My 2020 Jeep Wrangler Is Haunted

DEAR SUZANNE

By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 144 – October 2023 | Spooked

Dear Suzanne, 

I own a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. In hindsight, buying this car might not have  been my best decision. However, I’ve always been drawn to the allure of  owning a Jeep. The style and fun nature of going off-road at any time seemed like fun. This fondness waned a bit when I started facing some car  issues 

I’ll begin by saying that I’m easily startled. It might sound funny, and sometimes it is. My friends often take advantage of this and it usually ends in laughs. But imagine my reaction when my car’s radio turned on by itself. It was quite unnerving. I’ll get to that part in a bit. Let me start when I first encountered issues.

My car problems have to do with the electrical system, in particular the radio, dashboard lights, and backup cam. I’m starting to realize the issues are not as straightforward as I thought. They first began as very subtle problems, but now, it’s getting kind of weird. 

The worst part is that the car only has about 8,000 miles on it. So there’s no obvious reason why this should keep happening, especially since I purchased it brand new and closely followed the maintenance schedule. 

Disembodied Dashboard

It all started one day while I was driving my kids to school. All of a sudden, the dashboard lights began flickering and making strange noises. I decided to take my car to the Jeep dealership after dropping them off. On arriving, they told me they couldn’t duplicate the issue and everything seemed fine. I drove home and figured all that craziness was just a fluke, but that wishful thinking wouldn’t last long.

A few days later, another issue came up with the backup camera. I was trying to back out of the grocery store parking space. As I was looking at the backup camera screen, it suddenly went off, and it only came back on after I restarted the car. This wasn’t the only time it happened, the screen died on me a few other times within a couple days.  

You might think I should just use the mirrors and check behind me, and that’s true. But when I’m relying on the screen and it suddenly shuts off, I have to slam on the brakes and adjust how I’m driving, and that’s a recipe for an accident. I stopped by the dealership again and just like the first problem, they said they couldn’t replicate the issue. I left slightly more annoyed than the first time.

Restless Radio

A while later there was another incident, but this one involved the radio and the infotainment system in general. This time it happened while I was on my way to my yoga class. Yoga helps me relax and allows me to feel less nervous and jumpy. I was on my way when the radio came on and started blasting music at the maximum volume. I tried turning it down or restarting it with no success.

I had no choice but to defer the yoga class and head back to the dealership. This time I was confident we would get it fixed seeing as I had evidence and they would finally see, or hear, the problem. But it didn’t exactly work out like that. The dealership restarted the infotainment system and everything seemed fine. But they were unable to figure out what caused the original issue. This is when I started feeling that my Jeep was possessed or something, because no matter what, we could never figure out what was causing these weird glitches. 

Paranormal? Hard Pass!

A couple days later we get to the event that caused the last visit to the dealership, and I’m thinking I don’t even want to pick it up. I was alone, driving to a friend’s house one night when all three issues I mentioned previously decided to start up. The dashboard lights started flickering, the backup camera was glitching, and the radio was blasting music at max volume. For someone who gets spooked easily, this Jeep was a lot to handle. 

Thinking about it now, I think I handled it pretty well for someone who jumps at their own shadow. Even when the radio began to fluctuate from the highest volume to the lowest – I wasn’t controlling it. It was very weird, and I couldn’t believe it was happening, but I didn’t have a choice other than to keep driving. I just kept reminding myself that this was the faulty electrical system and not some kind of paranormal activity. 

However, I don’t think I want to continue dealing with these kinds of things. Not because of the weird, ghost-like happenings, but more so I’m just tired of going to the dealership every few days and having them tell me it’s fine. I’ve heard of lemon law before but I’m not too familiar with it, so any information you can provide would be helpful. Thanks for listening to my spooky story!

Spooked

It’s Time To Put Your 2020 Jeep Wrangler To Rest

Dear Spooked, 

It is unfortunate that you’ve had to deal with this series of events. No one should have to deal with so many strange happenings, especially with a vehicle that has not even hit the 10,000-mile mark. I will say electrical issues can be like this, where they’re glitching one second and normal the next. It can seem like the vehicle is possessed, but all of your issues together sounds like a bit much. 

It sounds like you’re ready to rid yourself of this Jeep, so allow me to break down the lemon law for you. To get started on your case, you’ll want a dependable lemon law attorney. A lemon lawyer is one who files a lemon lawsuit against the manufacturers on your behalf. They’ll aim for a settlement, but should be willing to take it to court if the manufacturer doesn’t want to provide fair compensation. 

Lemon Law Qualifications

In order to qualify, you need to meet the requirements that make your vehicle eligible for the lemon law. They are listed below: 

Have at least two visits to the dealership for the same defect. 

Have three or more repair attempts performed for different issues. 

The dealership held your vehicle for 30 days or longer. 

If you meet any of these requirements, then you qualify for the lemon law. Note that these visits must have happened while your car was still under the manufacturer’s warranty. You don’t have anything to worry about since it’s a brand new car and you’re not even at 10k miles. 

Warranty Info

This is great because having low miles allows for a bit of wiggle room as to what your attorney can do for you. With many manufacturers, the warranty is divided into two parts. There is the basic coverage warranty, which covers all bumper-to-bumper issues ranging from electrical to brakes to power steering problems. This typically lasts for 3 years or 36,000 miles. 

Then there is the powertrain warranty. This one covers any defects relating to the engine and transmission, and it lasts for five years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. 

Considering all of this, you’re still well covered under the warranty. As such, if you have any more issues that need repairs, don’t hesitate to take your car in. The more repair attempts you have recorded, the stronger your case, and the more money you stand to gain. 

With that said, it is important to take your car in as early as possible to avoid any form of pushback from the manufacturers. If everything goes smoothly and your car is deemed a lemon, there are three possible options of compensation available to you as a lemon owner. 

Settlement Options

There is the repurchase option, also known as the buyback option. The manufacturers would pay you back everything that you have ever paid for the car. This would include down payments, monthly payments, and even taxes and interest. Also, if you took a loan on your car, Jeep would pay that back on your behalf. Your credit will not be affected in any negative way. 

With the buyback there is a clause known as the mileage offset. This is where the manufacturers have a right to deduct from the settlement for the period you drove the car with no issues. It is normally based on the mileage you were at when you first took the car for repairs. 

You don’t have much to worry about since you’re at very low miles. Your attorney can also request that they waive the offset in half or in full. 

The second option is the replacement offer. This involves you getting another vehicle of the same model, mileage, and other similar features as the one you have. This is usually not the recommended option because you may end up in the same situation you’re trying to get out of. Also it’s more difficult for your attorney to get extra compensation since you’re already receiving a car.

The third option is the cash and keep. This gives you a chance to keep the vehicle while receiving some cash as compensation for your car problems. You get to retain the warranty without it being voided. Also, if you wish to sell the car at a later date, you can do so without deeming it a lemon. 

Seeing as you purchased your car in the state of California, your attorney should take your case on contingency. This is because California is a state friendly to consumers and you can file a case at no cost to you. The automakers are responsible for handling the attorney bills so you have nothing to worry about. This also means the entire original settlement goes to you.

Hopefully whatever you decide, you’re able to escape your haunted Jeep and get into a normal, reliable vehicle. If you have any questions about lemon law or how the process works, reach out to your attorney. I wish you the best of luck!

Suzanne

PS. If you think your vehicle sucks and want to actually do something about it, you definitely can! Find out quickly if you have a case by visiting www.yourvehiclesucks.com right now. This website is owned by our partner law firm Quill & Arrow LLP, California’s #1 “settled” Lemon Law attorneys.

Free Legal Advice About Your 2020 Jeep Wrangler Lemon Law 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 California Lemon Lawyer or how to file a claim in California, please write to help@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 CA Lemon Lawyer to get proper legal advice about your lemon law claim.

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Featured Image:

• 2020 Jeep Wrangler ©Noah Wulf (CC BY-SA 4.0 License)