[epopper]

I bought a 2014 GC Summit last summer from Ziegler in Schaumburg. Slightly used with 5,000 miles.

This is the first car, since my high school beater that I have loved driving. The car is appointed nicely, comfortable, and I like the style. This was an upgrade from a 2005 Liberty CRD.

I did all of the research online and found the good and bad, but based on my Liberty experience (good) I took the plunge.

The car had a check engine light on the second day of ownership. My heart briefly sank, but after a catalytic converter replacement, I have had 11,000 trouble-free and enjoyable miles.

On January 7th, I was driving on the highway and noticed a slight "ticking" noise. After a few minutes I reached my exit and left the highway. At the top of the ramp, as I came to a stop, the engine faltered and seized. It was obvious from the noises that it made that it was a seizure.

There were no warning lights or any other indications of problems on the OBC.

The car is currently at Roesch, in Elmhurst, IL. The main bearing disintegrated and the debris took a tour of the engine. The car will require a brand new engine and several other accessories that were either affected by the problem or are one-time use and require replacement at the engine change. As of the writing of this, I will likely be without the car for 6 to 8 weeks minimum.

According to the service manager, he has seen other main bearing failures on this engine. There is another vehicle in his shop with the same problem.

Speaking to several other mechanics, they believe the problem is caused by the manufacturing process and how the engine crankcase was bored. If this isn't done perfectly, there is friction between the crankshaft and main bearing which leads to premature failure.

I believe that this is a systemic problem for these engines. Maybe it is just a group of engines that were manufactured around the same time.

So far I have no complaints with the service from Roesch. They have been proactive in assuring me that they will replace the engine under warranty and are contacting me a few times a week with status updates.

I am deeply concerned however about the car. Even with a new engine, there are no guarantees that I won't get another bad one. How do I trust that this car will keep my family safe?

Even if I get a good engine, these diesels are extremely complex. They are not designed to be replaced in the field and I am concerned that there will be problems with systems down the road as the result of the major surgery on the car.

I have been in contact with Jeep of North America. When you speak to them, they are very polite and I consider them to be excellent listeners. I have been assured that my problem is documented. Beyond that there has been no attempt to proffer a more thorough resolution to the problem. I have also received two phone calls from the "resolution team" but they also seem to only listen and document.

I post this so anyone who is considering one of these cars needs to be careful. I also hope that others who have had similar issues will post their stories to expose what I believe is a manufacturing flaw in these engines.

Eric

 

[Brewster]

A mechanic friend of mine once said 'if anything is seriously wrong it would show up quickly' (this was on a differential failure on a new Ford pickup) - looks like this might be the case here if some engines were indeed 'bored incorrectly' - but this is a first I've heard about this engine having this problem- if anyone else knows of any.

 

[epopper]

So I have put some puzzle pieces together to come to the conclusion that there is likely a systemic problem

1) Service Manager told me he's seen others, including one in his shop right now (other than mine)
2) The other mechanics I have spoken to indicate that, as you said, if something is seriously wrong, it shows up quickly. Main bearings shouldn't fail at all. If there is a bore problem, it would likely have affected more than one engine.
3) If mine failed at 17K, and there are others, it is quite likely that something larger is going on. Hopefully, more will report these issues.

Eric

 

[Brewster]

There are a lot of 'wild cards' here- who was supplier of the main bearings (bad lot?) - Torque specs changed or miss-torqued ? etc,etc. Does seem like it is limited to small quantity of engines, though- because it would be showing up on Ram, Dodge delivery van- and the ~ 60,000 engines that were in service overseas before it was intro'd in US. (Before I bought mine I checked up on the details of the engine and found it was already in service overseas and did not see anything bad posted about it. Here is Banks Engineering views:
Inside The Banks VM Motori 3.0L 630T V6 Diesel Engine - Diesel Power Magazine

 

[epopper]

I'll look at that report. Thanks.

I don't trust large companies and while I'm not sure if he spoke out of school, the service manager was quick to point out that he's seen this issue before. It becomes easy for me to reach the conclusion that there may be something bigger going on.

I would love to be proven wrong, but until I am, I have lost faith in this car, even with a new, warranty, engine.

Eric

 

[epopper]

So it's officially been one month since the engine seized on my 2014 GC Diesel Summit at just over 17,000 miles.

We are still waiting on some parts that have supposed to "been here any day" for the new engine installation. The dealer has become as frustrated as I with the pace of this.

I keep getting calls from the Jeep Resolution team, but they have offered no resolution. Just more "listening."

I am getting more up to date information from the dealer than Jeep.

Eric

 

[epopper]

So close, but yet so far away....

The missing and delayed parts finally arrived last week. The engine was reinstalled and finished yesterday. The service manager and I agreed that they should keep the car for a few days extra to do a few cold starts and short test drives....

This morning, after a cold start, the high-pressure pump seized. This was a part that was not replaced during this repair process. Now we are looking at another complication and delay. Apparently, according to the service manager, they caught it before the new engine was damaged.

This is an example of why my faith in this car will never be as strong as it was before this incident.

What other time-bombs are waiting to blow inside this engine? What bolt wasn't torqued properly that will cause some sort of problem down the road?

Despite assurances that the service department is highly trained and capable (which I believe), a field engine replacement is a major undertaking and a burden that I and others with the same problem will have to live with.

What is Jeep going to do to relieve this burden?

Eric

 

[epopper]

So the big day came! I got a call on Friday from the dealer that the car was ready! They informed me that they had replaced the bad pump, driven the car for a day or two, and it was ready to go!

I picked it up yesterday morning on the way home from work.

The car made it about 10 miles from the dealer and it happened...

I was on the highway, doing about 60, when I pushed the accelerator to pass some cars. The engine made a big boom! It was so loud, the person that I was on the phone with (hands-free) heard it. Then the engine shuddered and the car decelerated to about 40mph. It wouldn't go any faster. After conferring with the dealer, I was able to limp back to their shop. The car stalled twice on the way there....

Speechless, but I predicted that this car would not ever be reliable again. So far, no one at Chrysler has been willing to have a serious conversation with me about the future of this car or how to make this right...

Eric

 

[eaglescout1987]

Epopper, any update on your situation? I am curious to know what happened.

 

[epopper]

I am going to post the rest of the story soon. Short answer for now is that I am in the middle of finishing a manufacturer buyback and have purchased a new 2015 GC Summit Diesel.

Eric

 

[jadsamra]

I bought a 2014 GC Summit last summer from Ziegler in Schaumburg. Slightly used with 5,000 miles.

This is the first car, since my high school beater that I have loved driving. The car is appointed nicely, comfortable, and I like the style. This was an upgrade from a 2005 Liberty CRD.

I did all of the research online and found the good and bad, but based on my Liberty experience (good) I took the plunge.

The car had a check engine light on the second day of ownership. My heart briefly sank, but after a catalytic converter replacement, I have had 11,000 trouble-free and enjoyable miles.

On January 7th, I was driving on the highway and noticed a slight "ticking" noise. After a few minutes I reached my exit and left the highway. At the top of the ramp, as I came to a stop, the engine faltered and seized. It was obvious from the noises that it made that it was a seizure.

There were no warning lights or any other indications of problems on the OBC.

The car is currently at Roesch, in Elmhurst, IL. The main bearing disintegrated and the debris took a tour of the engine. The car will require a brand new engine and several other accessories that were either affected by the problem or are one-time use and require replacement at the engine change. As of the writing of this, I will likely be without the car for 6 to 8 weeks minimum.

According to the service manager, he has seen other main bearing failures on this engine. There is another vehicle in his shop with the same problem.

Speaking to several other mechanics, they believe the problem is caused by the manufacturing process and how the engine crankcase was bored. If this isn't done perfectly, there is friction between the crankshaft and main bearing which leads to premature failure.

I believe that this is a systemic problem for these engines. Maybe it is just a group of engines that were manufactured around the same time.

So far I have no complaints with the service from Roesch. They have been proactive in assuring me that they will replace the engine under warranty and are contacting me a few times a week with status updates.

I am deeply concerned however about the car. Even with a new engine, there are no guarantees that I won't get another bad one. How do I trust that this car will keep my family safe?

Even if I get a good engine, these diesels are extremely complex. They are not designed to be replaced in the field and I am concerned that there will be problems with systems down the road as the result of the major surgery on the car.

I have been in contact with Jeep of North America. When you speak to them, they are very polite and I consider them to be excellent listeners. I have been assured that my problem is documented. Beyond that there has been no attempt to proffer a more thorough resolution to the problem. I have also received two phone calls from the "resolution team" but they also seem to only listen and document.

I post this so anyone who is considering one of these cars needs to be careful. I also hope that others who have had similar issues will post their stories to expose what I believe is a manufacturing flaw in these engines.

Eric

Eric

Great post and i really appreciate your time in write a full description.
I have also recently purchased a used 2014 Eco-Diesle.

My engine light also came on a week ago. I took it to the dealer and they said, i need a new Fuel filter but cant guarantee the problem will go away.

 

[epopper]

So the story has reached a conclusion!

About the time that I got the car back from the engine change and subsequent returns for related problems, the Chrysler Resolution Team called and offered a manufacturer re-purchase of the vehicle.

After discussion with my attorney, who had been monitoring the progress of this ordeal, we agreed to take it.

The short story is this:

1) It takes several weeks to complete the buyback process. There were long breaks between each communication and each step of the process.
2) It is outsourced to a company called Impartial Service Group.
3) There is little room for negotiation, but they do reimburse everything that you have in the car, including accessories, minus a mileage adjustment and damage.
4) The process, while lengthy was painless.

In the mean-time, I purchased a brand new 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Diesel from Russ-Darrow in Milwaukee. Yesterday, at 750 miles, the check engine light came on. Apparently, there is a TSB that refreshed some software to cure the problem. We will see!

Eric

 

[Patriot4971]

I have had nothing but problems with my Diesel Jeep GC 2014, with random quality and manufacturing related issues. I really have started to believe that these FCA jokers have no clue on how to make reliable vehicles and support them in the field.

 

[JeepDsl]

I have had nothing but problems with my Diesel Jeep GC 2014, with random quality and manufacturing related issues. I really have started to believe that these FCA jokers have no clue on how to make reliable vehicles and support them in the field.

I'm sorry you're having so much trouble with your 2014, but I'm also not really surprised since this was the first year of the new diesel. In November 1998, I bought a '99 JGC Limited - the first year of a major redesign. The driver's side rear view mirror fell off as I was driving away from the dealership. That was the beginning of a much troubled relationship between me and that Jeep. I learned to NEVER buy the first model year of any new or significantly redesigned vehicle, and I swore in 2000 that I would NOT own another Jeep, yet here I am.

Despite all the trouble I had with the '99, I kept fixing it and ran it for 17+ years because I couldn't find any other vehicle that fit my wants and needs as well as the JGC. When the diesel was announced, I finally decided to give Jeep another chance but waited a couple years to let other people work out the "new version" bugs. So, to you and all others who were early adopters, THANK YOU!

Thus far, about 5,000 miles and 4 months, my 2016 has been a dream. The only problem I've had was some peeling trim on the dash which the dealership quickly fixed under warranty. I get 28 mpg in average driving. Everyone who has ridden in it has been extremely impressed with the styling, ride and features.

I hope you and others with problem JGCs are able to get them fixed or exchanged and have better experiences with Jeep in the future.

 

[epopper]

I am 12,000 miles into the new 2015 GC Summit Diesel. So far, no problems other than the check engine light coming on once and a reprogram per a TSB that definitely solved the problem.

I love the car. The mileage is in the high 20's and depending on how I drive it can be close to 30 mpg. It does a great job towing my boat (5,000lbs) also.

I did have a self-generated hiccup. I took the car back to the dealer in Milwaukee for them to complete a protection package that wasn't applied to my satisfaction and accidentally put 20 gallons of unleaded gasoline in the car. Luckily, I caught myself before I started the car and had it towed back to the dealer. The tow truck driver couldn't figure out how to get the car into neutral though and tried to start it. Contamination made it to the engine, but no damage was done.

It cost ~$2,000 to clean the fuel system. I was able to claim this as a comprehensive claim with my insurance.

The moral of that story is don't talk on the phone while you fuel (I know I know) because it is a distraction. Also, I learned there is absolutely ZERO standardization in fuel pump colors or labeling. Where I live, in Illinois, most diesel pumps are green. Apparently, in Wisconsin, they are yellow, which is unleaded in Illinois.

Be careful out there!!

Eric

 

[trigge]

So four days ago (12/20/16) I‘m going over a mountain pass when I noticed my 2015 JGC Overland Eco-diesel felt rough. I turned down the radio and let off the gas to listen but nothing and the ride felt smooth again. I thought maybe it was the road…a tire out of balance??? but as I started to speed up it felt rough again. This was right as I crested the pass so now I’m out of the throttle and coasting downhill, ride seems good but I’m still not sure what that was. I scroll through the gauges, find the oil temp at 230 but going down. I did just climb about 1,500 feet so not too big a deal I think. Transmission temperature is fine, no warning lights…I keep going and I’m listening to the near idle engine, which seems to have an unfamiliar tick noise but it’s hardly noticeable. At the bottom of the pass (about 5 miles) I come to an intersection and stop. When I accelerate the ticking noise is definitely there now. I knew immediately it wasn’t right and I’m now B-lining it for the dealership, which is about 6 miles away. I come up to a major intersection with a red light. While sitting there, the ticking noise becomes a louder knocking sound. I’m scrolling through the gauges again when a low oil pressure warning flashes on. Now I’m thinking forget the dealership I’m going to park this thing. The light turns green and I eased into the throttle to try and get it to the nearby parking lot. Before I even cross the intersection there is a bad noise (like what you’d think an engine seizure would sound like) with a hard jolt . It didn’t feel good and it sounded worse! Engine is dead but I’m able to coast into the parking lot. I pop the hood, no smoke or anything scary so I check the oil-stick. Smoke comes out when I pull it but the oil level actually reads full and I check it again, still good but pretty black (remaining oil life gauge read 23%). I then opened the oil fill cap and more smoke comes out. At that point I knew I had one of those jeeps. I had just bought this jeep 9 weeks ago. When I was shopping, I came across a bunch of 2014 eco-diesels that were manufacturer buy backs being resold. Most of them were engine failures. That scared me but obviously not enough to completely stay away from buying a JGC eco-diesel. I came across my jeep in Littleton Colorado at AutoNation dealership (that’s another story but it’s worth mentioning them in this negative story). It was a 2015 with only 15,000 miles on it (now 21,000 and dead). It was significantly more expensive than the 2014 buybacks all over the internet but I figured, this is a year newer and surely they worked out those bugs, clear car fax, clean and complete maintenance history…it’s a safe buy. WRONG. The dealer I towed it to (not AutoNation) did call me back three days ago and said the engine was done. They pulled the oil pan and there was metal everywhere. It’s going to need a new engine and that is going to take some time (from similar posts I’ve read, we’re talking about months). I asked if I get a loaner and he thought I would but he has to see what Fiat-Chrysler Automotive will approve first. I haven’t heard back from anyone yet. It’s Christmas and I’m sure they’re off for the holiday…sarcasm.

 

[Kst8er]

Not sure that I would completely write off the vehicle if motor failed.

Here's my story... In 2009, I bought a 2006 Chevy Duramax w/ ~85k miles. Shortly there after I found thru a forum similar to this one that the motor had been replaced at ~30k. I owned that truck & traded it in on my current 2015 JGCED. Truck only had 260k miles on it. I never replaced anything that I would consider major. I had replaced tires, shocks, brakes, water pump, hoses & pulley bearing. I hauled over 12k lbs from STL to Portland, OR. I had 2 occasions when I got bad fuel. Swapped out the filter & it kept running like a champ. Main reason for trading was it was starting rust.

As I like to say... Smoke' if you got'm!!

 

[epopper]

My 2015 now has 43,000 miles on it. Running great and still happy!

Eric