DETROIT — So your local Chrysler dealer is slated to close, and a nearby General Motors dealer could get the ax, too. What happens if you need service on your car? It’s a natural question in the changing automotive landscape, as those two U.S. automakers attempt to restructure in and out of bankruptcy court.
Here are some questions and answers on how the Chrysler dealership closings may affect car owners and buyers.
Q: Is my Chrysler warranty still in effect?
A: Yes. Your vehicle is still covered under whatever bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranty you received when the car was purchased.
Chrysler Vice President Steven Landry said the company will be notifying the 3.5 million customers who bought their vehicles from the affected dealerships where they’ll need to go now to service their vehicles. They hope to do this by early June.
Q: Will another dealer honor my warranty?
A: Your warranty will be honored by another certified Chrysler dealer. It won’t be honored by another automaker’s dealership.
Q: Regardless of my warranty status, can I go to another automaker’s dealer to get my car serviced or repaired?
A: That depends — and if you can, you’ll have to pay for it. Although almost any service department can do routine vehicle maintenance, such as tire rotations and oil changes, complex repairs might be a challenge, particularly with problems that are detected by running an electronic-diagnostic test on the vehicle. “When it comes to diagnostic equipment and specific tools, our dealers would not be set up to handle that,” said Honda Motor America spokesman Ed Miller.
