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lou's garage

While driving my 2010 Jeep Compass with 70,000 km on the odometer, I noticed play in the steering wheel. Later, turning into my driveway, there was a big bang. I got out to see a puddle of transmission fluid, and the driver-side wheel twisted into the wheel well. I discovered that there is an extended warranty on the part – the cradle – but all the other damage was not covered. They want to charge me $2,500 for additional non-covered repairs. What should I do?

Your “cradle” is a structural cross member that the engine and suspension are attached to. When the part in question failed, the front suspension’s lower control arm dropped out of place in an unsafe manner, also pulling the front axle out of the transmission.

As stated, Jeep has indeed extended the warranty on this part, but they are not covering any additional repairs. I anticipate that their argument will be that they issued notices to the owners and trained their dealer staff to examine all potentially affected vehicles while in for service.

Lou Trottier is owner-operator of All About Imports in Mississauga. Have a question about maintenance and repair? E-mail globedrive@globeandmail.com, placing “Lou’s Garage” in the subject line.

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