HELP: Apparent electrical defect in new 2020 JGC
I took delivery of a new 2020 Grand Cherokee about a month ago. The first day I started it up in my garage, just as I turned the ignition key (but hadn't actually started the engine), there was a loud "POP" sound. At first I thought the sound came from an HVAC valve near the center/front of the console. Over the next few days, I had the same POP sound three or four more times. I took the car in to the dealer's service department. After a day in the shop, they told me that they couldn't replicate the events, so there was nothing they could do for me. I took it home and put up with this for a few more of the loud POPS, and by then it was clear that this had nothing to do with the HVAC system, but rather was something like a short in the electrical system. (In the first incident I it might be a stuck HVAC valve, but what I thought was an HVAC vent was actually a speaker in the middle of the dash close to the windshield.) I also came to recognize that the loud POPS were propagating through the speaker system, which further suggested some kind of an issue with the car's electrical system.
The several subsequent loud POPS coincided with a variety of actions, from simply turning the ignition key without starting the car, and interacting with various aspects of the electronics, such as touching the heated seat controls and manipulating the climate settings.
I called the dealer and I called Chrysler and told them they should take the car and not bring it back until they diagnosed and fixed the problem. Thed had the car for another three days and once again said that they couldn't replicate the problem, and did not know how to fix it.
They did acknowledge after consulting with Chrysler technicians that there had been a few similar reports elsewhere in the country. The only theories they had were that it might have something to do with having something plugged into the power ports under the navigation screen. I have used an iPod in the Cherokee I traded in on the Grand Cherokee for many years and never had any problems. I used the same iPod and the same Apple-certified 30pin-to USB plugin cord in both vehicles. The best the dealer and Chrysler have come up with is the suggestion to wait until the car has been started before plugging anything into the power ports, and to make sure I use only an Apple power cord for the iPod--which I was already doing. In the Cherokee I had owned previously, the iPod was connected in the car 24/7.
In the most recent instance after the dealer and Chrysler whiffed on troubleshooting the problem, the POP sound occurred again with nothing plugged into any of the power outlets.
I'm extremely frustrated with both the dealer and Chrysler. Having this loud popping sound is annoying enough, but to me the situation suggests a possible short somewhere in the electrical system, which I would think could be dangerous. Even putting aside any possible risks, I would be obligated to disclose this problem to a subsequent buyer, and I'm sure that would be a factor in the price or trade-in value.
I'd be interested in any suggestions or insight you can offer as to the nature of the problem, possible solutions, and ways I can gain some leverage with the dealer and Chrysler to DO SOMETHING instead of blowing me off and treating it as my problem, in spite of the warranty. I'm ready to do anything and everything I can to get some results. If that means contacting some governmental agency that has jurisdiction over unresolved defects, trying to find an independent shop specializing in auto electrical systems, taking them to court, or whatever else it may take to get them to diagnose and fix the problem. If I have to go to an independent shop to diagnose and fix it, I will for damn sure be handing that bill to the dealer and/or Chrysler.
Please let me know any thoughts you may have about how to address this problem in the face of the dealer and Chrysler saying "gee, we don't know what to do, so just go away." There's nothing quite as frustrating as spending a boatload of money on a new vehicle, discovering a defect on day one, and getting no help from the dealer and manufacturer on fixing it. Thanks in advance for anything you can suggest.
I took delivery of a new 2020 Grand Cherokee about a month ago. The first day I started it up in my garage, just as I turned the ignition key (but hadn't actually started the engine), there was a loud "POP" sound. At first I thought the sound came from an HVAC valve near the center/front of the console. Over the next few days, I had the same POP sound three or four more times. I took the car in to the dealer's service department. After a day in the shop, they told me that they couldn't replicate the events, so there was nothing they could do for me. I took it home and put up with this for a few more of the loud POPS, and by then it was clear that this had nothing to do with the HVAC system, but rather was something like a short in the electrical system. (In the first incident I it might be a stuck HVAC valve, but what I thought was an HVAC vent was actually a speaker in the middle of the dash close to the windshield.) I also came to recognize that the loud POPS were propagating through the speaker system, which further suggested some kind of an issue with the car's electrical system.
The several subsequent loud POPS coincided with a variety of actions, from simply turning the ignition key without starting the car, and interacting with various aspects of the electronics, such as touching the heated seat controls and manipulating the climate settings.
I called the dealer and I called Chrysler and told them they should take the car and not bring it back until they diagnosed and fixed the problem. Thed had the car for another three days and once again said that they couldn't replicate the problem, and did not know how to fix it.
They did acknowledge after consulting with Chrysler technicians that there had been a few similar reports elsewhere in the country. The only theories they had were that it might have something to do with having something plugged into the power ports under the navigation screen. I have used an iPod in the Cherokee I traded in on the Grand Cherokee for many years and never had any problems. I used the same iPod and the same Apple-certified 30pin-to USB plugin cord in both vehicles. The best the dealer and Chrysler have come up with is the suggestion to wait until the car has been started before plugging anything into the power ports, and to make sure I use only an Apple power cord for the iPod--which I was already doing. In the Cherokee I had owned previously, the iPod was connected in the car 24/7.
In the most recent instance after the dealer and Chrysler whiffed on troubleshooting the problem, the POP sound occurred again with nothing plugged into any of the power outlets.
I'm extremely frustrated with both the dealer and Chrysler. Having this loud popping sound is annoying enough, but to me the situation suggests a possible short somewhere in the electrical system, which I would think could be dangerous. Even putting aside any possible risks, I would be obligated to disclose this problem to a subsequent buyer, and I'm sure that would be a factor in the price or trade-in value.
I'd be interested in any suggestions or insight you can offer as to the nature of the problem, possible solutions, and ways I can gain some leverage with the dealer and Chrysler to DO SOMETHING instead of blowing me off and treating it as my problem, in spite of the warranty. I'm ready to do anything and everything I can to get some results. If that means contacting some governmental agency that has jurisdiction over unresolved defects, trying to find an independent shop specializing in auto electrical systems, taking them to court, or whatever else it may take to get them to diagnose and fix the problem. If I have to go to an independent shop to diagnose and fix it, I will for damn sure be handing that bill to the dealer and/or Chrysler.
Please let me know any thoughts you may have about how to address this problem in the face of the dealer and Chrysler saying "gee, we don't know what to do, so just go away." There's nothing quite as frustrating as spending a boatload of money on a new vehicle, discovering a defect on day one, and getting no help from the dealer and manufacturer on fixing it. Thanks in advance for anything you can suggest.
