northlander

I really have to say I am completely disappointed in my JKU. I wanted one for years and finally one year ago, I decided to pull the trigger and buy a new one. One year and 14,000 miles later I find myself at the dealer again getting this thing fixed. Driving home from work yesterday, the check engine light and traction contol lights come on the dash, and the engine loses power. Same as the last two times. I am almost positive the cam position sensor(s) failed again.
It happened at about 4500 miles, again at about 9000 miles and again 14,000 miles. The 1st time it failed, I wrote it off to "sh*t happens". The second time, I asked the dealer if they thought there was something causing the issue. The response was " yes, we completely agree with you, but Chrysler will not authorize us to look for the root cause". OK, fingers crossed. maybe it will not happen again? This time, I told them I do not want it back until they find out what is causing the issue! It can sit there for a month if need be. I'm not overly confident that they will find the root cause. Anyone else haveing similar issues?

So far in the first 12 months:
- 2 recalls
- Cam position sensors failed 3 times
- No heat on the drivers side
- heated mirrors quit working

I know that some folks will say.... Stuff breaks, its a Jeep thing, yada yada, but the reliability sucks. If they don't find the root cause this time, I will have nicely equipped 2013 JKU for sale next week if anyone is interested.

OK, I feel better now

Earth Siege

Doesnt this qualify as a lemon law vehicle? Make the dealer buy it back and get a brand spanking new one

ronjenx

Traction control light related to the cam position sensor? I doubt it.

A traction control problem can roll back the throttle.

Did you get the codes that caused the lights to come on?

northlander

This is the 3rd time in a year that it has done this. Each time the check engine light and the traction control light comes on at the same time. Then the engine goes blahhhh and loses power.
Each time the code says failed cam position sensor and each time replacing them fixes it for a while. This is exactly the same symptoms as the last two times.

I did not check the codes. It is one year old and under warranty. The dealer can worry about that.

Yes, i am checking into the lemon law here in MN.

maybe a new F150 Raptor is in my future!

northlander

The dealer looked at my rig again last Thursday. Apparently this time it did not throw a code ( which is odd). They tried to reproduce the issue, but were unable to do so. There was an older stored code that had to do with low voltage on the cam position circuit or something to that respect(again). I get it that they are in a tough spot when there is no code and can't reproduce, but I was pretty frustrated. It has left me on the side of the road 3 times in the last year. We do have a game plan though. They are going to replace the wiring harness and the can phasers this week. No guarantee that it will fix it, but at least they are proactively trying to do something. One last chance. If that does not fix it, bye bye Jeep. No more Chrysler products for me after that.

northlander

Yet another breakdown last night. Same issue as the last 3 times. This makes 4 times in 13 months that I have been on the side of the road. Calling the dealer this morning to send a tow truck and come and get the piece of crap. I am going to talk to them about trading it in on a new one, IF they can come up with an exceptional trade deal. If not, time to dump it and move to something different. Maybe hold out for one of the new 2015 F150s.

Enough is enough. Quality sucks. I'm very frustrated....

JeepaRoo

I had a 2008 that had an un-traceable electrical gremlin that never was found in it.. I did lemon law out to a new one that was perfect..

mine was it kept burning up radiator cooling fans and harnesses.. blowing fuses for the fan and busting stuff in the TIPM..

I never wheeled it and they kept replacing parts.. but anytime the A/C was on and the jeep called for Hugh speed rad fan i'd smell smoke, pull over and wait on a Hook....

I do know in that rig they found issues of chaffing on the wiring harness.. yours is newer and the 3.6 instead of 3.8 but the dealer may need to look for something similar.. if the harness is chaffed it could cause wack-O sensor errors or damage to PCM circuits
-Christopher

northlander

It is in right now getting a complete new wiring harness. IF they find an issue with it ( chafed wire, etc) then i will fell pretty good that the issue is possibly fixed. If not, my confidence level is very low.

DunnyBunny

I'd try and lemon it if it messes up again. Get full refund vs a reduced trade value.

rlast

this problem should not cause you to be "on the side of the road." If the cam position sensor fails or fails intermittently, you should be throwing a P0349 code. Both the engine light and the traction control lights may come on when this happens. The vehicle will go into a quasi-limp home mode in which you will not be able to operate the engine above about 2,500 rpms. So go easy on the accelerator and your automatic trans should shift below that without any bucking. Or, with the manual, just shift at about 2,200 rpm. You can run the vehicle up to 70 or 80 mph like this as long as you don't get the engine speed up to a point where the cam phasers would need to kick in.

I share your frustration, thought. I'm on my fourth trip to the dealer and I'm actually hand-feeding them them the DTC information and they still can't seem to get it straight.