Jeep Reliability?

[Geoarch]

I never got the Fiat dig either. I've only had good experience with my Jeeps, but its not like Chrysler didn't ever produce junk on their own.

For the OP, my individual experience:
'88 XJ that I bought at 250K miles and ran until 300K on original I6 and auto-transmission: no break downs, lots of trails though. I did have the original alternator and fuel injectors need replacing at 300K.
'05 LJ Rubicon (auto-trans/I6): Bought new, we have it now at 125K miles, a few recalls that never applied to our jeep, one warranty service the 1st year on the cam shaft sensor. I've ran it lots starting in sub-zero (F) temps, on cross-country trips, in the backcountry and it has never failed me. This past year we had to replace some sensors (cam shaft, O2) and the map harness, but had ample warning via engine codes and no failures. The only asshat thing from Jeep is the gas overflow valve that didn't handle ethanol, despite the rest of the vehicle being fine with ethanol. Jeep never recalled this faulty part and stopped selling replacements only a few years after production. I had to fix it with a GM part. This is the only vehicle with 4 wheels that my wife and I ever wanted to keep forever.
'22 JT on order (10 more days!): Replacing a '17 Tacoma.

I've owned several Fords, some Toyotas, and a Subaru. With my limited experience, the Tacoma and Forester had more serious failures than my Jeeps and Fords although I mostly enjoyed driving them all. The Taco and Forester were early in their generations, which is why I waited on the JT until it's been out a bit plus the fact it largely uses parts that have been in the JL for awhile. My Tacoma experienced the bad shift actuator problem on the t-case and my Forester has vampire energy drains that will drain the battery in cold weather if left for a couple of days. I've had 4 friends with failed 3rd gen Tacoma transmissions (AT and manual), one after a month and none of them modded. I think being brand loyal for reliability, or completely trusting Consumer Reports/JD Power for reliability ratings is a fools errand unfortunately. If you want reliable, buy the model that's been out the longest, like the previous Tundra or Nissan Frontier.

That's one of the main reasons I'm jumping to a Gladiator from the Tacoma - the trans case actuator. That goes 20 miles from a highway, you're stuck in whatever gear you're in. It's a truck, that's why you shift it.

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[Onefin]

2014 JKU Rubicon that I bought new had no issues in the 36,000 miles I owned it.
It was wheeled weekly in summer in SW Colorado and Utah.
The swaybar disconnect broke once when and that was repaired under warranty.
I blew up a u-joint offroad and Jeep dealer replaced under warranty as a goodwill gesture.
The Jeep dealer did full synthetic oils changes for less than $40 with a "new customer coupon" that the very nice lady that scheduled service "made" me to use every time I went there.
I did take a dozen fancy donuts to the dealer staff when I had my first service done.

I owned a 2011 Toyota Tundra TRD rock warrior that I also bought new:
It had 10 trips to the dealership for warranty repairs related to poor build quality and I sold it to carmaxx before the warranty expired as the transmission was slipping at 34,000 miles.
I was a life-long Toyota owner and that was the last Toyota I will buy.

In my recent personal experience Jeeps are more reliable than Toyotas. i bought a Gladiator because it is the best offroad capable new vehicle on the market, and I am confident that it will prove to be a well built and reliable vehicle that is affordable to service.

 

[UnforseenWeather]

How about anything OTHER than consumer reports? I stopped trusting them years ago after I could personally show things they were wrong and biased on.

I go by complaints on NHTSA's site, and the recalls and TSBs out there. If there are major issues, it will show up there. (and Toyota is doing pretty well, but not without certain issues)

Yeah CR has recommended some real stinkers over the years. I used to subscribe, now I don’t, and don’t trust them at all.

 

[Iamstubb]

Well, if you are considering the pentastar V6, I have had that in a 2012 charger and has surpassed 250k miles with no reliability issues. Only thing needed repairing on the engine was the oil pressure monitor at around 175,000 miles. Just the sensor. Other issues as you might expect in a 10 year old car, but the engine is solid and it is why I got that one in my Rubicon. EDIT:-Whoops!! 250k miles, not 350k! Sorry it took so long to notice it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

On a previous page here in this thread someone alluded to "first year" vehicles and "waiting" to get the bugs worked out, etc.
Meh, not really the case these days.
Why not?
Because so many things change even on a vehicle that's been around for 4 years. Look at Jeep Gladiator axles - 2020 model year had no leak issues, 2021 does. The Ford I had was a platform and engine that had been around for a while - and yet - transmission fun, engine fun (it got weaker as time went on, no fix), other minor stuff.
Any time you think hey, that truck has been out 2 years, time to jump, they make a change to the tune, cams, the transmission has been modified in some way, axles changed in some way, different materials somewhere. There's no such thing as a "stable platform" these days unless the company somehow gets by making no changes at all even with changing technology, changing suppliers for certain parts, changing EPA rules.....
Look at the 3.6 - major changes in 2015 on that engine. Even the PCM is different on current model JTs compared to 2020. They don't interchange.
Even looking at individual part's numbers - there's always revisions. Some minor, some have meaning. Some may simply be different finish, or a different size hole, others may be some design change internally.
Funny thing - I bought a first model year Gladiator and I've had pretty much no trouble with the truck (steering gear, that's resolved, tonneau cover isn't the truck, it's the part supplied to Jeep) and yet 2021 and 2022 model years are experiencing things I have not.
"I think I'll wait until they.............." that's a gamble. They may add or change that whatever, or they may not.
Who knows what the 2023 model year will bring - they could change their source for the rear window and have more problems, they could use different brakes and have more issues, the new infotainment system could be a disaster. Or, it could be perfection.
New emissions rules keep going into effect, how will that impact the JT series? Tunes will change? Cam profiles change? Better? Worse?

 

[MonkeySkunks]

As an update to the original post, I'm 3k in on my JTR and not a single problem unless you count a flapping sunrider (when open) and my drain plugs popped out of the floor mats once.

Uconnect keeps losing my favorites out of my phone contacts but as anoying as that might be I don't really give a shit and would consider that a software problem not a reliability problem.

 

[dfwxjer]

I only had issues with the 8.4" head unit from time to time. Mainly it would lose CarPlay connection a few times a week and the off-road pages almost never worked. Not that either one was a big deal, and for all I know could have been user error. The truck itself was rock solid over 25k miles and if I ever need a pickup in the future I'd strongly consider another one.

 

[Jerhemi]

Mine is at 18k and no issue so far... except. I notice when I am driving slow, like in a parking lot it has this little squeek in the front. (Yes I thought about not driving slow in a parking lot but the cop said that wasn't a real option)

Ever figure out what this is? Mine does it too....sounds like a little bird haha

 

[Slojo]

Ever figure out what this is? Mine does it too....sounds like a little bird haha

It was a new shock. I have a new squeek and we think it is a bushing.

 

[Geoarch]

On a previous page here in this thread someone alluded to "first year" vehicles and "waiting" to get the bugs worked out, etc.
Meh, not really the case these days.
Why not?
Because so many things change even on a vehicle that's been around for 4 years. Look at Jeep Gladiator axles - 2020 model year had no leak issues, 2021 does. The Ford I had was a platform and engine that had been around for a while - and yet - transmission fun, engine fun (it got weaker as time went on, no fix), other minor stuff.
Any time you think hey, that truck has been out 2 years, time to jump, they make a change to the tune, cams, the transmission has been modified in some way, axles changed in some way, different materials somewhere. There's no such thing as a "stable platform" these days unless the company somehow gets by making no changes at all even with changing technology, changing suppliers for certain parts, changing EPA rules.....
Look at the 3.6 - major changes in 2015 on that engine. Even the PCM is different on current model JTs compared to 2020. They don't interchange.
Even looking at individual part's numbers - there's always revisions. Some minor, some have meaning. Some may simply be different finish, or a different size hole, others may be some design change internally.
Funny thing - I bought a first model year Gladiator and I've had pretty much no trouble with the truck (steering gear, that's resolved, tonneau cover isn't the truck, it's the part supplied to Jeep) and yet 2021 and 2022 model years are experiencing things I have not.
"I think I'll wait until they.............." that's a gamble. They may add or change that whatever, or they may not.
Who knows what the 2023 model year will bring - they could change their source for the rear window and have more problems, they could use different brakes and have more issues, the new infotainment system could be a disaster. Or, it could be perfection.
New emissions rules keep going into effect, how will that impact the JT series? Tunes will change? Cam profiles change? Better? Worse?

I always appreciate your essays, Bill. I've had five Tacomas since 1999. No issues until my 2018 TRDPro. Three recalls, one for a fuel pump with poor composition of the impeller (made in China), one for the cab external light leaking (mine didn't), and brake issues. So, I've decided to go back to Jeep - if my JTR ever gets here!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

if my JTR ever gets here!

Yeah, the game is called "hurry up and wait" LOL

 

[Geoarch]

Yeah, the game is called "hurry up and wait" LOL

You and I both, eh?

 

[NachoRuby]

You and I both, eh?

You still don't have your jeep?

 

[Snake Eyes]

I always appreciate your essays, Bill. I've had five Tacomas since 1999. No issues until my 2018 TRDPro. Three recalls, one for a fuel pump with poor composition of the impeller (made in China), one for the cab external light leaking (mine didn't), and brake issues. So, I've decided to go back to Jeep - if my JTR ever gets here!

We have a Toyota and the new Gladiator. Our Toyota is a 2011 FJ Cruiser with 100,000 miles on it. It was actually custom ordered and shipped from Japan. Only repairs were a stuck button and the replacement of the struts at 90K miles. She is still going strong and we plan on keeping her through 200K and beyond along with the gladiator.

 

[redriderjf87]

As long as the cam tick doesn't start, there really isn't much I'm worried about having a major issue. ESS could be the other thing if I wasn't eliminating the aux battery.

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