Coming down mountain yesterday from a cabin at 5,200 ft ele and it just died while driving along. After 6 hours, finally was back in valley on the back of a tow truck and only two miles after we started out. Towed this morning into the local Chrysler dealership. Diagnosis, bad fuel pump, will have a new one in a couple of days. This is the first time I have been stranded with a car in probably 35 years. And with an almost new truck to boot, has all of 5,800 miles on it. Tow bill was $345 (60 miles up and 60 back in twisty mountain roads). Bummer...... Now I have to try and get the tow bill $$ back from Chrysler, wonder how much red tape I'll run into doing that.

Update 5/5/11, turns out not to be the trucks fault. Seems someone put water in my gas tank. So now all the bills are mine....as this fix is not under warranty.

 

I had one go on me in a new Furd F150 I bought in '97 with 1100 miles on it. You get a bad one every once in a while. They stuck a new one in and I never had another fuel pump issue. The POS did drop a piston on me with 14,000 miles on it though. Dunno if it ever had an issue after that, cause two days after I got it back from the dealership I traded it in on a new '98 Ram. Luckily, mine died on the way to work, not 2 miles after I passed the dealership...

 

It happens to the best of them... Not sure on how much trouble you'll have with the tow expenses but i cant imagine much. Just curious but did you check with your insurance? Most companies cover tow bills now

 

I could be wrong but I think warranty would have paid for the tow if you called the correct #?

 

I had a power steering hose go on me the day I picked up my new Ford Taurus many years ago.

 

You are correct. I did call the Chrysler number and talked to the lady for about an hour while she called at least 20 towing services and none would go up into the mountains. She finally turned it over to CHP who has contracts with towing companies and can't refuse.

 

My fathers (new then) '04 Dakota had less then 2k miles when the fuel pump went. Fortunately it went at the end of his street at a stop sign.

 

You know, in retrospect, I've been pretty lucky.... and cars/trucks really are pretty darn reliable these days. Given so many components on a vehicle, they do very well these days.

 

Ask BMW owners about faulty fuel pumps, especially 3 series owners. I have a friend with a 3 series that is on fuel pump number 7 in 22K miles.

 

Holy cow!!