Wow. What is the reason for rejecting the warranty request?

 

@Vice-White their response is simply that its not a covered part. when pressed on that they respond with lights are not covered by the MaxCare warranty.

I've had multiple conversations with the foreigners at the other end of the Mopar customer service number. I even said to them 'if you can give me a part number of a "bulb, sealed beam or lens" that will fix my problem I'll gladly order it. to which they ask me if I want to transferred to the parts department.

I sincerely do feel that the wording of my warranty should cover this since this is a LED array and is not a 'bulb, sealed beam or lens' and the contract also states

COMPONENTS COVERED BY THE PLAN INCLUDE (BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO):

in large, bold type. so each time the customer service tells me the part isn't listed as a 'covered part' I refer them back to that above part of the written warranty. to which they type around on the computer for a little bit and then tell me again the part is not covered.

 

No dealer, to my recollection, has covered this under any warranty. Try a small claims suit against them.

 

What is strange my dealer in my area:

• replaced the race under 3/36.
• they then replaced it again under Maxcare (2020)

Now they claim since it's been 2 years since replacement their warranty has run out. And Maxcare has refused to replace twice since the second time it was replaced. So I suppose they used to cover it - now it's such a serious flaw and number of repairs - they have decided to just ignore requests.

 

Many warranty providers and OEMs are weaseling out of covering LED lamp assemblies under the ancient "light bulbs and wear items" provision of contracts written before LEDs were invented.

It's going to take a lawsuit or a law on the books to force a change.

 

Yeah that's the reason I hear now - bulbs not covered. But I would argue LEDs are not bulbs. Under normal use - they should last 5-10 or longing. THESE are failing becasue of water ingrees - due to poor design flaw on Dodge's part. And they ARE not bulbs. They should be covered.

 

@viper74656 I'm seriously batting this idea around. I don't know if this rises to class action status. but I'm seriously considering if a lawsuit of some type is the next step here.

 

Absolutely BS!!!!!
If the words are not in the list of exclusions, then it's covered. LED's are not light bulbs.
Some dealers have covered the racetrack lights under Maxcare, while others refuse to. Again, LED's are not light bulbs.

Don

 

@Don Fox I agree with you on this. an LED array and a light bulb are very different things. the problem lies with Mopar, their system lists this as a non covered part by the warranty. I'm trying to explain to the Mopar reps, it doesn't matter what your system tells you, it matters what my warranty contract says. so far that has fallen on deaf ears, including DodgeCares on this site.

as for the dealers, I don't hold this against them. all the dealers access the Mopar system to see if a part is covered. i know the guys at my local dealership fairly well. I talk to them every time I drop of my Durango or the Pacifica. they seemed genuinely surprised that the DRL came back as non covered part. they let me walk behind the counter and watch as they tried to look up the part different ways.

what I think has happened is Mopar has realized they are losing money on the warranties in regards to these LED arrays and have decided they are no long covered, where before they were covered.

tough nuggies if they have changed their minds if my written contract from 2021 reads like they are covered. I'm currently unsure how to get to someone that will do something other than repeat what their screen tells them.

 

Congratulations Stellantis, you've successfully convinced us to NOT buy your Maxcareless warranty.

 

I'm sure that the contract wording might vary a bit from year to year.

Example:
At some point, Dodge changed the contracts to state that the roadside benefits, towing, and rental allowance expires at 7yrs or 100k into the contract (for the no longer available Lifetime policy).
Some folks though have a Lifetime Maxcare contract that does not have that wording, therefore those benefits remain intact for them.

I just pulled this info off of the web:

WHAT’S NOT COVERED UNDER OUR MAXIMUM CARE PLANS:
" The only parts and labor not covered: • Maintenance Services and items used in such services • Catalytic Converter and Particulate Filter • Glass, Plastic Lenses and Light Bulbs • Body and Paint items (including Soft Trim) • Snowplows, Winches and Trailer Hitches • Wear items (such as Tires, Manual Clutch Assembly, Brake Pads, Shoes, Rotors, Drums, Belts and Wipers)"

I'll say it again. An LED is NOT a light bulb! If the device in question that emits said light has failed, it should be covered.

Don

 

Except that by it being encased in a plastic lens and said lens would need to be replaced with the LED lights, that is probably what they would stand on, sheisters that they are.

 

@Don, Thanks for the clarification "Plastic Lenses and Light Bulbs"

@ TF......"being encased in a plastic lens and said lens"
I also caught onto that little sentence in the warranty as well. Assuming the "led" strip is encased into the plastic lens, and there isn't a part number for the led, as the part number is for the entire plastic globe.

 

So is the dash gauge cluster covered? If so isn’t that the same thing since it has LED (light emanating diodes) incased in a plastic cover?

Again, car manufacturers skirting their way around a warranty issue. Headlights are a safety item as such need to be covered. Call an attorney!

 

@Don Fox that is the $59 million DOGE question. is a LED (light emitting diode) technically and legally a 'light bulb' as defined by the MaxCare Warranty. I'm sure Mopar would want to say Yes in this case. I'm not convinced that is the correct answer.

also what @Tin Foil Hat hat says comes into play. and I had the foreign customer sales rep on the Mopar customer service line yesterday telling me 'body panels are not covered'. that particular conversation really ended up going in circles.

 

My polite but firm reply would be that I'm not the one who put a covered part inside a plastic case. This nonsense is absolutely a case of splitting proverbial hairs to get out of their obligation.

Johnny Cochran said it best, "If it does not fit, you must acquit!" Ergo, the wording listed in the exclusion list does not absolve them of their responsibility IMO.

BTW, OJ was guilty as hell!

Don

 

Mine lasted 45k

 

@DB & Nugs did you replace it? or still driving with it out?

 

@DDC What part fails the entire thing or just the lower part any signs of water intrusion ? In the taillight they used LEDS that are designed for interior under cabinet lighting. Most likely the same type are in the head light DRL. Does it throw a code on the dash when its out ? If so that makes it worse for anyone like me that needs no dash lights to get a yearly inspection. Are DRLs considered mandatory safety if so the NHTSA could be notified and force a recall replacement

https://www.nhtsa.gov/

 

@cambo just the LED array for the DRL in the driver's side headlight. so far my passenger side headlight DRL is working fine and my back race track light is fine and dry. I've been keeping an eye on that race track light.

no dash lights from this. and no, DRL's are not required by Federal or SC state law.

I do think this is more of an electronic issue than a 'bulb' going out, since the DRL is two parts, a top and bottom light strip. no way both 'bulbs' went out at the same time. makes you think an electronic controller or chip went out.

can anyone confirm the DRL is in fact two separate strips in the 21+ headlights?

 

I wonder what Dodge would do if the reflector in your LED headlight stopped working? Blame it on the LED which is not a bulb and neither is the reflector, which if it fails, you lose high beams or low beams depending on where it gets stuck.

 

not going to lie guys, I'm becoming pretty perturbed with the failing DRL's (usually driver side first) on the 2021 and up Durango's and Mopar's refusal to cover under the Maximum Care warranties.

maybe I'm just venting, maybe I'm looking for the appropriate next steps for this issue. if Mopar is going to refuse to cover us having to replace the entire headlight assembly for this, there will be significant costs to replace both the front head lamp assemblies as they go out and then the rear 'race track' light.

if I could purchase a "bulb, sealed beams or lens", as lights are defined in my MaxCare Warranty, I would totally do so. but $1,000 + labor for an entire head lamp assembly just to fix a failed DRL, is a real slap in the face to someone that paid good money for a MaxCare Warranty.

I've talked with my local dealership, which seemed genuinely surprised when the repair was not covered by the warranty, I've talked to the Mopar customer service line multiple times, which is in another country and I've reached out to Dodge Cares on this site.

my driver side DRL lasted til about 50k miles




View attachment 136770

I think it is funny the aftermarket warranty that I got when I bought my R/T certified pre-owned from a Dodge dealer, covered my replacement racetrack light completely for $100 deductible - no fighting, they just did it automatically. This was months after the regular bumper to bumper ended. The warranty is called Assurant, The Mechanic - Platinum level coverage.

GA09432-Platinum-Plus-Digital-Brochure_Apr-30-2021

the-mechanic-interactive-brochure.pdf

The Mechanic Platinum Plus

 

Yeah after my negative run-ins with my local Dodge dealerships on simple warranty covered repairs, I decide to buy private sector vehicle warranty.

I went with Phoenix America platinum which is under written by Nationwide Insurance. I can go to the Dodge dealership and/or private repair facility. Also, I have a family member who is a VIP at their corporate HQ so I don’t expect any issues.

I haven’t used it yet but it’s there just in case… lol

 

@Durango El Diablo yeah, that's absolutely nuts. good for you though.

 

Go straight to your attorney generals' office and file a formal complaint telling them Stellantis REFUSES to warranty a defective headlamp assembly (which is considered a safety feature) AGs are having a field day with Stellantis these days.

 

I have found that extended warranties are almost worthless. I recommend you go into vehicle setting and turn off your DRLs. I did. If local law requires DRLs, you can simply use your parking lamps! If in the event of a collision, it will likely be replaced by insurance! Problem solved! Unfortunately. That is the biggest problem with LED lights.

 

Not true about extended warranties.
Such a smart thing to say, if/when you crash your car, you'll then get a new light.

 

All of this nonsense has to be from when Steallantis took over the company. I've had 3 MVP plans, and no complaint on any of them. The needed repairs were done without question or BS. In one instance the dealer ended up comping the rental which was a nice bonus!

Don

 

@ Don
Yes, all this nonsense began with them for sure. It is nice when they covers the rental. Speaking of rental, the wife is in a loaner from the dealer now. My dealer had 75 loaner cars, and now they are down to 15.