Check engine light question

[Alea_iacta_est]

I have a 2022 JTR with a little over 10k miles. Twice in the last two months the truck, just after start up, began to shake with engine knocks. On the second, the CEL began to flash. Immediately, I shut the engine off and restarted after about 30 seconds. The problem just disappears. Driven it twice since, no problems with acceleration, sound, etc. - everything seems great except those two instances. I haven’t taken it to the dealer as they told me the earliest appointment is three-four weeks out.
Any advice, ideas, or thoughts until I can have it checked?

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[ShadowsPapa]

Take it to a dealer. The possibilities are many. There's no one single issue that causes misfires, etc.
You've also not given much information about the conditions and circumstances when it happens.
When you started it and it did this, was the engine warmed up or cold?
That matters.

You could at least use a code reader to see if there are any stored codes - but a warning - not all parts stores do it with quality equipment that can check if there's no MIL (Malfunction Indicator Light - what people still call "check engine")

You should at least set up an appointment to get it in to a dealership. Why put it off? Even if you find the cause it's extremely possible it's not something you'll fix in your driveway for 50 bucks.

Track exactly when it happens, what the conditions are (engine warm, hot, cold, etc.), how long it's been sitting - everything you can think of.

No one can give you a simple fix without knowing a lot more (although many will toss mud at the wall to see what sticks, toss out guesses)

In the case of mine, it was a process the engine hadn't yet completed - cam/crank difference CCDIFF, and unless you have the software to force a relearn, nothing you can do about it outside of a dealership. But it happened only when the engine was hot, thoroughly warmed up.
So circumstances really matter, details matter.

 

[Alea_iacta_est]

Thanks for the detailed reply. I really appreciate you taking the time.

I've already set up the appointment with the dealer, but like I said, it is a few weeks away. I am just a little wary about driving it in the meantime. Wanted to check to see if anyone else had experienced the same symptoms.

Here are the details:

I do live in the South - temps the last few weeks around here have been in the mid 90s, with lows around 70.

First instance it happened, I had driven the truck about a mile and half, stopped at a gas station for something to drink, and then on restart the issue occurred. No engine light, but the engine was making a not usual noise (I would describe it as clunking and sputtering) and the truck was shaking.

Second instance, I had driven the truck about the same distance, stopped somewhere for about 30 minutes. Started up the truck, waiting a few second until putting it into drive. Drove about a quarter mile when the MIL began flashing, engine shaking on deceleration for a stop light.

Both times, I was able to turn off the engine, let it sit for about 30 seconds. On restart, everything was fine and the MIL did not come back on. Oil pressure has been good. Was able to drive to work and home without any issues or strange noises.

On neither occasion, it did not trigger a warning from my vehicle health report on my Jeep app.

Since the last incident (August 15th,) I have only driven the truck twice, once to work (24 miles round trip, mostly highway) and to church today (about 4 miles, county roads). No issues or noise.

Lifted the hood this afternoon - oil level is good, all hoses are connected and tight. Fluids at normal levels. Place a towel under the engine - no leaks onto the towel.

I use the Jeep Wave oil change back in March at about 6200 miles. Use the synthetic Mopar brand. Regular 87 octane gas. Next oil change is due in September, but my oil life is at 52% according to the truck.

No need for a diagnosis, not would someone be able without looking at the truck themselves. I have my dealer appointment - hopefully it will turn out well.

 

[Old Young Man]

I agree with shadows papa.
write down the conditions and symptoms every time it occurs, make sure the tech diagnosing sees it. The only thing I would add is take notice of the gauge readings. Batt volts are very sensitive and can affect a lot of devices in modern vehicles.

 

[sabinjo]

Same EXACT thing happened to me with my 2022 Altitude earlier in the year somewhere around 3000 miles at about 8 months old.

Drove it to a relatives house about 6 miles away. Parked it and was there for about a half hour. Came out, started it and started to drive away. Within a few hundred feet of driving the engine started to shudder and knock and CEL started flashing. I immediately started to pull over and as I came to a stop the engine shuddered and shook as I slowed and then stalled.

I sat there for a few minutes freaking out and pissed off that this was happening to a brand new Jeep with 3k miles and kicking myself for buying one. After a few minutes I started it back up and it seemed to be fine and I drove it home without issue and the CEL was off.

I immediately called the dealership and like you, they couldn't take me for at least a week. Luckily we have other cars in the house so the Jeep sat there until I could take it in. Drove it to the dealership about a week and a half later and it was fine (of course).

Service manager called the next day to talk about what exactly I experienced and OF COURSE when they hooked it up to the computer, no current codes, no stored codes......nothing. Also no indication of an issue on the health report in the Jeep app. They kept it for a few days, checked a bunch of things and test drove it a few times. The service manager even took it home the last night (after calling and getting my permission) for one last longer test drive. They couldn't find a thing wrong and it was running fine.

I now have 6800 miles and it's now 15 months old and have not had another issue.

I'm love my Gladiator, but that incident is still stuck in the back of my mind every time I drive it, especially on any kind of long trip, I worry it was a precursor to some kind of bigger issue down the road.

Very interested to see what.........IF.......they find what the issue is with yours.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

First instance it happened, I had driven the truck about a mile and half, stopped at a gas station for something to drink, and then on restart the issue occurred. No engine light, but the engine was making a not usual noise (I would describe it as clunking and sputtering) and the truck was shaking.

Second instance, I had driven the truck about the same distance, stopped somewhere for about 30 minutes. Started up the truck, waiting a few second until putting it into drive. Drove about a quarter mile when the MIL began flashing, engine shaking on deceleration for a stop light.

I'm betting that it's what mine did - almost matches mine. Dealership will want the TSB for CCDIFF

If the engine was warmed up, you stopped for anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes and then this happened after restarting a warm engine, it matches my experiences.

AND - it won't do this every time. Mine did it the first time at 58 miles -yes only 58 miles on it. then it didn't do it for a couple of weeks, then did it again really really badly - #2 wasn't firing at all according to my scans.

Then it went a month without any issues, then did it again after a long drive to Florida and it did it 3 times on that drive - then not again for a month. I took it to the dealership, waited in line with engine off for about 15 minutes, started it and it did it as I drove in.

I'm not going to tell you that this IS it absolutely, but - if it only does this after the engine is already warm, say you've driven it a bit, shut it off, then a few minutes later, started it and weird stuff happened - may or may not set MIL, may or may not feel the misfire, may or may not run really really nasty rough, MIL may flash but not stay on (MIL = malfunction indicator light - commonly called "check engine" light)


And this is very likely nothing to do with battery voltage - that gets blamed for too many things. These will run fine down to about 12.0 volts - that's not good for the battery, but once it starts, the voltage will be fine thanks to the charging system so I'd not spend a lot of time on that. Take a volt meter to it if you wish - but once these are running, the charging system should take over and make up for a low battery. That's another topic for another day.

 

[sabinjo]

Same EXACT thing happened to me with my 2022 Altitude earlier in the year somewhere around 3000 miles at about 8 months old.

Drove it to a relatives house about 6 miles away. Parked it and was there for about a half hour. Came out, started it and started to drive away. Within a few hundred feet of driving the engine started to shudder and knock and CEL started flashing. I immediately started to pull over and as I came to a stop the engine shuddered and shook as I slowed and then stalled.

I sat there for a few minutes freaking out and pissed off that this was happening to a brand new Jeep with 3k miles and kicking myself for buying one. After a few minutes I started it back up and it seemed to be fine and I drove it home without issue and the CEL was off.

I immediately called the dealership and like you, they couldn't take me for at least a week. Luckily we have other cars in the house so the Jeep sat there until I could take it in. Drove it to the dealership about a week and a half later and it was fine (of course).

Service manager called the next day to talk about what exactly I experienced and OF COURSE when they hooked it up to the computer, no current codes, no stored codes......nothing. Also no indication of an issue on the health report in the Jeep app. They kept it for a few days, checked a bunch of things and test drove it a few times. The service manager even took it home the last night (after calling and getting my permission) for one last longer test drive. They couldn't find a thing wrong and it was running fine.

I now have 6800 miles and it's now 15 months old and have not had another issue.

I'm love my Gladiator, but that incident is still stuck in the back of my mind every time I drive it, especially on any kind of long trip, I worry it was a precursor to some kind of bigger issue down the road.

Very interested to see what.........IF.......they find what the issue is with yours.

Welp, I shoulda known to just keep my mouth shut and never mention my original check engine light again. I literally just got this last night! Called the dealership first thing this morning and of course earliest they can get me in is next Tuesday. At least this time I captured the code.
Really not happy at all with my first Jeep.
No exaggeration that over the last 30 years I've owned at least 25-30 different cars & trucks from just about every mainstream foreign & domestic manufacturer and have never had an issue like this with a new vehicle. I'd say it's luck, but after reading through the mountain of issues (engine and otherwise) I'm starting to have major regrets.
Problem is, I love the damn thing.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Welp, I shoulda known to just keep my mouth shut and never mention my original check engine light again. I literally just got this last night! Called the dealership first thing this morning and of course earliest they can get me in is next Tuesday. At least this time I captured the code.
Really not happy at all with my first Jeep.
No exaggeration that over the last 30 years I've owned at least 25-30 different cars & trucks from just about every mainstream foreign & domestic manufacturer and have never had an issue like this with a new vehicle. I'd say it's luck, but after reading through the mountain of issues (engine and otherwise) I'm starting to have major regrets.
Problem is, I love the damn thing.

People tend to buy a new Jeep, have problems, then figure it's just Jeep. However, had they instead bought a new GM, new Ford, new whatever, they'd find similar. It's not just Jeep, new cars and trucks have actually gone down in ratings in the last couple of years. Check out what J.D.Powers is saying now. First time ever, 2 years, satisfaction is down - almost across the board.
So it's not just Jeep.

Get it to a dealership. If it is doing like what mine did - hot restart misfires, the fix will be very simple.
Don't assume that because it doesn't do it for a month it's going to be fine.
Mine was fine for a month, then suddenly did that very badly - I mean the truck was shaking and #2 didn't fire at all for about 30 seconds. It would go days or even weeks between instances of the misfire. I tracked it down to the left bank only when it did this (even number cylinders, 2 was the worst, then 4 but not as bad as 2, then 6 but not nearly as bad as 4. 1, 3 and 5 were pretty much fine)
And waiting for 1, 2, or 3 weeks to get in? How about 5 weeks. Yeah, that's how long I waited to get my JT and our JLU in. My JT had leaking front shocks, my wife's JLU a leaking transmission (again) and we had to wait 5 weeks just to have them even looked at.

 

[sabinjo]

Agreed, issues can happen with any new vehicle from any manufacturer and overall quality across the board has gone down, and I'm not discounting that maybe I've just been lucky all these years and it was just my time..............still doesn't take away the anger/disappointment when it happens. Especially considering the inverse relationship current prices have with said quality.

I'll just have to wait and see and hope 1-they can properly diagnose it and 2-it's an easy fix. Kinda hard not to get worried hearing stories of not being able to figure it out and constant recurrences, engine replacements, etc.

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