Some hesitation and weird shifting

[Riccochet]

It's not just the transmission learning your driving habits. It's also the throttle body. Even in my Ram I find that sometimes there's just a disconnect between the two. I generally drive very conservatively. I don't beat on my vehicles on the street. That being said, what a tech told a previous poster has held true for me. If I find my truck shifting weird, or acceleration is just lacking, maybe some hesitation, I'll drive it like I stole it for a little bit. Flooring it out of turns, hard acceleration from stops, 0-60 sprints. Do that for a little bit and everything comes back in to sync again.

I don't drive my JT enough to know if this holds true for it. My wife drives it 95% of the time. And she drives like she's trying to set lap records at Nurburgring. She hasn't complained about the shifting.

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[TheHime]

It's not just the transmission learning your driving habits. It's also the throttle body. Even in my Ram I find that sometimes there's just a disconnect between the two. I generally drive very conservatively. I don't beat on my vehicles on the street. That being said, what a tech told a previous poster has held true for me. If I find my truck shifting weird, or acceleration is just lacking, maybe some hesitation, I'll drive it like I stole it for a little bit. Flooring it out of turns, hard acceleration from stops, 0-60 sprints. Do that for a little bit and everything comes back in to sync again.

I don't drive my JT enough to know if this holds true for it. My wife drives it 95% of the time. And she drives like she's trying to set lap records at Nurburgring. She hasn't complained about the shifting.

I agree. Ever since I got the new throttle body put in the JT. It has been shifting smoother. It’s like it’s actually learning my shift points. There maybe a common issue going on with the throttle body’s that’s not being talked about because when I got mine changed out it took a couple weeks to find the part. When they installed the new throttle body the dealership told me the new part was defective and they had issues finding another new part and took another couple weeks to find the new new throttle body.

 

[Indavis01]

12k miles on my 2020 Overland- just started doing this last week, scary as hell when you go to pull out in front of something and there is about 1-2 seconds of what feels like "turbo lag"- it comes and goes, very weird. I had my truck at the dealer last week to fix my start stop and it never happened before that. It's horrible at low speeds like a parking lot. No codes, not lights, just this feeling like I've got a late 80s turbo engine and waiting for it to spin up.

Because it just went to the dealer and had updated software- i'm going to give it a couple hundred miles, but no way anyone else is driving it until then.

I'd be interested from the other people with rigs in this post, when were your 2020's built?- it looks like this may be a pretty isolated 2020 problem.

 

[Scrubb84]

12k miles on my 2020 Overland- just started doing this last week, scary as hell when you go to pull out in front of something and there is about 1-2 seconds of what feels like "turbo lag"- it comes and goes, very weird. I had my truck at the dealer last week to fix my start stop and it never happened before that. It's horrible at low speeds like a parking lot. No codes, not lights, just this feeling like I've got a late 80s turbo engine and waiting for it to spin up.

Because it just went to the dealer and had updated software- i'm going to give it a couple hundred miles, but no way anyone else is driving it until then.

I'd be interested from the other people with rigs in this post, when were your 2020's built?- it looks like this may be a pretty isolated 2020 problem.

September 2019

 

[MyRight]

The transmission issue is the reason I now own a JT.

I had experienced this very same issue in my 2020 Jeep Compass with 9 speed auto.
I was towing a trailer, about 1200 pounds total through the mountains in New Mexico, heading to Albuquerque. The engine had revved up fairly high a few times on the climbs, but nothing too worrisome.
We stopped in Albuquerque for an hour, then headed on to Vegas when right as I was on an on-ramp to the interstate did the transmission do the very same thing. Engine raced, while not providing any forward torque, then would kick real hard, then went to limp mode.
Once I moved over to manual shifting did it start responding better.

Dealership couldn't find anything wrong, but I didn't feel safe driving though the desert without a solid reason, so I traded it in on my '21 Freedom so I had the confidence to make it back to Georgia.

 

[BT33]

I have a brand new 2021 Gladiator and the transmission "sticks"...many of the same issues reported here, Hi-rev RPM, engine lag, etc.

When I took it to my local Jeep dealer they couldn't find anything wrong (in other words the computer didn't show any issues) and when I asked what else we could do to find the problem, his reponse was "Have you ever driven a Jeep before?". "Yes for the last 25 years and this is not normal"... they also refused to allow me to take them for a drive to demonstrate the problem.

Disappointed in the product but more disappointed in the service

 

[Proximo]

July 2019 build
45,000 miles, and now searching thru the forum for my transmission issue. When cold and jumping on the expressway, the trans stays in 5th waaay too long and won't upshift. I've heard trans fluid and/or throttle body. Going to the dealership to check trans fluid (since I'm not allowed to anymore)

 

[Scrubb84]

July 2019 build
45,000 miles, and now searching thru the forum for my transmission issue. When cold and jumping on the expressway, the trans stays in 5th waaay too long and won't upshift. I've heard trans fluid and/or throttle body. Going to the dealership to check trans fluid (since I'm not allowed to anymore)

Good luck with that. Brought mine in to check the trans fluid, they told me it was all good. I can prove they didnt even touch it. Most dealerships are criminal

 

[Proximo]

Good luck with that. Brought mine in to check the trans fluid, they told me it was all good. I can prove they didnt even touch it. Most dealerships are criminal

Valve body ordered. It's on back order with no estimated ETA. Rumor is 8-12 weeks.

 

[Proximo]

Valve body replaced. No real change in the problem. Next is new transmission

 

[DylanR]

Any updates with this???

Having some issues with hard shifting mostly when it’s up an incline… or giving is hard throttle passing on interstate… like a hard jerk. Really sketchy but doesn’t seem like it effects any performance. Doesn’t happen all the time on flat roads… and drives normal otherwise… has 16,000 miles. 2021 Eco Diesel. I can almost time it in certain spots that I drive frequently.

Any help is appreciated before I take it to the dealer…

 

[Louie4]

My 2020 has had the “sticking” issue in the transmission. I’m actually on a road trip in Northern California (drove from Phoenix) and really noticed it. When I’m descending a hills it’s holding the gear and same going up. It will shift at some point but compared to when I bought it (Aug 2019) it just seems different. I had another thread about an issue at 1500 rpm where someone said it was a “surge” but felt like a lag or drop in power but that’s a different issue.

overall, my perceived issue is not a huge problem, I just don’t it to become one. Maybe this is normal?

 

[JeepCares]

My 2020 has had the “sticking” issue in the transmission. I’m actually on a road trip in Northern California (drove from Phoenix) and really noticed it. When I’m descending a hills it’s holding the gear and same going up. It will shift at some point but compared to when I bought it (Aug 2019) it just seems different. I had another thread about an issue at 1500 rpm where someone said it was a “surge” but felt like a lag or drop in power but that’s a different issue.

overall, my perceived issue is not a huge problem, I just don’t it to become one. Maybe this is normal?

If you plan to bring your Jeep to a dealer and need our support, we're here to help. Send us a private message if that time arrives.

Kate
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[BUZZHEAD]

Not good ,JULY 2019 build date at 35,700 miles don't need this issue.
Guess I will drive it like I stole it for the next hundred miles since warranty ends at 36,000.I do have the extended warranty to 100,000 but why should a penny come out of our pocket if these are common known issues. I LOVE THIS TRUCK but so far recall on drive shaft,electric door lock replaced,radio command center replaced,steering box replaced,rotors ,drums, brakes replaced, inner fender replaced.Worried about the other common issues happening soon, leaking rear window,axle seal leak , and now possible trans issue.Once again I LOVE THIS TRUCK .Also no compensation for my loss time with the multiple trips to the dealer.I can say they have corrected all of the issues under warranty.

 

[Kev_bo]

New to Forum - just recently got into the Gladiator realm, but have had JK's prior....Thought I would share my recent experience with this "hesitation" or "buck" issue felt during shifting (maybe it helps...maybe not).

3 months ago I purchased my automatic 2020 Overland edition with 24,000miles on the nose - no issues on first couple hundred miles. Out of the blue, I got the weird shift pulling out of the neighborhood and accelerating from stop as some others noted, found this forum, and began stressin'... I put my dash "current gear" selection on and noticed EVERY time upshifting from 3rd to 4th it was lag, or "buck", almost like if you had a standard, and you were too slow to make it to the next gear, and all your passengers heads nod forward. Never happened on down shifts or any other gear change. No dash light, codes, any indication of a real issue. First time my wife was with me and it happened, she noticed right away and called it out. At this point I'm around 24,700miles on the truck. So, I start doing the "drive it hard" method noted, no change. No "learning of shift points" to make a difference. Not feeling good with it happening now pretty much every shift from 3rd to 4th, no matter what trans temp is showing (was hoping once temp was up issue would go away) - but alas, nothing. Put up with it for maybe 100miles.

So, two days ago I take over to the local Jeep dealership - give the service manager the rundown while taking the "you are probably too sensitive look" the entire time. Hand over the key, and head home with the doom an gloom vibe. Today, get the call - Service manage goes "Hey, I've got a couple new trucks on the lot, you interested?" Lol....turns out transmission is getting replaced. LUCKILY I took it in when I did, because I had a month left on the general warranty, so full replacement is getting covered ($~7k) - not sure if powertrain would have also covered it, but not thinking about it. Full transparency, local service manager was real nice and has been a pleasure to work with - no shade on Jeep dealership here. He said they dropped the pan and ran "tests" to make sure it was indeed not the Valve Body, which I saw some other users noted. He did mention if it was valve body (which in my case was not), those were weeks to a month out still, but I'll have a new trans in the truck by mid next week (fingers crossed).

What a time. Still love the Gladiator and Jeep brand, but damn. My luck.

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