Service department removed the centering rings from my 2018 Jeep Renegade for some unknown reason on 1/10/23. I immediately noticed a problem when leaving the dealership’s service department & getting on the freeway. From that service date onwards I’ve experienced SEVERE shaking/vibrating throughout the vehicle, along with pulling in the steering wheel when accelerating & breaking, an overall feeling of “wobbly tires” while driving. I was back at service dept. a couple of times trying to find a fix before the shop wanted a diagnostic fee paid. I refused to pay more $ as I was 100% positive it was an issue the shop created, as the problem was new. I simply dealt w/the issue while driving, avoiding freeways whenever possible & contemplated selling the vehicle after only a couple years of ownership.
Over 17,000 miles later on Thursday, 7/06/23. At service department for oil change & tire rotation. After an unusually long wait my service advisor comes out & says the technician is having “trouble” putting my tires back on because I don’t have centering rings on my tires. I’m not a mechanic so I asked what those were & he explained. I further inquired If not having the rings on would cause the above described issues when driving. His answer was yes.
I let the him know I had been dealing w/the issue since my January service date but they (the shop) couldn’t figure it out. I asked why the centering rings would have been removed & my advisor seemed just as puzzled as I was & had no answer. I asked for the manager, following the advisor as he moved towards an office behind the service desk. He spoke w/the manager who never made contact w/me even though it was requested. I was then told rings needed to be ordered & the shop would fit me in “tomorrow”(Friday) to put them on. No reason for the removal of parts was given even though I repeatedly asked. The following day I received a voicemail about my parts coming in & to call back. I called & spoke with someone who attempt to brush me off until Monday. Stating someone he named had gone home for the day/their weekend. I said “NO” my parts are in & I’m to be fit in for service today. I was placed on hold & when they returned I was told to be there in 30 min. I took 49 min to arrive & my Renegade was checked in. Still no reason or explanation given for the missing parts & the lack in the shop’s ability to correct a problem they had created for several months & OVER 17,000 mileS.
After my service advisor urging that I NOT drive until fixed I took the time to research the missing parts & the damage that can arise from operating a vehicle without centering rings. The advisor had no idea that several thousand miles had already been UNSAFELY driven when he cautioned me. I was horrified to find out the stress that was being put on my vehicle’s hardware for so long & what it would look like if the hardware had failed while I was driving! Myself, all of my passengers & others on the road were at risk due to the shop’s negligence! Nothing was said or done to rectify this situation by the dealership’s service department. They simply put the parts back on as if nothing major had happened. I will now be going to the dealership around the corner for all services needed. I have filed a complaint w/the Better Business Bureau, reviewed his experience here on Google as well as planning to review on Yelp.
