NHTSA Complaint #11210527 — 2012 DODGE DART

CAR WAS DRIVEN ABOUT 15 MILES FOR AN OUTING AND ONCE WE ARRIVED, CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO OR OUT OF PARK. AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES ATTEMPTING TO SECURE VEHICLE, ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED AND CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE SHIFT CABLE HAD AN ISSUE AND A REPLACEMENT WOULD BE ORDERED UNDER OR EXTENDED WARRANTY. AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAR WAS UNDER RECALL FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE (V34) AND WHEN WE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE RECALL, THEY STILL INSISTED THAT WE HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR UNDER OUR WARRANTY AND THEN FILE A CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT. WE WERE TOLD THE PART BEING USED FOR REPAIR WAS NOT AN UPGRADE IN RESPONSE TO THE RECALL, BUT JUST A STANDARD CABLE REPLACEMENT. WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE EITHER PAY FOR THE PART OR PARK THE CAR UNTIL THE RECALL WAS RESOLVED. WHEN ASKED ABOUT A LOANER OR RENTAL, THE RESPONSE WAS NO LOANER WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE AND A RENTAL WAS ALLOWED FOR A PERIOD OF 5 DAYS ONLY WITH THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. WE WERE ALSO INFORMED THAT THE RECALL COULD TAKE WEEKS OR MONTHS TO RESOLVE. SO OUR CHOICE IS TO EITHER PAY TO HAVE A KNOWN BAD PART INSTALLED OR PARK THE CAR FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD. WE THEN CONTACTED FCA RECALL ASSISTANCE AND MET THE SAME RESULT. PAY FOR THE PART AND THEN RETURN THE CAR ONCE AGAIN AFTER THE RECALL WAS RESOLVED, OR PARK THE CAR. THERE WOULD BE NO LOANER OR RENTAL REIMBURSEMENT CONSIDERED. SO, WE ARE FORCED TO PAY FOR A REPAIR THAT WILL NOT FIX THE ISSUE AND SEND MY WIFE BACK OUT ONTO THE STREETS WITH A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE THAT MAY RESULT IN HARM OR WORSE. THE DEALER CLAIMS THIS IS NOT HIS RESPONSIBILITY AND SINCE HE IS AN INDEPENDENT, WE "TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT". FCA RECALL ASSISTANCE WAS ALMOST USELESS AND A WASTE OF TIME.