DEAR SUZANNE
By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 20 – June 2022 | All Fired Up in Anaheim
At 26,000 Miles, the Engine Blew Up On My 2022 Jeep Cherokee
Dear Suzanne,
I recently purchased a brand new 2022 Jeep Cherokee. I’ve owned three other Jeeps in the past, but this was my first time buying one new off the lot. I was so excited the day I bought it; I must have taken 20 selfies with it that day. Unfortunately, that feeling didn’t last very long.
I noticed it was going through oil like crazy compared to my older used Jeeps. I was putting two cans of oil in it every week, but there was no oil in the driveway or under the truck, no signs of any leak. It was just eating it up. I took it in a couple times, and they said this was normal and all just part of a new Jeep breaking itself in. Then the check engine light started popping on, so I took it back in a couple of times. Again, they told me this was normal and reset the computer software. I was told there was nothing to worry about.
Then, at 26,000 miles, the engine blew up. I was driving 70 mph when I heard an incredibly loud bang from the motor and a ton of smoke began billowing from under the hood. I had just made it to the shoulder when a retired fireman ran over and hauled me away from the truck. He was sure from the smell and the amount of smoke that the Jeep would catch fire any minute. It was an absolutely terrifying experience. I had it towed to the dealership where they offered me a loaner vehicle since it would take 24 days to replace the motor.
When I picked my Cherokee up from the dealership, the check engine light was still on, but, again, they told me not to worry about it. I noticed the oil consumption was really high and took it back into the Jeep dealership. This time, it took them 11 days to determine it was a sensor issue and reset the computer system. They also were not able to give me a loaner this time, so I had to rent a car.
Not long after, the engine blew up again. After the last time, I knew as soon as I heard the loud bang to pull over and run away from the vehicle, in case it caught fire, then I called 911. The fire department showed up and ensured there was no explosive risk and we had my Cherokee towed to a different Jeep dealership this time.
Unlike the first Jeep dealership, the technicians at the other dealership did not tell me there was nothing to be worried about. They discovered that a valve seal was cracked, allowing the oil to get into the engine and the new engine the first dealership had put in was not new at all, but just rebuilt. It’s still undergoing repairs at the second dealership.
This time though, they offered me the option of trading the Jeep in or buying it back from me for significantly less than what I paid for it. After going through all that, I definitely didn’t want to get less than what I deserved and a friend told me that instead I should look into filing a lemon law claim for my Cherokee. Is there a way to make Jeep pay for selling me a defective vehicle and all the difficulties I had to deal with along the way?
All Fired Up in Anaheim
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More than the Minimum Number of Required Repairs
Dear Fired Up,
Oh my goodness, I’m sorry you had to go through such an ordeal. No one should have to worry about their vehicle possibly catching fire while they’re driving. But the silver lining is that you do qualify for California’s lemon law and would be entitled to a settlement claim that would likely be equivalent to your vehicle’s value.
When you file for a lemon law claim, your repair documentation is the ammunition that serves as evidence against the manufacturer. In order to meet the requirements, you need to have brought your vehicle back into the authorized dealer for repair attempts at least twice for a single issue or three times for multiple issues. You’ve clearly had more than the minimum number of required repairs. Plus, if the first dealership documented that they replaced the engine rather than rebuilt it, and the second dealership documented otherwise, then the manufacturer could also be on the hook for additional damages by not being truthful with you about the repairs done to your vehicle.
I would definitely recommend you do not take Jeep’s trade-in offer. Aside from being worth significantly less than what a potential lemon law claim could be, accepting it also frees them from any responsibility of wrongdoing with the Cherokee and the repairs they’ve made to it. Instead, you need to contact a skilled lemon law attorney who will be able to guide you through the process of filing and settling a lemon law claim.
There are three typical outcomes for a lemon law settlement: a vehicle buyback, a cash compensation and you keep the vehicle, or a replacement vehicle. Since there is still the possibility of ending up with a defective vehicle with the latter two options, I always recommend the former. In a Jeep buyback, the manufacturer will repurchase the Cherokee from you, refunding the money you’ve invested into it so far, such as the down payment, monthly payments, any outstanding loans, or other costs. The only thing they can try to deduct from your settlement is something called the Mileage Offset, which accounts for the time you were able to drive the vehicle without issue; this is generally determined by the mileage on the vehicle at your first repair visit.
Another silver lining is that lemon law cases are taken on contingency, meaning that the manufacturer is responsible for any attorney fees and associated costs, so you don’t pay anything out of pocket. This means you can have an attorney started on your case today and not have to worry about anything blowing up on you again.
Suzanne
Free Legal Advice About Your 2022 Jeep Cherokee Claim
Dear reader, are your vehicle problems ruining your life? Confused about what legal route to take? We’re here to help! Find information about California’s lemon law protections here, fill out the form on this page, or give us a call at (323) 553-7525 to discuss your situation with someone who understands how frustrating it can be to have a lemon car, and what to do about it.
DEAR SUZANNE is a weekly column written by Suzanne Henderson and published in LemonLawyers.ORG. If you have a defective lemon vehicle and have questions about CA Lemon Law or how to file a claim in California, please write to dearsuzanne@lemonlawyers.org. While not guaranteed, we will try to feature your letter in this column to provide you the answers you need, as well as enlighten other consumers who may have lemon problems similar to yours.
Disclaimer: Suzanne Henderson is not a lawyer and the points discussed here are intended for general information and reference purposes only and not to be construed as legal advice. Please consult a California lemon lawyer to get proper legal advice about your lemon law claim.
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Featured Image: 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee © UltraTech66 (CC BY-SA 4.0 License)
