING OTHER PARTS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE REPAIR. THE DEALER ALSO TOLD ME TO CONTACT CHRYSLER'S WARRANTY GUYS ABOUT SEEKING SOME RELIEF FOR THE COST OF THE CAR RENTAL - WHICH I DID, BUT TO NO AVAIL. I SHOULD ADD THAT I HAVE BEEN CONTINUALLY ASSURED THAT THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT IS COVERED BY THE CAR'S DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY. HOWEVER, I ALSO CAME ACROSS AN ARTICLE IN "AUTOWEEK" DETAILING PROBLEMS CHRYSLER WAS EXPERIENCING WITH JEEP ENGINES OF MY CAR'S VINTAGE - AND THAT THE ENGINE REPLACEMENTS WERE BEING EXACERBATED BY FAILURES IN CHRYLSER'S PARTS SUPPLY CHAIN. THIS HAD RESULTED IN BOTH NHSTA'S INVOLVEMENT AND TO PAYMENTS TO OTHER OWNERS TO OFFSET THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF THE ATTENUATED WARRANTY REPAIRS. I'M REPORTING THIS ON THIS BASIS. *TR