2008 Jeep Compass

Front and Rear Crossmember Corrosion (X69 Warranty Extension) - 2008-2012 Dodge Caliber & Jeep Compass/Patriot- NHTSA ID # 10140027 My Daughter was recently given a 2008 Jeep Compass by a family member for her 16th birthday. We took it to our local Auto serviceman who checked the car out, and made us aware of the Warranty Extension b/c the Font Crossmembers are rusted out. We live in Ohio and would qualify for the Warranty, yet the car is past the 10 year timeframe. Other than this issue, the car is in great shape, only 85K miles. I contacted the dealership and Chrysler about the issue, and both said they would not honor the warranty. My questions are, is there anything else I can do, and if this is done as an extended warranty, are all customers formally notified? Why would the dealership not ever recommend the fix if they serviced the car, which according to this family member, never happened? There has been no accident, but the car rattles a little when driven, so I want to fix it before something does happen.

2008 JEEP PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN 2010. IN 2019 WITH ONLY 71,000 MILES AND NOW VIISIBLE RUST ON THE VEHICLE, MY MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS ROTTED THROUGH WITH RUST AND WAS SOFT AND THE SUBFRAME NEEDS REPLACING ($1,750). I CONTACTED FCA (FIAT CHRYSLER AUTOMOBILE) AND THEY TOLD ME THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.

SUB FRAME RUSTED OUT MAKING THE CAR NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND IT WOULD COST $1700 FOR REPAIR. NO NOTICE WAS SENT OUT TO OWNERS; ONLY MECHANICS. NO PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT OF PROBLEM. CAR WAS DRIVEN BY MY 82 YEAR OLD MOTHER IN LAW. I AM HER SON IN LAW AND I WAS DRIVING HER CAR TO TAKE HER TO AN APPOINTMENT; AND SUDDENLY IT WAS DIFFICULT TO HANDLE, GOING TO THE RIGHT. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC, AND WAS TOLD THE CAR WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. SUB FRAME RUST. MY MECHANIC KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM FROM JEEP, BUT RESEARCHING IT ONLINE CONFIRMED WHAT HE TOLD ME. JEEP KNEW OF THE PROBLEM AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY BUT DID NOT RECALL THE CAR; JUST SENT NOTIFICATIONS TO MECHANICS, NOT THE OWNERS. MY MOTHER IN LAW HAD THE CAR INSPECTED IN JULY 2018 BY HER MECHANIC. VIN NUMBER INDICATED EXTENDED WARRANTY ON FRAME EXPIRED SEPT 2018. PROBLEM HAPPENED IN DEC. 2018. I CONFIRMED ALL THE ABOVE WITH LOCAL JEEP DEALERSHIP. WE APPROACHED MY MOTHER IN LAWS MECHANIC AND HE ADMITTED KNOWING OF THE PROBLEM, BUT APPARENTLY MISSED IT IN INSPECTION OR CHOSE NOT TO TELL HER. THE CAR WAS WELL CARED FOR. OIL CHANGES ETC...79,000 MILES NEAR PERFECT BODY AND NOW I'M TOLD IT'S JUNK--AND ONLY WORTH $200! I CALLED JEEP CORP OFFICE 877-426-5337 TO MAKE A PLEA TO GET THE CAR REPAIRED SO MY MOTHER IN LAW COULD RESELL. LIVING IN A GOVERNMENT ASSISTED SENIOR APARTMENT, SHE THOUGHT HER CAR WAS AN ASSET OR INVESTMENT SHE COULD SOMEDAY RELY ON FOR A LITTLE EXTRA; BUT NOT ITS BEEN REDUCED TO A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS. NOT TO MENTION--SHE COULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING AND THE CAR COULD HAVE FALLEN APART AND SHE COULD HAVE HURT HERSELF AND OTHERS. THE CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP COMPASS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING MAINTENANCE, THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DISCOVERED TWO HOLES IN THE REAR CROSSMEMBERS. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HOLES WERE CAUSED BY SEVERE RUSTING AND CORROSION AND THE CROSSMEMBERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER (VISION DODGE, 920 PANORAMA TRAIL, ROCHESTER, NY) WERE NOTIFIED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP COMPASS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP COMPASS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A MODERATE VIBRATION AND STALLED WHILE BEING OPERATED AT 20 MPH. THE WHEELS DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AFTER IT STALLED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. PRIOR TO IT BEING TOWED, THE TOW TRUCK TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FRAME SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP COMPASS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME AND ALIGNMENT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE MECHANIC REFUSED TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE FRAME WAS BADLY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS OPENED. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT AN INSPECTOR WOULD BE SENT OUT. THE CONTACT CALLED RYAN AUTO MALL (CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM) AT (763) 682-2424 (1000 HIGHWAY 55 EAST, BUFFALO, MN 55313) WHERE AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED FOR AN INSPECTION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000.