HELP! Jeep Dealer Will Not Cover Bad Transfer Case

[Stan H]

Now I like a lot of the suggestions and if I had the money to get a lawyer I would. I know some good ones..but...

If it was me I would find a wrecked Jeep JT and buy the transfer case if it is undamaged . And save yourself the headache.

It isnt hard to replace a transfer case . The fluid is seperate from the transmission . Heck any shop like AMW could replace the T-Case in a couple hours.
In my experience car warranties are worthless. The only 2 times they fixed something for me was on a F150 I had and clutch went out . Called shop had it towed thought I would pay through the nose turned out it was under a recall and I hadnt been notified yet got repaired for free. 2nd time had a Ram water pump went out and turns out it was under recall. Was fixed for free. So IMHO screw FCA and their so called customer warranties they ain't worth a pile of horse manure

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[Minty JL]

These are the kinds of mechanics I really would love to have conversations with about how they're not mechanics, just parts changers.
The only way I could possibly think of a driveshaft breaking the T-case is if it's too long at the suspension's minimum distance for the driveshaft and is pushing the yoke into the bearing in the T-case.

Agreed, we refer to them as "Part Monkeys"

WHY, because primates can be trained to perform simple task aka R&R (remove & replace). Takes no time, thought or intellect to do so.

 

[DylanM]

@GIOI24
Has anybody gone back to verify since the grinding problem started that the gear ratios in both the front and rear axles match?

 

[Minty JL]

@GIOI24
Has anybody gone back to verify since the grinding problem started that the gear ratios in both the front and rear axles match?

That is generally a good question. No reputibile shop would only regear one axle

BUT I have seen dumber things done

 

[LostWoods]

If you want to roll over and have your powertrain warranty voided on your 50k truck, be my guest.
The dealership has done nothing to properly diagnose the failure of the transfer case. They are being lazy, taking the easy way out and hoping OP doesn't pursue it any further.

I didn’t say roll over, I said MMW is near hopeless in this situation. At this point OP needs to be looking for pity, not a lawsuit.

If he's not filing a lawsuit, FCA covers all costs associated with any arbitration per their own warranty so he doesn't even need fuck you money to throw at it, just time.
It's a vehicle with less than 3000 miles on it. The noise started before the new driveshaft was installed. The dealership has done no diagnosis beyond "lol metal on drain plug", anyone who's gone to an applied failure analysis course knows that's worth nothing. Said dealer sold it to him with the lift and tires installed which would even fall under implied warranty.
Even if he ends up going through the whole process and it ends up going against him, that will have cost them way more than the price of the repair to resolve anyway, so the vindictive side of my brain would Chalk that up as a phyrric victory. They may even have people up there at FCA HQ that crunch those numbers and will come down and tell them to just fix it.

They pay costs because that removes all barriers to forced arbitration and they get to pick the “neutral” arbitrator. It’s just stacking the deck.

FCA isn’t going to come force them to fix it because it sets a bad precedent. It’s the same reason they throw tens of thousands at stomping out a $5k MWW warranty claim.

 

[rharr]

Has anyone verified the transcase is damaged? There will be some fine metals collected on drain magnets just through break in as surface mate together.

Maybe i missed the part where it was said there was large chunks or metal swarf found?

If someone is new to traditional transfercases they do make some whirling noises from the planetary gears and some grinding noises can happen when putting them into gear.

New tcases on jeeps are notoriously stiff and hard to shift when new and the PO may not have gotten the transfercase fully engaged.

I am not saying there isn't a problem but it seems like the pitch forks and torches have come out pretty early without first getting some better info. If the PO's Mohave has the np241 case it's a pretty simple case any driveline shop could repair as long as there is no housing damage, for way less then a new t-case.

 

[Minty JL]

Has anyone verified the transcase is damaged? There will be some fine metals collected on drain magnets just through break in as surface mate together.

Maybe i missed the part where it was said there was large chunks or metal swarf found?

If someone is new to traditional transfercases they do make some whirling noises from the planetary gears and some grinding noises can happen when putting them into gear.

New tcases on jeeps are notoriously stiff and hard to shift when new and the PO may not have gotten the transfercase fully engaged.

I am not saying there isn't a problem but it seems like the pitch forks and torches have come out pretty early without first getting some better info. If the PO's Mohave has the np241 case it's a pretty simple case any driveline shop could repair as long as there is no housing damage, for way less then a new t-case.

Yeah I rebuilt the NP241 in my old Yukon, I gutted it and replaced everything. I think I spent roughly $700 in parts, but that included half of the case thats subject to chain slap when the bearings are toast. New input shaft(front side), new chain, all of the bearings, seals and new clutches/steels. rebuilt it on my bench in the garage in a couple hours. Took me about 1.5 hrs to reinstall it in the driveway.

If you CONFIRM the transfer case is actually bad AND the dealer refuses to replace. Pick up a used one like this from LKQ for under $800 shipped: https://www.ebay.com/itm/3649412145...TDZZQAozfdQsYWIZuOkR1PbFeTCStmJtthNc6tHelFVqM

A competent tech can remove and replace the transfer case in about 4 hours. Just something to think about

 

[Wolf Island Diver]

So, have a 2023 Mojave that came lifted from Covert here in Austin area. Bought it new and after 2K miles finally got a chance to offroad some. Immediately noticed a grinding noise in 4H and decided to go back to 2H and call it a day. I worked with my local 4x4 shop since they had done my regear and sway bar upgrade to figure this out. I had suggested that maybe the drivetrain could be the issue so I upgraded to an Adam's thinking that could be a remedy. Grinding noise still there and after using a GoPro to isolate the noise to the transfer case I took it back to Covert as I only have 2,800 miles on it now. The Dealer now says that I voided the warranty on the transfer case by upgrading to the front driveshaft and I have to pay $3,400 for a new transfer case as they found metal shavings on the drain plug. Any thoughts on working with dealers for this type of stuff?

Years ago, when I bought my TJ from AEV it came with a slip yoke eliminator. The rear t-case seal leaked. That seal had to be broken in order to install the slip yoke. Those kits actually replace the rear of the t case and reuse the seal. The dealership contacted Jeep and they approved the warranty. The key reason was that this was a demonstrated issue with those transfer cases.

Ironically, in your case, replacing the front drive shaft, which isn’t even part of the t-case is done to improve driveline angle reducing wear and preventing t-case issues. Of course that assumes you used the correct length driveshaft for the lift. I would see if there’s a known issue with this model/generation t-case. That may help your case. In my experience a lot of this depends on dealerships, but the final decision is Jeep, so you need to contact them directly. That being said, all of the OEMs are stingier on warranties than they used to be as they work to minimize costs. Good luck. I’m curious why the t-case started doing this and why it’s considered shot. I’d want to crack it open before springing for a new one.

 

[Stan H]

Yeah I rebuilt the NP241 in my old Yukon, I gutted it and replaced everything. I think I spent roughly $700 in parts, but that included half of the case thats subject to chain slap when the bearings are toast. New input shaft(front side), new chain, all of the bearings, seals and new clutches/steels. rebuilt it on my bench in the garage in a couple hours. Took me about 1.5 hrs to reinstall it in the driveway.

If you CONFIRM the transfer case is actually bad AND the dealer refuses to replace. Pick up a used one like this from LKQ for under $800 shipped: https://www.ebay.com/itm/3649412145...TDZZQAozfdQsYWIZuOkR1PbFeTCStmJtthNc6tHelFVqM

A competent tech can remove and replace the transfer case in about 4 hours. Just something to think about

That's my sentiments also . I aint got time or patients to wait on monkeys

 

[ATL_Rubi]

You mentioned a regear.. might be dumb but did the shop install same ratio front and rear?

edit to add: see someone else asked. That would be my starting point.

 

[Gladi8r_22]

Am I wrong but isn't it known that Jeeps are like the most modified vehicle on the planet???
Why do dealers play this back away "I'm not gonna touch that" or "You just voided your warranty" line? I don't get it.

I experienced this with an electrical issue about a month ago, "I was getting the Aux switch unavailable" message. So rolled it right in to the dealer, said they would take a look, next day they called me telling "my main battery was degraded" or something. So I told him well then go ahead and replace it, its still under factory. He said no its been "... voided because I have stuff hooked up to it, and that's what killed my battery" I told him I would be right down.

Then they told me they were gonna take pictures to send to Stellantis to support the void.

Drove in opened the hood, made him show me what he was talking about. He seen my winch cable (which i have pass through a 600 amp isolator), a set of R.S.E. Steps, doesn't draw power unless they are operating. I made him get the service manager out to show me where I caused the battery to drain with my "mods" he literally walked around my truck & even looked inside and asked about my GMRS hanging from the dash, i told him that was ran through the AUX switch. I asked him if "I wasn't suppose to do that either?" Asked "what else he could find...?" They finally gave up pulled it back in the back and ended up replacing both the Aux Bat & the Main.

I think they don't expect people to come in knowing what they are talking about or something.
They weren't expecting a challenge...!
DON'T ROLL OVER, KEEP FIGHTING IT!!! Make em' prove it.

 

[Minty JL]

That's my sentiments also . I aint got time or patients to wait on monkeys

Great minds think alike

 

[Bonanza]

As soon as I saw "all I did was regear", that is my #1 suspicion.

Having done a regear myself on my own JT, there is a LOT you can get wrong.

 

[NVjeff]

I like the suggestions for replacing the t-case with a used unit.

Then I'd take the old broken one back to the dealership, with it drooling oil, and drop it on the service mangers desk.

 

[Banned]

Go hang that in their ass. Driveline simply connects two yokes that are on supported bearings. Driveline length being incorrect causing thrust into bearings possible but not likely. Regardless of any possibility a good tech would tear the t case down and FA it for a root cause. arosen1997 back up
the road already said it, metal is symptom not a root cause. I work with this shit work product everyday from other “techs”…..pin the tail on the donkey “it’s this part for this reason” and most couldn’t failure analysis a bowl of oatmeal.

^^^^ Yes, Hang something in their ass.

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