So I'm driving down the road this afternoon in my 2 day NEW 2010 Ram 1500 4x4 in a blizard when phoooosh the right front tire goes flat for no apparent reason

I call Chrysler for roadside assistance, about an hour later a complete idiot shows up to change my tire. I pull out cross ways in the middle of the road (deserted road) so he can work on the tire.

First he can't figure out how to lower the spare tire, he keeps putting the wrong end of the crank rod in their and can't figure out why its not working. He's banging the thing on the bumper and fishing it around under the truck and I'm cringing.

He can't get it so I look in the access hole and see that its a male fitting, I say look you need to turn this around, he won't listen. He tries to make it work the wrong way for several more minutes. Have I mentioned the wind is blowing snow 30mph sideways? So I take the crank away from him and turn it around the right way, I say now try it this way. It works he lowers the spare tire.

Next he grabs this puny little hydrolic jack he brought with him and proceeds to try to jack up the truck by jacking on the cab of the truck. I try to tell him that's now where the jack goes, again he doesn't listen and runs the jack up bending the sheet metal Grrrrrr! Of course he doesn't get anywhere near the lift needed to get the wheel off the ground.

So he gets irritated and stomps back to his truck and calls someone. A few minutes later he gets out of this truck throwing the F word around, stomps over to my truck in a huff and gets my truck jack out. He's getting ready to try to jack the truck up by the cab again and I stop him, I said you have already damaged my brand new truck, you see how you bent the metal. He says this is where the jack goes, I say no it doesn't. He says fine then I can't change your tire and he packs up his stuff and drives off stranding me there in the middle of the road in a blizzard!

So I call Chrysler roadside assistance back and get some lady with a don't give a crap attitude so I ask to speak to a supervisor. The supervisor is mortified the tow truck driver ran off and left me there. He gets this lady back on the phone and tells her to open a case regarding the damage to my truck, file somthing else regarding this towing company, and to get me some assistance out there. He drops off the call and the lady just hangs up on me without so much as a word.

So I call back and say so did you hang up? She say I will call you back when I find someone to assist you. I say okay how long will that take, she says I don't know. I'm like fine. So she calls back about 20 minutes later to say I can't find anyone to assist you due to the snow storm so you need to call the local police and have them come help you.

That's it, for all they know I froze to death out there. How about THEY call the local police and get someone over there instead of dropping the ball and leaving me hanging.

So fine I get out there in the slushy road in the blizard and try to change the tire myself. The owners manual is of course home on my desk where I was reading it. I try a few frame location but can't get enough height to get the new tire on. About an hour goes by and a county snow plow driver pulls up say hey I have changed tires on those let me help you out, 10 minutes later the tire is changed and I'm ready to go. Offered him a reward but he refused to take it. So I said at least let me call your boss and tell him what a great employee you are, he was up for that so I got his work information.

So I'm not liking the service trend here, first I pay for quad headlights and only get duals, I ask Dodge to swap the correct headlights in and they tell me its not possible then I come back to this forum and find out its an easy swap. Now this two days later.

Am I bitter? Hell no, this is an awesome truck I really like it. The tire has me a little spooked, kind of glad it didn't deflate at 70mph because it deflated fast. Its a good thing I'm liking the truck this much because otherwise I would be chewing peoples *** in a serious way by now.

 

Oh man. That really sucks. If that was me I would have been raising some serious s*#t! Is Chrysler or the tow truck company at least going to pay for the damages?

 

okay, when is the world going to save you?

When is some one going to a better job than you, or care as much as you do?

Flat tires happen, not taking the time to learn how to change a tire is your fault, Not having the propper winter gear in your truck is your fault, expecting srvice from tow company in a blizzard to help you now, just makes you a number waiting in line.

Now I totaly agree with you the ball was dropped by the towing company, Chrysler road side, and you paid a lot of money for a service that was substandard, you have every right to be angry.

Fight them hard and know your going to win, thats the only way.

allways be prepared in the event you can't be helped, new or old things break, all the Time!!!

 

I totally agree, unless your incapable, Anything I can do on my truck besides computer sensors and warranty madated stuff, I always do, b/c like he said no one can do it better and makes sure nothing gets screwed up in the process. With that said yeah they dropped the ball, but its like after a hurricane in florida, everyone wants their govment to come in and take care of them right after, doesn't work that way, always be ready for anything now a days, don't rely on no one but yourself, cause frankly thats all you got, don't mean to be harsh. I would definately pursue a complaint and fix to the truck, but do it yourself in the future you'll be happier and prouder.

 

I see your points but consider mine. I purchased the truck 48 hours ago, you can't expect me to have read a 600 page owners manual cover to cover in that time in between work and kids. The jack is on page 460, I'm on page 15.

I have changed many a tire, and rebuilt engines, and performed all types of major repairs. What I was not prepared to do was put a jack under an aluminum A arm with all that front end weight and risk damaging it when I wasn't sure that was the proper placement for the jack. I expect Chrysler to dispatch someone that has a clue.

As for being prepared for the cold, I was in waders and thermals and a heavy ski parka, I was in no danger of freezing but Chrysler didn't know that. Just saying.

 

That sucks! I would have blown my top! Glad someone was out there to help you out!

 

Not raggin on you, believe me I sympathize with you, but if you have all that experience you don't have to go through every page to get the section about changing the tire and lift points, but definately a sucky experience, but most of these people hired to help are morons with not much experience, low pay job you get substandard service, very unfortunate, again sorry about the damage to your truck, go after them for sure.

 

When I was younger I owned a Ford Pinto, Ford Maverick, Ford Mustang II, Mercury Capri, Alfa Romeo, Chevy Nova, and Ford Ranger. After 4 engine rebuilds, 3 busted timing chains, 2 busted transmissions, multiple rebuilt carbs, brake jobs, rear end swaps, tires, rusted exaust systems, seized bolts, trying to keep this collection of iron running over about a 20 year span I got a decent job and hung up my tool belt for good. Now I just wave my warranty and point. Hope that provides some prospective.

 

When I purchased my 09 Ram 1500, the first thing I read was the owner's manual(including how to lower the spare) its a 17'' tire BTW, even if you have 20" rims(I do) I agree with the other posts stating, be prepared to do it your self, I've had roadside assitance for the last 10 years, never called them, especially for a flat tire. It takes too long for them to show up. One more thing, I heard a rumor that Obama wants to include roadside assistance in his health care plan,JK......................................Kevin

 

Don't hate on them too much - I owned a BMW 540 and one afternoon at the mall it wouldn't start. Called BMW roadside assistance. No problem - we'll send a flatbed right out. 3 hours later, after a few more calls to BMW, the guy shows up to "jump it". He spent time looking under the hood (with me having fun) for the battery. I finally asked, "Are you looking for the battery? It's in the trunk..."

This was a car that cost a hair over $62,000...11 years ago!

EVERY Car maker is a hostage to the local tow company when it comes to roadside assistance.