It Rains Inside My Brand New 2022 Jeep Gladiator

DEAR SUZANNE

By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 61 – November 2022 | Skeptical

Dear Suzanne, 

I own a 2022 Jeep Gladiator that was purchased brand new and has just a thousand miles on it presently. Since I purchased it, I have taken it twice to the Jeep dealership for repairs with the most recent one leaving my car at the dealer’s shop for more than a month and still counting. 

My first visit to the dealer happened around 700 miles and it was due to a leak at the front door of the passenger’s side. The problem was that whenever it rained, water often leaked inside the car, and sometimes, it is so bad that I have to park my vehicle until it stops raining. I was also fearful because I did not want the water to affect any of the vehicle’s electrical parts so I took it for repairs. 

When I took it in, they told me they doused the jeep with water but were unable to find out the source of the leak. I then tried to explain the leaking problem in the best way possible to them, but still no solution. Eventually, I had to take my car home with the front door still leaking. 

The second visit was because of the same issue which kept recurring. Now, my car has spent over a month at the dealership, but still no response as to what exactly is the problem. I don’t know why they can’t find the leak after such a long time. Hopefully, this time is not a wasted effort and they figure out the problem. Fortunately, they provided me with a rental car and that’s what I’ve been using in the meantime. 

My question now is how does a 2022 car that I just purchased have a leaking front door? Didn’t they build the car well? What other problems would I encounter as I keep using this vehicle? These are all the questions and more that keep running through my mind which made me decide that I want to get rid of the vehicle. Now, I am not quite well-versed with lemon law and the way it works so I will appreciate any assistance you can give. 

 
Skeptical

Your Car Most Likely Is Defective

Dear Skeptical,

The way lemon law works is that in the state of California, if your vehicle has been to the dealership twice for the same issues within your warranty period, then it is considered a lemon. Thus, since you meet this minimum requirement, you are qualified for a Jeep Lemon Law case. On the other hand, if you have three or more visits to the dealership for different problems within the warranty period, then you also qualify. 

Now, since your car is on very low miles, it makes your case very much stronger. This is because, even while working on your case, you can keep taking your vehicle in for repairs without the fear of overlapping the warranty period. And obviously, since the vehicle is already having problems now, it means the issues will definitely become worse as time goes on. 

Usually, vehicles like yours are highly defective and this may not be the fault of the dealership but rather that of the automakers. This is why sometimes, the dealer may be unable to replicate an issue simply because the automakers built the car wrong in the first place. The dealers can only wrap a band-aid around the mistakes that the manufacturers made while building the vehicle. 

Therefore, for you as a lemon owner, there are two options open to you. The first is called the buyback and it involves a situation where the automakers buy back the vehicle from you and pay back all that you have spent towards the vehicle. This includes your down payment, and monthly payments, and your taxes and interest are included as well. Also, even if you took out a loan on the vehicle, the manufacturers are required to pay that back and on the plus side, your credit goes up. 

With the buyback, however, the only thing the manufacturers can deduct is called the mileage offset. This just means that they have the right to charge you for the period you drove the car during which you had no issues. And this is usually based on the mileage you were at during your first visit which you mentioned is around 700 miles. 

To be completely honest with you, they will not be able to charge you much for this. However, regardless of the amount, your lawyer can get them to waive this either in full or half. This is because they sold you a defective vehicle in the first place. 

The other option is known as cash and keep. This is basically just cash compensation for all the issues you’ve experienced with the car while you still keep the vehicle. With this option, your warranty is not voided or canceled and if you wish to later sell the vehicle, you can do so without first deeming it a lemon to the next owner. 

Typically with this offer, the least amount I’ve seen anyone get is $5,000, but this was for an older vehicle with more miles. However, for yours, it may be as high as $10,000 or $15,000. The thing about this offer is that there is no specific settlement amount as it is dependent on a number of different factors. 

One such factor is the mileage and other factors include the number of visits and also the amount of time that the vehicle spends at the dealership during each visit. Thus, the more visits you have, the stronger your case, and the more money in your pocket. 

Another option available to you is the replacement option which simply means that you receive a different vehicle with the same mileage and price value. However, it is not so advisable because you run the risk of receiving another defective vehicle as a replacement. 

As for the lawyer’s fees, the bill for that is delivered to the doorstep of the manufacturers. This is because you purchased your car in California and so the case is taken on contingency. This means that you will not be charged any attorney fees whether you win or lose. Not only that, the total settlement received will be going over to you.

 
Suzanne

Free Legal Advice About Your 2022 Jeep Gladiator 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 CA Lemon Law or how to file a claim in California, please write to [email protected]. 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 Law Attorney to get proper legal advice about your lemon law claim.

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Featured Image:

• 2022 Jeep Gladiator ©Fiver, der Hellseher (CC BY-SA 4.0 License)