3.6L Pentastar V6 Engine Failure

[golfman1982]

I hope everyone's experience with their Gladiator has been better than mine. I am looking for advice:

I have a 2020 Jeep Gladiator with a 6-1/2" Lift 40" Tires and re-geared to 5:13. I had my check engine light come on at 61,500 miles. I took it in and had 3 spark plugs replaced, oil changed, and some new tires. 3 days later the light is back, this time I took it to the Jeep Dealership and low and behold I need a new engine. I have personally bought 3 consecutive Jeep / Chrysler products and my family has bought quite a few. I tried working with customer service on a warranty claim but they claim poor maintenance. I provided receipts and bank statements backing up my oil change history. I even let them know that I was willing to work on a split bill. The customer "Care Team" has been anything but that. Never once did they return a call or email. I had to initiate everything.

There are also a litany of other issues:
*Dash lights stay on when doors are off
*I have replaced the Aux Battery Twice Already
*The backup camera also quit working.

I guess being a loyal customer doesn't pay off anymore.

***Buyer Beware on the 3.6L Pentastar V6 Engine****

The internet calls it the "Sludge Brick", I am inclined to believe them.

Yours Truly
Once Loyal Jeep Owner

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[jac04]

I learned something new today. 3.6 Pentastar = "Sludge Brick" according to the interwebs.

I guess being a loyal customer doesn't pay off anymore.

Correct. Most manufacturers could care less how loyal you are. If you bought a bunch of vehicles from the same dealership, then the dealership may try to help out on your behalf. But when it comes to warranty the dealership is at the mercy of Jeep.

 

[golfman1982]

I learned something new today. 3.6 Pentastar = "Sludge Brick" according to the interwebs.



Correct. Most manufacturers could care less how loyal you are. If you bought a bunch of vehicles from the same dealership, then the dealership may try to help out on your behalf. But when it comes to warranty the dealership is at the mercy of Jeep.


I know it's just frustrating!

 

[HorneyBadger]

Hmm, 6.5" lift, 40" tires. 5.13 gears. Are you still running the Dana 44's or did you upgrade to Dana 60's? On the other issues, did you go in for warranty work. Seems like the stuff is out of warranty. Power Train warranty is out the window with the current setup. Sounds like a fishing expedition. Glad to see you have such a high thread and message count.

BTW, welcome to the forum!

 

[golfman1982]

Hmm, 6.5" lift, 40" tires. 5.13 gears. Are you still running the Dana 44's or did you upgrade to Dana 60's? On the other issues, did you go in for warranty work. Seems like the stuff is out of warranty. Power Train warranty is out the window with the current setup. Sounds like a fishing expedition. Glad to see you have such a high thread and message count.

BTW, welcome to the forum!

Lift does note affect warranty of engine and transmission. Yes, I was 1,500 outside of warranty but manufacturer's typically will assist on a good faith basis.

 

[Gvsukids]

***Buyer Beware on the 3.6L Pentastar V6 Engine****

There's a thread for warranty issues.
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/forums/issues-repairs-warranty-tsb-recalls.30/

 

[J-GriffsGlad]

Esh! I'm sorry to hear about your bad luck (as our histories align but experiences do not). I am on Jeep #5. Two of which had the 3.6 Pentastar. My 2020 JT only has 32,000 miles on it right now, but no back up camera, dash lights, battery, OR any problems honestly. No recalls. Nothing. IF I had to complain about anything it'd be the Bluetooth/radios they put in these things. Occasionally mine just will not connect to my phone OR goes off all together while I am driving. About the time I say "what the actual F..." it just turns back on. Otherwise I had great experiences with Jeep's engine and transmission combinations. My issues have always been their electrical but as it's a known problem to me now, I just order the manual / lowest tech package possible to avoid those nightmares. The 3.6 has a pretty good reputation and is almost unanimously regarded as a huge step up from the 3.8 (statistically it is more efficient, more reliable, and has more power (285 HP vs 202) than the 3.8L). While the 3.6 may not be as reliable as say, Jeep's old 4.0L, it will run circles around that platform (190 hp with way worse mpg). In general, the 3.6 is more complex (higher compression ratio, double the valves, etc) and that causes more cost. The 3.8 was simpler, easy to work on and therefore more cost friendly. As a whole though, I think your 3.6 problem is super unlucky as the 3.6 is known to hit minimum 150k and maximum 300k before it dies. Maybe the worst possible outcome as you were just outside the warranty window...

 

[golfman1982]

Esh! I'm sorry to hear about your bad luck (as our histories align but experiences do not). I am on Jeep #5. Two of which had the 3.6 Pentastar. My 2020 JT only has 32,000 miles on it right now, but no back up camera, dash lights, battery, OR any problems honestly. No recalls. Nothing. IF I had to complain about anything it'd be the Bluetooth/radios they put in these things. Occasionally mine just will not connect to my phone OR goes off all together while I am driving. About the time I say "what the actual F..." it just turns back on. Otherwise I had great experiences with Jeep's engine and transmission combinations. My issues have always been their electrical but as it's a known problem to me now, I just order the manual / lowest tech package possible to avoid those nightmares. The 3.6 has a pretty good reputation and is almost unanimously regarded as a huge step up from the 3.8 (statistically it is more efficient, more reliable, and has more power (285 HP vs 202) than the 3.8L). While the 3.6 may not be as reliable as say, Jeep's old 4.0L, it will run circles around that platform (190 hp with way worse mpg). In general, the 3.6 is more complex (higher compression ratio, double the valves, etc) and that causes more cost. The 3.8 was simpler, easy to work on and therefore more cost friendly. As a whole though, I think your 3.6 problem is super unlucky as the 3.6 is known to hit minimum 150k and maximum 300k before it dies. Maybe the worst possible outcome as you were just outside the warranty window...

Thanks for your feedback, it seems my life lately is full of bad luck!

 

[John Lenheiser]

I wouldn't expect Jeep to offer any assistance on a highly modified Jeep, we all know this as it is talked about on this forum all the time. Now should the engine have lasted longer then 61,000 miles, sure, but only you know how it was taken care and driven. I would look into a Chevy V8 and get some real power in your Jeep, by your description of your Jeep spending more money shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Jackpaul]

I hope everyone's experience with their Gladiator has been better than mine. I am looking for advice:

I have a 2020 Jeep Gladiator with a 6-1/2" Lift 40" Tires and re-geared to 5:13. I had my check engine light come on at 61,500 miles. I took it in and had 3 spark plugs replaced, oil changed, and some new tires. 3 days later the light is back, this time I took it to the Jeep Dealership and low and behold I need a new engine. I have personally bought 3 consecutive Jeep / Chrysler products and my family has bought quite a few. I tried working with customer service on a warranty claim but they claim poor maintenance. I provided receipts and bank statements backing up my oil change history. I even let them know that I was willing to work on a split bill. The customer "Care Team" has been anything but that. Never once did they return a call or email. I had to initiate everything.

There are also a litany of other issues:
*Dash lights stay on when doors are off
*I have replaced the Aux Battery Twice Already
*The backup camera also quit working.

I guess being a loyal customer doesn't pay off anymore.

***Buyer Beware on the 3.6L Pentastar V6 Engine****

The internet calls it the "Sludge Brick", I am inclined to believe them.

Yours Truly
Once Loyal Jeep Owner

Any chance you can get a second opinion? I’m probably missing something, but if it’s running and only a check engine light is on there might be cheaper ways to address. “New engine “ is not really a final answer unless it’s seized or something totally not repairable.

The other stuff you mentioned sound electrical in nature, dash lights and backup camera could be related to a performance chip…do you run a tazer or similar product?

Hopefully when you changed the aux battery, you also change the main, as this is a running debate here, But it worked for me.

Post purchase service is already a bitch with any Jeep, I can’t even imagine now with this! Best of luck

 

[BUZZHEAD]

HMM not modified, probably a mall crawler.
I agree engine should and hope last longer then 61 grand if maintained properly. One reason why I bought an extended warranty.
Sorry for your luck but been buying jeeps since the late seventies . Don't blame jeep if you abused it yes they have some issues but every automaker does.
Welcome to the forum.

 

[Snake Eyes]

My 2022 is still stock, bought the 8 year extended warranty and have all the work including oil changes done by the dealer. So far so good though no issues at all since I bought it. Once out of warranty there is no business reason to expect Jeep to cover it. Large modifications make it even more so.

My dealer is great with me.

I always wonder why some owners show up to a forum years after they purchase only when everything goes to crap and to bitch about it and ask for help at that point like they are old friends. I joined the forum before delivery. Everyone here has such great advice to try and keep people out of everything going to crap in the first place

 

[Hootbro]

What exactly made them call the whole engine? Some 2020 models dealt with cam and lifter issues that did not require a engine change to fix.

Was the dealer the same one you bought the vehicle originally from? Goodwill repairs are a hard swing if you took it to anybody else besides where you bought it from.

 

[Mjolnir]

Whats the exact issue that is causing the need for a "new engine"?

Regardless, you're out of warranty. That is what happens with any manufacturer. Might as well drop a Hemi in it now.

There are tens of MILLIONS of the 3.6 that have been made with a low % of failures. Quit the crap with the 'buyer beware". I hate the 3.6 personally, and can't wait to engine swap it but damn, you take it to the extreme.

 

[Chestnut]

First search result under "sludge brick engine" that is car related points to Toyota. Mind you it was 6 pages in. Aparently making bricks from sewage sludge is a thing, learned something new and useful from this thread.

If the engine is full of sludge I'd say that it's the oil choice, not the engine or jeep's fault.

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