Clutch Recall (2/23/23): Clutch Pressure Plate May Overheat -- Affecting 70,000 Manual Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators

[hjdca]

After a week of limited driving. Mine feels the same as it did when I dropped it off. Still same amount of dead space between fully extended to initial engagement. Just not smooth shifting at all. I was really hoping this fix would fix this.
On top of that, as I was backing into my driveway 30 minutes ago, the "service transmission" light came on. I'm hoping this doesn't go into limp mode now. Calling dealership first thing in the morning.

In another thread on this forum, we figured out that you can eliminate the "service transmission" light by reducing the tire size using something like a Tazer or JSCAN software. The new Jeep clutch software is using the tire size as one variable to calculate clutch slipping, so, for example, if you have 37" tires and you enter the tire size as 37", then, you will have issues with this light - expecially, when lowering the PSI for off-roading or when towing with lots of weight on the tires. For 37" tires, I would try something like 36.3 and continue to reduce that number by .3 or so until the "service transmisson" light goes away. Changing the tire size also effects the speedometer, but, these small changes will not make much of a difference.

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[IanNubbit]

In another thread on this forum, we figured out that you can eliminate the "service transmission" light by reducing the tire size using something like a Tazer or JSCAN software. The new Jeep clutch software is using the tire size as one variable to calculate clutch slipping, so, for example, if you have 37" tires and you enter the tire size as 37", then, you will have issues with this light - expecially, when lowering the PSI for off-roading or when towing with lots of weight on the tires. For 37" tires, I would try something like 36.3 and continue to reduce that number by .3 or so until the "service transmisson" light goes away. Changing the tire size also effects the speedometer, but, these small changes will not make much of a difference.

More importantly they finally added the "clutch reset routine", this is extremely helpful and prevents a dealer trip that they won't know how to fix, when all that's needed is a button press.

 

[Birds83]

In another thread on this forum, we figured out that you can eliminate the "service transmission" light by reducing the tire size using something like a Tazer or JSCAN software. The new Jeep clutch software is using the tire size as one variable to calculate clutch slipping, so, for example, if you have 37" tires and you enter the tire size as 37", then, you will have issues with this light - expecially, when lowering the PSI for off-roading or when towing with lots of weight on the tires. For 37" tires, I would try something like 36.3 and continue to reduce that number by .3 or so until the "service transmisson" light goes away. Changing the tire size also effects the speedometer, but, these small changes will not make much of a difference.

This
but I made it 1,700miles and it came back again then went 50 miles and back again lol. So far I’m sitting over 100 since last occurrence. May drop my tire size back to stock and see how far the speedometer is off next time the transmission light comes on. Most progress I’ve made was by dropping tire size so far and I wasn’t having any issues with low tire pressures or off roading setting the light. Then stop and go traffic on 95 with a lot of shifting from 1-2 and 2-1 then bam the stupid light lol.

 

[4xjeepr]

In another thread on this forum, we figured out that you can eliminate the "service transmission" light by reducing the tire size using something like a Tazer or JSCAN software. The new Jeep clutch software is using the tire size as one variable to calculate clutch slipping, so, for example, if you have 37" tires and you enter the tire size as 37", then, you will have issues with this light - expecially, when lowering the PSI for off-roading or when towing with lots of weight on the tires. For 37" tires, I would try something like 36.3 and continue to reduce that number by .3 or so until the "service transmisson" light goes away. Changing the tire size also effects the speedometer, but, these small changes will not make much of a difference.

Thanks for the information! Got my truck back yesterday. Service transmission light was off and they couldn't recreate it. No codes stored or otherwise. I'll see if it comes back in the future and deal with it then. They had to have it for a few extra days to replace the plastic cover on ny rear bumper that was damaged while they had it for the recall. While it was there, was found my 3rd brake light wasn't working. Pulled the cover tonight. Found a wire that was showing bare wire. How that happened I'll never know as it isn't touching anything else so no wear against it. Wiggle it and the brake light comes back on. I'll fix it later. 3rd brake light is no longer required in NC. We'll see how the clutch does once I'm able to drive it more. Time will tell.

 

[Mightytalldude]

It's luck of the draw if you have the 3rd brake light issue or not. Half our JT group has had issues, no rhyme or reason.

 

[Birds83]

Thanks for the information! Got my truck back yesterday. Service transmission light was off and they couldn't recreate it. No codes stored or otherwise. I'll see if it comes back in the future and deal with it then. They had to have it for a few extra days to replace the plastic cover on ny rear bumper that was damaged while they had it for the recall. While it was there, was found my 3rd brake light wasn't working. Pulled the cover tonight. Found a wire that was showing bare wire. How that happened I'll never know as it isn't touching anything else so no wear against it. Wiggle it and the brake light comes back on. I'll fix it later. 3rd brake light is no longer required in NC. We'll see how the clutch does once I'm able to drive it more. Time will tell.

3rd brake light wire looks like someone jammed a test light into the wire lol but who knows.

FYI the service transmission light when it comes on there will be no codes current or history. It’s just on and the clutch reset has to be done in pcm to clear it.
(If your having the typical clutch issue we all have post recall)

 

[4xjeepr]

3rd brake light wire looks like someone jammed a test light into the wire lol but who knows.

FYI the service transmission light when it comes on there will be no codes current or history. It’s just on and the clutch reset has to be done in pcm to clear it.
(If your having the typical clutch issue we all have post recall)

Yeah no telling. Only time the panel has been off is when I had my bed lined back in 2020. Like I said I have no clue how it wound up like that. Checked the entire area and nothing was even close to it. I'll get it repaired sometime.
Got my fingers crossed I never see that service transmission light ever again.

 

[ErrngeElise]

In another thread on this forum, we figured out that you can eliminate the "service transmission" light by reducing the tire size using something like a Tazer or JSCAN software. The new Jeep clutch software is using the tire size as one variable to calculate clutch slipping, so, for example, if you have 37" tires and you enter the tire size as 37", then, you will have issues with this light - expecially, when lowering the PSI for off-roading or when towing with lots of weight on the tires. For 37" tires, I would try something like 36.3 and continue to reduce that number by .3 or so until the "service transmisson" light goes away. Changing the tire size also effects the speedometer, but, these small changes will not make much of a difference.

well that is really interesting. I wonder if there is some calculated load table that the PCM is using that is causing this. I also wonder if it takes axle gear ratio into the equation as well. For example 37s with 4.10s being bad end of the table but 37s with 4.88s or 5.13s is in an acceptable load range.

 

[hjdca]

well that is really interesting. I wonder if there is some calculated load table that the PCM is using that is causing this. I also wonder if it takes axle gear ratio into the equation as well. For example 37s with 4.10s being bad end of the table but 37s with 4.88s or 5.13s is in an acceptable load range.

Since the tranny gears, transfer case gears, diff gears, & Tire size are all in the PCM - even if changed, ie. I assume you update the PCM with the proper software (ie. Tazer, JSCAN), my guess is that load is not considered, and it is a simple calculation to take all these numbers to decide if there is clutch slippage or not. I think this is why when you reduce the tire size, you can get the message to go away. I bet there is a plus/minus 5% or so to accomodate for lower PSI or heavy towing weight, so, when you find the sweet spot for tire size, we should be ok ? theoretically, lol !

 

[ErrngeElise]

Since the tranny gears, transfer case gears, diff gears, & Tire size are all in the PCM - even if changed, ie. I assume you update the PCM with the proper software (ie. Tazer, JSCAN), my guess is that load is not considered, and it is a simple calculation to take all these numbers to decide if there is clutch slippage or not. I think this is why when you reduce the tire size, you can get the message to go away. I bet there is a plus/minus 5% or so to accomodate for lower PSI or heavy towing weight, so, when you find the sweet spot for tire size, we should be ok ? theoretically, lol !

right but calculated load is typically a known value for an ECU anyway and it gets that based on MAP and TPS, etc., and the more load its seeing the more likely it might determine that the amount of slip its seeing is creating more heat as well. Knowing what size tires and gear ratio its in completes that calculation better. And it seems like everyone having these "service transmission soon" warnings isn't on stock sized tires right? Or are there completely stock trucks getting this nuisance warning too? Basically I'm not saying that it isn't a simple calculation, but I think we might be oversimplifying the calculation that it's doing.

 

[JT1]

right but calculated load is typically a known value for an ECU anyway and it gets that based on MAP and TPS, etc., and the more load its seeing the more likely it might determine that the amount of slip its seeing is creating more heat as well. Knowing what size tires and gear ratio its in completes that calculation better. And it seems like everyone having these "service transmission soon" warnings isn't on stock sized tires right? Or are there completely stock trucks getting this nuisance warning too? Basically I'm not saying that it isn't a simple calculation, but I think we might be oversimplifying the calculation that it's doing.

Most of the people having the issue are using a Tazer.

If you use JScan, there don't seem to be as many issues because it writes that info in the PCM.

 

[Gatorized]

What’s needed is a JScan or Tazer setting that shuts the calculation off completely. I just can’t get my head around a manual transmission being more complicated than an automatic.

 

[Chaos Theory]

...or just don't get the recall work done. *shrugs*

 

[Birds83]

Most of the people having the issue are using a Tazer.

If you use JScan, there don't seem to be as many issues because it writes that info in the PCM.

I’ve used both JScan and Tazer to calibrate tire size and relearned 6th gear properly and still had issues with service transmission light.

 

[Birds83]

Soooo we have this as an option if Jeep doesn’t have some better software at some point.
im holding out a little while longer but hope has arrived.

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