Weird experience with dealer

ThaddeusVenture · **Joined:** Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:49 pm **Posts:** 20

So I need to get the control arm recall done on the CRD (I'm the second owner; bought it last week)

I confirmed that it was still outstanding by entering the VIN number at the Chrysler website.

I called Wednesday last week to set up an appointment. The receptionist took down my info, vin number, make, model, year, etc. She said they'd have the parts for the recall and made the appointment for today. She also said it should take only an hour, and I could wait while they did it.

So I dropped the car off today, went out for lunch, but didn't get any call from them. I call three hours later after hearing nothing, and am told they don't have the parts, they will have them in a couple of days. So I went over to get the car, and I asked the guy at the service counter that if they knew I was bringing it in for this recall, and they had all the information, why did I waste the time bringing the car over if they didn't have the parts? He said they needed to "inspect the vehicle to make sure it was covered under the recall."

This sounds silly to me. Doesn't the VIN number tell you all you need to know as far as whether it is covered under the recall? And they would know exactly what parts they needed?

I know this is probably much ado about nothing, but I wasted two hours this afternoon with this malarky, and I can't stand it when dealers treat you like you're an idiot.

flash7210 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 08, 2012 7:25 pm

When I worked for a dealership all a customer had to do was provide VIN over the phone to confirm recall then schedule appointment to have it done. Parts department always kept recall parts in stock. If not in stock the customer was quickly notified and appointment rescheduled.
The dealership should have told you right away that the part was unavailable.

racertracer · **Posted:** Mon Oct 08, 2012 7:26 pm

Well, if you didn't get charged for the time it was there then count your blessings becasue some of us have gotten charged for an inspection only with no work to our cars and then having to return with the car again on a different day for the real work to begin.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 08, 2012 7:47 pm

If I remember right the recall stated a inspection was required 1st to determine if they needed to be changed.

mikey1273 · **Posted:** Tue Oct 09, 2012 8:05 am

I don't recall any inspection when I took mine in. when I set the appointment I just went over ofter work with a copy of the recall notice and my state issued owners card that has the VIN # on it. They gave me a few dates and times to choose from about a week out that they would have parts ready. When I went back I just went to the service counter told them what I was there for, gave them the Keys and waited in the waiting room. Funny thing is at that dealer service must tell sales when vehicles they want for the used lot are in because I got a visit from a salesman about trading my liberty. They were saying they could offer me a "special" deal since they needed 2006 Liberty for the used inventory..... I of course declined.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Tue Oct 09, 2012 8:13 am

The DCJ recall # is L-27 and while I don't have a copy of it the NHTSA information makes no mention of a prior inspection before doing the work. However, assume an inspection is required to verify the previously supplied VIN (FYI my DCJ dealer, nice folks, already has my VIN on file so I never need to supply it) and to verify the presence of corrosion, although several members have noted the corrosion can occur from inside out so it's invisible until failure. Even if that's the case the dealer lied to him when they said they would have the parts. If they did not have the parts they should have told him so and if pre-repair inspection was needed pending parts receipt they should have asked him if it was convenient to drop by for a quick pre-repair inspection.

As is all too common the service writer, who knows zip about the vehicles he/she is writing up, is an idiot. I would not go back to the same dealer for this service unless I spoke by phone to the parts desk to confirm that the L-27 recall parts were in stock and even then I would not leave the site while they did the work without double checking with parts. Plus I'd make it clear to the service writer that you were doing a parts availability check based on past experience.

bbo · **Joined:** Fri Sep 30, 2005 5:17 pm **Posts:** 382

no inspection needed.
i was told by the dealer that did mine that they had done over 200 of the recalls recently.

my best guess?

they did not hold the parts and were short when your appointment came.

For mine, i asked them to hold the parts for my appointment ( as stated in the recall notice i got)

Weird experience with dealer

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