Lehigh Acres man sold a "lemon" truck from dealership, charged thousands to replace it

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, (WINK) — A Lehigh Acres man says the brand-new truck he once loved quickly turned into something he no longer feels safe driving.

Brian Kenworthy says he bought a 2025 RAM 1500 in April 2025 from Naples Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram.

“I bought this truck April 13 of last year…and loved it. Got a great deal on it. Was excited to have it,” Kenworthy said.

However, Kenworthy said the problems started almost immediately.

Kenworthy describes a range of issues — from screens freezing to safety concerns behind the wheel, including the truck stopping unexpectedly while he was driving 38 miles per hour on Daniels Parkway.

“I have a three-year-old… I can’t subject her to this danger day in and day out,” he said.

Kenworthy says he took the truck in for repairs multiple times — six visits in total — but the problems continued.

Eventually, the manufacturer, Stellantis, officially deemed the vehicle a “lemon.”

Under Florida law, if a new vehicle has defects that substantially impair its use, value, or safety — and those issues aren’t fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts — the manufacturer must either replace the vehicle or buy it back.

That’s what happened here.

But Kenworthy says what came next didn’t make sense.

Owning money on a lemon

Kenworthy says he received multiple buyback offers — and all of them required him to pay thousands of dollars to return the truck.

“It’s a $73,000 truck that I can’t use… I just want to have my loan done. I’ll close the chapter on this and move forward. And they said, ‘No, this is our final offer,’” he said.

So why would the owner of a lemon vehicle still owe money? Stellantis says the answer comes down to how the loan was structured.

Manufacturer: Prior debt is not covered

In a statement to WINK Investigates, Stellantis says its calculations follow Florida Lemon Law requirements. 

A spokesperson with the manufacturer said, "Stellantis calculates repurchases based on the statutory requirements of the Florida Lemon Law.  In some instances, customers roll amounts owed on a prior loan into the loan for the new vehicle purchase."

The statement went on to say, "In those instances, as in this situation, the customer may be required to pay off loan amounts due from a prior vehicle purchase. Though the manufacturer is paying off the loan portion for the current vehicle and reimbursing the customer for payments made, the customer may be required to make a payment to cover the amounts due from that prior loan." 

WINK Investigates followed up with the company, asking for a detailed breakdown of how the buyback amount was calculated in this case, why the customer received multiple offers with differing figures, and whether rebates can be deducted under Florida Lemon Law.  transparency in these calculations.

As of publication, Stellantis has not provided additional clarification beyond its initial statement.

Kenworthy disputes the math

Kenworthy says that explanation doesn’t tell the whole story.

He acknowledges he had negative equity rolled into the loan when he traded in his previous vehicle — but says that’s not why he believes he’s being charged.

“Their comment that because of the negative equity on my trade in is why I owe them money is completely false,” he said.

He claims the company’s offers left out key costs — including taxes, fees, and other “collateral charges” — that he believes should be included in the buyback calculation.

Kenworthy says if those costs were properly factored in, the numbers would shift — and the company would owe him money, not the other way around.

Dealership response

Naples Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram says it reviewed its service records and does not have documentation showing Kenworthy reported the vehicle shutting off while driving, despite his claims.

The dealership says once a vehicle is deemed a lemon, the buyback process is handled directly by the manufacturer. Its role, it says, is limited to coordinating logistics, such as facilitating the return of the vehicle.

Naples Dodge also says customers may be eligible for a loaner or rental vehicle while repairs are underway and covered under warranty. In this case, the dealership says Stellantis approved 38 days of rental coverage, with Kenworthy responsible for four days. That coverage ended, the dealership says, after Stellantis determined the vehicle was operable and released it from engineering review.

In response to concerns about safety during the buyback process, Naples Dodge says it takes those concerns seriously and works with the manufacturer to advocate for customers, though it notes final decisions rest with the automaker.

The dealership says it remains willing to assist Kenworthy and continue coordinating with Stellantis to help resolve the situation.

Buyback offers at a glance

WINK News reviewed three buyback offers from Stellantis. Each one required Brian Kenworthy to pay thousands of dollars to return the truck — though the calculations changed.

• Offer #1 (Feb. 6):

Includes full purchase breakdown, taxes, fees, and rebates

Customer owes: $8,797.66

• Offer #2 (Feb. 18):

Removes rebates, adds negative equity and service contract deductions

Customer owes: $8,797.40

• Offer #3 (March 2):

Removes service contract deduction, slightly lowers total

Customer owes: $6,758.99

Across the three offers, Stellantis adjusted how it calculated costs — including rebates, fees, and negative equity — but every version still required Kenworthy to pay thousands of dollars to complete the buyback.

Still waiting for resolution

Kenworthy says he has since stopped driving the truck altogether and bought another vehicle so he can safely get around.

He says the experience has been frustrating — especially after years of loyalty to the brand.

“This is my fifth Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram vehicle. I’ve always had great experiences. This has left one of the most horrible tastes in my mouth,” he said.

He also says he’s struggled to get clear answers from the manufacturer about how the buyback numbers were calculated.

“I’m very, very just disappointed and completely let down by the Dodge Chrysler family of vehicles and their parent corporation,” he said.