My letters to and from Chrysler about the AC blower.

"Steve" > wrote in message
...
> Fieronut wrote:
>
>>>That's not a question that can be answered by >the phone number you
>>
>> called.
>>
>> Obviously not, but why couldn't they GIVE me a # I COULD call to get the
>> answer
>
> I doubt that such a phone number exists for ANY automaker. It would be
> great if automakers did have technical assistance lines, but they don't.
> Their business model says that kind of information is a dealer function,
> and that's the way its always been.

That would be because, you would have every tom, dick, and Harry calling
technical assistance. DC give the exclusive right for technical service to
the dealer network, to protect there Franchise network.

>That would be because, you would have every tom, dick, and Harry calling
>technical assistance. DC give the exclusive right for technical service to
>the dealer network, to protect there Franchise network.
>

And you also have the liability issue. If they tell you to remove the
dash and you damage yourself or the dash guess who is getting sued.
Their advice was appropriate in my opinion.

Steve B.

OK OK. First, let me thank ALL the people who have attempted to help me in
this situation, even the flamers, because at least they were INTERESTED in
the problem, which is more than I can say for the people at Chrysler.

Let me sum up this situation in as few words as possible. I put this
problem on the NG because, frankly, I wanted some FREE info. However,
lacking that, I took it to the dealer. The Shop Foreman told me that the
problem was the blower relay, which was behind the Junction Box, which
required the R&R of the dash—a $900 charge.

I was reticent to have this done because previously I had a different
problem with the AC, the same dealer told me I had to remove the dash to
fix THAT problem too. Fortunately, a Chrysler Tech on the NG (who shall
remain nameless for security reasons) suggested that I have the HVAC
checked. I went ahead and got one on Ebay, the Tech helped me program it
and it FIXED the problem WITHOUT the dash removal. So I think you might
understand my reticence to have the dash removed THIS time—and of course,
there was the $900.

So when I called Chrysler Customer Service, asking the question, “Does the
dash require removal to R&R the blower relay?” you can imagine my surprise
when they not only would not (or could not) give the answer, they would
not give me the # of someone who KNEW the answer NOR the # for the
District Mgr. who might know someone who MIGHT know the answer. I guess I
thot customer service meant SERVICE TO THE CUSTOMER. SILLY ME! I was a
‘CUSTOMER’ who had a ‘SERVICE’ question. Obviously, Chrysler’s definition
and mine are NOT the same.

But I had 6 big lovely Chrysler FACTORY purple and gold shop manuals (plus
a green Haynes, which didn’t help at all in this situation) and in the BIG
GREASY one, were pix and description of how to remove the junction box and
they did NOT include R&R the dash. So I WROTE Chrysler an e-mail asking
the same (to me) simple question. I have already included them so I won’t
go thru THAT again.

I agree with those of you who say that Chrysler Dealers should make money,
both from sales AND service. BUT….where is it written that the PARENT
company should NOT give the answers to (what to me are) simple questions
about their product TO A CUSTOMER? Microsoft does, Yahoo does, I even got
answers from Studebaker and Fiat. AND Pontiac on the Fiero. And they
don’t even MAKE them any more.

So I hope EVERYONE can understand that if a company does NOT give service,
THEY DON’T GET MY MONEY NEXT TIME. And I’ll tell everyone who MIGHT want
to give them money, the story of my experience. Wouldn’t you?

John

I thot I DIDN'T call a receptionist. At least that was NOT my intention.
I thot I was gonna get the info from the horse's mouth. If a # says
Chrysler Customer Service, I EXPECT service. I was a CUSTOMER. If I
reached the receptionist why didn't SHE give me the # for another doctor
who COULD answer the question?

Frankly, Matt, I think that if YOU had been in this situation, after
having paid $40 (plus $5.60 hazardous material fee!) and getting what
MIGHT be incorrect info (based on the previous diagnosis), you might be
reluctant to pay it again for what might be ANOTHER incorrect diagnosis.


And to my way of thinking, Chrysler SHOULD have HAD the answer SOMEWHERE
in the organization without having to pay another $46!

Frankly, the Chrysler shop manual told me what I wanted to know but, I
have found, sometimes even the SHOP manual is wrong, so I was really only
confirming what I THOT I already knew--which was that the Shop Foreman was
wrong again.

John

>If you want the answer to how to R&R for your problem. BUY THE FACTORY
MANUAL.

I thot I made it plain in the 1st part of the thread that I have the
factory manuals--in fact I have SIX of them. Frankly, I was trying to
CONFIRM what the factory manual told me--that the dash DID NOT NEED TO BE
R&R.

John

That's not a question that can be answered by the phone number you called.
If your blower motor has to be replaced, NO, the assembly does not have to
be removed, If they are telling you the assembly needs to be removed there
must be something more to this estimate that you are not informing this
group.

=====================

Sorry, I thot I had made it plain in one of the other threads that the
dealer's Shop Foreman told me that the blower relay was the problem and
that the dash had to come out because of it. I apologize for leaving out
that part.

John

Fortunately, a Chrysler Tech on the NG (who shall
> remain nameless for security reasons) suggested that I have the HVAC
> checked. I went ahead and got one on Ebay, the Tech helped me program it
> and it FIXED the problem WITHOUT the dash removal.


Does not compute... "HVAC" simply means "heating, ventilation, and
air-conditioning." Its the whole system, not a specific part so it sure
wouldn't be "on Ebay."

Do you mean a specific part? HVAC fan relay? HVAC compressor relay?
expansion valve? etc?

Fieronut wrote:

> I thot I DIDN'T call a receptionist. At least that was NOT my intention.
> I thot I was gonna get the info from the horse's mouth. If a # says
> Chrysler Customer Service, I EXPECT service. I was a CUSTOMER.

Sheesh... since when does an intelligent person expect TECHNICAL
information from "customer service." Do you go to the "customer service"
desk at a stereo store to ask what the frequency response of a pair of
speakers you bought there is, or to ask the value of a capacitor in the
crossover network? Do you go to "customer service" at Sears to get the
specs on a Craftsman battery charger?

NO! "Customer service" is for complaints about they buying PROCESS
(financing, warranty claims, etc.) not about PRODUCT! Don't be
deliberately stupid.

>That would be because, you would have every tom, dick, and Harry calling
technical assistance. DC give the exclusive right for technical service
to
the dealer network, to protect there Franchise network.

================
In other words, they would be calling customer assistance wanting
assistance because they were CUSTOMERS? WHAT A REVOLUTIONARY IDEA! Boy,
THAT would be terrible. It might catch on and soon EVERYONE would be
GETTING SERVICE just because they were CUSTOMERS. And they'd be HAPPY
customers. And they'd buy the PRODUCT again. Wow, could the economy
stand THAT MUCH STIUMULATION?

John

>And you also have the liability issue. If they tell you to remove the
dash and you damage yourself or the dash guess who is getting sued.
Their advice was appropriate in my opinion.

==================

Do you mean their LACK of advise? Steve, I didn't ask them if I COULD
remove the dash, I asked if it was NECESSARY to remove it to solve the
problem. Based on my previous experience with this dealer, I had a
question that they refused to answer.

John