For later readers - It took a few weeks of continuous searches, but I finally found several retractors on Ebay at the same time. Prices varied from $70 to around $200, and a wrecking yard nearby accepted my offer of $100., shipped. I'm till waiting for a good day to install it - I have a 6 month warranty.

Ebay is not the steady marketplace it once was. Many Sellers aren't putting up with the steady line of BS Ebay is putting out, and wrecking yards aren't bothering to put up every item they have. You can always ASK based on the pictures of the wrecks they show in the listings.

Also - and this is the BEST ADVICE - check YOUTUBE for instructional videos of repairs you need. There are TONS on this subject and most others you can think of. It's the best resource when you sun into a problem - like the upper door post seatbelt mounting

 

My 2008 JKU has probably had 5 or 6 axles of brakes replaced, and the dealer was always clueless. There has been no reason to when the calipers would freeze - but I'd always be warned by brake screeching beforehand. I have no proof of ANYTHING, but I can tell you that since I stopped using the dealers for repairs, the problem has stopped (I hope!). I can only think the "non-dealer" repair shop I am now using didn't use MOPAR parts. I had begged the dealership to use something other than MOPAR, but they refused.

Just sayin'

 

I have 2008 X as well and yeah, the front seatbelt retractors are garbage. Every time you take a belt off you have to "help" the belt back up into the retractor or else the belt/buckle etc. gets slammed in the door (has happened many times)...I have been told the manufacturers use lowest bid parts and this sure makes me a believer.

 

How long have you had it? I mean, it is 10 years old now.

Roof leaking is a common "complaint" with Jeeps. FCA doesn't fix it because of two reasons, 1) Jeep owners don't seem to think it's a problem, they say "it's a Jeep thing" or they expect it to leak (obviously never have had a convertible that didn't leak), 2) people keep buying tons of Wranglers despite ubiquitous leaks.

In other words, your top leaking doesn't make your particular JK a lemon, it just makes it an ordinary Jeep.

Now regarding the seatbelt, you might get it replaced for free. Typically seatbelts are required to have a lifetime warranty. I have had them replaced for free on several cars.

It's a 10 year old American car. This is normal. If it did this when it was brand new, it would only be normal if it was an Audi.

Hard to blame the Jeep for the crummy quality of AutoZone's calipers, isn't it? Try not using AutoZone calipers next time. Try rebuilding the original calipers. And why did you have to replace calipers anyway? In 30 years of car ownership and having owned probably at least 20 cars and worked on them all myself, many with 250K+ miles, I have only ever had to replace a caliper ONE time. Once. One caliper in three decades. This is not a typical wear item you replace.

Related to my comment on #3, why are you replacing rotors? I replaced rotors one time on one car. It was on my Miata and I was doing a top to bottom restoration. I replaced the rotors along with the engine, clutch, wheels, suspension... not because there was anything wrong with the old ones but just because. And that car was driven hard for 150K before that which has a tendency to put some hurt on the rotors. Oh and BTW it didn't need calipers.

Did you replace the catalytic converter? I mean, did you fix the problem or just complain about the CEL?

It's a 10-year-old vinyl top. They don't last forever. Figure on having to replace a convertible top after 5 years of sun exposure in North America. More frequently if you take it up and down often. More than 5 years on a vinyl convertible top is gravy.

So let me see, you lost one of the key fobs and that's the fault of the Jeep that you can't reprogram it yourself? Yes you need two keys to reprogram a third. It's a pain. I lost one of my keys when my Jeep was only months old. I'm just hoping I don't lose the other one before I get around to getting a second one at high cost.

Honestly, at least half or your problems are due to neglect or improper maintenance. At least half of the others are not actually problems. But I kind of agree, Wranglers seem to be astonishingly poor quality when compared with other vehicles out there. After owning primarily Toyotas, Hondas, Mazdas and Nissan/Datsun cars all of my life I am appalled with the quality of the Jeep. But like I say, until people quit buying them, they won't change.

BTW I have no input regarding an AT linkage thing.

So, try this:

- get some original Mopar calipers even if they are used/junkyard and rebuild them properly. Get rotors from NAPA (not AutoZone). I bet your brake problems go away. Then stop fixing what ain't broke. When the pads wear, replace the pads, and leave the rotors and calipers the heck alone (don't turn the rotors... no reason unless they are somehow damaged, in which case just replace with more new NAPA rotors).
- inquire about warranty on the seatbelt. Safety equipment ordinarily has lifetime warranty.
- replace the faulty catalytic converter. Don't ignore the CEL. This is not just an instrumentation problem. It's a real broken thing.
- replace the top and understand the cadence of soft top replacement. It's a convertible. If you don't like this wear/tear then get a hard top.

Things you will have to put up with because of Jeeps kind of crappy (real) quality: oil burning on old/high-mileage engine, only solution is new rings; top leaking, you might be able to improve it with a seal kit (that foam stick-on stuff that wears in like a month) but if you take the top up and down it'll eventually leak again. Put a hard top on it and make it stop leaking one time, then leave the top in place, it may not leak again. But it's a horrible design and all but guaranteed to leak, sorry to say, you know, "it's a Jeep thing, don't bother trying to understand".

I doubt that CJ3 has a soft top that doesn't leak or an engine that doesn't burn oil, BTW. Or disc brakes, a catalytic converter, retractable seat belts, etc. It's apples to oranges. My '92 Suzuki GS500 has more in common with a modern Jeep than your old Jeep does. Hardly fair to say "the soft top leaks on my Jeep but I never had a problem like that with my motorcycle..."

 

This is not just on old JKs. My 2015 did it since brand new. It's a bad design. Replacing it with a new one won't help.

 

I got a retractor /belton Ebay for $100, used. As said, check YOUTUBE for instructions.

I've had the brake problems, but none since I stopped using Mopar parts.

The other issues are news to me. I use 1 quart in 3500 miles at 112,000. That's not to say I haven't had what I think is more than my share of problems.

I hope thing improve for you.

 

Honestly, when I look at that list, it's a 10 year old vehicle and every vehicle will need maintenance repairs. Sounds like someone purchased a used JK and expected it to be in new condition after 10 years of use.

Bank2, Sensor 2. That's the exhaust O2 sensors. They don't last forever. Had to replace my post cat O2 sensors at 90K miles. Not an expensive part to replace.

Brakes/rotors. They're wear items. Replace with a good brand or OEM you will be fine.

Key fob, hard to blame the Jeep for you losing a key. Yes, you can program your own if you own 2 fobs and will cost $20 for a backup. If you only have one, then you can go to a dealership or auto lock-smith to have a 2nd programmed for you but will cost more. Pretty common among all cars.

Trans linkage? It's 10 years old, go visit Youtube it's a simple fix.

Oil burning? It is a 10 year old vehicle. The PCV likely needs to be replaced which will help with that problem.

Soft top problems? It's 10 years old....they don't last forever. I have the dual top option, soft top usually only sees 2-3 months of the year. Mine is 9 years old and is still in great condition. If you have only the soft top for 10 years, that's the problem. Read up on other convertibles and see how long those tops last. Go get yourself a replacement or look into getting a hard top and never worry about it again.

Seat belt problem due to driving in rain? Don't drive in rain with the top off. They're not meant to drive in rain with the top off. Pay for the repairs now that you did.

That entire list are all pretty simple maintenance repairs. If they happened all at once it probably seems a little overwhelming but with a little time/effort they're all easily repairable.