[Robert]

Hello everyone,

I am new to the jeep world as I just purchased a 2014 grand cherokee limited EcoDiesel. For the first 3500 miles no problems and we loved the jeep. At just over 3500 the check engine light came on so I went by Oreilly's auto to see if they could read the code, none of there scanners would even recognize the car. I took it to the dealer who said it was P050E code "Cold Start Exhaust temperature to low". They put a software update on the computer and said everything was ok. 5 days later check engine came on again with same code so I took it back to the dealer (Autonation Broadway in Denver) and this time they said it was one of the 4 exhaust sensors that was bad so they replaced and said it was good to go. 3 days later same code thrown again and it;s now in the shop again with no word after two days. The only common denominator is when the check engine light goes off. We live 9600 foot altitude Conifer Colorado and my wife drives 30 miles down to Denver every morning. Everytime the check engine comes on is in the morning when its cool and she is driving down the mountain in 3rd gear with no accelerator use. We do not let the jeep warm up as we were told not to let diesels warm up because its bad for the catalytic converters.

Has anyone had this experience and if so could you share your experience.

Thanks

 

[ExcursionDiesel]

So your CEL comes on while engine breaking down a long hill?

I've never heard of a warmup being bad on the cat. The warmup is bad on the DPF not the Catalytic Converter. Excessive idling and city driving will fill up the DPF. If your wife drives 30 miles to/from work at nonstop speeds over 50, warm it up all you want. The DPF will have plenty of opportunities to regen and clean itself out.

 

[Robert]

So your CEL comes on while engine breaking down a long hill?

I've never heard of a warmup being bad on the cat. The warmup is bad on the DPF not the Catalytic Converter. Excessive idling and city driving will fill up the DPF. If your wife drives 30 miles to/from work at nonstop speeds over 50, warm it up all you want. The DPF will have plenty of opportunities to regen and clean itself out.

Thanks for the feedback. I had a 2001 Cummins but back then DEF was not around so not familiar. Anyway there is no reason the Jeep should throw a CEL because Exhaust temperature is too low and I just hope they can figure out how to fix it. It's been with the dealer for a week now and I have had no feedback. I called 3 days in and asked if the same code was being thrown and the response I got from my service advisor was he had not yet talked with the tech so he doesn't know. I also contacted Chrysler who called the dealer and asked them to log a case with Chrysler so that the engineers would get involved. I have low confidence this problem will be resolved and am thinking I will have to invoke the lemon law. I'll keep you posted.

 

[ExcursionDiesel]

Thanks for the feedback. I had a 2001 Cummins but back then DEF was not around so not familiar. Anyway there is no reason the Jeep should throw a CEL because Exhaust temperature is too low and I just hope they can figure out how to fix it. It's been with the dealer for a week now and I have had no feedback. I called 3 days in and asked if the same code was being thrown and the response I got from my service advisor was he had not yet talked with the tech so he doesn't know. I also contacted Chrysler who called the dealer and asked them to log a case with Chrysler so that the engineers would get involved. I have low confidence this problem will be resolved and am thinking I will have to invoke the lemon law. I'll keep you posted.

There is a reason for the code but you may not like it. Our diesel motors run rich when cold for some reason. The EGTs are higher during warmup. If during this warmup, which takes several minutes, you start down a hill with engine braking then EGTs will drop dramatically. Perhaps the engineers haven't accounted for this situation and you are getting a low EGT code. That is why you should try warming it up then driving to see if it still throws a code. If my hunch is correct, only an update will fix it...which they have been doing often. They have to have the details to understand the issue.

 

[Robert]

There is a reason for the code but you may not like it. Our diesel motors run rich when cold for some reason. The EGTs are higher during warmup. If during this warmup, which takes several minutes, you start down a hill with engine braking then EGTs will drop dramatically. Perhaps the engineers haven't accounted for this situation and you are getting a low EGT code. That is why you should try warming it up then driving to see if it still throws a code. If my hunch is correct, only an update will fix it...which they have been doing often. They have to have the details to understand the issue.

The dealer called today and said there is NOTHING new to report and they don't know what is wrong. I asked if engine braking before adequate warm-up could be the problem and they said NO and that they tried doing a warm up before driving but the code still is being thrown. I am not sure I believe them because the dealer is in Denver 4000ft lower than me and have no hills to do engine braking on. They also said the Exhaust Gas temperatures were normal and all 4 sensors were within 2 degrees of each other. I asked what the next step was and they said Chrysler engineers were working on it and that it was possibly the ECM or Harness but they don't just want to just throw parts at it unless they no for sure. My guess is they have NO clue and are holding onto my Jeep so that I don't bring it for the 4th time for the same problem. In Colorado the Lemon kicks into effect after a new car has been returned for service 4 times in a calendar year. What a shame that Chrysler made such a nice Grand Cherokee that is full of defects. I have read horror stories about the DEF system and was told it cost around $9k to repair one. Additionally I purchased the extended bumper to bumper warranty which is 8 years 120k miles but unfortunately NONE of the exhaust components are covered by the extended warranty, hmmmmm wonder why!!!!

 

[Robert]

Am I the only person who has had this problem? hard to believe.

 

[Robert]

UPDATE: Dealer said a Chrysler engineer came to the dealership for two days and was able to identify and repair the problem, at least it looks that way. We have had the jeep back for 7 days and the CEL has not come back on. They said it was a different sensor than the one they replaced the 2nd time, this sensor was the one inside the catalytic converter. We have been driving the jeep for 7 days now and no light, however we have been letting in warm up in the mornings before driving down the mountain so that could be why the CEL is not throwing P050E. I am afraid to just fire it up in the morning and then drive it down the mountain using the engine break like we did before when it was throwing the code. If the CEL goes again it will be the 4th time which means in the state of Colorado the Lemon Law kicks in.

What you guys do?

 

[ExcursionDiesel]

If they where able to replicate the problem at the dealer and a sensor swap made it go away, it's probably fixed. If you like your Jeep, keep it. If it sets a code engine breaking on a huge hill while cold, either recognize that is the problem and live with it or lemon law it. If you want to keep it and have had a Jeep factory engineer work on it, personally I'd give them a shot at working out a fix. It could be a software issue.

The CAT is supposed to operate at a certain temperature to function correctly. The vehicle's on board diagnostics test for proper function. Engine braking a diesel will drop it's exhaust gas temperature drastically and cool down the Cat. They probably never thought about what a cold start and imediate long downhill run would do. They should be able to program the ECU to accommodate this.

 

[Robert]

If they where able to replicate the problem at the dealer and a sensor swap made it go away, it's probably fixed. If you like your Jeep, keep it. If it sets a code engine breaking on a huge hill while cold, either recognize that is the problem and live with it or lemon law it. If you want to keep it and have had a Jeep factory engineer work on it, personally I'd give them a shot at working out a fix. It could be a software issue.

The CAT is supposed to operate at a certain temperature to function correctly. The vehicle's on board diagnostics test for proper function. Engine braking a diesel will drop it's exhaust gas temperature drastically and cool down the Cat. They probably never thought about what a cold start and imediate long downhill run would do. They should be able to program the ECU to accommodate this.

Thanks ExcursionDiesel: I am sure you are correct about not anticipating and programming for immediate drives while code using engine breaking. This was the 3rd time the jeep was in for the same problem and the first time was software update to the latest. Other than this problem we love the GGC Diesel so far and really want it. What is your opinion on these new DEF Diesels and letting them idle? I was told two different things 1) Try to never let them idle because its bad for the CAT, 2) As long as you are taking it for a long drive after you let it idle in the morning then you are ok because the heat will build up and burn off any soot build up during the idling in the morning.

Thanks for all you feedback

 

[ExcursionDiesel]

What is your opinion on these new DEF Diesels and letting them idle? I was told two different things 1) Try to never let them idle because its bad for the CAT, 2) As long as you are taking it for a long drive after you let it idle in the morning then you are ok because the heat will build up and burn off any soot build up during the idling in the morning.

Thanks for all you feedback

#2 is generally the right idea. A 5 to 10 minute warmup is not of consequence if you drive above 45 mph steadily for 20 minutes or more as a regular usage pattern. The folks that don't need to idle are the city only drivers who will be forced to "take a regen drive" when their DPF reaches 80%....not good!

Our vehicles don't just build heat...they intentionally create heat by dumping raw diesel into the exhaust stroke and out the manifold, through the turbo, and into the Diesel Particulate Filter. The fuel gets caught in the filter and incinerates the trapped soot at 1200°F. This is called an active regeneration cycle and occurs when the filter is full enough to create backpressure...around 20% of full. Under typically 50/50 non-aggressive driving, I've observed it every 150 miles or so. It can stretch to every 300 miles on long trips.

Since you drive down a long grade everyday, that means you have to return up the same hill. That hill climb will help keep your DPF cleaned out. The DPF regens passively also when EGTs reach 1100°F and that's easy to do on a big hill.

 

[Robert]

It came on for the 4th time and this time the dealer installed rev 4 of an existing flash which was released just two days prior to my CEL coming on again. It's been 3 weeks since the flash and have yet to have the CEL come back on. I hope it;s finally resolved.

 

[Fred A]

Hello everyone,

I am new to the jeep world as I just purchased a 2014 grand cherokee limited EcoDiesel. For the first 3500 miles no problems and we loved the jeep. At just over 3500 the check engine light came on so I went by Oreilly's auto to see if they could read the code, none of there scanners would even recognize the car. I took it to the dealer who said it was P050E code "Cold Start Exhaust temperature to low". They put a software update on the computer and said everything was ok. 5 days later check engine came on again with same code so I took it back to the dealer (Autonation Broadway in Denver) and this time they said it was one of the 4 exhaust sensors that was bad so they replaced and said it was good to go. 3 days later same code thrown again and it;s now in the shop again with no word after two days. The only common denominator is when the check engine light goes off. We live 9600 foot altitude Conifer Colorado and my wife drives 30 miles down to Denver every morning. Everytime the check engine comes on is in the morning when its cool and she is driving down the mountain in 3rd gear with no accelerator use. We do not let the jeep warm up as we were told not to let diesels warm up because its bad for the catalytic converters.

Has anyone had this experience and if so could you share your experience.

Thanks

I have a 2014 Ram 1500 with the same engine. It thru the P050E code at 23,000 mile and has been on and off for 20,000 miles. My dealer, Christopher Dodge in Golden resets the code but it comes right back on. I was told Ram does not have a solution and that I'll have to live with it. The only good news is that the truck runs fine. The code turns off sometimes after filling the fuel tank and will stay off for a tank or two but then comes back on. My dealer insists that I will have to wait for Ram to come up with a software fix. Until then….

 

[Brewster]

Wonder why they don't check about replacing 'sensor'? :

OBDII diagnostics. Trouble code definition for code P050E