the Cost of Chrysler Repair

The vehicle would not let the engine start because of a defect that involved the power locks, the key fob and the alarm system. With this vehicle, if you have the doors locked when you get out of the vehicle and then lock the doors with the key it sometimes arms the alarm system. Then the vehicle will react like someone has broken into the vehicle and there is no reset button. The vehicle's alarm would go off for 15 minutes. Repeat attempts to start the engine causes the alarm to start blaring again. Eventually the battery gets worn out and damaged. The vehicle alarm has to be reset at a dealership. Also if your battery in the key has worn out over time, that can also cause problems with trying to start the engine because it has a small microchip inside. I had to pay to have the vehicle towed to the dealership. The cost of the tow was $80.00. The dealership put the vehicle on the computer and found that the battery was bad. The alarm system had worn the battery down so bad that two of the cells caused the battery to malfunction. They also replaced the vehicle's computer for free because it was under warranty still. They reset the alarm and everything has been OK so far. This was $198 for the computer test, battery replacement and labor. So all together it cost me $278.00 for something that should have allowed me to push a reset button and I would have been fine.

The quality of the service was fine and the people at the dealership were very nice. However, it seems that the Chryslers and Dodges sometimes have electrical problems like this. What seems like a minor problem can develop into a costly and time consuming repair. I had to leave the vehicle at the dealership for about 5 days which was a bit of a hassle. Also I did not like that I had to have the vehicle towed several miles for what really seemed like nothing more than a computer glitch. When I first got to the dealership they asked me if I had an appointment and I said no. So I ended up talking to the service adviser and the scheduled it for service the next day. They checked it out and had to order some parts and test the vehicle. Overall I would say the service at the dealership was very good. I have not had problems since the repair. The vehicle is a used one but usually run well. I hope that I do not have more problems with this vehicle in the future. This brand of vehicles have been known to have electrical problem form time to time. Fortunately so far things have not been anything very major.

Some of the best tips for dealing with a situation such as this one would be to make sure that the batteries in the vehicle's key Fob are replaced every three of four years. Make sure when you get out of your vehicle that the doors are already unlocked.Use the key fob to lock and unlock the door. Do not just use the key fob like a regular key. The difference between a regular key and a key fob is that the key fob has a microchip that is powered by a small battery. It allows communication between the key fob the vehicle alarm and the vehicles computer. The dealership has computers that can troubleshoot problems and reset the alarm. When you have a problem like this you have to take it to a dealership rather than your local garage because of warranty issues as well as the fact that is takes special parts, equipment and trained mechanics that specialize in electrical work. There is a big difference between the guy that changes your brakes and the guy that repairs the electronics. It is also a really good idea to have a good roadside assistance plan that provide towing. It is also a good idea to buy a vehicle from a dealer that is close to your house.