Car / Dealer help required

Fullspizz

Basically I'm after some help as to where I stand on this subject.
I have a Jeep Cherokee 2.5crd.
I am the 2nd owner from new and it was registered in November 2003.
It has full Jeep service history and has covered 32k.
2 weeks ago it developed a problem where the glow plug ready light wouldn't illuminate to notify you that the car was ok for starting. Then it just wouldn't start at all. Called the AA out who thought it may be an immobiliser issue, they couldn't get it going either.

They towed it in to the Jeep dealership on the Tuesday, on the Friday they said that the ecu had failed and required replacing. The cost, a cool £639.
I argued that it was only 4 months outside the warranty and that it should really last longer than that, but they weren't having it. Told them to carry out the work. The said that I would have the car back for the Wednesday.

Cue Wednesday and no call about the car, left 3-4 messages asking about it and being told that somebody would ring me back. No-body did.

On Thursday morning I got through to someone who explained that the part would be in on friday morning and the vehicle would be ready Friday pm. I told them that this wasn't good enough as my wife and I were travelling away for the weekend for her birthday early Friday morning and I have been assured the car would be ready for the Wednesday.

After about 15 mins I get a return call saying that the car would be ready for 9:30am for pick-up. Both my wife and I asked if the problem would be repaired and the car ok for our trip. The reply was a firm, no problems it will be fine.

Friday morning at 9:20 I get a call telling me that the replacement ecu hasn't cured the problem and that they now think it is a software issue. I tell them that seeing as it isn't the ecu at fault, then I'm not paying for it. They say that it could still be part of the problem.
They only offered me a courtesy car on Saturday morning at 11:45am, we told them we would go and pick it up, but they said they shut at 12noon

I have e-mailed and sent a letter explaining my dis-satisfaction about the way the dealer has handled the whole affair to their head office.

I'm thinking of ringing Jeep to complain and ask why a car that is only just outside it's warranty should suffer such a catastrophic failure and see what they say.

Do you think there is any other avenues I can go down?

Also, we had to cancel the weekend away as we have no idea how much this could cost.

vansboy

Depending on wether you're now sorted, it it might be worth ringing Stephen Rhodes on08459 455555 weekdays 10am - 1.30pm. It's https://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties, our local radio consumer prog, Beds Herts Bucks. Doesn't matter if you're not in our area, he gets stuff dealt with fairly!!

If you want to persue it yourself, once it's all fixed, best write to the dealer principal, at the garage, stressing your disatisfaction & see what they come up with.

Next step would be Chrysler UK, doing a similar letter of concern.

Result should & probably will be, an amount off the bill, or a contribution towards next service. More than than that & youi'll be VERRRRRY lucky!!

VB