Purchased new from Jim Baier, I had a '94 Dodge Ram 1500 pick-up truck with HD towing package. The Auto trans failed for no apparent reason at 69,468 miles. The trans was serviced at around 40,000 miles by this same dealership for a fluid change and cable lub/adjustment.
This truck was never abused in my eleven years of ownership.in fact a competitive Dodge dealership, in Morning Sun, Iowa, recently gave me a $13,000 trade-in allowance for a new 2004 Dodge Ram 4x4 Quad Cab.
I had the '94 towed 23 miles because I wanted Jim Baier's Five Star service dept. To fix my truck like new. I told the shop forman I wanted a Chrysler re-manufactured trans installed because I felt it would be better warranted. The shop forman convinced me that his people would have me back on the road much quicker and the repair would be as good if not superior to the factory work. I went with his advice and also asked that he have the universal joints be replaced on the driveshaft since it would be taken out for the repair to the trans.
Next day I got a call from the service dept., telling me that the trans was too far gone and that a Chrysler re-manufactured trans would be order to replace the bad one. I asked him if I was going to be stuck with the cost of inspecting the trashed out trans and he said, "We have to pay our mechanic, Don't we?" That little question cost me 8.5 hours of labor or $409.19.
Several days later, I got another call from J. Baier service, anouncing that my truck was finished and that the stock universal joints wouldn't fit, but that they found some that would and my truck was ready for pick-up.
Meanwhile I'd been on the phone with Chrysler Corp. Complaining about this Five Star service dept.
I paid their outlandish fee, picked up the truck and took it home. As I got out and looked back at the truck sitting in the garage, I noticed a large puddle of red fluid forming on the floor, beneath my truck. Transmission fluid. I jacked the truck up to inspect their handywork and observed ATF flowing out of the vent tube. The smaller looking trans oil pan was severely scratched, as if it had been drug across a concrete floor, the driveshaft was gouged as if someone was pounding on it with a hammer in a vise and the exhaust system was loose at the manifolds.
I wrote down the part/build date numbers on the transmission and called three different Chrysler parts depts.in the area, asking for a part number for a Chrysler re-man. Trans for my truck. I gave them the VIN and discription of my truck. All three parts departments quoted me a different part number than what was on my repair invoice. All three said that the number I'd quoted from the invoice belonged to trans that is installed in the lighter duty Dakota pick-up. All three quoted me a price $100 less than what I was charged.
As for the oil on the floor, I checked my yellow Dodge service manual and it told me they'd overfilled the trans with two qts. Of AFT.
The service dept. Manager and shop forman C.T.O.B. S and called me a liar. They never apologized to me. Before it was over I got a brand new trans, and I only had to pay $1,000 of the original $2,725.65 repair invoice thanks to Chrysler Corp.
I have since then purchased three new Chrysler products from area Jim Baier competitors. And I will continue to tell all who will listen, this story.
0 comments