A Wrangler 4xe, a Ram 1500, a Dodge Durango, and a Chrysler Pacifica share one thing that matters in a lemon law claim: the same warrantor. All four brands are warranted by FCA US LLC, the U.S. company of Stellantis, so a California claim on any of them is made against FCA US, not the dealer. The lemon law itself works the same as for every other new vehicle. FCA's paperwork does not, and two pieces of it (a binding arbitration clause in the warranty booklet and a separate California dispute program) deserve a careful read.
This page is for people with a new or leased Jeep, Ram, Dodge, or Chrysler that keeps going back for the same repair. For the core rules, start with our guide to California lemon law. FCA also shows up in two recent California Supreme Court decisions that now apply to every brand: Rodriguez v. FCA US (2024), which limits claims on used vehicles, and Niedermeier v. FCA US (2024), which held that trade-in or sale proceeds generally don't reduce a lemon law refund.
FCA US warranty coverage
FCA's 2026 warranty booklets for Ram and Dodge list the following terms. Coverage ends at whichever limit comes first.
| Coverage | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Limited Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles | Specified components 1 year / 12,000 miles |
| Powertrain Limited Warranty | 5 years / 60,000 miles | Gasoline engines |
| Corrosion | 3 years / unlimited (all panels), 5 years / unlimited (outer panels) | |
| High-voltage lithium-ion battery | 8 years / 100,000 miles | 2026 Ram and Dodge booklets |
| Jeep 4xe high-voltage battery, California-registered | 10 years / 150,000 miles | 2025 Jeep booklet (8 years / 100,000 in states without California's TZEV rules) |
Sources: the 2026 FCA US warranty booklet for Ram, the 2026 Dodge booklet, and the 2025 Jeep booklet (we could not locate a public 2026 Jeep booklet, so confirm 4xe terms for 2026 and later in your own). Lemon law protection lasts as long as the warranty that covers the part, which is why a 4xe battery problem can matter years after basic coverage ends.
A related item for plug-in Jeeps: an FCA service bulletin posted on NHTSA's site (TSB 08-072-26 Rev. A, April 22, 2026) extends high-voltage battery pack coverage to unlimited years and miles for 2021-2025 Wrangler 4xe and 2022-2026 Grand Cherokee 4xe vehicles. It applies only when the check-engine light is on and one of five listed battery fault codes is stored. Other battery problems stay under the standard battery warranty.
The arbitration clause in FCA's warranty booklet
The 2026 Ram and Dodge booklets (and the 2025 Jeep booklet) open with a notice that the new vehicle limited warranty contains a binding arbitration provision. It says either you or FCA may choose to resolve a dispute through binding arbitration with the American Arbitration Association instead of in court. You may take an individual dispute to small claims court instead, and the provision does not affect FCA's non-binding programs. The booklet also says you may opt out within 30 days of taking delivery by writing to FCA US LLC, Office of the General Counsel, 1000 Chrysler Drive, CIMS 485-13-62, Auburn Hills, MI 48326-2766 with your name, VIN, and intent to opt out.
Whether a clause like this can be enforced against a California lemon law claim is unsettled. The California Supreme Court's 2025 decision in Ford Motor Warranty Cases held that manufacturers can't use a dealer's sales-contract arbitration clause, but a clause printed in the manufacturer's own warranty is a different question. Keep the booklet and your delivery paperwork, and have a lawyer read them before you assume either way.
How FCA handles lemon law claims in California
FCA's California dispute program is the California Dispute Settlement Program (CDSP), administered by the National Center for Dispute Settlement and certified by the Department of Consumer Affairs for Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Mopar, Ram, and SRT. FCA's separate 2026 Lemon Law and Tire Information booklet says CDSP is free, you can choose an oral hearing or a review of documents by three arbitrators, and the decision binds FCA but not you. A CDSP decision won't award civil penalties or attorney fees. It also says you may file within six months after the warranty expires, provided the problem was reported to FCA or a dealer before expiration. Skipping CDSP doesn't bar a lawsuit, but the booklet warns that the 18-month presumption under Civil Code section 1793.22(b) may not be available unless you use the program first.
The same booklet states that FCA has chosen to opt in to Code of Civil Procedure sections 871.20 through 871.30 for California residents. As of October 2026, FCA US LLC appears on the DCA opt-in list with an opt-in date of April 25, 2025. Notices under the Song-Beverly Act, with an accurate VIN and a brief repair history, go to warrantynotice@stellantis.com or by certified or registered mail to P.O. Box 436000, Pontiac, MI 48343. The booklet adds that California residents making a Song-Beverly claim agree to arbitrate related attorney's fee claims with NCDS, which tracks the new law's rule for pre-litigation fee disputes. Filing deadlines under the opt-in rules can be shorter than people expect, so read our lemon law time limits page early.
Repair complaints that raise lemon law questions
Jeep, Ram, Dodge, and Chrysler cover off-road SUVs, full-size pickups, muscle cars, and minivans, several with plug-in hybrid versions. The complaint types owners ask about include 4xe charging and hybrid-system warnings, electrical faults and warning lights, power steering and steering feel, transmission shifting, infotainment and camera screens, and water leaks. Any of these can support a claim if it's covered, substantially impairs the vehicle, and survives a reasonable number of repair attempts.
Recent recalls
These NHTSA campaigns cover high-volume FCA models. They describe a remedy, not the condition of any one vehicle, and a recall repair may or may not count toward a lemon law claim depending on the facts.
- NHTSA recall 25V-741 covers certain 2020-2025 Jeep Wrangler 4xe and 2022-2026 Grand Cherokee 4xe vehicles (320,068 vehicles). The high-voltage battery may fail internally and lead to a fire. Owners are told to park outside, away from structures, and not to charge until the remedy is done. Dealers update battery software and replace the battery as needed. Vehicles repaired under earlier recalls 23V-787 and 24V-720 need the new remedy.
- NHTSA recall 26V-363 covers certain 2021-2025 Wrangler, Wrangler 4xe, and Gladiator vehicles (1,076,999 vehicles). Wiring for the electric hydraulic power steering pump may overheat and cause a fire, even when parked. Dealers inspect and replace the wiring and pump as needed.
- NHTSA recall 24V-653 covers certain 2019 and 2021-2024 Ram 1500 trucks (1,025,432 vehicles). A software malfunction in the anti-lock brake module may disable electronic stability control. Dealers update the ABS software.
Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Tips for Jeep, Ram, Dodge and Chrysler owners
Keep both FCA booklets from your glove box: the warranty booklet with the arbitration clause, and the Lemon Law and Tire Information booklet with the CDSP rules and California notice address. When a 4xe or other electrified model shows a warning, ask the dealer to print the fault codes on the repair order, because coverage under the battery bulletin turns on specific codes. If a recall tells you to park outside or stop charging, note the date you got the letter and every day you couldn't use the vehicle normally.
Your next move
Pull every repair order and both FCA booklets, then run your facts through the lemon checker. If your delivery was recent, or you aren't sure whether FCA's arbitration clause applies to you, contact us and an attorney will review the paperwork with you.
Updated October 2, 2026
Common questions
Does the arbitration clause in my FCA warranty booklet stop me from going to court?
Not necessarily, but don't assume either way. FCA's 2026 booklets say either side may choose binding arbitration through the American Arbitration Association, with small claims court as an option, and they allow an opt-out by letter within 30 days of delivery. California courts have not settled how far a clause in a manufacturer's own warranty reaches in a lemon law case. A lawyer can read your booklet and purchase documents and tell you where you stand.
Is there a deadline to file with CDSP for my Jeep or Ram?
FCA's 2026 Lemon Law and Tire Information booklet says you may request CDSP arbitration within six months after the warranty coverage period expires, as long as you reported the problem to FCA or a dealer before the warranty ran out. That is a program rule, not the deadline for a lawsuit, which is set by separate rules.
My Wrangler 4xe got a new battery under recall 25V-741. Does that count as a repair attempt?
It can. A recall visit produces a repair order like any other visit, and a battery replacement is a major repair. Whether it counts toward a lemon law claim depends on whether it addressed the problem you were reporting and whether that problem came back. Keep the recall letter, the repair order, and a note of every day you were told not to charge the vehicle or park it indoors.
Does California lemon law cover a Ram I use for work?
It can. A new vehicle bought mainly for personal, family, or household use is covered. The 10,000-pound limit applies to vehicles bought mainly for business: those are covered only if the gross vehicle weight rating is under 10,000 pounds and the business has no more than five vehicles registered in California. The rating is printed on the label in the driver's door jamb.