Warranty Question - Misfire

[FloridaMan655321]

TLDR, does a misfire fall under powertrain warranty? I assume it would.

I left work today and the truck was running like crap. I then started hearing what sounded like something rattling around. Not like metal on metal, more like plastic on metal. Not sure what that was about. Anyways I work right near the Jeep dealership so I was able to limp over there. Check engine light started flashing, then stopped, then flashing again, then stopped when I pulled in. They pulled the codes and showed something about either cylinder 3 or 4 misfire. Not sure if this is well known or not.
One thing that was funny, but also sucked, is my warranty ended yesterday. They mentioned this, but I asked about this being a powertrain warranty issue. I didn't get a clear answer, but sounded like it would be. Would there be another reason they brought up about my 3yr/36k warranty being up? Also, I had an issue with a rough idle and made them put it on my account. Hopefully that helps point to this being an issue for more than just today, but who knows (when they had it, they couldn't duplicate the idle issue I had).

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[DylanM]

It depends on what's causing the misfire. If it's a mechanical issue, it should be covered under the 5/60k powertrain warranty. It it's an electrical or fuel system issue, probably not.

Section 2.4 E from your warranty booklet:
"Gasoline Engine Cylinder block and all internal parts; cylinder head assemblies; timing case, timing chain, timing belt, gears and sprockets; vibration damper; oil pump; water pump and housing; intake and exhaust manifolds; flywheel with starter ring gear; core plugs; valve covers; oil pan; turbocharger housing and internal parts; turbocharger wastegate actuator; supercharger; serpentine belt tensioner; and seals and gaskets for listed components only."
https://vehicleinfo.mopar.com/asset...Gladiator/P140442_21_J_G_GW_EN_US_DIGITAL.pdf

 

[FloridaMan655321]

Thank you for that information. I guess I wasn't thinking about an electrical issue causing a misfire, but vehicles these days....
I have to admit, I really hope it's something like that and I'll be happy to pay. If this is something engine related I'm going to not be happy with Chrysler reliability....
I do wonder what that rattling around was. Maybe something broke off and was just bouncing around and didn't cause any issues.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

TLDR, does a misfire fall under powertrain warranty? I assume it would.

I left work today and the truck was running like crap. I then started hearing what sounded like something rattling around. Not like metal on metal, more like plastic on metal. Not sure what that was about. Anyways I work right near the Jeep dealership so I was able to limp over there. Check engine light started flashing, then stopped, then flashing again, then stopped when I pulled in. They pulled the codes and showed something about either cylinder 3 or 4 misfire. Not sure if this is well known or not.
One thing that was funny, but also sucked, is my warranty ended yesterday. They mentioned this, but I asked about this being a powertrain warranty issue. I didn't get a clear answer, but sounded like it would be. Would there be another reason they brought up about my 3yr/36k warranty being up? Also, I had an issue with a rough idle and made them put it on my account. Hopefully that helps point to this being an issue for more than just today, but who knows (when they had it, they couldn't duplicate the idle issue I had).

You ask it if it's "well known or not". There are so many causes or reasons for a misfire, a misfire isn't totally uncommon but the reasons or causes can be all sorts of things and no one cause is "common" or "known".
In my case, it was an issue due to the system not learning the cam/crankshaft relationship, the CCDIFF. It was a weird misfire that happened only under very specific conditions or circumstances.
Misfires can be spark plug, coil, valve train related, injector related, a PCM issue,
Rough idle can mean misfire - and maybe it just got bad enough for the PCM to detect it as a misfire and finally call to set the MIL (Malfunction Indicator Light)

Knowing the exact code might help here, but without that, anyone who responds is literally tossing a guess- throwing mud at a wall and seeing what sticks.
No one here can tell you what it is or what it isn't, or if it's covered because no one here knows the cause.

I will "throw a guess" out there and suggest - if the noise was coming from under a valve cover, then it's a failure in the valve train area.......... might be a better bet on having it covered, but that's just a guess. If the noise came at the same time as the misfire -
If the misfire is really bad, the engine is running rough at idle or other speeds, then it could be bad news - but then good news if it means it's warranty.

 

[mkopec]

Very humbling experience.. My newly purchased Mojave Gladiator (1500 miles) started running rough yesterday after climbing a hill. After another 2 blocks the engine light came on, and ran very-very rough, it could barely stay running. I finally was able to pull off into a parking lot and shut her down. I called the dealer right away to make arrangements to have towed to the dealer or home since it was getting too late to drop off at the dealer, and they said that it can be driven as long as the engine light is not "blinking", and try to run it by an Autozone, or O'Reilly's they can pull the code so we know what we are dealing with. I did make it to the O'Reilly's on the way home, and spoke to a very smart young man who attached the ODB meter and initially was not able to find any error code, but eventually it did say "missfire" but was non-specific. He then asked if I had recently purchased gas, and I proudly said "well yes, I frequently I top off the tank". He said stop doing that; let the tank clear out before refueling, because jeeps like clean gas, and constant topping off introduces moisture that will settle, and doesn't get a chance to burn off, not to mention the crappy ethanol formulations. We added a petroleum based fuel/heat/conditioner product, and it has been running smooth ever since while I am burning up this full tank. Bad gas refueling practice on my part.. learning something new every day with this rig!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

but eventually it did say "missfire" but was non-specific. He then asked if I had recently purchased gas, and I proudly said "well yes, I frequently I top off the tank". He said stop doing that; let the tank clear out before refueling, because jeeps like clean gas, and constant topping off introduces moisture that will settle, and doesn't get a chance to burn off, not to mention the crappy ethanol formulations. We added a petroleum based fuel/heat/conditioner product, and it has been running smooth ever since while I am burning up this full tank. Bad gas refueling practice on my part.. learning something new every day with this rig!

You are getting a lot of information - but not good information. In fact, that's mostly nonsense.
He's really full of it as far as "constant tipping off introduces moisture" - on fact, it's the opposite. keeping it topped off helps reduce moisture by condensation - not as bad with these semi-sealed systems, but still, a half empty tank is more likely to have issues than a full tank.
Don't rely on people from parts stores - if they were good at tech stuff, they'd be making double the money as a tech.
I just can't find anything about the quote above that's correct or even close to correct.
Why would "moisture that will settle" not get a chance to be burned off. think about that!
Fuel is pulled from the bottom, not the top. Any moisture will indeed settle no matter if you fill it every week or only when it's on E.
You likely had a sticking injector, although he never really gave you a clear code (A GOOD reader will give a specific code - such as the code for misfire and the specific cylinder unless it's a multiple cylinder misfire - and if he could go farther, a freeze frame capture will tell if it's an ignition misfire, etc.)

As long as you do not OVER-FILL it, you can keep it topped off.
For example, once it clicks off, don't try to force more in until it bubbles out of the top.
but if you run it to 3/4, then fill it again, you are not doing damage if you don't OVER-fill it.

In short, he's full of it but his talk sounds good so people who don't know better will buy into it and believe him.
His reasoning is full of holes. Moisture is moisture and it will be there no matter what. Water settles to the bottom, however, if you run ethanol blends, it absorbs the water and it's harmlessly run through and burned. What do you think fuel additives like gas line antifreeze and so on are? Alcohol!
Parts store employees are poor people to get advice from. Few know anything beyond talking a good talk and sounding like they know.

 

[mkopec]

You are getting a lot of information - but not good information. In fact, that's mostly nonsense.
He's really full of it as far as "constant tipping off introduces moisture" - on fact, it's the opposite. keeping it topped off helps reduce moisture by condensation - not as bad with these semi-sealed systems, but still, a half empty tank is more likely to have issues than a full tank.
Don't rely on people from parts stores - if they were good at tech stuff, they'd be making double the money as a tech.
I just can't find anything about the quote above that's correct or even close to correct.
Why would "moisture that will settle" not get a chance to be burned off. think about that!
Fuel is pulled from the bottom, not the top. Any moisture will indeed settle no matter if you fill it every week or only when it's on E.
You likely had a sticking injector, although he never really gave you a clear code (A GOOD reader will give a specific code - such as the code for misfire and the specific cylinder unless it's a multiple cylinder misfire - and if he could go farther, a freeze frame capture will tell if it's an ignition misfire, etc.)

As long as you do not OVER-FILL it, you can keep it topped off.
For example, once it clicks off, don't try to force more in until it bubbles out of the top.
but if you run it to 3/4, then fill it again, you are not doing damage if you don't OVER-fill it.

In short, he's full of it but his talk sounds good so people who don't know better will buy into it and believe him.
His reasoning is full of holes. Moisture is moisture and it will be there no matter what. Water settles to the bottom, however, if you run ethanol blends, it absorbs the water and it's harmlessly run through and burned. What do you think fuel additives like gas line antifreeze and so on are? Alcohol!
Parts store employees are poor people to get advice from. Few know anything beyond talking a good talk and sounding like they know.

Thanks for your input. I am just thankful that the problem, at least for now has dissappeared.

 

[FloridaMan655321]

After 2 days they said they couldn't find the cause of the misfire. I spoke with the Service Manager to get more info on what they think the issue could be, and he said he thinks something was interfering with the VVT. He said they cleaned it as a precaution. He said he thinks that may have been what I heard and it 'worked its way through', which I then asked if they changed the oil as it seems like if it did, the oil filter would have collected it. He said they didn't, but I'm getting close to an oil change so I scheduled one next month. Not sure what to think about this.....

 

[DylanM]

At least it appears like they took a good look at it. Hopefully it'll just be a momentary glitch and won't return.

 

[Hootbro]

After 2 days they said they couldn't find the cause of the misfire. I spoke with the Service Manager to get more info on what they think the issue could be, and he said he thinks something was interfering with the VVT. He said they cleaned it as a precaution. He said he thinks that may have been what I heard and it 'worked its way through', which I then asked if they changed the oil as it seems like if it did, the oil filter would have collected it. He said they didn't, but I'm getting close to an oil change so I scheduled one next month. Not sure what to think about this.....

For a dealership, that is a pretty decent deep dive if they did the work stated.

Only thing I would have done different is swap cylinder #3 spark plug, fuel injector and coil to another cylinder different from each other and see if the problem traveled with any of those items. Also a coolant system pressure check.

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