Local jeep service dept. can't find clunk noise underneath wrangler sport
 

I've taken my 2014 jeep wrangler sport in 5 times now and the service department can't find the noise problem underneath. When I accelerate from an almost dead stop I hear a clunk under the frame. It wont do it every time but when I get it in the right position such as a hill after coming to a stop or nearly, then hit the gas I will hear it. The dealership service guy heard it but can't identify where it comes from.
I am going to another dealership to see if they can fix it. The milage is 94,000 still in the extended warranty. I contacted a lemon law lawyer and they want the service dept. paperwork since I may have a case. I just want it fixed but if it can't be repaired I will have to seek legal help.

Has anyone had a similar problem? Thanks for your support and advice.

Sounds like driveline slop.

I would double check torque on all control arm bolts. If under torqued, they can produce a clunk when coming to a stop, or when accelerating from a stop....both forwards and backwards. I would note that a lot of these bolts it doesn't take being under torqued by much. All the rear uppers and lowers should be 125 ft lbs. the front lower arms should be 125 ft lbs both axle and frame side, and the upper arms should be 75 ft lbs on both axle and frame side.

Is there a particular area you can hear the sound coming from?

Wouldn't this need to be a warranty issue that has needed several repairs within a reasonable time to be covered under a Lemon Law? Odds are this turns out to be a minor fix, but dealers and even a lot of shops are not very good at identifying a lot of sounds and noises that the community is as members here have run across MOST of the same issues at one time or another.

U-joint going out?

any work done to the rear end lately?

I will pass these on to the dealership today...No work has been done to date.

Does it do it with the doors off? I had a clunk that disappeared with the doors off, so I tightened them and the clunk is gone. It sounded like it was coming from underneath, too.

Also, taking the doors off might help you hear it better. I'd get the doors off, and make it happen right next to a wall or guard rail, to reflect the sound back. Again, it might help you get closer to the source.

Taking the door off may be a good Idea.. The second dealership used a microphone under the frame and determined the sound is from left rear. They said the break pad was not installed properly so they changed it and thought they fixed it but I tested after getting home and the clunk sound is still there.

I will make another appt. tomorrow and give them another try. If they can't fix it I'm going to write and complain to Chrysler (a requirement to start a lawsuit)
The lemon law in Michigan requires an attempt to repair 4 times before getting relief.

maybe someone put a round rock in the frame or in the rear bumper. I had that happen and it was driving me nuts. Never noticed it stopping or slowing only starting. I would get a "clunk" I had to partially remove my rear bumper when I was working on it and lo and behold there was a rock about the size of a golf ball in my shrockworks bumper.

Maybe my interpretation of the Lemon Law is wrong. I would think they'd have to identify what the problem is, fix it, have the fix fail, and attempt to fix it a couple more times before this is applicable. It's sure hard to think that a dealer not being able to locate a sound on a jeep that is a few years old and have 94k miles on it as being a Lemon Law issue. If they can't pinpoint the issue, it's hard to fix it, and sometimes locating the issue takes trial and error. Does each attempt to fix it count even if they didn't find the real issue? Anyhow, just my 2c. Getting an attorney and spending hours dealing with a dealership over a clunk seems to be overkill. I'd bet that a torque wrench, a buddy, and 30 minutes would most likely solve the issue, or at least identify it.....even for the least mechanically incline person.

How about coming to Michigan with your torque wrench? I'd bet you could fix it.