08 Viper issue?

[94RT10Ohio]

This was posted from another forum I admin. Anyone else hear about this??



I posted on this forum months ago to ask about where to buy a viper and yall were kind enough to point me in the right direction, and now I am the new owner of a black 08 Viper. I am not as technical as 99% of the people here and will provide more information as I receive it from my dealer, but my 08 Viper is in the shop and is UNFIXABLE per Chryslers Viper team.

As of right now I know for a fact SEVERAL 08 vipers all over the country are having the same problem. It is a massive failure in either the programming and or a coil on a valve. All I know is I was going 70mph and my power dropped massively and I couldn't use 80% of my horsepower and my check engine light blinked. I got off the road as quick as possible. My vehicle has 165 miles on it and I was respecting a smooth break in period of at least 1,000 miles.

Apparently Chrysler is already formulating a packet for all dealers to prepare for the fix but the packet doesn't include the actual fix due to the fact there isnt one yet. I have already heard talks of a potential buy back. Regardless the 08 Vipers were NOT ready for distribution and I am one annoyed Viper owner.

 

[blue01gts]

Nope, but I would be just as mad if not more.

 

[wallbanger]

it is probably not related but i wonder if this is why a lot of cars seem currently stuck in I status

 

[2snakes]

Keep us up to date.. Sorry to hear this..

 

[Les Quam]

This is not looking good but I haven't experienced the problem............yet.

 

[mjf6175]

Wasn't there two separate threads recently from 08 owners who posted similair experiences that their 08 Vipers had only about 200 miles and the check engine light came on and had reduced power?

Wallbanger....you had the exact same thought as me on the "I" status wait. I am now at 8 weeks in "I". I had been told by the Zone Rep for my dealer that it was due to the Arc Light bezel I ordered. Maybe the real reason is not being given out.................

I found the two:

Viper Doc-"Just bought my first Viper, Venom Red convetible. the car i have dreamed about for years, wife got it for me for our anniversary. Waited over four months from start of build to delivery. drove it home on my birthday, three days later it wouldnt go past 2500 rpms and would almost choke out and die. had to have it towed on a flatbed back to the dealer. they checked it out ( the have a certified vipertech) and said it was a problem with something that connected to the PCM. took a week to get a part ( only two available in country they said), I called today and they said it was ready. Then an hour later they called me back and said that the tech took it for a test drive and now it was making a 'popping' noise. The regional dodge rep is supposed to be in their dealership tomorrow and they are going to try and have him find out what gives, they have called the factory where the car was built and are not getting answers from them. any ideas as to what is wrong. i hate that i have only had my dream car for 3 days of the last 12 only put 199 miles on it and i feel like i was wrong with this purchase."

SteveT-"Everything was going fine until 66 miles on the odometer and the check engine lights starts flashing and the engine will not rev above 2500 rpm. I was just entering the interstate and had to drive to the next exit. Got there and pulled over, idle sems to be normal just reduced power and no rpm over 2500. Killed the motor and let it sit a minute, restarted and all was well, no check engine light. Another 60 or 70 miles later and the same thing happens again. Pulled over and restart, all is well again but the check engine light is on steady. Pulled into the Auto Zone store and had them pull the code, "random multiple misfires" great, this will not help the tech figure out what is happening. Light goes out after a few starts and stops.

Up to 220 miles on the Viper and this has happened 3 times so far. Anyone have any thoughts on what could be going on? I am goign to take it in to the dealer in the next few days but I have a feeling that they will not be able to figure out what is going on since it is "random".

 

[jdavis]

I don't know that this is related to your problem or not. There are a couple of dealers who sell on Ebay who claim that Chrysler is no longer accepting new orders for Vipers for '08.
It may be that this is a sales ploy or possibly true it but, is interesting none the less in light of the problem that you say is unrepairable.

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Jdavis,

The orders for the 08 Viper were stopped in February for one reason....

Chrysler needed to know how many to build of each combination, since there are now so many combinations. Many of the delays this year were due to preproduction estimates of how many items to get from suppliers and then having twice as many orders for said item. All Dealers were given their last allocation for the model build out in February and were informed of this in January. We ordered all of our remaining cars at that time and the Dealers that did not or wondered about why they could not just didn't happen to read the numerous memos.

 

[09 Venom]

This is the reason I am holding on to my '05 for a bit longer. Have to get the 'kinks' out of a first year car. SRT engineering came out with a new engine AND new controller in the same year. Bound to have some 'issues'. I am sure they will iron them out and then I will trade up.

 

[steponz]

Thats why I will never buy a new revision of a sports car... 2nd year is always better than the first


Joe

 

[Flash1034]

There may not be a second year for you to buy. Probably but not certainly. Im not too concerned about this. IF there is a problem, it sounds electronic and can be remedied with a new software version download.

Flash

 

[sun diego]

My '08 has over 4,000 miles on it. 500+ miles of that on the track and runs like a dream.

 

[steponz]

I won't buy an 08 or an 09... I have twins going on mine. that an 08 won't even come close too...

I have bought first revisions of some cars and have really regretted it... Not saying that the 2008 is a bad descision... I really like the ACR... The car is too much like a Gen 3... No need for me to upgrade for such little horse.

Joe

 

[sun diego]

The differences only begin with the horsepower. It drives so much better than the earlier generations.

 

[steponz]

Nothing you can fix with upgrading the existing....

 

[Les Quam]

08 is best Viper yet by a wide margin new trans is unbelievable, power is big difference from 06. I haven't had a problem with mine either. I couldn't be more happy with it. Hoping the issues are isolated and random and keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[slaughterj]

There may not be a second year for you to buy. Probably but not certainly.

The 09 model year production has already been confirmed on this site by a VCA national officer. No need to start or continue negative rumors.

 

[Flash1034]

Really...look at the latest post.

Flash

 

[voi9]

Not to make you feel bad, but this is why I am glad that I decided to pull the trigger on the 06' I have instead of waiting for the 08' purchase. If I bought the 08' and it had problems, I would be annoyed with Dodge and my decision. Hope they figure out your issue soon.

 

[Flash1034]

A few cars, of every brand and model, will have some problems. Its the law of averages. I think the 3 documented posts Ive seen of problems certainly shouldnt raise a red flag to the whole 2008 Model year of Viper. It may be as simple as a bad oxygen sensor putting the car in limp mode.

Flash

 

[Bobpantax]

First year cars always have problems. And for drivetrain purposes the 2008 is a first year car.

 

[Nsane1]

That's why there are no 92, 96 or 03 cars on the road, since the first years ****; plagued with so many problems, that they all self-destructed.

You guys kill me.

Thanks for the info... We had problems with the 03s that delayed us a few months, sounds like the same thing, everything worked out fine in the end.

Oh yeah, my 97 had a recall done to it like 5 years later, so much for 1st year cars...

 

[Bobpantax]

That's why there are no 92, 96 or 03 cars on the road, since the first years ****; plagued with so many problems, that they all self-destructed.

You guys kill me.

Thanks for the info... We had problems with the 03s that delayed us a few months, sounds like the same thing, everything worked out fine in the end.

Oh yeah, my 97 had a recall done to it like 5 years later, so much for 1st year cars...

I did not say that the problems cannot be solved. What I did say was that first year vehicles tend to have problems. Automobiles have become so complex that it is almost impossible to produce a perfect car the first year it is built. Many choose to take the risk and do not mind the time involved in getting the "fix". In my case, one could argue that when I ordered my 2006 coupe back in March, 2006, I was buying a first year car but the drivetrain was already tried and true. I am sure that the capable engineers at SRT will figure out what is happening with the troubled 2008's and Chrysler LLC will do the right thing by those Viper customers affected.

 

[PET SNAKE]

It's a shame such a small amount built and they can't even build them right!!
No problems with my wife's 08 vert ???? YET !!!?????


pet snake

 

[Y2K5SRT]

The problem was diagnosed, was very isolated, and extremely minor - no replacement parts or hard labor required. Stay tuned!

 

[imagine32000]

Thanks for the update, bud.

- Matt

 

[Lawrenzo]

The problem was diagnosed, was very isolated, and extremely minor - no replacement parts or hard labor required. Stay tuned!

Thanks for the info, and while you're in a giving mood- how about some real life photos of the Viper Violet cars

 

[musicncars]

Thanks for the info, and while you're in a giving mood- how about some real life photos of the Viper Violet cars

yes, please?

 

[Fast Too]

The problem was diagnosed, was very isolated, and extremely minor - no replacement parts or hard labor required. Stay tuned!

So is it a national secret?

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

It is not a NATIONAL secret but will be fixed very soon, maybe even by today. The factory has been working on this feverishly to take care of these isolated problems. The RRT will be a flash so no parts are needed and the car we did yesterday with some help from Chrysler was just fine after the flash.

Don't worry the SRT team is watching out for you and doing everything they can as fast as they can to help!