Wow, I've had this Jeep for 10 days and 1050 miles now. It went to the dealership 4 days after I got it for a burn smell and dripping underneath. It was a transfer case leak. Turned out to be the extention shaft seal and speed sensor seal. Done under warranty. 2 days ago, the same smell came back. I went under the truck and saw that the same area under the transfer case is wet with oil again. Not as much, but definitely there. It goes to the dealer again tomorrow. Also, the rear brakes developed a slight squeal that only happens sometimes, and looking at the exhaust tips, they don't look straight. One sits a little higher than the other, and looking down from up top, they both look tilted, or pulled over to the left side, at an angle. You would think the 2nd year out, they would have worked out all the bugs.

This is my first new American car, and will be my very last. Only other domestic cars I've owned are SRT4's, and as crappy as they are, the build quality is better than this SRT8.

Are there any other problems I should be expecing with this thing?

What's the build date of your Jeep?
It's located on the driver's door on a sticker towards the bottom.

-Matt

Sorry to hear about your problems. The transfer case leak is unusual. The exhaust being misaligned is an easy fix, just push it around on the rubber hangers. Either the middle or rear hangers (rubber grommets) are misaligned.

Brake squeal is normal and can be fixed by A.) buying new pads from www.zeckhausen.com B.) applying copper paste to the backs of brake pads or C.) buying new rotors and pads.

Just so you know, I have two trucks. Both of them 07's and both have brake squeal. My Black one had a faulty TCM and shifter module, red one has not exhibited a single problem so far.

As with any vehicle, it's hit or miss. You take your chances. The build quality, in my mind, is very good for what we get.

Wow, I've had this Jeep for 10 days and 1050 miles now. It went to the dealership 4 days after I got it for a burn smell and dripping underneath. It was a transfer case leak. Turned out to be the extention shaft seal and speed sensor seal. Done under warranty. 2 days ago, the same smell came back. I went under the truck and saw that the same area under the transfer case is wet with oil again. Not as much, but definitely there. It goes to the dealer again tomorrow. Also, the rear brakes developed a slight squeal that only happens sometimes, and looking at the exhaust tips, they don't look straight. One sits a little higher than the other, and looking down from up top, they both look tilted, or pulled over to the left side, at an angle. You would think the 2nd year out, they would have worked out all the bugs.

This is my first new American car, and will be my very last. Only other domestic cars I've owned are SRT4's, and as crappy as they are, the build quality is better than this SRT8.

Are there any other problems I should be expecing with this thing?

poor baby. :rolleyes:

What's the build date of your Jeep?
It's located on the driver's door on a sticker towards the bottom.

-Matt

Mine was built on 2/1/2007. Mine was ordered in December of 2006, went into assembly on 1/31/07 and came out in 2/1. I picked it up on 2/9/07. This is a newer one, so yo would think the bugs were worked out.

Brought it to the dealership this morning and they told me I got there too late. 80 cars ahead of me, and they wouldn't even be able to look at it till Monday. I just left and made another appointment. 80 cars ahead of me..... EIGHTY. I'm sure they're not all in there for oil changes. Kinda confirms my views on the quality of these vehicles.

Kinda confirms my views on the quality of these vehicles.

Sorry to hear about your experiences, but in the first 2500 miles I've had no issues to speak of.

Alex

in before "buyers remorse", "lemon law", and "my dealer sucks" threads started.:D ;)

Mine was built on 2/1/2007. Mine was ordered in December of 2006, went into assembly on 1/31/07 and came out in 2/1. I picked it up on 2/9/07. This is a newer one, so yo would think the bugs were worked out.

Brought it to the dealership this morning and they told me I got there too late. 80 cars ahead of me, and they wouldn't even be able to look at it till Monday. I just left and made another appointment. 80 cars ahead of me..... EIGHTY. I'm sure they're not all in there for oil changes. Kinda confirms my views on the quality of these vehicles.


How big is your dealership? 80 cars ahead of you? That is ridiculous - and almost downright unbelievable. Did you have an appointment? I would think that if you did you'd be pushed to the front of the line.

As for your problems, the squeaky brakes issue is well-documented on here and it's probably only a matter of time before there's a TSB issued for it since there was one for the 300/Charger/Magnum.

The exhaust pipes are oftentimes a little uneven - but they're pretty close. At least they don't rattle or vibrate right? :) Take a look underneath and you'll see the mounts and brackets - there's a way to loosen some of the bolts to realign them - do a search for "uneven exhaust" and you should find it. I think I have it bookmarked at home and if I do I'll link you to it.

I dont have the leaky transmission seal or transfer case, and it sucks that you do, but hopefully once it's fixed that'll be the end of that.

As for your build quality comments, I'm sure we all understand your concern and frustration, but there are more constructive ways of listing them, with specific respect to your title/subject, 'censored' or not.

Keep in mind the industry average of problems per 100 vehicles is 227. Per the 2006MY Chrysler was at 232 per 100. Mercedes is at 240 per 100. Compare that to the pour souls who forked over major bucks for a RR or RR Sport - Range Rover is at 438 problems per 100 vehicles, and that's the average.

It's important to keep as positive an attitude as possible, especially when working with dealers, because they're your key to getting problems fixed. That's just the way the industry functions, unless you cry lemon, but in that case your car needs to have major safety problems, major repeated-attempt failed components, or 30+ cumulative full calender days out of service (depending on state). And even THEN, you still have to deal with a dealership. :)

BTW - let me know when your passenger-side one-touch window starts acting up.

-Matt

How big is your dealership? 80 cars ahead of you? That is ridiculous - and almost downright unbelievable. Did you have an appointment? I would think that if you did you'd be pushed to the front of the line.

As for your problems, the squeaky brakes issue is well-documented on here and it's probably only a matter of time before there's a TSB issued for it since there was one for the 300/Charger/Magnum.

The exhaust pipes are oftentimes a little uneven - but they're pretty close. At least they don't rattle or vibrate right? :) Take a look underneath and you'll see the mounts and brackets - there's a way to loosen some of the bolts to realign them - do a search for "uneven exhaust" and you should find it. I think I have it bookmarked at home and if I do I'll link you to it.

I dont have the leaky transmission seal or transfer case, and it sucks that you do, but hopefully once it's fixed that'll be the end of that.

As for your build quality comments, I'm sure we all understand your concern and frustration, but there are more constructive ways of listing them, with specific respect to your title/subject, 'censored' or not.

Keep in mind the industry average of problems per 100 vehicles is 227. Per the 2006MY Chrysler was at 232 per 100. Mercedes is at 240 per 100. Compare that to the pour souls who forked over major bucks for a RR or RR Sport - Range Rover is at 438 problems per 100 vehicles, and that's the average.

It's important to keep as positive an attitude as possible, especially when working with dealers, because they're your key to getting problems fixed. That's just the way the industry functions, unless you cry lemon, but in that case your car needs to have major safety problems, major repeated-attempt failed components, or 30+ cumulative full calender days out of service (depending on state). And even THEN, you still have to deal with a dealership. :)

BTW - let me know when your passenger-side one-touch window starts acting up.

-Matt

I'm really trying to take everything with a smile. It's just that I've had a number of new cars in my lifetime, and not ever has one been back to the dealership twice in 2 weeks for the same problem, within the first 2 weeks of ownership. Any way you look at it, that's just wrong. Your numbers on the industry averages..... if you took that with ONLY the GCSRT8, compared to other vehicles, I am sure it will rank as low as the RR's. I am not crying lemon on this truck, just frustrated that I am not getting what I paid for. I did not remember signing up for dealership visits weekly.

With the dealership, I did have an appointment. When I go there, they told me I could have been there earlier, which is somewhat understandable (I got there at 11AM, which should be fine, because I was not sitting there waiting for it. It was getting dropped off). They tell me that they won't even touch it until Monday around noon, because of the 80 cars ahead of me. I don't want to mention the name of the dealership, but they are in Manhattan, and Manhattan isn't big, and there aren't many Jeep dealers out there. From what I know, there's only 1. That one would be it. That dealership isn't my selling dealer. I bought the truck in PA. I may just bring it back to them, because they owe me the SRT sill panels anyway. Also, they give loaner cars where the dealership in Manhattan doesn't.

The leak this time isn't as bad as last time. It barely falls on the exhaust now, and is just on the outside lower housing of the transmission/transfer case. I am pretty sure it's the speed sensor o ring. Last time it was straight pouring out, puddles on the crossmember.

The exhaust tips are the least of my concerns. One is not only higher than the other (my friend has the same truck, and his has one higher than the other like mine), but mine are both tipted to the left. Not sure if this too is a common problem. I will look at the hangers this weekend.

Brakes only squeak sometimes. I will try doing that copper stuff on the rear pads myself. I hope I don't run into any more problems.

The exhaust tips are the least of my concerns. One is not only higher than the other (my friend has the same truck, and his has one higher than the other like mine), but mine are both tipted to the left. Not sure if this too is a common problem. I will look at the hangers this weekend.

The hangers aren't adjustable. What you want to do is loosen the rear clamps and rotate the mufflers until your rear tips are aligned.

Alex

i WOULD NEVER EVER BUY THIS CAR. I KNOW AMERICAN QUALITY...
THAT'S WHY I LEASED MY SRT8 AND I RAG ON IT ALL THE TIME. IF IT BREAKS, IT'S NOT MY @$$

i WOULD NEVER EVER BUY THIS CAR. I KNOW AMERICAN QUALITY...
What about Totota quality? Have you seen their lengthy list of recalls the past couple of years? How about German cars, have you read about all the issues they have had? How about British cars, same story. Ever read any of the Honda message boards and the tons of complaints they have?

I can't believe that people are still ignorant in believing that all cars but "American cars" are so "reliable".

As for your problems, the squeaky brakes issue is well-documented on here and it's probably only a matter of time before there's a TSB issued for it since there was one for the 300/Charger/Magnum.
-Matt

What did they do to resolve the problem?

Hey Jordo:

I am not sure who your leasing company is...but...you may be in for a rude awakening if you think you can hand back a "broken" car and walk away with no further obligation. You may want to check out a clause in the agreement referring to "excess wear and tear". This is not predicated on mileage. I have heard horror stories about what the leasing companies charged back to the customer for "excess wear and tear". I treated the one car I leased as my own...and didn't pay a cent extra.

Tom

What did they do to resolve the problem?


They issued an order to replace the rotors with new ones that are, if I remember correctly, slotted. Don't get too excited yet though because they won't bolt on to our JGCs since the hub pattern is different. :) We just have to wait till there enough of us clamoring about it.

-Matt

i WOULD NEVER EVER BUY THIS CAR. I KNOW AMERICAN QUALITY...
THAT'S WHY I LEASED MY SRT8 AND I RAG ON IT ALL THE TIME. IF IT BREAKS, IT'S NOT MY @$$

Aren't you paying $9xx/month to lease one of these things? Last time I checked, that's the same lease rate for the RR Sport, and new BMW X5 V8 and probably the Cayenne S. I would wager those ALL have their fair share of problems too. Especially the Cayenne, yikes.

-Matt

Thanks Matt.........;)

I'm really trying to take everything with a smile. It's just that I've had a number of new cars in my lifetime, and not ever has one been back to the dealership twice in 2 weeks for the same problem, within the first 2 weeks of ownership. Any way you look at it, that's just wrong. Your numbers on the industry averages..... if you took that with ONLY the GCSRT8, compared to other vehicles, I am sure it will rank as low as the RR's. I am not crying lemon on this truck, just frustrated that I am not getting what I paid for. I did not remember signing up for dealership visits weekly.



Fair point to make. We track this type of data at work and I'll be happy to have a look at the initial quality numbers for the JGC and SRT-8. I don't think the numbers will be any different, but I could be wrong.

As for the dealership - that's pretty crappy of them to throw you that far back in the queue, and after you mentioned the location I know exactly who/what you're talking about, so I take back my remark about the number of cars.

You're also right to feel more than just a little short-changed having spent $45k (probably 50k w/TTL) and needing to take it back to the dealership so soon, and then having that coupled with the 'ship not being absolutely 100% cooperative about their time/availability. This is clearly where some automotive dealerships are still absolutely lacking. Generally speaking, you hear this more with American brands.

Had you purchased a more luxury-branded product those dealerships would have been more likely to stop everything to assure your complete satisfaction. That has more to do with customer service/satisfaction training with uplevel vehicle makes than the sheer volume of vehicles that American make dealerships must deal with, save for maybe Cadillac and Lincoln. The fact is that "it's a Jeep" and even though it's an SRT-8 is still not as special to many Jeep dealerships as an R500 would be to a Mercedes 'ship. And it's the same company! And, yeah, that sucks. Talk to SVT guys over at the FoMoCo boards and you're surely get some feedback on that. But having said all that, don't tell me you didn't really know about the (potentially negative) service aspect going into it, especially having been through that many SRT4s. It's kind of one of those things we just have to deal with, and as long as the American brands are bleeding red ink, I wouldn't expect things to change overnight.

Hopefully you can take your car back to PA and get the service you deserve. I'd start by calling your salesman and then the service department manager and setting up an appointment before the service visit. Talking to them should get the issues resolved.

-Matt

-Matt

i WOULD NEVER EVER BUY THIS CAR. I KNOW AMERICAN QUALITY...
THAT'S WHY I LEASED MY SRT8 AND I RAG ON IT ALL THE TIME. IF IT BREAKS, IT'S NOT MY @$$

That kills me every time somebody says the "American cars suck." This is one of those phrases that people haven't slowed down with yet. It didn't take decades for people to stop saying the catch word, "postal!"

You're pretty much screwed if you decide to buy a Toyota Camry, I'm so sorry but it's an AMERICAN CAR!

What about that SRT6? More of it is made from foreign parts! I'm so sorry, but it's an AMERICAN CAR because people call it that!

How about this: Jeep is owned by a German company, I'm so sorry, but it's an AMERICAN CAR because the parts content makes it American!

I hear a lot of incredible Jeep stories, more so than horror stories. I like Jeep, so I'll stick with it.

Don't forget to check the stickers on them new vehicles, they will tell you if it's mostly domestic parts or not.

Every maker has their share of lemons. No manufacturer is perfect. My first impression of 9900rpm's post was "spoiled brat".

What does a leaking transfer case have to do with build quality?

What does a leaking transfer case have to do with build quality?

A leaking transfer case, in my eyes, is a sign of poor build quality. Maybe it's just bad quality control. Same thing with the crooked exhaust pipes.

Re: Every maker has their share of lemons. No manufacturer is perfect. My first impression of 9900rpm's post was "spoiled brat".

I'm not saying mine is a lemon, and I believe that every car maker has flaws. Just stating that I have never had problems like this with any car. If your definition of "spoiled brat" is to never own a car that's had problems like this, then I guess I am one.

Getting back to the leak, I noticed that it's more apparent after the vehicle is driven fast. If I'm driving around town, it's not so bad. After being on the highway, it seems to leak more. I'm under the assumption that it's the vehicle speed sensor seal and not the extension shaft seal, because if it's the extension shaft seal, it would leak all the time, even if the truck was parked. Makes sense if it's the VSS O ring, because speed may push ATF upwards, making it spew out.

When I took my GC SRT8 in for the tranny leak, the dealer stated that it stems from a problem with an o-ring seal. A bad o-ring could be the result of a poor quality of materials from the supplier or a bad material spec from the manufacturer (MB since it is an MB tranny). Since this seems to be a common problem, (dealer said he has seen many of these leaks) I think it is a supplier issue.

The dealer said that the original o-rings disintegrate and "crumble" after several thousand miles. The replacement o-rings are supposed to fix this problem. I hope Chrysler gets this straightened out soon, especially on the '07 models.

At least we don't have lower intake manifold gasket leaks like my '01 Olds Alero had. Those things are not cheap to replace and the vehicle had to be left over night at the dealership. I am also glad that none of the Jeeps have exhibited the "ammonia smell in the coolant" problem like the LX cars. That sounds like a much more serious issue.

I'm not saying mine is a lemon, and I believe that every car maker has flaws. Just stating that I have never had problems like this with any car. If your definition of "spoiled brat" is to never own a car that's had problems like this, then I guess I am one.

No, my impression was that you thought your car should be perfect and never have any problems. The crooked exhaust pipes are a minor issue and the occasional squeal from the brakes can be attributed to performance pads which you should understand after owning the list of cars you have in your sig. That leaves the leak which you said yourself that the shop maybe didn't repair the correct leak or maybe there were two leaks and they only fixed one. Sounds like it's the dealer's fault to me.

Sounds like you need a new dealer already.

In 12,000 miles I've had the shifter linkage assembly replaced and a rattling passenger door speaker. Nothing else. Compared to other new vehicles I've been close to recently thats very tame (s60, a6, 330).

....I'm not saying mine is a lemon, and I believe that every car maker has flaws. Just stating that I have never had problems like this with any car. If your definition of "spoiled brat" is to never own a car that's had problems like this, then I guess I am one...

Then you were lucky with your other purcahses. Your simply at the average then for your car. I've owned a 2000 JGC, had about 8 times it needed dealer repairs. I'm now driving a 1999 BMW 540i, with 38,000 miles. Its been in five times, for things far greater than the simple window actuators or warped rotors on my jeep.

No, my impression was that you thought your car should be perfect and never have any problems. The crooked exhaust pipes are a minor issue and the occasional squeal from the brakes can be attributed to performance pads which you should understand after owning the list of cars you have in your sig. That leaves the leak which you said yourself that the shop maybe didn't repair the correct leak or maybe there were two leaks and they only fixed one. Sounds like it's the dealer's fault to me.

Nothing is perfect, and that's especially true when it comes to cars. I know this. The crooked exhaust pipes are a minor issue, yes, but Jeep has been building these GCSRT8's for over a year now, and they're still coming out crooked. That's just bad quality control. With the brake squeal, it's not normal. My Evo has Brembos, and my STi had Brembos as well. Neither squealed, ever. Evo has 35K miles, and the STi had 30K. Sound comes from the rears. If performance pads on the Jeep are supposed to make noise, why didn't they do so on day 1, and why doesn't the fronts make noise? With the leaks, the dealership noticed both leaks when I first brought it in, and both were fixed. I believe that it's one leaking now (less ATF dripping). I agree it may be the dealer's fault this second time around. The other guy may be right.... time to take my truck to a different dealership.

If wanted no issues I'd buy a Honda.

I knew what I was getting into. Crooked tail pipes and all.

BTW, when I bought my Jeep I noticed the pipes were a bit crooked. I asked the dealer to have the service dept straighten them out before I picked it up later that week. Of course when I showed up, it wasn't done. I asked the salesman why, and he told me they were welded and service said they couldn't adjust it.

I also knew what kind of service I can expect from a normal Chrysler/Jeep dealership, so I took the car knowing I'd just adjust them myself. Or, end up buying a catback a couple weeks later. Which will eventually split a seam.

Alex

If wanted no issues I'd buy a Honda...
Absolutely impossible...

For starters, read some of the 3,500 threads under the title "Honda Accord Quality Control Issues" (http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/?14@84.wuP7aLTgKa2@.eeca4bd/1020).

Absolutely impossible...

For starters, read some of the 3,500 threads under the title "Honda Accord Quality Control Issues" (http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/?14@84.wuP7aLTgKa2@.eeca4bd/1020).


I was being a bit facetious. What I meant to say, is that if I didn't want issues I wouldn't buy a high performance car.

Alex

Then Ford must have exceptional build quality because the two F150s I owned for a total of 5 years only had 1 problem total, a bad starter solenoid. :eek:

i WOULD NEVER EVER BUY THIS CAR. I KNOW AMERICAN QUALITY...
THAT'S WHY I LEASED MY SRT8 AND I RAG ON IT ALL THE TIME. IF IT BREAKS, IT'S NOT MY @$$


It's a good thing I don't control the ban button. :D

My exhaust was crooked also, all I did was take it to a muffler shop and paid a $25 minimum fee and they straightened them out. Problem solved. :)