2020 JT 29,000 miles Rear Main Seal Already

[Techatomicus]

Not sure what I’m hoping to get from posting this other than feeling like I was able to vent my growing frustration. Been a jeep guy since I started driving as my first car was a ‘95 XJ. Had two of those, a JKU, and just a few weeks ago pulled the trigger on a 2020 Rubicon Gladiator with 28,xxx miles on it and mild mods. I’m in California and the Gladiator was in Henderson Nevada. Pulled the trigger, flew out, grabbed it, drove it to LA as the wind and fires were intensifying, got out and drove home to the San Jose Bay Area but when in LA on the city streets got hit with the worst death wobble I’ve ever experienced. On the highway though like a freight train. Get home and after a couple days take it to my local jeep shop and have them check and then replace the worn out steering components with a Metalcloak set. Drive around a bit on the way home and never get any wobble so ok that should be that. First upgrade and dump of money and I haven’t even owned it a week. Next day I notice a massive oil spot underneath it and initially think it’s power steering fluid due to the amount and the reservoir is almost completely empty. Go back to the shop, owner starts crawling around and says no not power steering leak, possibly oil cooler. Ok, I know those are known to be bad on these, was hoping it’d be a while before I had to address it since I’m below 30,000 miles but again this is known and not a total surprise. Leave it over the weekend and get the call this morning that the oil cooler and surrounding area is bone dry, not leaking. Hello rear main seal! Shop owner says in all the years he’s been working on these new engines he’s never seen a rear main seal go bad with such low miles. I haven’t even finished registering and transferring the vehicle to me here in California as it’s been on a lift more than I’ve driven it here at home. Can’t get vin verification, can’t get a smog check done cuz I’m dumping over $3k in repairs before I even get the chance to drive it to have those things handled. Should have it back tomorrow so we will see if I have continued issues or if I got the worst of it out of the way in the first days of owning this thing until I really start to drive it and encounter the normal expected maintenance that I know love and anticipate. Again no real point or question in this post other than venting in a space I know will sympathize and relate.

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[Hootbro]

That is always the risk of buying used is that you are sometimes buying somebody else's now former problem. Been more than a few threads of others having like issues.

Edit: If you can find out the first "in service" date of the vehicle, you may still have warranty left on the 5/60 powertrain warranty.

 

[Charles 236]

Definitely find out the in service date and if there is power train warranty left. If there is, I would definitely use it. Speaking from personal and professional experience, doing a rear main seal on a Gladiator is pretty good job. I have seen a block machined incorrectly, causing the rear seal to leak because the seal didn't center properly on the crankshaft.

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