Perth-Andover man plagued by Jeep problems
A Jeep owner in Perth-Andover says his $73,000 vehicle is a lemon, and that neither the dealer nor Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is willing to replace it or give him back his money.
Dr. Moheb Zaki says if a final fix attempt doesn't work, he may go to court about the ongoing problems he's had with his 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Edition.
"I think the way this problem was handled was so unsatisfactory, that I have to make a statement," he told CBC News.
"So I'm willing to take the time and deal with the cost."
Zaki says he bought the Jeep last June to have a reliable vehicle to get him to the hospital, his office, and to Montreal to visit his 10-year-old daughter.
But just months after driving it off the Rendez-Vous Chrysler Ltd. lot in Grand Falls, the problems started, he said.
Repair reports show the vehicle was out of service and in the shop for more than 90 days between last fall and this spring.
It also needed to be towed twice, he said.
Then, in March, it stopped working.
"About 150 kilometres before I reach Montreal, I got that [warning] message — that in 410 kilometres, the engine will not restart," said Zaki.
"That's after having all the repairs done, that they proposed should fix the problem. They promised it would be fixed the same day."
An offer he can refuse
Zaki, who paid for extended warranty protection, has told the dealership he is no longer authorizing any repairs. He says he either wants a new vehicle or his money back.
The thousands in repairs to date have been covered under warranty.
Dealership owner Daniel Levesque confirmed that he's offered to buy back the vehicle for $50,000 — which Zaki declined.
"I am now out of the picture. Now Chrysler has to deal with it," Levesque said.
LouAnn Gosselin, of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Canada, responded to questions from CBC News in an emailed statement.
"FCA Canada has offered on multiple occasions to repair the customer's vehicle and even to tow it from the dealership in Quebec where it currently sits, to the customer's residence in New Brunswick," wrote Gosselin.
"Unfortunately, the only resolution that will satisfy the customer is a vehicle buy-back, which is not something that FCA Canada is able to grant. We will continue to honour the terms and conditions of our warranty, but cannot proceed any further with the necessary repair, without the customer's consent."
Gosselin added that Zaki was provided a rental vehicle whenever he required one.
Industry watchdog Phil Edmonston, who is the author of the annual Lemon-Aid books on spotting bad vehicles, says although there is no "lemon law" in Canada, there is a Consumer Product Warranty and Liability Act.
Car companies have been known to settle, he said, but usually "on the courthouse steps."
"Car companies don't want to create precedent," Edmonston said.
"They're not worried about their owners, the car owners they have sold these cars to. They're worried about the lawyers who will come afterwards and stand in line and file similar lawsuits, or class action suits."
