WARRANTY OPERATIONS NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2

Published February 27, 2020

UPDATE FROM WARRANTY OPERATIONS
Hello Team,
Thank you and congratulations, we started the year off on a high note – 91.2% FFV in January! That is a great start
to the year and puts us on the right path to reach the high level of performance that we all set for ourselves. The
focus must always remain on your customers and the need to deliver on every interaction that takes place. Our
focus is to continue to provide you with the tools and resources needed to improve your FFV and customer
satisfaction.
Looking a little deeper into the number, it’s great to see the top 25% of our D and E large size dealerships are above
94.1% in FFV. If over 200 large dealerships can achieve that, we know you can too. Please continue to keep up the
great work and we’ll keep implementing new innovations and improvements to assist you reach your targets.
Thank you,

Jim Sassorossi
Director – Dealer Support & Warranty Operations

FIXED FIRST VISIT IMPROVEMENT
AVERAGES for U.S. DEALERS:

FFV – Year to Date: 91.2%
December
90.7%

January
91.2%

February (MTD)
91.3%

WARRANTY OPERATIONS NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2

SmartWarranty
The FFV target for SmartWarranty is 91.2% for
the period January through March - equal to the
current National Average. Over 59% of dealers
currently have an FFV score at or above 91.2%.
Some of the leading causes of missed FFV are:



Oil change light not reset
Tire Rotation not performed



Did not perform Multi-point inspection

Pay close attention to these in your Express
Lane. These can be easy fixes to help boost
FFV and move from BASE to PLUS in
SmartWarranty, which provides your Service
Department with less restrictions in running the
shop and submitting claims for warranty work.

MP – wiTECH Logistics Mode To Customer Mode
It is required to use an initial WiTECH session to
remove a vehicle from Logistics (or Ship) Mode.
For MP vehicles, to change the vehicle from
Logistics Mode to Customer mode (and back
again) requires the use of a wiTECH. This

feature is available as long as there are less
than 112 miles (180 km) on the odometer.
It is recommended to always place the vehicle
back into Logistics Mode whenever it will be
stored or placed back onto the lot.

WARRANTY OPERATIONS NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2

Exterior Lamp Condensation And Fogging
We have seen an increase in headlamp and tail
lamp returns for condensation or fogging that
turn out to have no defects in material or
workmanship.
We understand that some
customers may report that on occasion, vehicle
exterior lamp assemblies are fogged with a light
layer of condensation on the inside of the
lenses. This may be reported after the lamps
have been turned on and brought up to
operating temperature, turned off, and then
rapidly cooled by cold water (such as rain, or
the water from a car wash). Lens fogging can
also occur under certain atmospheric
conditions after a vehicle has been parked
outside overnight (i.e., a warm humid day
followed by clear cool night). This will usually
clear as atmospheric conditions change to allow
the condensation to change back into a vapor.

Turning the lamps on will usually accelerate this
process.
A lamp that exhibits condensation/fogging
should be evaluated in a service bay
environment by first drying all water from the
outside surface of the lens and operating the
lamp for 20 minutes.
If the condensation/fogging has begun to clear
from the lamp lens after 20 minutes with the
lamps operating, this indicates the lamp sealing
has not been breached, and the lamp does not
need to be replaced.
(see below)

Condensation Fogging - Do Not Replace

WARRANTY OPERATIONS NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2
If the condensation/fogging has not begun to
clear after 20 minutes with the lamps operating,
or the lamp has large amounts of water droplets
visible on most internal surfaces, this indicates
an issue with the lamp sealing that has allowed

water to enter the lamp. In this instance, the
customer is also likely to report that moisture in
the lamp is always present and never
disappears. A lamp that exhibits internal
moisture permanently should be replaced.

Heavy Water Droplets – Replace

Battery Testing With An Auxiliary Battery
In order to improve FFV scores, it is
recommended to measure both batteries on a
vehicle equipped with an auxiliary battery; when
addressing starting, charging, and stop/start
issues that lead to a battery related concern.
A review of battery warranty over the last 7
months indicates on vehicles with Engine
Stop/Start, when either the main battery or the
auxiliary battery are replaced, roughly 12% of
the time the vehicle returns for the other battery
within 2-3 months. It would be great to prevent

that second visit if we determine the battery
was suspect on the first visit.
Refer to Service Library: 08 - Electrical / 8F Engine Systems / Battery System / BATTERY /
Standard Procedure; for proper procedures
and cautions, which includes testing each
battery individually by isolating each battery’s
ground connection.
We would also encourage you to record both
test results in the 3C’s of the claim narrative
when either battery is replaced.

WARRANTY OPERATIONS NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2

Evaporative Purge Line Damage From An Outside Influence
If a vehicle is found to have leakage (i.e. small
EVAP leakage, liquid, or air flow) due to a part
being damaged from apparent chewing on the
line, the Customer must be told that this is not a
warrantable concern. Damages caused in this
manner are not considered a Defect in Material

or Workmanship and as such, may not be filed
as a warranty claim. Examples of Warranty
returned vapor hoses with non-warrantable
damage are shown below. The vehicles had an
engine light on, and DTC P0456 (small EVAP
leakage) or P0455 (large EVAP leakage).

Damage such as above could be considered for
Consumer Goodwill by adding the 85-85-CG-09
LOP as a related LOP to the condition. For
further guidelines on the use of that Labor
Operation, please see Warranty Bulletin D-17-18

Rev. A released on May 2, 2018. Any warranty
claims submitted, without the use of the
Consumer Goodwill Labor Operation number,
with this type of damage will be charged back.

Grand Cherokee Front Suspension Creak
On vehicles built prior to April 15, 2019, if you
experience a front suspension creak, or pop at
low speed when going up a driveway, or driving
over bumps in the road, that sounds like a sway
bar bushing or a control arm bushing, be sure to
check if the steering gear skid plate is
contacting the front suspension cradle. The
skid plate should be 5mm away from the right
side cradle arm. We have found that in many

cases control arms or sway bars are being
replaced in an attempt to correct this issue,
when actually the skid plate is contacting the
cradle arm and causing the sound to travel into
the cradle. Simply creating the necessary 5mm
clearance will correct this issue. Control arms
or sway bars should not be replaced to correct
this noise issue. See the picture below.

WARRANTY OPERATIONS NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2

Checking Engine Oil Level On New Vehicles During New Vehicle Prep
To ensure proper lubrication of an engine, the
engine oil must be maintained at an acceptable
level. The acceptable oil level is in the SAFE
RANGE (3) on the engine oil dipstick. NEVER
TOP OFF OIL TO THE FULL LINE ON THE
DIPSTICK DURING NEW VEHICLE PREP!
The best time to check the engine oil level is
after the engine is at operating temperature and
has been turned off (not running) for 30
minutes.
Proper procedure to check Engine Oil Levels
during New Vehicle Prep.
1. Position the vehicle on level surface.

2. With engine OFF, allow approximately 30
minutes for oil to settle to bottom of crankcase;
remove engine oil dipstick. Failure to wait 30
minutes can cause an overfill condition if oil is
added.
3. Wipe dipstick clean.
4. Replace dipstick and verify it is seated in the
tube.
5. Remove the dipstick, with handle held above
the tip, take oil level reading.
6. Add oil ONLY if the level is below the SAFE
RANGE (1) area on the dipstick.

WARRANTY OPERATIONS NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2
7. Replace the engine oil dipstick.
WARNING:
Do not overfill crankcase with engine oil, oil
foaming and loss of oil pressure can result.

Cummins diesel engines are X-rayed for oil level
prior to installation at the assembly plant and do
not require any engine oil top off. Claims for
engine oil top off will be charged back.

JL/JT (Wrangler/Gladiator) Flip Key Service
When servicing the new “Flip Key” on a new
Wrangler or Gladiator, the following steps
should be followed exactly to ensure a proper
diagnosis:
1. Verify the FOB is a JL or JT flip key fob; the
only kind of key fob supplied with these vehicles
is shown in Figure 1 and 2 below. If the fob is of
a different shape, it is not a JL or JT fob.
2. Check if the physical metal key is integrated
into the key fob and operates the door lock

cylinder. If not, this key fob belongs to a
different vehicle.
3. Check to make sure that the LED indicator
blinks whenever you press any button. If it
does not, service the key fob coin battery.
After replacing the coin battery verify that the
LED light blinks. If it doesn’t blink after replacing
coin
battery,
service
key
fob.

WARRANTY OPERATIONS NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2

Figure 1

4. When starting the vehicle with the ignition
switch push button (KIN), verify that the key fob
LED blinks. This verifies key fob belongs to the
vehicle and is in good condition.
5. If key fob is still not operating, follow vehicle
level diagnostics procedure. Please ensure key
fob is away from any RF interference caused by
aftermarket devices like any other key fob,
mobile, navigation units etc.
Programming a new Service Key fob (Note: Do not
attempt to re-program an existing customer key
fob):
Contact point

Figure 2

Place the key fob (as shown below) in close
contact to the Start/Stop button (do not push to
Start). Refer to the below pictures. This correct
orientation
creates
the
best
possible
communication between the flip key fob and the
Start/Stop button. If the flip key fob is not
oriented properly, communication may be
intermittent, which will cause programming to
fail.

WARRANTY OPERATIONS NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2
Do not remove the Key Fob from the Push to
Start Button until the WiTECH routine says the

“Programming of Ignition FOBIK successful” (See
below picture)

DS (RAM 1500 Classic) 5.7L Engine Cover Deletion
On December 16th, 2019, the engine cover on the
subject vehicles was removed from production.
Vehicles built after December 16th will not have
the engine cover installed as part of the Value
Creation Plan for the Classic RAM 1500. Do not
submit warranty claims for the addition of this
cover as they will be charged back as “vehicle
not equipped”. If a customer desires to have the

cover installed, it would be considered a
customer pay expense and not a “Shortage &
Error” warranty claim.
Please advise all New Vehicle Prep technicians of
this change in Standard Equipment.

WARRANTY OPERATIONS NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2

2020 Warranty Bulletin Highlights
Bulletin #

Subject

Release Date

D-20-01

Automatic Labor Rate Increase (ALRI) 2020

01/29/2020

D-20-02

DIPAP Requirements – Addition of Jeep Wrangler
(JL/JK) and Jeep Gladiator (JT) Hard Top and Targa
Top Panel Replacements – All Dealers

02/12/2020

DCMail ID#
62283
62677