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MikeA

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Hey everyone,
I wanted to see if anyone on this forum had any experience with this issue, or advice on how to proceed.
So about 2 months ago I took my basically brand new 2019 Jeep Rubicon camping. We didn’t do any crazy off-roading or anything. I took my kids through a dirt trail to our camping spot.
A few weeks later I’m driving down the freeway and I start getting warning lights. I pull over and the car dies, when I try to restart it starts smoking.
At the dealer, I’m told that mud was in the engine cylinders, and that I would have to pay for everything out of pocket because I “went off-roading, which is not covered by warranty”. I explained that I barely drove on a dirt road, and a vehicle DESIGNED AND ADVERTISED for rough off-roading shouldn’t be breaking down from that. Hell a Honda CRV could have driven there.
Now a few weeks after that, I’m told that the issue is pebbles that messed up the belt. The dealer keeps changing the story on what caused the issue, and refuses to do the repair. I’ve had issues with this vehicle before, it’s brand new and in less than 6 months the AC was broken, and the center console fell apart.
I purchased my first Jeep Rubicon because of its reputation for durability, and I’ve had nothing but problems. I’m skeptical of the reasons they give me, as those reasons keep changing and make no sense because I didn’t do anything hardcore with the car.
If you have any advice on how to proceed, Please let me know.
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Shakey Graves

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Incoming JeepCares rep apologizing and pledging to help you get to the bottom of it. Please understand, the most that the Jeep Cares rep will do is send an email on your behalf. Don't get me wrong, I understand their role. I just feel like Jeep has had a TON of issues with the JL platform (and gladiator) and all we are left to do is just "deal" with the "it's a jeep thing" and just keep accepting this sub par quality on a 35-50k car/truck.

For something like this, you need to take it to another dealer. This dealer is just playing hardball and refusing to listen to you. There is no way in hell the rubi should have issues after that. Hell, even if it was a huge thing of mud and you completely painted your jeep in mud, you shouldn't have anything within the cylinders. Also, no one just confuses mud in the engine's cylinders and then suddenly changes their minds and blames it on pebbles and a belt.
 

cbrenthus

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Mud in the cylinders?!?! Maybe if it was flooded or you were running without an air filter, but still. Mud in the tires I'd understand.

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The Acme Company

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I’d like to know more.

Like after it died—did it restart and did you drive it to the dealer?

Was the smoke white or blue?

When that piston pushed up on that mud filled cylinder did the rod go through the side of the block?
 

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I would definitely start fresh with a different, and hopefully better dealer.
 
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MikeA

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I did as the dealer suggested, and called my insurance to make a claim. My insurance company went to the dealer to see what is wrong with the car. The belt was off and the engine died because of overheating. My insurance asked dealer to show a point of impact on the belt so they can pay to fix the car, but the dealer was not able to find any. Now the insurance denied the claim since there is no impact and the problem is mechanical per them. And as you know from previous conversation the manufacturer is not fixing the car too because they say I went off-roading and the car was in the water. Looking at the commercial above I understand that Jeep just encourages people to buy this vehicle and go into water and do off roading, but in reality they are LIARS, and they do FALSE ADVERTISING and if you do what they advertise you have to fix the car with your own money.
 

The Acme Company

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So the cooling fans are electric. Someone who has had the time to look can chime in and comment on whether the water pump on the 3.6 or 2.0 is electric or belt driven.

Let’s assume that the water pump is belt driven. You should be able to drive slowly through 30 inches of water without slipping the belt.

If you lost the belt, the temperature gauge should have been instantly in the red and you would have either experienced a limp home in the computer or some sort of alarm—saving the engine.

Did you go through water so deep that it infested water in the intake and locked the motor? How deep did you go?
 
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MikeA

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So the cooling fans are electric. Someone who has had the time to look can chime in and comment on whether the water pump on the 3.6 or 2.0 is electric or belt driven.

Let’s assume that the water pump is belt driven. You should be able to drive slowly through 30 inches of water without slipping the belt.

If you lost the belt, the temperature gauge should have been instantly in the red and you would have either experienced a limp home in the computer or some sort of alarm—saving the engine.

Did you go through water so deep that it infested water in the intake and locked the motor? How deep did you go?
 
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MikeA

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Hi I didn’t go through any deep water. When I was camping weeks before the incident there was little mud I went in. But i drove the car after that day for weeks and long distance, I had drove distance over 100 miles without stopping. And the day the engine went off I was driving for 20 miles And also when you look at Jeep commercial the water looks much deeper. And they never say if you get in water over 30 inches your manufacturer warranty is void. I have heard a lot of complaints for the new 4 cylinder engine, and that’s what I have. It feels like I have to pay from my pocket because of false advertising and/or manufacturing defects.
 

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The Acme Company

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The commercial has nothing to do with your problem.

You took it to the dealer for a diagnosis and diagnostic test. If the dealer provided you with a repair estimate or work order. could you post it so we can read through it?

Water alone won’t cause a lost belt, especially with modern tensioners. I’ve been in a lifted CJ-7 with water coming over my lap in a Louisiana Swamp and never lost a belt.

This story is very confusing, so if you could post the data you received from the dealer and the insurance we may be able to help you.
 
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MikeA

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The commercial has nothing to do with your problem.

You took it to the dealer for a diagnosis and diagnostic test. If the dealer provided you with a repair estimate or work order. could you post it so we can read through it?

Water alone won’t cause a lost belt, especially with modern tensioners. I’ve been in a lifted CJ-7 with water coming over my lap in a Louisiana Swamp and never lost a belt.

This story is very confusing, so if you could post the data you received from the dealer and the insurance we may be able to help you.
B81A3F9B-8929-493F-8BEF-4CE1A3710C8A.jpeg
 
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MikeA

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This is what The dealer gave me on paper
 
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MikeA

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8CFFDC88-0DD6-43DA-9661-353970BBF1D8.jpeg

And this is what I got from my insurance.
 

The Acme Company

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My friend,

The first thing I would do is to send a tow truck and take it to another dealer. Nowhere on the dealer paperwork does it explain the issue. It states replace front seal and idler pulley. While not cheap—it’s not 17 Grand.

After I sent it to a new dealer, I’d call Chrysler corporate and get the Zone Rep involved. You need firm documentation of the actual issue and then it can be determined as to whether or not you have an insurance vs warranty claim.

You also need to contact an attorney to help figure liability—insurance vs warranty.

I hope this helps you!
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