3 for 3. My wife’s now too afraid to drive the Gladiator.

[DesertDog]

Right now we’re stuck in Butt Montana. Wife’s pretty pissed. Jeep only covers $1,000 during a trip when a Jeep becomes undriveable. Third trip. Third nightmare. This time the message was Exhaust service….see dealer (!) . Good luck with that one! Pressing the U Connect button is as worthless as “seeing your dealer” to try to get an oil or fuel filter. We’re traveling with animals so I have to leave her in a hotel 500 miles from home. I’m giving the dealer 2 days and then I have to figure out something survivable. No rental cars available one way. Hotels are full after Monday. I have one day left to be at work in Amsterdam so we’re so screwed and Jeep just says “ Yeah. It’s bad”. When will they ever get their shit together? Limp mode might be acceptable near civilization but it’s a matter of life and death out in the desert, which is where this piece of shit always fails.
Sorry for the rant. Desperate here.

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[TroutFishingInAmerica]

I would get out of Butt and maybe go to Butte, lots of interesting cool old buildings and history there. If Butte is not for you Chico Hot Springs is a personal favorite of mine. You're having a adventure if you like it or not. It's a Jeep thing. Honestly, good luck my friend, I really have nothing to say but keep a positive thought.

 

[DesertDog]

LOL. Siri Voice dictation. Need to get out of Butt. : ) And you’re right about Chico. That has been a favorite of ours for decades. We used to love it when you could land on the road and tie down in front of your room. Now an hour and 20 minute flight from Salt Lake takes eight or nine hours in the jeep. Colin has always run a great operation there. unfortunately, time is up for this adventure. This vehicle needs to be abandoned today. Heading to the airport in an hour. If I’m not in Amsterdam tomorrow I get fired. The thing that’s got my wife riled is that these computer codes and never ending errors that caused her to go into limp mode is really a dangerous situation. Being stranded 100 miles from Moab with two dogs and two horses in the most unforgiving desert was the last straw. Then I talked her into one more trip to get our son to college. Again. Stuck in the middle of nowhere with a brand new vehicle under warranty. At least this time she’s not trying to save her horses life because of these ridiculously dangerous and unreliable computers that Jeep is unable to do anything about.

Sitting in the hotel room and reading about this eco-diesel shit it looks like there are two options.

1. Break the law and go with the bypass kit and hope the computers don’t freak out too much.

2. Literally risk your life every time you drive beyond cellular coverage. We have learned to carry 30 gallons of water but sheesh. Is all this unworkable technical garbage with proven unreliability really the only option?

 

[Readyt]

Damn! So sorry for that. I'm getting happier every day that I have a 2020, with pre pandemic chips and someone who really wanted to work and build it right. Just drove mine 4000 miles Dallas to the Rubicon and back with zero issues and 22 mpg. 2020 Overland gas, not diesel.

 

[Minty JL]

These issues are the sole reason I didn't buy the EcoDiesel. I'm not forking out near $6k for an option that makes the truck unreliable. I just don't have the time in my normal schedule to be going back and forth to the dealership.

Sucks your vacation got trashed because of an unreliable vehicle that you paid good money for.

 

[SteveInOrlando]

LOL. Siri Voice dictation. Need to get out of Butt. : ) And you’re right about Chico. That has been a favorite of ours for decades. We used to love it when you could land on the road and tie down in front of your room. Now an hour and 20 minute flight from Salt Lake takes eight or nine hours in the jeep. Colin has always run a great operation there. unfortunately, time is up for this adventure. This vehicle needs to be abandoned today. Heading to the airport in an hour. If I’m not in Amsterdam tomorrow I get fired. The thing that’s got my wife riled is that these computer codes and never ending errors that caused her to go into limp mode is really a dangerous situation. Being stranded 100 miles from Moab with two dogs and two horses in the most unforgiving desert was the last straw. Then I talked her into one more trip to get our son to college. Again. Stuck in the middle of nowhere with a brand new vehicle under warranty. At least this time she’s not trying to save her horses life because of these ridiculously dangerous and unreliable computers that Jeep is unable to do anything about.

Sitting in the hotel room and reading about this eco-diesel shit it looks like there are two options.

1. Break the law and go with the bypass kit and hope the computers don’t freak out too much.

2. Literally risk your life every time you drive beyond cellular coverage. We have learned to carry 30 gallons of water but sheesh. Is all this unworkable technical garbage with proven unreliability really the only option?

I would love to tell you this is unusual, but in the big truck industry they have been fighting the DEF tanks and all the exhaust emissions nightmares for almost a decade, and they are still a headache for them too. This is Jeep's first stab at the DEF game. It was bound to have a few nightmares.

When I was a Detroit Diesel maintenance manager in 2009, I can't count the number of trucks towed in with issues related to the exhaust and limp mode.

I would say a couple of things. 1. Always carry a small container of DEF fluid. 2. Ensure you are letting it get hot enough to do a regen cycle. I don't know the exact specifics on regen cycles for the Jeep, maybe a few diesel owners can sound off. Sorry, I know this doesn't help now.

I can tell you that I had a car break down on vacation with a specialty part I couldn't get in the local area. I rented a U-Haul truck and trailer and towed it home. Was it expensive? HELL YES, but I got home before I was AWOL.

 

[Minty JL]

I would love to tell you this is unusual, but in the big truck industry they have been fighting the DEF tanks and all the exhaust emissions nightmares for almost a decade, and they are still a headache for them too. This is Jeep's first stab at the DEF game. It was bound to have a few nightmares.

When I was a Detroit Diesel maintenance manager in 2009, I can't count the number of trucks towed in with issues related to the exhaust and limp mode.

I would say a couple of things. 1. Always carry a small container of DEF fluid. 2. Ensure you are letting it get hot enough to do a regen cycle. I don't know the exact specifics on regen cycles for the Jeep, maybe a few diesel owners can sound off. Sorry, I know this doesn't help now.

I can tell you that I had a car break down on vacation with a specialty part I couldn't get in the local area. I rented a U-Haul truck and trailer and towed it home. Was it expensive? HELL YES, but I got home before I was AWOL.

That cost incurred was definitely worth it to not be AWOL.

 

[Lunentucker]

Any chance these issues are related to a failing AUX battery? Do the diesels have that?

 

[DesertDog]

All good stuff. Yes. We carry spare DEF. I’m trying now to call individual rental car companies as their websites simply want to know pick up and drop off locations to which they say “unavailable”. The Gladiator
is now officially abandoned. Lost work will soon exceed the cost of the truck. Enough screwing around. If this goes on until Tuesday I’m just going to have to have her buy another vehicle. So far, no other options. I had no idea how inadequate the “ up to $1000“ would be in remote locations. something I didn’t really think about with a new vehicle under warranty. My bad.

 

[JT Thomas]

Man I hate this for you. Maybe it is time for @JeepCares to step up?

 

[Snake Eyes]

Wow. Good luck on getting to work and getting the wife home sans vehicle. Glad I did not get eco diesel. There have been so many nightmare stories. Again, good luck.

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

All good stuff. Yes. We carry spare DEF. I’m trying now to call individual rental car companies as their websites simply want to know pick up and drop off locations to which they say “unavailable”. The Gladiator
is now officially abandoned. Lost work will soon exceed the cost of the truck. Enough screwing around. If this goes on until Tuesday I’m just going to have to have her buy another vehicle. So far, no other options. I had no idea how inadequate the “ up to $1000“ would be in remote locations. something I didn’t really think about with a new vehicle under warranty. My bad.

If you are in an employment position that a single break down and loss of work for a day will exceed the cost of the vehicle. Couple things:
I don’t recommend planning a remote vacation/trip within a couple days prior to travel- the reality is anything can happen. Car accident? Any vehicle can have maintenance issues…
Second, you already stated the vehicle costs less than the income loss from this trip. Go buy a vehicle, drive it home and sell it once the gladiator is done. ??‍.
Risk mitigation, crisis management, it’s life. I hope your trip to Amsterdam is a good one and puts your mind at ease.

Another note- $1,000 for a tow bill is usually for a short trip- 20 miles out of town etc. our last experience having an f350 flat towed 120 miles ram more than $3k…. AAA and insurance help.

I mean, I am sorry that your vehicle is having issues. ??‍ I drive a similar emissions equipped Jeep… so I guess I’m playing Russian roulette as well. Hopefully they will get you turned around in a couple days. - I would find an alternative plan though, it’s likely the dpf and possibly more needs to be cleaned (which I Doubt they will do) and may need to be replaced.

in the future- check out a scan Guage (2 or 3) and monitor soot levels. This will at least allow you to see what’s going on and start making preparations a little?? Sooner?

 

[DesertDog]

That’s why we’ve abandoned the vehicle. I would buy another but this one is leaving a bad taste in my mouth. (third Jeep in two years. Buying a fourth might cause marital problems ) I’m letting her make the call on what to do. I’ve already flown out. I think she’s about to do the same.

 

[Orange01z28]

LOL. Siri Voice dictation. Need to get out of Butt. : ) And you’re right about Chico. That has been a favorite of ours for decades. We used to love it when you could land on the road and tie down in front of your room. Now an hour and 20 minute flight from Salt Lake takes eight or nine hours in the jeep. Colin has always run a great operation there. unfortunately, time is up for this adventure. This vehicle needs to be abandoned today. Heading to the airport in an hour. If I’m not in Amsterdam tomorrow I get fired. The thing that’s got my wife riled is that these computer codes and never ending errors that caused her to go into limp mode is really a dangerous situation. Being stranded 100 miles from Moab with two dogs and two horses in the most unforgiving desert was the last straw. Then I talked her into one more trip to get our son to college. Again. Stuck in the middle of nowhere with a brand new vehicle under warranty. At least this time she’s not trying to save her horses life because of these ridiculously dangerous and unreliable computers that Jeep is unable to do anything about.

Sitting in the hotel room and reading about this eco-diesel shit it looks like there are two options.

1. Break the law and go with the bypass kit and hope the computers don’t freak out too much.

2. Literally risk your life every time you drive beyond cellular coverage. We have learned to carry 30 gallons of water but sheesh. Is all this unworkable technical garbage with proven unreliability really the only option?

Bypass kit. It's the only way

 

[KWin]

I feel for you. the worst is when you buy it they have a ton of ads about trip continuation guarantee and are rated highly on reliability... I have no idea how jeep has high reliability ratings as every jeep owner smiles knowingly everytime they talk about them breaking.
I wish I could do something for you, and I think you posting here is the best help anyone can get because jeep does monitor the forums. If enough people lose their trips jeep will improve coverage or people will know not to buy one.

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