68C recall ripoff by dealership.

[WranglerJosh]

Got my Wrangler in the service center at 7:30 am today. IT DID NOT REQUIRE the battery change. It DID force the system into the oil/fuel refresh mode. The dealership calls me at 4:15pm to tell me they absolutely have to do an oil change and put five gallons of fuel it it to get it finished and complete the recall. My vehicle had an oil change in September and I know the refresh just requires being driven to complete. They called me to say they must do this and it’s NOT COVERED under the recall even though the recall caused it. I have to pay $125 (after a courtesy $30 discount) so they can complete the work! Oh and my vehicle won’t be ready until between 9 and 10 am tomorrow! The recall said it would take 2.5 hours if not battery replacement was needed. No loaner vehicle provided. Ron Tonkin Jeep of Hillsboro, OR provides crap service and tries to squeeze customers for every dime they can.

***UPDATE***
I called FCA this morning and reported the dealership. I recorded the call and FCA confirmed there is no need to clear FORM or have an oil change to complete the recall fix.
I gave the service manager a complete run down of what happened and ended it with “I will not be paying for the oil change.”
He agreed to comp all the extras they did. Otherwise he gave a real “you don’t know what you’re talking about” attitude and attempted to explain everything away. I will be going across town to the other dealership from now on.

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[kah.mun.rah]

That sucks but at least you can charge and park in a garage again...unlike many of us.

 

[WranglerJosh]

That sucks but at least you can charge and park in a garage again...unlike many of us.

We shouldn’t be forced to pay hidden fees to complete the recall. I was told if I didn’t authorize the oil change the vehicle recall wouldn’t be completed and wouldn’t run. This was extortion.

 

[GinaC]

I agree, you should not have had to pay for that oil change, and you may not have even needed it.

What's happening is that not plugging it in and staying in FORM for a long period of time is making the oil change counter count down, that's all. Wrangler4xeFans has a video explaining it.

I brought mine in yesterday for the recall, but they couldn't do it because we had an ice storm and their wifi was acting up. But my service advisor (who bought my 2006 TJ when I got my 4xe) confirmed the exact steps outlined by the video by JeepsOnTheRun. I told her about the counter thing but she hadn't heard of it. I had my last oil change done less than 2k miles ago, but she had the guy check the level anyway. It says it needs a change, but it's fine.

We'll see if it still says it wants an oil change when I have the recall done next Thursday.

I would suggest you follow the two YouTube channels I mentioned, and stay informed. That way you can educate your service department if you need to.

 

[Ol’ Timey Manual SWB Guy]

My 4xe called for its 4th fresh oil at 4,000 miles.

An enterprising attorney could have a field day with the environmental implications of shop towels alone.

Sorry, I have come to believe the FORM algorithm left the factory defective. I’m surprised it hasn’t been rewritten from scratch yet.

BTW, my oil is (unsurprisingly) still clear on the dipstick and it sits within the prescribed dipstick markers.

 

[Gregj]

A used oil analysis would be helpful here to see just how the is holding up.

 

[Ol’ Timey Manual SWB Guy]

Then I’d be spending more on oil than I do on gas.

 

[Gregj]

There are kits to pull the sample out of the dip stick tube. If it is requiring an oil change every 1000 miles that’s nuts.

 

[PotterJLUR]

I'm a Jeep tech in Kansas and just had to do this same thing today on a 68C Wrangler, it was in fuel/oil refresh mode, oil % was 19% and it had about 1/8 of a tank of fuel. (I tried just resetting the oil change % as this normally kicks them out of refresh mode) but even with the oil % at 100% it was still in refresh mode, I had to add 5 gallons of fuel and was finally able to perform the recall in electric mode.
I recommended a oil change to the customer and he agreed. So at the end of the day there was a bill for the oil change and 5 gallons of fuel. No clue what the oil change or fuel bill was as I never see that side of things back in the shop

 

[JEEP4U]

Next time.....tell them, no problem. I'll come and pick the vehicle up and do my own oil change..... thank you very much....Please schedule me for the recall

 

[AZpueblo]

Got my Wrangler in the service center at 7:30 am today. IT DID NOT REQUIRE the battery change. It DID force the system into the oil/fuel refresh mode. The dealership calls me at 4:15pm to tell me they absolutely have to do an oil change and put five gallons of fuel it it to get it finished and complete the recall. My vehicle had an oil change in September and I know the refresh just requires being driven to complete. They called me to say they must do this and it’s NOT COVERED under the recall even though the recall caused it. I have to pay $125 (after a courtesy $30 discount) so they can complete the work! Oh and my vehicle won’t be ready until between 9 and 10 am tomorrow! The recall said it would take 2.5 hours if not battery replacement was needed. No loaner vehicle provided. Ron Tonkin Jeep of Hillsboro, OR provides crap service and tries to squeeze customers for every dime they can.

Yeah, this dealer is playing games. When I brought mine in last week, oil life was 89% with 1/2 tank of gas. They did the 68C process and I know they charged it because I got the notification from my Jeep's UConnect system. When they gave it back, Oil life was still 89%, but it was in FORM for a day, then back to normal. My dealer explained the 68C update has no requirement for oil changes in order for it to be "covered". That's your dealer being shady.

 

[IdowaJeeper]

What's happening is that not plugging it in and staying in FORM for a long period of time is making the oil change counter count down, that's all. Wrangler4xeFans has a video explaining it.

I plug mine in about twice a week, then run it in E-Save mode when I hit the highway for my daily commute to work.

Then I put it in hybrid mode when I get to city limits. Really no MPG increase when going over 60mph.

My 68C service date isn't until January 12th. But it will be due for an oil change anyway, which is free with my dealer.

 

[YJdude]

Reason #594 never to buy a 4Xe.

 

[dlong1119]

Mine has been stuck in FORM since having the recall flash done last Monday and they had me pick it up to do some driving and get it out of FORM so they could complete the testing portion. I did a bunch of driving while monitoring oil temps, added almost 10 gallons of gas and also did an oil change (was at ~25%) with oil monitor reset and its in FORM. Have done a lot of driving/idling since then and no change.

I dropped it back off yesterday for the dealer to investigate, they said they were opening an Engineering case with Stellantis on it and gave me a loaner.

As a note, in the almost 3 years of ownership I've NEVER had my Jeep go into FORM, nor did my wife's when we had her leased 4xe for 3 years.

 

[WranglerJosh]

Got my Wrangler in the service center at 7:30 am today. IT DID NOT REQUIRE the battery change. It DID force the system into the oil/fuel refresh mode. The dealership calls me at 4:15pm to tell me they absolutely have to do an oil change and put five gallons of fuel it it to get it finished and complete the recall. My vehicle had an oil change in September and I know the refresh just requires being driven to complete. They called me to say they must do this and it’s NOT COVERED under the recall even though the recall caused it. I have to pay $125 (after a courtesy $30 discount) so they can complete the work! Oh and my vehicle won’t be ready until between 9 and 10 am tomorrow! The recall said it would take 2.5 hours if not battery replacement was needed. No loaner vehicle provided. Ron Tonkin Jeep of Hillsboro, OR provides crap service and tries to squeeze customers for every dime they can.

***UPDATE***
I called FCA this morning and reported the dealership. I recorded the call and FCA confirmed there is no need to clear FORM or have an oil change to complete the recall fix.
I gave the service manager a complete run down of what happened and ended it with “I will not be paying for the oil change.”
He agreed to comp all the extras they did. Otherwise he gave a real “you don’t know what you’re talking about” attitude and attempted to explain everything away. I will be going across town to the other dealership from now on.

See original post for an update.

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