Another Cam bites the dust...

[Stan H]

People keep on showing up, having bought one, and never heard of any cam failures until they joined a social media group.

So I doubt the value of good publicity here.

99% of buyers buy these things because they're buying an image, same as shopping at Columbia, REI, drinking pregame and protein shakes, etc etc.

Jeep isn't losing any buyers or sleep over this.

Easy on the protein shakes I gotta save my muscle mass somehow

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[Zachanadandy]

The cam failure is A KNOWN ISSUE with the 3.6L. The cause, frequency, source of the failure, however, isn't known (at least publicly). All the anecdotal evidence provided here display that.

Since the failures occur at any point in time, regardless of driving habits, locations, oil type, on-road or off-road, that points to a mechanical failure based on parts quality and/or design flaw.

And since the overwhelming majority of issues are Cyl 1 (I can't recall another cylinder event), that points to a likely design flaw.

Putting in a new cam kit doesn't solve the problem if it's a design flaw, it solves the symptom of the problem and kicks the can down the road.

Offering a benefit to customers that would be a minimal expense for Jeep yet would be viewed as a company doing the right thing and end up buying some loyalty from customers on the fence.

If the cam kit actually does survive, Jeep doesn't pay anything but has gained favorable positioning with customers and potential customers.



If people are dumping them that early, then it's a minimal cost to Jeep but publicly it's tremendous goodwill.

"Known issue"... on Jeep forums. There's a reason why almost nobody heard about it or worried about it before they bought their Jeep. I'd still argue it's extremely rare by the crazy volume of pentastars on the road. My question is the same, how many 60-100k mile failures have there been? I don't think I've seen one even on this and the JL forum that fits those parameters. If the majority of them never fail, is it really a design issue? If many get 100k+ without issues is it worth worrying about? Both Jeeps are around the 40k mark without issues. It's like the visor drama. Those who had a failure (even if it was from their own abuse yanking on the thing) made it sound like it was a ticking time bomb and everyone was going to have a broken visor any minute. Including the 2019 JLUR that was stolen we have put 150k miles on these things with no visors or cams to speak of. Like Abraham Lincoln said "don't believe everything you read on the internet".

 

[ShadowsPapa]

And since the overwhelming majority of issues are Cyl 1 (I can't recall another cylinder event), that points to a likely design flaw.

Curious - where are you getting that intel?
I've seen a lot of 'em talk of #3 failing.
I've got more photos of cams failing at 3 and 5 than 1, or even multiple cylinders than #1 alone.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

"Known issue"... on Jeep forums. There's a reason why almost nobody heard about it or worried about it before they bought their Jeep. I'd still argue it's extremely rare by the crazy volume of pentastars on the road. My question is the same, how many 60-100k mile failures have there been? I don't think I've seen one even on this and the JL forum that fits those parameters. If the majority of them never fail, is it really a design issue? If many get 100k+ without issues is it worth worrying about? Both Jeeps are around the 40k mark without issues. It's like the visor drama. Those who had a failure (even if it was from their own abuse yanking on the thing) made it sound like it was a ticking time bomb and everyone was going to have a broken visor any minute. Including the 2019 JLUR that was stolen we have put 150k miles on these things with no visors or cams to speak of. Like Abraham Lincoln said "don't believe everything you read on the internet".

I talked to my guys at the dealership again today about it (was there talking about the sunrider and my wife's JLU charge indicator lights failing) and brought it up again - it's not common vs. the numbers they sell and they've sold a whale of a lot of Grand Cherokees - which have had the upgrade engine since 2016. They don't consider it 'common'.

I used figures from the web as far as production numbers and believe the upgrade to be 10 mil easily by 2025.

 

[Zachanadandy]

I talked to my guys at the dealership again today about it (was there talking about the sunrider and my wife's JLU charge indicator lights failing) and brought it up again - it's not common vs. the numbers they sell and they've sold a whale of a lot of Grand Cherokees - which have had the upgrade engine since 2016. They don't consider it 'common'.

I used figures from the web as far as production numbers and believe the upgrade to be 10 mil easily by 2025.

It's hard to get any real numbers for total failures but I'm guessing it's closer to 1k than 10k. So somewhere between a .1 and a .01% chance and yet some are still convinced it's inevitable?

 

[Stan H]

Curious - where are you getting that intel?
I've seen a lot of 'em talk of #3 failing.
I've got more photos of cams failing at 3 and 5 than 1, or even multiple cylinders than #1 alone.

And that pic to me shows a metal problem not an oil problem . Thats what ,,...5 or 6 on that same cam.

 

[Stan H]

"Known issue"... on Jeep forums. There's a reason why almost nobody heard about it or worried about it before they bought their Jeep. I'd still argue it's extremely rare by the crazy volume of pentastars on the road. My question is the same, how many 60-100k mile failures have there been? I don't think I've seen one even on this and the JL forum that fits those parameters. If the majority of them never fail, is it really a design issue? If many get 100k+ without issues is it worth worrying about? Both Jeeps are around the 40k mark without issues. It's like the visor drama. Those who had a failure (even if it was from their own abuse yanking on the thing) made it sound like it was a ticking time bomb and everyone was going to have a broken visor any minute. Including the 2019 JLUR that was stolen we have put 150k miles on these things with no visors or cams to speak of. Like Abraham Lincoln said "don't believe everything you read on the internet".

Man Ol' Abe he was a smart man.

 

[Zachanadandy]

Man Ol' Abe he was a smart man.

Ahead of his time

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Abraham Lincoln said "don't believe everything you read on the internet".

Or everything you see...........

 

[Stan H]

Or everything you see...........

Seeing is believing ,ehhh

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Seeing is believing ,ehhh

Ah, but in this case, he really WAS there at the table (Hawking, I mean...........)

 

[Lochsa]

I talked to my guys at the dealership again today about it (was there talking about the sunrider and my wife's JLU charge indicator lights failing) and brought it up again - it's not common vs. the numbers they sell and they've sold a whale of a lot of Grand Cherokees - which have had the upgrade engine since 2016. They don't consider it 'common'.

I used figures from the web as far as production numbers and believe the upgrade to be 10 mil easily by 2025.

I wish the numbers were known. Lots of post every where for failing valve trains and the 3.6 pentastars. For me it has been 100%. 2014 JKU failed at 60,000, cylinder 5, exhaust,; now 2024, Gladiator cylinder one, intake. The old argument is that forums is where people come to complain, of course the counter argument is how many people that own 3.6 pentastars actually join a forum. The parts guys I talk to point to it being a relatively common failure. The cam availability issue, while perhaps supplier driven to a degree is consumption driven also. TSB: 09-011-25 being issued once again points to a more common issue, I think it was also issued to steer dealers to using the kit that was produced (why produce a kit if the issue is not common) versus replacing the engine.

When I purchased the Gladiator this year, I knew once again I was entering the Jeep cam failure lottery. I just wish I would not have lost so early. It has definitely put a wet blanket on my ownership experience.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I wish the numbers were known. Lots of post every where for failing valve trains and the 3.6 pentastars. For me it has been 100%. 2014 JKU failed at 60,000, cylinder 5, exhaust,; now 2024, Gladiator cylinder one, intake. The old argument is that forums is where people come to complain, of course the counter argument is how many people that own 3.6 pentastars actually join a forum. The parts guys I talk to point to it being a relatively common failure. The cam availability issue, while perhaps supplier driven to a degree is consumption driven also. TSB: 09-011-25 being issued once again points to a more common issue, I think it was also issued to steer dealers to using the kit that was produced (why produce a kit if the issue is not common) versus replacing the engine.

When I purchased the Gladiator this year, I knew once again I was entering the Jeep cam failure lottery. I just wish I would not have lost so early. It has definitely put a wet blanket on my ownership experience.

You can't really count the JK. Different engine, different cam, different followers (rockers) and a very different cause. The cam wasn't failing, the bearings in the rollers were failing. That's been resolved.
So the JK issue, not being a cam issue, doesn't count.

There have been quite a number of TSBs telling dealers to not replace this part or that part, or even the engine. This isn't the first or only. If you look at the 2020 steering gear issue, you'll find there were at least 3 versions, a couple of them slapping the dealerships for not using all of the parts they were supposed to use.
In this case, I see it as "if a cam fails, USE THESE BLOODY PARTS!, and don't do it half-way.
Sort of like if a customer comes in for a right valve cover leak, you also need to replace the COVER. Dealerships were replacing the gasket only - and getting comebacks.
I have a feeling yes, it's a thing where Jeep wanted to address it by making it easier to use a kit but to also tell dealers - do it right, use THESE parts and stop replacing engines.

 

[Jteakus]

The cam failures aren't limited to Jeeps, the Promaster (odd name for a vehicle that is neither a Pro nor a Master) vans in my work fleet eat more than their fair share of cams along with a host of other issues,

 

[OldButStillJeeping]

The cam failures aren't limited to Jeeps, the Promaster (odd name for a vehicle that is neither a Pro nor a Master) vans in my work fleet eat more than their fair share of cams along with a host of other issues,

Interesting. I know a contractor that gets 250k miles out of the pentastar 3.6 in his RAM vans. Swear by them.

But his employees drive them hard.

Been going on for years with many commercial units and with contractors.
And RAM still offers them.

Funny how the internet is. Can't tell the BS from the truth.

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