Looking for a dealership recommendation

[mdk22]

I am looking for a good Jeep dealership for mechanics and warranty work in the South East PA, South West NJ, Delaware, Northern Maryland area.

As I am a mechanic/technician and can do my own repairs and normally prefer to do so I have not owned the vehicle more than 2 weeks. It has been back to the dealership twice now and they are playing games with not wanting to touch the coolant issue (I suspect heads or Radiator) I smelled coolant and I am getting the run around. It has 2 brand new head gaskets on it as the brass that holds the bimetal head gasket together is brand new and not patina'd on a 2021 gladiator. My guess is warranty said shove it back together and the heads are warped service history has misc for repairs. I already checked the egr cooler outlet pipe there was no signs of coolant leak.

I just want an actual dealership who is going to care and works hourly not flat rate so this can get fixed. So any recommendations would be awesome.

If I have to actually put the time in cause there isn't one so be it. But, I don't like the run around I also don't like being lied too and it has happened twice now. I have bit my tongue so far as I really really don't want to make a scene.

Fuel economy has also been garbage compared to EPA and reported fuel economy on here for mostly highway driving. Not getting above 20mpgs.

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[rharr]

Something to consider is, you can pay for the warranty work and then go through the reimbursement process to get paid for your repair.

It is slim but there is a chance you could fix this yourself at your shop have the shop work up a invoice for parts and time and submit it to jeep for reimbursement . Seems though jeep is stingy and is less likely to pay out if it's not done at a jeep dealership.

Only other suggestion is look for a jeep/ram dealership, they will likely have more techs that deal with the ecoD more than just a jeep dealership.

If you have a blown head gasket there are test to do, I would do those tests at your shop, have the accounts guy put it in writing what was done and discovered and then take that to the jeep dealership of your choice and request warranty work to repair the failure.

 

[Meekal]

I feel your frustration, I’ve also had my brand new 2023 JTRD in the shop multiple times since delivery in January, and it is there waiting on parts as we speak in fact.

I bought my first gladiator from David Dodge in 2019, and had all my services done there, and now so far all the services for my new 2023 done there as well. I have been treated well every time, they’ve been very accommodating, they seem to do decent work and have taken care of me on more than one occasion.

So far, I’ve preferred returning to David Dodge for all my gladiator services rather than the private mechanic to which I’ve taken all my other vehicles, simply to keep the warranty coverage intact and also because I feel they’ve treated me reasonably well. Just my experience.

 

[mdk22]

So curiosity got the best of me. At 16psi in 25 mins I lose a lot of the pressure. Coolant tank cap is 21psi.

That was this past weekend.

Today because my fuel economy didn't make sense I decided I would clean my maf and map. Um not good things were found.

Now I am going to go back to the original dealer before I go anywhere else and have a long conversation.

Basically Manifold Absolute Pressure Sensor was completely plugged. This should have set a cel the fact it doesn't is concerning and indicative of poor engineering. Because this doesn't set a code (likely because Jeep knew there was a sooting issue) it slowly causes the engine to run in ways that make the turbo produce more boost. This causes a high load pressure differential on the seal for oil for the turbo. This causes the turbo oil seal to fail. When this fails oil is sent through the kntake towards the engine. It normally fails slowly. This slowly fills the charge air cooler aka cac with oil. It also causes the engine to burn that oil. That acts as added un metered fuel. That causes excess soot. Excess soot causes EGR plugging, injector tip fowling, worn piston rings, worn cylinder walls, dpf soot loading with frequent regen requirements. More frequent regens also means more soot loading and earlier dpf replacement. It also creates a more biased map sensor making it worse and worse. Now you have soot and oil combining. This causes something the equivalent of an abrasive tar. It sticks to the inside of the intake plenum, intake throttle valve, and valves. If it hardens it becomes like asphalt. Now add trans is slipping some in first and not shifting correctly because the engine at a certain rpm is expected to have a particular torque and it does not because of the increased boost pressures. This causes clutch sheering removing more friction material over time.

Basically I am rather sure I got a lemon and they knew it was one when they sold it to me. They also did an oil change without doing the fuel filter. Now add the fuel pump tick and valve train tick on overnight start ups I am hearing and vibration in the front and rear at speed.

After cleaning the MAP sensor. It looks a lot better. Engine runs a little better too.

 

[mdk22]

Oh I forgot to mention a CAC (charge air cooler) full of oil can cause your engine to run away and blow up cause it runs off the oil from inside the CAC and they likely didn't program the intake throttle valve to slam shut on key off. (Yes this is assumed, but assumed that way for a reason) That is if people even think to shut it off. Happens on hills ir hard turns normally. Also turbo seal isn't going to heal itself and can cause the same issue.

 

[mdk22]

So an update. I had this at 2 different dealerships and an independent shop.

None could find the coolant issue.

I replaced the coolant cap and it was fixed.

Yes, not a single person in all 3 shops checked the coolant cap.

Which is also baffling because I was loosing pressure when pressure testing before even have video of it and I soapy water tested my pressure tester.

My independent shop was thorough though even running it under 21psi pressure and running a regen on it.

Excess oil getting into the CAC was strictly from the clogged MAP sensor. It wasn't seeing pressure so it was overboosting causing the seal in the turbo to leak. After cleaning it is now within turbo oil bypass spec.

Aka a tiny bit which is normalish still shouldn't be that way imho but, even big rigs pass a tiny amount of oil any more even though old ones before EGR/DPF/SCR never did. It's due to the excessive back pressure from all of that in the exhaust systems. It should be a film what I had before was way more than that tho.

Now I have to figure out why my fuel economy is so low. I am guessing it is the cheap oil from the stealership. Will know once I change my oil and fuel filter. Trying Docs and AmsOil.

 

[Janster]

Honestly? It sounds like you are way more skilled than most or all dealership techs that Jeep can afford to hire on site. Cuz….why would they?

It won’t matter where you go….cuz you’ll never get the expertise you’re looking for.

The more skilled techs are probably on a corporate level ….. not accessible by the general public.

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