My Compass gets T-boned: Post accident experience with Jeep service

I was unaware that they had been delaying the work until the entire inventory arrived.

BHPian enj0y_ride recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I never expected the focal point of my 20k update will turn out to be an accident. Nevertheless, I am gradually accepting the reality that accidents can occur, and my solace lies in the fact that no one sustained any injuries.

My Jeep Compass had been operating smoothly without any noteworthy problems, aside from the occasional malfunction of the auto-start stop feature. In fact, I have developed a habit of manually disabling it every time I start the vehicle, so I overlooked the moment it ceased to function properly.

One fine morning I had to visit my parents who stay around 50 kms from my place ( Kochi ). During my return journey, a pick-up truck or mini truck unexpectedly collided with the side of my vehicle at an intersection. The pick-up truck emerged from a pocket road, catching me off guard.

After the incident, my initial reaction was a sense of having made a grave error as I typically drive defensively. As soon as the truck became visible (due to a blind spot at the intersection), I actually noticed its approach. However, my instinct was not to abruptly brake, but rather to forge ahead and avoid a collision. In the aftermath of the impact, I questioned whether I had misjudged the situation and felt a sense of surprise at not attempting to decelerate. Upon analysis of the dashcam video later on, I concluded that: had I slammed on the brakes, it could have resulted in a severe head-on collision and caused significant damage.

Shortly after the incident, the all-too-familiar blame game commenced, with the other driver pointing fingers at me. He insisted that he had come to a complete stop at the intersection and that I had recklessly approached at high speed and collided with him (which was entirely untrue). Some villagers also rallied behind his claim, subscribing to the pervasive notion of "the one with the pricier car pays." The driver of the truck skillfully manipulated the conversation, attempting to extort money from me.

I am immensely grateful for having had a dashcam at that time, and words cannot express my appreciation enough. I had written an article on installing Jeep’s official dashcam earlier.

Without wasting any time, I swiftly approached my car and transferred the video footage to my phone. I proceeded to show the gathered onlookers, including the driver of the truck, the undeniable evidence. Suddenly, he changed his tune and began accusing me of driving while recording the video on my phone, insinuating that this was the cause of the accident (I was left speechless, unsure of how to respond). However, a few individuals grasped the situation upon viewing the footage, and the driver shifted to a defensive stance. One bystander even acknowledged that the fault lay with the other party but advised me not to expect any monetary compensation from him. I accepted this situation without any qualms since I planned to handle it through insurance. Unfortunately, my 40% No Claims Bonus (NCB) was inevitably forfeited.

In order to preempt any complications with my insurance, I decided it was necessary to have a General Diary (GD) entry filed with the police. I promptly contacted the nearby police station to inquire about their availability to visit the scene. I believed that having the police present at the incident location would help mitigate future difficulties, as the blame game could persist otherwise. However, when I explained the situation to them, they informed me that since no injuries were reported and no immediate issues were ongoing, a police visit was unnecessary. They advised me that the GD entry could be completed online and recommended that I visit the Akshaya Kendra, which is a citizen service center in Kerala providing digital government services.

As people began rallying behind me upon witnessing the compelling evidence from my dashcam footage, the driver of the truck gradually shifted his position. He now claimed that due to the truck being fully loaded, making a sudden stop was simply impossible for him. He emphasized that the truck was not his own, and he needed to deliver his goods (such as milk) to various shops in the morning to ensure he would be paid. I assured him that it was alright for him to proceed with his delivery, and I would proceed to file a General Diary (GD) entry online. Fortunately, I had a relative who managed an Akshaya Kendra, and I was able to complete the GD entry by the time I returned home.

Without any delay, I promptly took my car to the service center. As soon as they opened at 9 am that day, I was already there.

My observations of the accident:

After I had a chance to relax, I carefully analyzed the footage captured by the dashcam. As I mentioned earlier, I realized it was fortunate that I refrained from slamming on the brakes, as it would have undoubtedly resulted in a head-on collision. However, given the sudden nature of the incident, I didn't have much time to think through my options. Perhaps the only way I could have potentially avoided the collision would have been to increase my speed, but considering the limitations of my car's acceleration (unless it was an EV ), it may not have made a significant difference. Alternatively, I could have attempted to swerve to the right.

Despite the truck hitting the side of my car's rear, I was pleasantly surprised by how stable my car remained. Given that the mini truck was fully loaded, it had the potential to cause my car to veer off or rotate. I believe the weight of the Compass played a role in maintaining stability. The impact had minimal effect on the steering, and my car continued to move in a predictable path. The interior of the door and quarter panel were not impacted, and the door functioned normally. The car was in fully drivable condition, although the door and quarter panel suffered dents, and the plastic claddings at the rear were broken. Additionally, there were scratches on the rear bumper and alloy wheel.

Jeep service experience:

On the same day of incident, I delivered my car to the Pinnacle Jeep service center in Kochi. The body shop technician promptly inspected the damage and informed me that they don't attempt to straighten bent parts, but rather opt for replacing the damaged components. I expressed my preference for this approach. He confirmed that they would replace the rear left door, left quarter panel, and the associated claddings. If the bumper hooks were also damaged, they would replace the bumper. Since there were scratches on the alloy wheel, I asked him to assess if it could be fixed. He mentioned that he would investigate the possibility of replacing the alloys as well. The estimated cost was expected to exceed 1 lakh rupees, and I agreed to proceed with an insurance claim.

I inquired about the estimated time of repair from the technician. He informed me that not all the necessary parts were currently in stock and that they would need to place an order. Due to the delay in the arrival of these parts, he anticipated that I could expect my car to be ready in approximately 15 days. I asked if it was possible for me to obtain a loaner vehicle during this period. The technician assured me that he would consult with his boss and provide an answer. Shortly after, the boss arrived and explained that loaner cars are typically reserved for warranty repairs and unfortunately, they did not have any spare vehicles available at the moment. Although I did not have an alternative car at my disposal, I accepted the situation without complaint.

On the following day, the insurance adjuster paid a visit to the service center, and shortly after, I began receiving SMS notifications on my phone regarding the progress of my claim. Eager to confirm the details, I contacted the service technician who verified that the claim had been approved. The approved claim encompassed the replacement of the door, quarter panel, bumper, associated claddings, and even the alloy wheel (although there would be some salvage cost involved for the alloy). I felt satisfied with the smooth and efficient claim process. The insurance provider in this case was United India Assurance ( I had opted for B2B coverage).

When I handed over my car for bodywork, I requested that they inspect the battery, as the ongoing auto start/stop issue seemed to be related to it. I explained that if any replacements were necessary, it would be better to address them while the car was already in their possession, thereby avoiding additional time and effort. The service technician swiftly responded upon hearing the problem, stating that it was indeed a battery issue, and they would examine the possibility of a warranty replacement. I stressed that I wanted to avoid any further delays, considering the car would already be with them for 15 days, and urged them to complete all necessary warranty procedures during that timeframe.

Since it was monsoon season in Kerala, I made it a habit to regularly check the Jeep Life app to monitor the location of my car. Unfortunately, it was parked in an open yard adjacent to the service center, fully exposed to the rain. I knew it will be there till the parts arrive.

A week went by, and throughout that time, I made daily calls to the service center to inquire about the arrival of the parts and other updates. Disappointingly, they informed me that the billing for the required parts had not yet been processed. Meanwhile, my car continued to be in their yard exposed to rain and sun, worsening my frustration. Even after 10 days had passed, the status remained unchanged, with the billing for shipping parts still pending. This constant delay in ETA added to my mounting frustration. I reached out to Stellantis support via email. They promptly contacted me back, but their responses were generic and useless, seemingly aimed at closing the ticket without addressing my concerns. I insisted that I am looking for a concrete status update. Eventually, someone from their contact center called me and explained that the major parts I had ordered were currently unavailable, which was the reason for the delay in billing. They assured me that once the parts became available, they would initiate the billing process and ship them to the service center. Unfortunately, no one could provide a clear timeline for when these parts, particularly the door and quarter panel, would become available.

After I escalated the issue, the service center, reached out to me via email. They informed me that they are currently waiting for the necessary parts and assured me that they will expedite the delivery as soon as they receive them. Meanwhile, my car has been sitting idle for the third consecutive week. It seems that my escalation put some pressure on them. The service technician called me and explained that they will proceed with the work as they have received some of the parts in stock, although not all of them. I was unaware that they had been delaying the work until the entire inventory arrived. It appears that by the third week, they received the quarter panel and door, and I believe that fitting the quarter panel is the most time-consuming task. They have now begun sending me updates, and the work started progressing.

Removing the older parts. For some reason they removed the number plate and placed it there for taking picture ( to prove its my own car).

Fixing new quarter panel and door. Notice the dent on the new quarter panel, probable mishandling while working. I asked the technician about it and they said it sometimes happen when they weld it and they will fix all of those before delivery.

Got into fourth week and they started with putty and painting work. Still the new bumper, alloy, cladding parts hadn't arrived.

During this time, I diligently inquired about the status of my battery warranty, but all they kept saying was that someone was attending to it. Finally, the day arrived when they informed me that the bodywork was complete. They had separately painted and fixed the newly arrived bumper. Additionally, I requested a maintenance ceramic coating to be applied, which I had previously done at Mopar when I purchased the car, and there was a free service available for it. They completed the coating, and it was only after that the service technician called me to report that they had tested the battery and determined that the auto-start stop issue was not due to it. Over the next two days, they took the polished car out for multiple test drives on waterlogged roads. They attempted various solutions, such as software updates and adding another sensor to monitor battery charge, but to no avail.

Since I was desperate to have my car back, I asked them to confirm if the battery was in good condition. They assured me that the battery was indeed in good shape, and the only issue remained with the auto-stop start, which I was willing to accept. They said they did the battery testing as well and found everything to be fine. I found this slip when I received the car back.

They offered to provide a shampoo wash for the interior, and I agreed without realizing the exorbitant cost it would entail. It was my mistake for not checking the price beforehand. Check out the bill here.

I finally collected my car the next day, a staggering 28 days after I had initially brought it in for repairs.

Below is the final invoice. I was required to pay only Rs 2,500 for repairs, which accounted for the salvage cost of the alloy wheel.

It appears that they did a pressure wash on the car merely two days after applying the ceramic coating, and I'm uncertain about the impact this will have on the coating. It was my mistake to choose them for the ceramic coating instead of opting for an external detailer. Nonetheless, when I went to collect the car, it looked immaculate. Unfortunately, it was raining heavily in the evening, and I was so excited to have it back and didn't bother checking it in detail.

The next day, while at home, I noticed a new scratch on the black paint on the roof portion above and a fresh dent on the replaced chrome cladding of the door, which could have occurred during the removal and reinstallation process. Moreover, the chrome cladding on the roof rail was improperly fixed.

Deciding to take the car for a ride, I was horrified to find that the battery voltage was only 9.6 V, and the car wouldn't crank. What made it worse was that this was the same battery they had tested and assured me about. The car started throwing all weird errors which is the typical symptom in Compass when battery voltage is low.

Luckily, I happened to be at home when this happened. I promptly contacted their Roadside Assistance (RSA), and fortunately, a technician was available near my location. They were able to jump-start the car.

I returned to the service center with my car, hoping for a smoother experience this time. Unfortunately, it turned out to be quite a tormenting ordeal. They informed me that the warranty procedure would take a day, followed by a 12-hour overnight charging process, and an additional 4 hours for programming (although I wasn't entirely sure what they meant by "programming" – perhaps it involved loading default configurations).

While the car was idling for the battery warranty, I inquired if they could also address the scratches they had created. They assured me that they would do that way, but no one attended to the bodywork while the car was idling. The next day, when I called to inquire about the progress, they informed me that the battery had been deemed frozen and was replaced under warranty. However, when I inquired about the paintwork, they informed me that they were yet to begin and requested an additional two days, showing a complete disregard for the delays they had already caused.

After enduring a month-long wait for the completion of the bodywork on my car, I was disheartened to learn that the rework to fix the defects they introduced would take an additional three days. Frustrated with the situation, I attempted to escalate the matter by sending emails to both Pinnacle Jeep contact and Stellantis support, but unfortunately, my efforts were in vain. It became evident that they had a complete disregard for the customer experience, leaving me feeling utterly disappointed.

After a wait of three days, I finally received my car back. Determined not to overlook any details, I conducted a thorough inspection. I noticed white wax residue on the black claddings which they promptly removed it upon my request. This time, I didn't come across any significant issues, so I decided to take the car. With a glimmer of hope, I anticipate being able to use it without any further hassles this time.

My observations on the battery issue:

Many Compass users have reported a disappointingly short lifespan for the stock batteries, often lasting no more than 2 years. In my case, it lasted only 1 year and 7 months. When I discussed this issue with a service technician, they attributed the battery's premature failure to the auto start-stop function. According to them, using this function during city rides prevents the battery from fully charging, as the alternator requires sufficient running time to replenish its charge. However, in my situation, this explanation did not hold true, as I always disabled the auto start-stop feature whenever I used the vehicle.

The technician also mentioned that the Compass has over 20 functions that consume battery power, even when the car's ignition is turned off. Consequently, leaving the car idle for a week can lead to a drained battery. He claimed that this is a common issue with most premium cars, using BMW as an example. Although I cannot confirm the accuracy of this statement, it is clear that the battery specifications do not align with the features the car is designed to support, which is a concerning fact. I believe Jeep should initiate a recall to upgrade the battery specifications.

Based on my personal experience, the first sign of a failing battery is when the Auto Start-Stop function ceases to work properly. If this happens, it is advisable to replace the battery. Even if you haven't encountered this issue, it is prudent to visit the service center and have your battery tested if it is nearing the 2-year mark, as they typically replace failing batteries within this timeframe. Most Compass owners have not experienced battery life beyond 2 years.

The emotional angle:

The extensive month-long saga of repairs took a significant emotional toll on me. Despite having driven for 20 years, there have been very few occasions when my car required extensive repairs, and each time, it felt like a fresh wave of emotional distress. Throughout this period, I found it challenging to focus on both my personal life and work commitments. I recognize that my emotional state may have unintentionally affected those around me as well. I wish I could change my perspective and view the car as a replaceable item, not allowing myself to become excessively preoccupied with such issues. After all, cars can experience failures or accidents, and it is crucial for me to learn how to navigate through these challenging times while maintaining my own happiness and the happiness of those around me.

Overall Jeep experience:

While I truly appreciate the car for its what it offers, I must admit that dealing with the support ecosystem has been a major pain. The quality of service provided does not align with the price of the car. Despite their aspirations to be a premium brand, their after-sales service falls short. However, my recent encounter at the Maruti service center, where I sought assistance for an AC issue in my dad's 14-year-old Swift Dzire, presented a striking contrast. The entire experience was seamless and free of hassle, leaving me utterly impressed with the way they handled every aspect of the service.

In the case of Jeep, the availability of service options is often limited in many cities, leaving customers with only one dealer as a monopoly. This lack of choice severely limits the alternatives and options available to customers, leaving them with minimal flexibility to explore other avenues for service. Additionally, the service centers appear to lack quality staff and skilled resources. Given Jeep's monthly sales of only 500-700 cars, the situation is likely to deteriorate further, leading to dealership closures and diminishing Jeep's influence over these dealers.

I have genuine concerns about the limited service options and parts availability for my car. It hasn't even been two years since I purchased it, and I had intended to keep it for a decade. One of the factors that influenced my decision to choose a petrol powertrain was the assumption that it would have a longer lifespan in India, considering the increasing adoption of green policies in many cities. Ironically, Jeep has now discontinued petrol models, leaving me apprehensive about the potential difficulties I might face in the future if any repair work becomes necessary for the DCT or other engine-related components that have been discontinued.

Having said all of these, the car puts a smile to your face on looooooooong highway rides. I plan on a 400 km trip shortly to alleviate the agony that has plagued me for the past month.

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