DEAR SUZANNE
By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 143 – October 2023 | Lamentor
Dear Suzanne,
Buy a 2023 Jeep Wrangler they said. Well never again! Not after everything I’ve gone through. I know you may be wondering why I’m lamenting this way, but you’ll understand soon enough.
Last New Year’s Eve, I purchased a 2023 Jeep Wrangler from a Chrysler dealer in California. I got it brand new with zero miles, and it still only has 729 miles on it.
Battery Clocked Out Early
The very first issue I had with it started only 10 days after I purchased the car. I got to my garage one morning, attempted to start the car, and discovered the battery was dead. When this happened, I first thought maybe it was because I left a light on or something by mistake.
So I called AAA to come check the car, which they did. They then helped tow my car to the Jeep dealership where they ‘fixed’ it. But the following day, the battery was dead by the time I got back from work.
I called AAA again and they said the battery was no good. They thought that was why it kept dying. I relayed this information to the dealership and they swapped out the battery for a new one. Note that all of this is happening to a car that has less than 500 miles on it.
Wrong Battery, Wrong Time
Now to the source of my lamentations. One particular day, while on my way to a Visa application appointment, my car chose the worst time to die. This occurred only a couple of days after the dealership claimed they changed the battery. I assumed everything was fine so I wasn’t in any way prepared for this.
Even worse, where the car died off was not a place I could just leave it and come back for it later. It was either go to the appointment and risk my car getting impounded, or forfeit the Visa appointment altogether. In the end, I had no choice but to stick with the car until the tow truck arrived.
I called an Uber from the dealership and rushed to the appointment, but it was too late. They refused me and said I had to book another appointment. It was just a series of unfortunate events that could have been avoided if the automakers built the car right in the first place.
The following day, I got back from work and made sure every light was turned off. But as I was exiting the car, I heard a quiet sizzling noise, like something humming. The moment I heard this, I knew it was some sort of wiring problem, and another visit to the dealership was on the horizon.
I just called ahead and scheduled another appointment with the dealership. Just as I predicted, the battery was dead by the following morning.
I hope you see the reason for my frustration. My car shouldn’t need all of these repairs in the first place, I paid 50 grand for this Jeep. That’s too much money for me to be going through all of this. This is why I am looking into lemon law and the options that come with it.
Lamentor
Your 2023 Jeep Wrangler Is Defective And You Should File A Lemon Lawsuit
Dear Lamentor,
I’m probably not the first to tell you that Jeeps have been known to exhibit a range of issues, and it’s not uncommon to hear a story like yours. But this is a brand-new vehicle, and you shouldn’t have these issues when you barely have 700 miles on it.
Being a 2023 model there’s even more of a reason why you shouldn’t be having these frustrating issues. You would think manufacturers get better at making reliable vehicles over time, but the data doesn’t always back this up. Not when it comes to an inefficient manufacturer who built the vehicles wrong in the first place.
In order to qualify for lemon law you must meet a few requirements. These include at least two visits to the dealership for the same issue or three or more visits to the dealership for different issues. All of these visits must have happened while under the manufacturer’s warranty.
Assuming you meet these qualifications, you are eligible to file a lemon lawsuit against the manufacturers. Once you are declared a lemon owner, you can pick from a couple of options in terms of compensation.
Settlement Options
The buyback option is the first that you can pick. Here, you have to return the vehicle to the manufacturers while they pay you back everything you have ever spent on the car. This usually includes the down payment, monthly payments, taxes, and interest. Also, if you took out a loan, Jeep has to refund the loan to the finance company. Your credit will not be affected negatively.
With this option, Jeep may deduct an amount from the overall buyback settlement. This is called the mileage offset. In simple terms, the mileage offset is the right of the manufacturers to charge you for the period you drove the car without any issues. It is usually based on the mileage you were at on the day you first took the car for repairs.
The thing about this mileage offset is that it’s not always applicable. This is because Jeep is responsible for building the defective car, and your attorney can request a waiver removing the mileage offset.
On the other hand, if you like the vehicle so much and are willing to stick with it, there’s another option. This one is the cash and keep. The cash and keep offer allows you to keep your car while the manufacturer gives you some cash as compensation. This compensation is their way of saying sorry for the issues you have experienced with the car.
If you take this option, you retain your vehicle and your warranty remains valid. Also, if you wish to sell your vehicle later on, you can do so without deeming it a lemon to the next owner.
Lemon Law In The Golden State
Furthermore, considering you purchased your vehicle in California, you enjoy certain privileges. One such privilege is that you don’t get charged by your attorney for pursuing a lemon law case. This is because legal practitioners take all lemon law cases in the state of California on contingency.
This means that you do not have to worry about any legal fees – the manufacturer covers that. As a result, the entire original settlement goes over to you.
While pursuing the lemon law claim, do not hesitate to take your car in for repairs if the need arises. Be sure to collect the documents corresponding to each visit so your attorney can add that to your file. The more visits you have, the better your case, and the more money in your pocket.
All you have to do to ensure victory is make sure you get a competent lemon lawyer and the rest is history. I’m hoping for better days for you and your Jeep. 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 2023 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 CA 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 California Lemon Law Attorney to get proper legal advice about your lemon law claim.
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- My 2023 Jeep Wrangler Was Stolen Because of Its Defects
Featured Image:
- 2023 Jeep Wrangler ©Benespit (CC BY-SA 4.0 License)