Consumer complaint received 2025-07-10 00:00:00
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Problems at the end of the loan or lease — Unable to receive car title or other problem after the loan is paid off
Company: JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
State: WV

Complaint narrative:
I am writing to formally request your assistance regarding an extremely distressing and unresolved issue with JPMorgan Chase related to the release of my vehicle title. 

The short version : Chase has misinformed us at every step about whether the title to our paid off XXXX XXXX XXXX was mailed, released electronically, already available, or never received. 

I have spoken to at least three supervisors who gave contradictory and inaccurate information. 

Weve lost time, incurred expenses, and are now at risk of owing thousands in additional sales tax on a vehicle I own outright. 

The more specific and long winded version- I have been a long-time Chase customer and recently paid off my auto loan in full as of XX/XX/XXXX. Shortly before that, my family and I relocated from XXXX  to XXXX XXXX. In XXXX XXXX  state law requires vehicle owners to register their vehicle within 30 days of establishing residency or risk paying sales tax again on a vehicle that was already taxed in Pennsylvania. That 30-day deadline is now only one week away from today ( XX/XX/XXXXXXXX  ), and Chases mismanagement has left us without a title, putting us at risk of severe financial penalties. 

When I first contacted Chase after my final payment to ask how to obtain the title, I was told it had already been mailed to our former XXXX  address. However, when I asked for proof of this mailing, I was told the title had not been mailed after all, but instead had been electronically released. A supervisor ( employee ID # XXXX ) then advised that the XXXX XXXX DMV would be able to retrieve the title electronically from XXXX  and instructed me to wait a week or two for it to show up in the system. He assured me this was a common situation and would not be a problem. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, after waiting as advised, I visited the XXXX XXXX DMV, only to be told they can not access the title and that no such electronic transfer is available from XXXX. 

I immediately contacted Chase again and spoke with another supervisor ( employee ID # XXXX ), who stated, The problem is you went to the XXXX XXXX DMV. I explained this was exactly what Chase had instructed us to do. He refused to take any responsibility, insisted we would need to drive to XXXX in XXXX, and told me that Chase had already fulfilled its legal obligation by releasing the title even though we came to find out later, it had clearly not been released at all. 

Following this advice, my husband took an unpaid day off work and drove over two hours ( each way ) to XXXX, XXXX. When he arrived, XXXX informed him that Chase had not released the title. They said they could override this and issue the title if we provided a " letter of release '' from Chase. 

Back on the phone with Chase, I spoke with another supervisor ( XXXX, employee ID # XXXX ) who seemed genuinely willing to help but could not obtain a release letter after over an hour on the call. She then informed me that the title had been sent to a third address, and moments later said it actually had not been sent anywhere. When I asked how three different supervisors could give three different stories, she admitted their system is difficult and inconsistent. I was in tears during this call. This situation has been incredibly stressful and completely avoidable. 

XXXX then told me that the root problem was that my dealership never sent Chase the original title, and therefore Chase never had it to release. This was the first time anyone at Chase had claimed this. I then contacted my dealership, which promptly provided proof that they did send the title to Chase. They also confirmed that this was not an electronic lien, as Chase repeatedly claimed, and that Chase is still listed as the lienholder on my title, even though I paid the loan in full over a month ago. 

I respectfully request that your office investigate Chases handling of this matter and assist in compelling them to take immediate action to release the title properly and rectify the damage caused. I am also prepared to submit all supporting documentation, including proof of payoff, dealership correspondence, and records of all my calls with Chase

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation