What would you do? Advice on a service visit screwup...

[Tacoman03]

So I get a recall notice in mail last week….call 1 of 3 dealerships in area to fix and get told I have to set up an appt., no big deal, set it up for this AM at 8:30AM. Show up, guy says we'll jump right on it. Shouldn't take too ling, right????? FYI - I have my top off on Jeep, guy sits in it and takes note of how nice it is.
Fast Forward to 2;30PM today, get a text, "Mr XXXX, we are a bit behind but Tech says he is trying his best to get to it.....wait, what??? This should have been a quick in and out! So now it gets good, storms begin moving into the area, I start thinking, surely it's in service bay by now and they'll keep it in there....
I decide to let SA know I was heading up, no response.....I go up to dealership, it is full blown storming by now. Guess where my brand new Sahara with leather is???? IN back lot, not been seen at all.....my service guy is MIA, no one can find him, I anxiously ask another service guy to bring my Jeep up ASAP.....Ask for Service Manager, he is off site, so I ask for GM of Dealership.....he comes out, not sure what really to do, I am actually beside myself as The Jeep gets pulled in, drenched from top to bottom, and no one has even touched it for recall...

What would you do?

I left at the request of the GM to get it "dried" out and recall addressed and am now anxiously awaiting the call to pick up.....

So again I ask, what should I do? Seat warmers should be okay as well as the leather, right????

I am really bummed right now.....

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[M1kefries]

Ouch that sucks! It is unfortunate that it seems to be all too common with service departments regardless of brand or $$ spent on a vehicle. Getting in touch with and response from Service Advisors can be as bad as going to DMV.

Ok to answer the direct question. I would document it with pictures and write up a statement for the dealer to sign that fairly describes the circumstances and what is being done to correct it. These steps are really just to cover you if down the road you start getting weird electrical problems. I don't really expect that you will, but better safe than sorry.

That being said the Jeep is made to endure these kinds of conditions to some degree. I've been out with the top off got caught in the cow pissing on a flat rock kinda rain before. Biggest thing is you need to make sure it is really dried out. Pull the tub plugs, shop vac the hell out of the carpets, work some conditioner into the leather seats. Do you keep it in a garage at home? If so leave the top off to air out further. Back it outside on a nice sunny day and let it bake for a couple of hours. Rinse and repeat on the leather conditioner.

I've done this same routine on any number of Jeeps we've owned and it works well. Still sucks that the dealer was the one that washed down your ride for the first time!

 

[rs680]

Well i am sorry to hear about what happened to your Jeep. I hope it will be alright.
To bad someone did not notice the Jeep outside in the rain.
But i do understand that dealers get behind in work and any time they give you an appointment for work or when that work will start. This is really only an estimate and they always try and give a short time frame So people do not get pissed off cause it takes so long.
I have had oil changes at the dealer that have taken almost all day.

But i have to say i do not think is was the dealers fault. Even if i was getting a 5 min service i would never bring my jeep in for a service appointment without the top on.

 

[BluRubicon]

Managing Convertibles or Topless Jeeps should be on every service departments SOP.

This is my first Jeep and first Open vehicle. I'm concerned how my OCD and paranoia will deal with leaving my Jeep open anywhere - Let alone somewhere where I am not.

This really sucks - Lets hope the dealer makes it right as rain (pun intended, sorry)

 

[Tacoman03]

Ouch that sucks! It is unfortunate that it seems to be all too common with service departments regardless of brand or $$ spent on a vehicle. Getting in touch with and response from Service Advisors can be as bad as going to DMV.

Ok to answer the direct question. I would document it with pictures and write up a statement for the dealer to sign that fairly describes the circumstances and what is being done to correct it. These steps are really just to cover you if down the road you start getting weird electrical problems. I don't really expect that you will, but better safe than sorry.

That being said the Jeep is made to endure these kinds of conditions to some degree. I've been out with the top off got caught in the cow pissing on a flat rock kinda rain before. Biggest thing is you need to make sure it is really dried out. Pull the tub plugs, shop vac the hell out of the carpets, work some conditioner into the leather seats. Do you keep it in a garage at home? If so leave the top off to air out further. Back it outside on a nice sunny day and let it bake for a couple of hours. Rinse and repeat on the leather conditioner.

I've done this same routine on any number of Jeeps we've owned and it works well. Still sucks that the dealer was the one that washed down your ride for the first time!

Update, they sent to body shop to sit in “oven” for a bit to dry it out.
Threw some Jeep cooler in, feeling happy...

Then within 5 minutes of driving home, radio goes bonkers. They assured me the seat warmers and radio worked fine...
NOTE TO JEEP, the radio is NOT weather proof nor water resistant. Touch screen no longer responds to touch...

 

[Pic18]

NOTE TO JEEP, the radio is NOT weather proof nor water resistant. Touch screen no longer responds to touch...

Ouch. I’m sorry for you, that sucks. Keep us updated.

 

[Swanny297]

Update, they sent to body shop to sit in “oven” for a bit to dry it out.
Threw some Jeep cooler in, feeling happy...

Then within 5 minutes of driving home, radio goes bonkers. They assured me the seat warmers and radio worked fine...
NOTE TO JEEP, the radio is NOT weather proof nor water resistant. Touch screen no longer responds to touch...

Hopefully they will make it right - as a side note I will never leave my Jeep topless anywhere I don’t have control of it. Not only would I worry about customers browsing the lots but inclement weather.

 

[stuckinohio]

I'm taking my JL in for them to check out the broken rear seat latch Thursday morning. This is a good reminder to put the hard top back on before I take it..... Thank you for that!

 

[Saejin]

This is why I sometimes wait for my vehicle especially if I made an appt and it’s a quick fix like a software upgrade. If they know you’re waiting then it typically doesn’t take too long.

As for this crap you’re going through. Force them to make it right and never return to the dealer again. Besides the radio I’m sure other issues will come up later. This is not a waterproof vehicle meant to stay exposed for long periods of time. Sure it will survive a quick shower if you happen to be caught out in one, but this looks like it was just left out in a monsoon.

 

[Tacoman03]

Radio has returned to normal today after I pulled floor mats out and let Jeep sit in sun for 8 hours. I normally would not have taken without top, but with an appt made a week earlier for a 45 minute recall update, and told SA I'd be around running errands for 2 hours, figured it would have been done and no risk....which is EXACTLY why I text the SA 6 hours later that I was worried about rain moving in ...that would be a hint that my Jeep was topless and to move it indoors.....didn't happen, and to never have seen my vehicle after having it for almost 7 hours by then, is completely unacceptable.
GM of dealership didn't know what to do, so he avoided me when I came back as did my original SA and the Service Manger. Then when leaving the "new" kid SA says that they really depend on the survey and he would appreciate me giving them High Marks…...I almost started to laugh, but I just turned and left.....

Thanks for letting me vent! Still freakin love this ride!!!!

 

[Rhinebeck01]

For me, it is worse going to a Service Department then going to the Dentist for a root canal.

My rules:

Never take a vehicle to a Service Department appointment, unless it is a morning, customer will wait in waiting room for vehicle appointment.

Talk to the Tech before he touches my vehicle.

After vehicle is serviced talk to the tech, again.

Doing this has spared me lots of headaches, I'm sure.

 

[Wrangles]

Radio has returned to normal today after I pulled floor mats out and let Jeep sit in sun for 8 hours. I normally would not have taken without top, but with an appt made a week earlier for a 45 minute recall update, and told SA I'd be around running errands for 2 hours, figured it would have been done and no risk....which is EXACTLY why I text the SA 6 hours later that I was worried about rain moving in ...that would be a hint that my Jeep was topless and to move it indoors.....didn't happen, and to never have seen my vehicle after having it for almost 7 hours by then, is completely unacceptable.
GM of dealership didn't know what to do, so he avoided me when I came back as did my original SA and the Service Manger. Then when leaving the "new" kid SA says that they really depend on the survey and he would appreciate me giving them High Marks…...I almost started to laugh, but I just turned and left.....

Thanks for letting me vent! Still freakin love this ride!!!!

Let me guess, the dealership’s name starts with the letter “L”? Or does it start with “M”?
I ask because when my JLUR arrives I’d like to know where not to go.

 

[Tacoman03]

Let me guess, the dealership’s name starts with the letter “L”? Or does it start with “M”?
I ask because when my JLUR arrives I’d like to know where not to go.

Formerly an “E”, now a M....

Update: Radio is not responding to touch again. Going back tomorrow for longer discussion with all parties.

 

[DanW]

I'd be pissed, but there won't be a problem with your Jeep. I've been drenched in mine already, too. Be glad you have leather. Cloth takes a helluva lot longer to dry out.

During development and testing, they did tests in a rain simulator (building that sprays water on the Jeep like rain) for 24 hours at a time, and claimed they had no issues. Mark Allen, the chief designer, said that it is the best Jeep yet in this regard. My YJ and JK both survived multiple rain storms. The YJ even took a direct hit when a large pellican dropped a deuce across the dash! I wound up having to spray it out at the car wash because it got into nooks and crannys and stunk like hell.

 

[Tacoman03]

I'd be pissed, but there won't be a problem with your Jeep. I've been drenched in mine already, too. Be glad you have leather. Cloth takes a helluva lot longer to dry out.

During development and testing, they did tests in a rain simulator (building that sprays water on the Jeep like rain) for 24 hours at a time, and claimed they had no issues. Mark Allen, the chief designer, said that it is the best Jeep yet in this regard. My YJ and JK both survived multiple rain storms. The YJ even took a direct hit when a large pellican dropped a deuce across the dash! I wound up having to spray it out at the car wash because it got into nooks and crannys and stunk like hell.

Oh, I’m sure about the Jeep being a okay, I only worry about some of these electronics. Unfortunately, the radio/entertainment screen controls so much......We’ve had 5 Wranglers over the past 15 years...they’re built to last.....
Funny bit about Leather, I am not a fan of leather, never have been in any of my cars , and that was the one compromise I made with my daughter about this Jeep....guess I should be glad we got it after all!
Thanks for the encouraging words!!!

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