My girlfriends 2002 Grand Cherokee left us stranded. Turn the key and the only thing that happened was this icon on the display lit up with a key symbol and the circle-slash.
Ok, tow it to the dealer. It's a bad lock. Then the call, the housing was damaged. Up to $500+.
Pick up the car. Then a few days later the same thing. This time 50 miles from the dealer. They come pick it up. Still didn't start when the tow truck came to pick it up, but now they say it worked fine and they can't duplicate the problem.
I'm not feeling good here...
There's more. About 4 months ago it failed on me. But I took the key out and put it back in and it started fine. Then about 2 months ago if failed again. Took the key out, put it back in, wouldn't start. So I took the key out, cycled the door locks with the remote (I thought maybe it was the security system), then it started fine. One other time it failed, almost two months ago. That time I just 'pressed' the key in and it started.
But both these recent failures multiple people tried for an hour or more each time to get it to start, and it had to be towed. The first time at the dealers when it was towed in it was a hard failure and wouldn't start. That's when they tore it apart and replaced the ignition switch. Then called and said the housing was bad. (Oh, I didn't get the parts back. Foolish me...)
So... Any insight on this? I'm part of a group taking Boy Scouts up to Vermont Friday and I can't risk a car stranding me. And what about the repair? I'm kind of touchy since I was told one price when it was dropped off, then it was raised, and now it's still not fixed...
Mike