Liberty Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram — Local services in Soda Springs

I love Chrysler / Ram vehicles but service at the Soda Springs dealership is severely lacking. I have a 2014 Ram 3500 BigHorn. When they were in Montpelier the mechanic couldn't figure out that my 4 Wheel drive selector issue was just the actuator and instead spent a lot of time testing and nearly charged me for a complete wire harness replacement until he finally noticed that it was just the actuator. That cost me over $600. Next I drop my truck off when the ABS warning light triggered. The next day the mechanic claims it was just a loose connection but when I pick up the truck I smell burning brake pads and hear a squealing noise from the front right wheel. With in a few few miles the the wheel bearing completely fails and takes out the brake and damages the rotor. This cost me $1157 dollars to fix because the "certified" mechanic didn't think to do the first thing and check the wheel bearing. The following is the information I found with a simple search:

What a certified mechanic should know:

Diagnostic Process: When a customer comes in with an ABS light on, one of the very first things a good mechanic will consider and check for (especially if there are also symptoms like humming, grinding, or looseness from a wheel) is a bad wheel bearing.

Common Failure Point: Wheel bearings are wear items. They fail. And when they fail, they often take the ABS sensor signal with them. This is a very common scenario in automotive diagnostics.

Interconnected Systems: Modern vehicles are highly interconnected. Mechanics need to understand how seemingly disparate systems (like the wheel bearing and the ABS) can influence each other.

Proper Repair: Knowing this connection ensures the mechanic correctly diagnoses the root cause. Replacing just the ABS sensor when the bearing is bad will not fix the problem, and the ABS light will return, frustrating the customer and wasting their money.

Safety: A failing wheel bearing is a safety concern, as is a non-functioning ABS system. A mechanic's understanding of this connection is crucial for ensuring the vehicle is repaired safely and effectively. Yes, a front wheel bearing failure on a 2014 Ram 3500 Bighorn absolutely can trigger an ABS fault.

Here's why:

Integrated ABS Sensor: In many modern vehicles, including the 2014 Ram 3500, the ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) wheel speed sensor is often integrated into or closely associated with the wheel bearing/hub assembly.

Reluctor Ring/Tone Ring: The ABS sensor reads rotational speed from a "reluctor ring" or "tone ring" which is part of the wheel bearing assembly. This ring has a series of teeth or magnetic pulses that the sensor uses to determine the wheel's speed.

Impact of Bearing Failure:

Play/Wobble: A failing wheel bearing develops play or wobble. This excessive movement can cause the reluctor ring to move erratically or inconsistently in relation to the ABS sensor.

Damage to Sensor: In severe cases, the wobble can be so significant that the reluctor ring actually contacts and damages the ABS sensor itself.

Loss of Signal: Any of these issues can disrupt the clear signal the ABS sensor sends to the ABS control module. If the ABS module receives an inconsistent, intermittent, or no signal from a wheel speed sensor, it will interpret this as a fault and illuminate the ABS warning light on the dash. It may also disable other related systems like traction control and electronic stability control.

Heat Damage: A severely failed bearing can generate a lot of heat, which could also potentially damage the ABS sensor or its wiring.

In summary: When a front wheel bearing fails on your Ram 3500, it directly affects the accurate reading of the wheel speed by the ABS sensor, leading to an ABS fault and the illumination of the ABS light. It's a common symptom of a bad wheel bearing.

There is NOTHING this dealership can do to earn my business back as they have proven twice now their service staff are...

A POSITIVE VIEW OF LIBERTY CHRYSLER/DODGE/JEEP/RAM IN MONTPELIER, ID

THE FULL AND LENGTHY STORY: We live full time on the road in our motorcoach towing a 2010 Jeep Rubicon. On the evening of 05 September (Monday) while preparing to leave West Yellowstone, MT, the next morning en route to Kansas City, MO, we discovered the transfer case linkage in our Jeep had failed thus precluding us from towing it four wheels down. The towing setup consists of synchronized settings for both the transfer case and the automatic transmission such that with an inoperable transfer case the Jeep was not towable but it was driveable. Early the next morning we began calling Jeep dealers along our planned route but found no joy between West Yellowstone, MT, and our first night’s stay at a KOA campground in Montpelier, ID. Although we fully understood we would have to be worked into their already busy schedules, none of the several dealers we contacted would even look at our Jeep in a timely manner, the earliest being, “maybe on September 13th”, while others offered dates toward the end of the month and even into October.

As a last resort we got to wondering if the small town of Montpelier might possibly have a Jeep dealer. Amazingly, an on-line search found Liberty Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram so we immediately gave them a call. It was about 10am when Tim Young, the Service Manager, answered and listened to our sad story. He said he’d be going home at 5pm but would be willing to take a look if we could get there before then. We jumped at the chance and about five hours later after driving the 237 miles in our coach and Jeep separately we pulled into the KOA and immediately headed to Liberty.

We introduced ourselves and Tim commented we’d made really good time. Within five minutes he pinpointed the problem as a broken transfer case linkage and fitting and within 30 minutes after having a technician unload our Jeep’s cargo to remove the console confirmed his diagnosis and then located the part in Denver. We told Tim that if possible any parts needing shipment should be sent “overnight” at our expense. Shortly thereafter he let us know the cabling and fitting would be there first thing in the morning. He asked if we minded leaving our Jeep in the shop overnight as the console was already removed and the cargo unloaded and when we said that would be fine he had an employee, Sarah, drive us back to the KOA where our coach was parked. At 10am the following morning Tim called to say our Jeep was ready to retrieve. Because it was soon due for routine service we asked him to also take care of that and about an hour later he called again to say everything was done and Sarah would be arriving at the KOA in ten minutes to shuttle us back to the dealership.

Honestly, we were truly relieved, stunned and elated at the prompt service and genuine concern for our situation. Everyone at Liberty whom we met - Tim, Sarah, Tanner, Kyler, Lindsey, and others whose names we didn’t catch - was friendly, courteous, and efficient. We especially appreciated being appraised of the repair/service progress at every step along the way. We are totally satisfied with the attention we received, the cost, the timing, everything, and without reservation highly recommend Liberty Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram in Montpelier, ID. Their prompt willingness to address our sudden introduction into their busy business schedule put us back on track to continue our trek to the Kansas City, MO, area, with Jeep in tow, where a number of long-scheduled appointments were able to be kept. Without their assistance we were, if need be, resigned to driving both our coach and Jeep separately to MO, a distance of over 1,100 miles. Thanks to Liberty that option wasn’t required, nor was the re-scheduling of several critical meetings. We are truly happy campers. Thank you, Tim, and the rest of the crew....

Arrived in Montpellier early September with a transmission problem on my RAM2500. We were on vacation and a long way from home. The service department moved a few things around and got my truck in for diagnostics and repair. The shift solenoid plate was the issue and it was replaced right away. We were back on the road and able to finnish our vacation. A few days after we left, we received a call from the the service advisor checking to see if everything was ok with the truck. This dealership was a pleasure to deal with. They are honest and professional, and went above and beyond. It was a pleasure dealing with Susie on the service desk and Tim...