DaimlerChrysler Warranty

In August 2003, I purchased a service contract (7 year, 70,000 mile warranty extension) from Daimler Chrysler with my 2003 Dodge Stratus ES. At 65,000 miles in February 2008, I needed some services that were covered under the contract. I tried looking up my contract online, and the website said it didn't exist. The dealer told me to bring it in on a Saturday when they could work on it. When I brought the vehicle in, I was told the contract was canceled. I had not received any notification or refund. The dealer accused me of canceling the contract. When I read over the contract, I learned that only the dealer or DaimlerChrysler Service Contracts can make that decision. The dealer told me they could not do anything until Monday since Service Contracts is closed on Saturdays. I found this pretty silly. I didn't like the accusatory nature of the service dept., so I called the sales rep who sold me the car. He looked it up and said the warranty was canceled the same day I bought the car! So I started looking online. I did get married in August 2007 and quite honestly, it never occured to me to change the name on the contract since I have never used it. On the website, there was no mention of changing your name and how to document it. Fast forward to Monday- the dealer called service contracts and was told that in order to reinstate the contract, I would need to fax my marriage license. Please understand that faxing my marriage license is not a big deal. Most places where I have had to change my name simply require a license. The problem is that my contract was canceled without permission or notification, I was on my third day without a car, there was no information online or in the contract about how to change a name, and I could not get a rental car at a discount rate without a service contract! Dodge would not even grant a temporary preauthorization to start the repairs and give me time to get home and get the marriage license. What made matters even worse was the treatment from the customer service representative, Karen. She lectured me about keeping my marriage license in my desk and how I should have known better. She said "we can cancel contracts whenever we want" and refused to let me speak to a supervisor. She eventually pretty much hung up on me saying "I'm done with you. I'm waiting to hear from your attorney." My attorney then called and argued with them for 15 minutes. The sales rep at the dealer had told me that day that the contract was made inactive (bear in mind that this contract should be covering me from 36,000 miles to 70,000 miles) then canceled in OCTOBER 2007. That's certainly plenty of time to notify me that I needed to make a change.

I'm filing a complaint with the NYS Attorney General.

It seems that DaimlerChrysler/Dodge enjoy being a struggling American car company. My parents have never bought anything other than a Dodge, and they have assured me that that relationship is over. I've already started looking other cars. The company is obviously somewhat biased against females who may get married and change their names. Their controls put in place to handle this are poor, and their customer service is even worse. This car has been a nightmare- to add to it, it's not even 5 years old and the wheels are rotting on the inside. My tires keep losing air. Dodge's response? "Oh, yeah, that happens..."

I have yet to meet one other person with this situation.