Every Time I Drive My 2022 Jeep Gladiator It’s A Battle

DEAR SUZANNE
 
By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 161 – From Gladiator Owner

Dear Suzanne,

I always wondered what prompted the manufacturers of my Gladiator to give it the name they did. After driving it around for a while, I finally understood why.

Each time I take it out, it’s a fight for my life. Call me dramatic, but I wouldn’t wish this stress and frustration on anyone.

I purchased the 2022 Jeep Gladiator brand new with zero miles on it, and since then I’ve put on about 21,000 miles.

I decided on the Gladiator because it felt like the vehicle that best suited my needs while also conserving fuel.

I know it may not be the best Jeep out there with the best fuel economy, but it works for me. However, that has since changed and now it is consuming more gas than I expected.

Is My Gladiator Shaking With Fear?

This issue began some months back when I was driving and the car began shaking.

At first I thought it was a transmission problem related to the gears.

Not long after the shaking began, a dashboard light came on and displayed a message saying “The start/stop function is disabled”.

This was when I decided to take the car to the dealer for inspection. Before I did, I checked online to see if other Gladiator owners were facing the same issue.

It was then I read of a recall issued on this Jeep model regarding this very issue.

I never received any recall order so I didn’t understand what the problem was.

I took it in for repairs and told the service guy about the recall order I read about and he said my car wasn’t part of the recall.

I said if my car wasn’t part of the recall, why then was I facing this issue?

He had no satisfactory response, and since they couldn’t replicate the issue, I had to leave with my faulty Jeep.

From a Shaky Transmission to A Gas Guzzler

Now, at random intervals, my car shakes and the dashboard light turns on.

As if that’s not enough, I noticed that the fuel economy of the car has deteriorated.

Now my car consumes much more fuel than usual; the gallon of gas that usually would last 20 or 25 miles now lasts only 10 or even less.

Considering how much the price of gas has spiked, you can understand why I said I’m fighting for my life.

I checked online to see what could be the cause of this and I saw that the issue with the start/stop system was most likely the culprit.

How this is possible though, I’m not sure but it’s what I saw. When I told the dealership about it, they confirmed it.

As a result of this increase in fuel consumption, I’ve had to change certain plans or even put them on hold for a while.

I planned to go on a road trip to San Francisco about a week ago but considering how much I would spend on fuel if I drove my car, I opted to get a rental instead.

I weighed my pros and cons and saw that using a fuel-conservative rental was the better option.

I just couldn’t deal with the stress of having car troubles on a road trip. This fuel problem has caused one problem after another.

The one I’m currently facing is how to get to my work, because the vibrating seems to be getting worse.

I feel like this is beyond my control and I’m out of options. Do you have any advice for someone like me?

Gladiator Owner

Your 2022 Jeep Gladiator Needs a Sparta Kick In The Pants

Dear Gladiator Owner,

First off, let me say that I’m sorry your car is affecting your work and your leisure time.

This is not what a car should be; a vehicle should be a source of convenience and not a hindrance.

I think the lemon law is able to help you here. Lemon law works in a way that depends on the number of times you have visited the dealership.

It could be twice due to the same issues or thrice for different issues. As long as you meet any of these criteria, you are eligible for a lemon lawsuit.

Since you meet the criteria, you likely qualify.

The fact that your car has fairly low mileage on it means you can keep taking the car for repairs to the dealership.

This makes your case more solid and increases the chance of getting a high cash settlement offer at the end of your lemon law case.

Another good thing about your case is that you’re still on very low mileage so there is a little wiggle room regarding what your lawyer can do for you.

It’s better to begin your case ASAP while you’re still at low mileage to avoid any pushback from the manufacturers, as they may try to reduce the settlement in the form of deductions.

Settlement Options

Depending on whether you want to get rid of the vehicle or keep it, there are a couple of options available to you.

The first option is called the buyback offer. Here, the automakers buy the vehicle back from you and pay back everything you have spent on the car.

This includes your monthly payments, your down payment, and any taxes and interests.

Also, loans taken on the vehicle will be paid off by the manufacturer, possibly improving your credit score.

The only deduction that they can take from the buyback is the mileage offset.

This means that the automakers retain the discretion to charge you for the period you drove the Jeep without any issues.

This is usually based on the mileage you were at during your first visit to the dealer.

Regardless of the initial mileage, your lawyer could always try to waive the fee in half or in full.

The second option is called the cash and keep. This involves getting cash compensation for the issues you were having while you still keep the vehicle.

With this option, your warranty is not canceled or voided, and if you later want to sell this vehicle, you don’t have to deem it a lemon to the next owner.

With the cash and keep option, the manufacturing company is not reimbursing you for anything.

Rather, it’s just cash compensation saying “We are sorry for the issues you have experienced with your car, take this compensation and don’t file a lawsuit against us”.

Also, they take a couple of factors into account like your mileage, the number of visits to the dealer, and the type of issues you’ve been having.

Lemon Law Tips

While your lawsuit is in progress, you should take the car back to the dealership for any required repairs.

All your lawyer has to do is add every additional repair order to your case file, strengthening your case.

If your dealer says that you can only repair your vehicle at the shop you purchased it, this is false.

You could always take it to any other Jeep dealer near you for repairs and also get a covered rental from them.

As for the lawyer’s fees, you have nothing to worry about because you won’t be the one paying them.

Since you bought your Jeep in California which is a very consumer-friendly state, any lemon law case gets taken on full contingency.

So the law firm you use gets paid by the manufacturers and the total original settlement will be going over to you as well.

I hope you’ve taken something from this and have a better idea of the next step to take.

This is what the lemon law can do for you, so why not take advantage of it? Best of luck ending up in a reliable ride in the future!

 
Suzanne

 
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Featured image: 2022 Jeep Gladiator ©Fiver, der Hellseher used under CC BY-SA 4.0 license.