New JT Gladiator Steering Issue TSB 08-074-20 (for "Improved Steering Feel")

[CDelRio]

Hello all the way from San Francisco CA. Got a call from my dealer on Friday that my parts came in and that could of drop of Monday. Drop of today and they told me it was a 2 day job. Should I be concern about the alignment is the dealer going to do it for me?

thanks.

Sponsored

 

[Bacon]

My

My new steering gearbox took 2 days to install. Mostly because of the three new computer flashes

I’ve already had ECM flashes, so hopefully it’s just the one related to the hydro unit. Still, it shouldn’t take them that long to do the updates. Fingers crossed

 

[Mouse]

HDrop of today and they told me it was a 2 day job. Should I be concern about the alignment is the dealer going to do it for me?
thanks.

No, no alignment needed except for centering the steering wheel. I'd be more concerned that they want two days. If I took my time replacing it, I would take a couple hours.

 

[Riccochet]

I don't believe it to be a supply issue. If that were the case then we wouldn't be seeing people say "dealer told me 2 months for parts, I opened a case with Jeep Cares and got parts in a week".

You know what that tells me? Either the dealers are being lazy and the pay on the TSB isn't worth it, or the dealers are being told by FCA to push as many people back as possible. See, they don't care if you trade in your JT for something else. They already got paid. And it's a second win for the dealer and FCA if you trade in for a Ram.

It's all politics. You really aren't hearing about the steering issue outside of small online circles. So the majority of people are either just living with it or moving on to a different vehicle.

Some bad wrecks/deaths would get the NHTSA involved and push a recall.

 

[Rollcast]

My parts are still in the ether.

 

[Rollcast]

Post 1941 in this thread!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I don't believe it to be a supply issue. If that were the case then we wouldn't be seeing people say "dealer told me 2 months for parts, I opened a case with Jeep Cares and got parts in a week".

You know what that tells me? Either the dealers are being lazy and the pay on the TSB isn't worth it, or the dealers are being told by FCA to push as many people back as possible. See, they don't care if you trade in your JT for something else. They already got paid. And it's a second win for the dealer and FCA if you trade in for a Ram.

It's all politics. You really aren't hearing about the steering issue outside of small online circles. So the majority of people are either just living with it or moving on to a different vehicle.

Some bad wrecks/deaths would get the NHTSA involved and push a recall.

Supply CHAIN, not supply as far as raw numbers. There's a difference. If the high population areas need a lot but can't get them that's a different thing than "there aren't any to be had".

 

[MrZappo]

Thanks. It should be a recall.

Sure .... That would be great ... I agree ...

That wouldn't fix the supply chain ... In fact, it would probably slow it down more than it already is ... They would have 10x the number of requests likely ...

Mine took 2.5 months to come in ... After 5 missed dates ... Finally got here ...

All well now ...

 

[MrZappo]

I don't believe it to be a supply issue. If that were the case then we wouldn't be seeing people say "dealer told me 2 months for parts, I opened a case with Jeep Cares and got parts in a week".

You know what that tells me? Either the dealers are being lazy and the pay on the TSB isn't worth it, or the dealers are being told by FCA to push as many people back as possible. See, they don't care if you trade in your JT for something else. They already got paid. And it's a second win for the dealer and FCA if you trade in for a Ram.

It's all politics. You really aren't hearing about the steering issue outside of small online circles. So the majority of people are either just living with it or moving on to a different vehicle.

Some bad wrecks/deaths would get the NHTSA involved and push a recall.

They dont care if you move on to a different vehicle ? That makes no sense ... The value of a repeat customer is huge ... This is a business like any other .. You might trade it in on a Tundra correct ?

The way they have handled this is poor ... Yep .. And they are a big slow moving company yep ...
But its business ... They are not going to piss off and lose a bunch of people who can afford 50k vehicles ... Not intentionally ...

That may be the net effect of their bureaucracy sure ... No one screws over customers intentionally ..

 

[may79]

A little help would be appreciated. I was supposed to have my steering gear replaced this morning. I was told it was complete and picked it up. The dealer gave me no paperwork which I thought was odd, I even asked and they said I was good to go. I noticed no real difference on the short drive home. When I got home curiosity got the better of me, so I visually checked the gear. See the attached photo, I thought it was supposed to be black steel. This looks like aluminum; am I looking at the wrong thing?

 

[NC_Overland]

Following up on post #1923... anyone else experiencing the noise/whistle from steering area (in-cabin) after performing the TSB?

Not sure about a whistle, but when my steering box was replaced back in the spring (with another of the old style unit) I had a noise from the pump. It was low on fluid. I topped it off with that weird, super expensive fluid they use and the noise went away.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

A little help would be appreciated. I was supposed to have my steering gear replaced this morning. I was told it was complete and picked it up. The dealer gave me no paperwork which I thought was odd, I even asked and they said I was good to go. I noticed no real difference on the short drive home. When I got home curiosity got the better of me, so I visually checked the gear. See the attached photo, I thought it was supposed to be black steel. This looks like aluminum; am I looking at the wrong thing?

That's the aluminum original. They MUST have you sign off on it being completed and give you papers. Unless they are FORGING, they can't get reimbursed without your sig showing it was done and you acknowledge it was done.
I'd contact them and tell them - NO, it was NOT done or find another dealer to verify (takes 2 minutes tops) that it's original and not changed out so you are on record as having the old gear, still.
The TSB is clear - it's not just a "flash" or software update.
something is definitely off here

 

[hemigeno]

A little help would be appreciated. I was supposed to have my steering gear replaced this morning. I was told it was complete and picked it up. The dealer gave me no paperwork which I thought was odd, I even asked and they said I was good to go. I noticed no real difference on the short drive home. When I got home curiosity got the better of me, so I visually checked the gear. See the attached photo, I thought it was supposed to be black steel. This looks like aluminum; am I looking at the wrong thing?

Is it just me, or does it look like someone tried to wipe off the label with solvent or something to make it illegible?

The last few digits of the old/original part number are 8449AE. That's still readable on the label. They did not replace your steering box.

 

[may79]

Thanks, this really burns me. They did something as there is fluid spilled around the gear box. I reached out to @JeepCares and will also call the dealer first thing tomorrow.

 

[Riccochet]

They dont care if you move on to a different vehicle ? That makes no sense ... The value of a repeat customer is huge ... This is a business like any other .. You might trade it in on a Tundra correct ?

The way they have handled this is poor ... Yep .. And they are a big slow moving company yep ...
But its business ... They are not going to piss off and lose a bunch of people who can afford 50k vehicles ... Not intentionally ...

That may be the net effect of their bureaucracy sure ... No one screws over customers intentionally ..

Of course we don't have access to the numbers they are seeing. If the amount of people actually reporting steering issues is small enough, and their potential for "lost sales" is small enough, it's enough of a reason to not make much effort to resolve it.

I buy $50-70k trucks every 3 years. I'm not brand loyal though. I go with whoever is going to give me the best deal on the most decked out truck that suits my needs. The only reason I have a JT is because my wife will be driving it 90% of the time. And she wanted top down / doors off capability to match her daily Rubicon. Otherwise, to be honest, I would have bought a Tacoma.

Basically, bean counters make decisions based on the beans in front of them. If the retention isn't an issue then it's not an issue.

Sponsored