Broken 2020 Jeep Gladiator Owner Fixes Her Own Truck After Warranty Gets Voided
On paper, the 2020 Jeep Gladiator is set to be an excellent off-roading pickup truck. However, one owner recently had her warranty voided thanks to damage caused by excessive mud while off-roading. Now, this Gladiator owner has taken it upon herself to get her truck back into fighting shape. According to The Drive, six weeks of arguing with the dealership and FCA didn’t yield any positive results.
How did this 2020 Jeep Gladiator break in the first place?
In case you’re not fully caught up with this broken Jeep Gladiator saga, here is a quick recap. The Drive reported a few days ago that a muddy expedition resulted in severe damage to a 2020 Jeep Gladiator. Upon taking the broken truck to a nearby dealership, the owner received a $3,000 repair bill. This is because the dealership reportedly did not want to cover the repairs under warranty.
In response, the owner decided to take the Jeep Gladiator to the dealership from whom she originally purchased it for repairs. This initial dealership completed the necessary repairs, only charging a small deductible. As a result, this Jeep owner was happily on her way.
However, months later, the Jeep Gladiator began experiencing some serious electrical issues. Additionally, the rear axle reportedly locked up twice on the road, almost causing an accident each time the truck lost traction in the rear. Upon returning to the dealership, the owner learned that the truck’s warranty had been voided by the dealership that denied the initial repairs. According to The Drive, the dealership said it voided the warranty because the owner “submerged” the truck in mud.
How did this owner fix her broken truck?
Unfortunately for the owner of this broken Jeep Gladiator, this update doesn’t exactly bring good news. According to The Drive, six weeks of back and forth with FCA and local dealerships did not fix the situation. As a result, this Gladiator owner reportedly took it upon herself to fix her broken truck.
According to The Drive, the fix for the electrical issues came in the form of a sensor bypass. Additionally, the rear axle has reportedly stopped causing significant issues. However, The Drive reports that the truck’s stop-start system is still not working properly. This issue likely stems from the truck’s batteries’ receiving significant damage thanks to the excessive mud.
As The Drive points out, many of the damaged components such as the alternator exist fairly high in the Jeep Gladiator’s engine bay. As a result, the truck may have been severely submerged in mud, causing these issues. If this is the case, then the voiding of the warranty would be completely justified.
What does this mean for the Jeep Gladiator?
Regardless of how this Jeep Gladiator story concludes, it already has a significant impact. According to The Drive, many of its readers left comments mentioning that this story made them fearful of buying a Gladiator.
Additionally, it brings into question plenty of the advertising material, which shows the truck going through mud and tough off-roading situations. Regardless, The Drive reports that the owner of this particular Gladiator is reasonably satisfied with her repairs. Only time will tell if FCA steps in to help.
