TSB Steering Gear Boxes Are On National Backorder

[RetCop402]

Just picked my Sport S up today from the dealer, took approximately 4 weeks to get the parts. Worth the wait the steering is lot tighter, will have to learn how to steer it all over again! Lol

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[pacificoflyr]

How can we tell if we have the new steering box vs. the old? I just took delivery of a 2020 Rubicon that was built 6/2020 and I am pretty sure this steering is sloppier then the old Gladiator I had....

 

[ShadowsPapa]

How can we tell if we have the new steering box vs. the old? I just took delivery of a 2020 Rubicon that was built 6/2020 and I am pretty sure this steering is sloppier then the old Gladiator I had....

It's the old one unless it's been swapped by a dealer.
New ones weren't used until sometime on the 14th of August 2020.

Look at the thing - is it black? Or sort of gray?
Do the bolts that hold it have nuts on the engine bay side, or not - do the bolts just thread into the holes. Old originals had nuts on the bolts that hold it to the frame. The new ones don't have nuts and the bolts are all 4 the same diameter.

Left front wheel opening, lift up the plastic shield and look above the frame, you'll see the steering gear - look at the part number.

This is the OLD aluminum one -

This is the new replacement - semi-gloss BLACK

 

[pacificoflyr]

It's the old one unless it's been swapped by a dealer.
New ones weren't used until sometime on the 14th of August 2020.

Look at the thing - is it black? Or sort of gray?
Do the bolts that hold it have nuts on the engine bay side, or not - do the bolts just thread into the holes. Old originals had nuts on the bolts that hold it to the frame. The new ones don't have nuts and the bolts are all 4 the same diameter.

Left front wheel opening, lift up the plastic shield and look above the frame, you'll see the steering gear - look at the part number.

This is the OLD aluminum one -

This is the new replacement - semi-gloss BLACK

Thanks a ton! I'm sure its the old one but I will look.

 

[CG32]

I waited a month for mine to come in. When I called in to confirm that it had been ordered, I spoke directly to the parts dept and they told me it was on a national backorder. The parts manager actually suggested I call fca and complain, because it would help him get my part, so I did. Fca called the part dept at the dealer while I was on hold and then told me I would have it the following week. Sure enough, I did and they scheduled me for the next day to get it installed. Made a big difference, so it’s worth the wait and effort.

 

[Scratch]

Dropped mine off yesterday to finally get the steering box replaced. The service manager spent over 5 minutes lecturing me that they would have to check out my gladiator again to make sure I didn't have an aftermarket lift kit. He would not listen when I told him it is stock Rubicon. He kept numbing to himself almost like he was intoxicated. This after I have waited almost 3 months for the parts to come in. They never called me about the parts. I called the parts dept and was told they had been their for a while.
This is Jim Manning Jeep in Dinuba ca.
I have a Mopar lift I bought with the Jeep sitting in the garage. I'm real glad I didn't put it on.
@JeepCares can you offer any support? I have no confidence this guy will do the right thing.

 

[brianinca]

I CANNOT recommend Lampe in Visalia as an alternative, my wife watched me walk out of the Service Dept yesterday and thought "uh-oh!"

It must be frustrating for the auto companies to HAVE to do everything through franchisees, no wonder they're bitter about Tesla.

Dropped mine off yesterday to finally get the steering box replaced. The service manager spent over 5 minutes lecturing me that they would have to check out my gladiator again to make sure I didn't have an aftermarket lift kit. He would not listen when I told him it is stock Rubicon. He kept numbing to himself almost like he was intoxicated. This after I have waited almost 3 months for the parts to come in. They never called me about the parts. I called the parts dept and was told they had been their for a while.
This is Jim Manning Jeep in Dinuba ca.
I have a Mopar lift I bought with the Jeep sitting in the garage. I'm real glad I didn't put it on.
@JeepCares can you offer any support? I have no confidence this guy will do the right thing.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I CANNOT recommend Lampe in Visalia as an alternative, my wife watched me walk out of the Service Dept yesterday and thought "uh-oh!"

It must be frustrating for the auto companies to HAVE to do everything through franchisees, no wonder they're bitter about Tesla.

I don't know what changed but AMC used to have company owned dealerships as well.
I sure wish Bud Mulcahy's was still around.
Those guys were TOPS. I'd still be buying Jeeps from them to this day if they still existed.
But Bud died at a fairly old age around 2002? and they sold out shortly after that.
Ticked me off when I saw who bought them out about 15 years ago - Stew Hanson and their huge corporate type service department that has rows of service writers that sit at desks, they rarely move from their seat and don't interact directly with the mechanics.
At least Dewey service writers move around, and interact directly with the techs doing the work and will even get up and go back and talk to the shop for answers. (even though both are owned by the same mega-corp that I believe is based in TX)
When almost every dealership in your area is owned by the same mega-corp you can't easily get personal service and they won't bother going out and looking for a vehicle for you - unless it's on one of their sister dealership lots. They won't go outside of their corporate umbrella.

 

[BAT]

I CANNOT recommend Lampe in Visalia as an alternative, my wife watched me walk out of the Service Dept yesterday and thought "uh-oh!"

It must be frustrating for the auto companies to HAVE to do everything through franchisees, no wonder they're bitter about Tesla.

Sounds like you running up against the same mess I am. Dealership by my house pretty much refuses to bother with it. Gonna talk to the folks at Mac Haik and see if they will put in the order and do it. Interestingly talking to the person at FCA they made mention that probably everyone that had one of the older boxes was going to have to have them changed. Didn't say why just a sidebar comment they made I suppose. I said why not just do a recall. They said well they were hoping it could be done via the TSB. I said not with dealerships refusing to do the work.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Sounds like you running up against the same mess I am. Dealership by my house pretty much refuses to bother with it. Gonna talk to the folks at Mac Haik and see if they will put in the order and do it. Interestingly talking to the person at FCA they made mention that probably everyone that had one of the older boxes was going to have to have them changed. Didn't say why just a sidebar comment they made I suppose. I said why not just do a recall. They said well they were hoping it could be done via the TSB. I said not with dealerships refusing to do the work.

Recalls go on the record in a bigger way -likely they didn't want the NHTSA involved. LOL - anything that involves the letters 'TSA' ....... LOL
Anyway, it's a different record and personally, if I was looking at vehicles, I'd wonder - gee, how many RECALLS does this model have.

You said it well - and although I sort of have doubts, maybe your comment will get passed along internally in some way.

My first thought was also - I bet this should apply to ALL JTs, period. I know some are saying "gee, I have NO trouble. Well, once they had the box I bet most would say -hmm, and I thought it was ok - like I did until my wife complained again.

Odd thing about the dealers balking - the TSB is worded in such a way that says "if the customer complains, do it."
It does NOT SAY "take it for a drive to verify the complaint" - nowhere in the bulletin does it even hint or suggest it's an option or up to the dealer to TEST DRIVE it.
IF the customer complains of these symptoms - fix it.
Now, is that so difficult?
I agree many bulletins say "VERIFY THE COMPLAINT" but this one does NOT.
It does say on a later version "if there is a lift............etc." that it may not resolve the complaint, but does it say "don't do it"? NO.
I as a tech would take that to mean - you need to sign this and understand that this may NOT resolve your complaints because YOUR lift put this truck outside of wheel alignment specs"
Note - that's the only clarifier - if the truck is outside of wheel alignment specs.
So if it has a lift but is IN specs........... one could argue and the dealer would have nothing to come back with. IT doesn't say don't do it, it says "may not resolve".

 

[BAT]

Recalls go on the record in a bigger way -likely they didn't want the NHTSA involved. LOL - anything that involves the letters 'TSA' ....... LOL
Anyway, it's a different record and personally, if I was looking at vehicles, I'd wonder - gee, how many RECALLS does this model have.

You said it well - and although I sort of have doubts, maybe your comment will get passed along internally in some way.

My first thought was also - I bet this should apply to ALL JTs, period. I know some are saying "gee, I have NO trouble. Well, once they had the box I bet most would say -hmm, and I thought it was ok - like I did until my wife complained again.

Odd thing about the dealers balking - the TSB is worded in such a way that says "if the customer complains, do it."
It does NOT SAY "take it for a drive to verify the complaint" - nowhere in the bulletin does it even hint or suggest it's an option or up to the dealer to TEST DRIVE it.
IF the customer complains of these symptoms - fix it.
Now, is that so difficult?
I agree many bulletins say "VERIFY THE COMPLAINT" but this one does NOT.
It does say on a later version "if there is a lift............etc." that it may not resolve the complaint, but does it say "don't do it"? NO.
I as a tech would take that to mean - you need to sign this and understand that this may NOT resolve your complaints because YOUR lift put this truck outside of wheel alignment specs"
Note - that's the only clarifier - if the truck is outside of wheel alignment specs.
So if it has a lift but is IN specs........... one could argue and the dealer would have nothing to come back with. IT doesn't say don't do it, it says "may not resolve".

That was the talk I had with the service desk guy. He kept on about they would have to verify it and decide. I was like no sorry it doesn't say that. But in the end what did they do just told me we don't see an issue or a need to change it come pick up your truck.

 

[LostWoods]

Even if alignment specs are correct, that doesn't mean the steering box works just as stock. Heavier tires and increased angles of suspension components put more stress on the steering box.

Also, a TSB is always optional so even if it states "do this if the customer complains," there is no obligation to do that work at any point and it's a perfectly valid concern that a lift can have a similar impact to steering.

 

[BAT]

Even if alignment specs are correct, that doesn't mean the steering box works just as stock. Heavier tires and increased angles of suspension components put more stress on the steering box.

Also, a TSB is always optional so even if it states "do this if the customer complains," there is no obligation to do that work at any point and it's a perfectly valid concern that a lift can have a similar impact to steering.

That's just it though they are wanting the dealerships to do the work without question but the dealerships don't see it that way and some as we see don't or won't do the work. So if the boxes are gonna need to be changed eventually then seems a recall would be the way to force it but of course as Papa mentioned they probably don't want to get into a recall deal

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Even if alignment specs are correct, that doesn't mean the steering box works just as stock. Heavier tires and increased angles of suspension components put more stress on the steering box.

Also, a TSB is always optional so even if it states "do this if the customer complains," there is no obligation to do that work at any point and it's a perfectly valid concern that a lift can have a similar impact to steering.

The only thing that changes with a lift as far as steering is the angle of the tie rod. The drag link is not changed, camber is not changed, toe is not changed and caster is not changed IF the lower control arms are changed with the lift.
These things are made expecting to have larger tires and lifts - Jeep expects it and Jeep and dealers sell you parts to make such changes.
That's why Jeep modified the TSB to tell dealers - even if it HAS a lift, if it's still in specs, do this if the customer complains.
I differ on your view of a TSB - some are stated clearly to diagnose and verify, some are not.
I have a dozen books with hundreds of TSBs and can show how they'll vary with "suggestion" or "this is how to fix it".
A TSB covers not only warranty issues, but those same issues outside of warranty.
The way this TSB is worded, a customer would have legal recourse if no dealer would actually apply the part.
We are also seeing dealers do this without question - which more supports my thinking on this particular TSB. Some owners simply call - hey, I have this problem, and I'm referring to this TSB - and the dealer says ok, bring it in - and they fix it.
I have TSBs that say to the dealer - verify the issue - but interestingly - this one does not.

No, a dealer doesn't have to fix anything - they are like any other business, they can refuse to fix any problem, no matter what. But those dealers run into trouble later with poor reviews and ratings while those that deal with this get all 10s.

 

[LostWoods]

That's just it though they are wanting the dealerships to do the work without question but the dealerships don't see it that way and some as we see don't or won't do the work. So if the boxes are gonna need to be changed eventually then seems a recall would be the way to force it but of course as Papa mentioned they probably don't want to get into a recall deal

All that line means in the TSB is that no further validation is required, not that FCA wants every JL/JT to have the work performed. Typically if a TSB is used to justify work, the tech must include details that fit the criteria of the TSB. In this case all they have to say is "customer complained of steering wander, recommend R&R steering box and reflash ECM per TSB xx-xxxx" instead of providing details of the test drive.

TSBs aren't written with the end user as the intended audience - they are strictly OEM engineering guidance for the front-line techs doing work. People treat them as gospel but they're literally nothing more than guidance related to common problems and 100% up to the dealership in cases like this.

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