2004 Grand Cherokee hitch issue
09-21-2017, 03:16 PM
#16
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Model: Cherokee
My aftermarket tow package had your basic, flat 4 prong connector and not the round 6 or 7 way connector that comes OEM. The 4 prong one as you know is just for lights, not trailer brakes. My dealer replaced the hitch (as it says right in their recall and the recall says nothing about a wiring harness being required) and connected the existing plug to the new hitch in a neat fashion.
The dealer is trying to get out of performing this. The recall is clear. Contact Jeep customer service and tell them they are refusing to honor the recall. It's a safety issue just having the old one on there. To not honor the recall because you don't have a wiring harness, doesn't change the original safety issue!
And yes, they have to cut the bumper fascia in order to properly install. A trim piece in the kit goes around the cut edges so it looks clean.
The dealer is trying to get out of performing this. The recall is clear. Contact Jeep customer service and tell them they are refusing to honor the recall. It's a safety issue just having the old one on there. To not honor the recall because you don't have a wiring harness, doesn't change the original safety issue!
And yes, they have to cut the bumper fascia in order to properly install. A trim piece in the kit goes around the cut edges so it looks clean.
09-21-2017, 03:25 PM
#17
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Model: Cherokee
My aftermarket tow package had your basic, flat 4 prong connector and not the round 6 or 7 way connector that comes OEM. The 4 prong one as you know is just for lights, not trailer brakes. My dealer replaced the hitch (as it says right in their recall and the recall says nothing about a wiring harness being required) and connected the existing plug to the new hitch in a neat fashion.
The dealer is trying to get out of performing this. The recall is clear. Contact Jeep customer service and tell them they are refusing to honor the recall. It's a safety issue just having the old one on there. To not honor the recall because you don't have a wiring harness, doesn't change the original safety issue!
And yes, they have to cut the bumper fascia in order to properly install. A trim piece in the kit goes around the cut edges so it looks clean.
The dealer is trying to get out of performing this. The recall is clear. Contact Jeep customer service and tell them they are refusing to honor the recall. It's a safety issue just having the old one on there. To not honor the recall because you don't have a wiring harness, doesn't change the original safety issue!
And yes, they have to cut the bumper fascia in order to properly install. A trim piece in the kit goes around the cut edges so it looks clean.
09-21-2017, 04:48 PM
#18
Old fart with a wrench
Go back and look at my U-Haul hitch, then look at the Mopar hitch. Which one would YOU prefer to tow with? Look at the plates for the safety chains and the thick-walled main tube. The main tube goes THRU the side plates, not butt welded.
In a collision, today's cars will dive under the Mopar hitch and get the tank anyhow.
In a collision, today's cars will dive under the Mopar hitch and get the tank anyhow.
09-21-2017, 09:33 PM
#19
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Model: Cherokee
Go back and look at my U-Haul hitch, then look at the Mopar hitch. Which one would YOU prefer to tow with? Look at the plates for the safety chains and the thick-walled main tube. The main tube goes THRU the side plates, not butt welded.
In a collision, today's cars will dive under the Mopar hitch and get the tank anyhow.
In a collision, today's cars will dive under the Mopar hitch and get the tank anyhow.
09-22-2017, 06:52 AM
#20
Old fart with a wrench
I'm sorry! I wasn't speaking to you specifically. It just struck me how puny that OEM hitch looks. It's clearly obvious to me that Fiat is trying to get out of this recall with as little cash outlay as possible.
I have a "friend" at my local dealer who is the parts manager. He's a jeeper from his early days and knows I know what I'm doing as well. On the sly, he told me how this recall works. At the beginning of this recall, they got 250 hitches in one truckload. When they install one, you get paperwork to send to CCS and they send their paperwork as well. When they BOTH get there, you got a Visa card for $100 and the dealer gets paid for his labor. There was a time limit or quota on how many Visa cards were issued and a labor rate limit on how much the dealer got paid for each installation. Can you see where this is going? At this point, dealers hate to see a recall come in because of all the problems they've had getting paid for their labor. As stated in the beginning, if the frame needs work because of rust or broken bolts, the customer is required to pay for the frame repair before a hitch is installed.
AGAIN, this is not a mandatory recall. They are not required by the NTSB to install a hitch, only to OFFER to do it.
I have a "friend" at my local dealer who is the parts manager. He's a jeeper from his early days and knows I know what I'm doing as well. On the sly, he told me how this recall works. At the beginning of this recall, they got 250 hitches in one truckload. When they install one, you get paperwork to send to CCS and they send their paperwork as well. When they BOTH get there, you got a Visa card for $100 and the dealer gets paid for his labor. There was a time limit or quota on how many Visa cards were issued and a labor rate limit on how much the dealer got paid for each installation. Can you see where this is going? At this point, dealers hate to see a recall come in because of all the problems they've had getting paid for their labor. As stated in the beginning, if the frame needs work because of rust or broken bolts, the customer is required to pay for the frame repair before a hitch is installed.
AGAIN, this is not a mandatory recall. They are not required by the NTSB to install a hitch, only to OFFER to do it.
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