2018 JLU forced me out of 4lo

[Ozionjon]

hey Guys, Im new here and new to wranglers a well.

I recently picked up a 2018 JLU and while I was out having some fun with it today I was in 4lo doing MAYBE 10-12MPH tops and I lost all power because it seemed like the jeep shifted me to neutral because I was "exceeding the 4lo speed" or at the least that's what the message that popped up said.

After that happened I got a "service 4wd" light that stayed on until I shut the jeep off and after shutting it off it didn't come back on.

should I be concerned at all? And I read that the top speed for 4 lo is 25MPH(which I know thats pretty quick to be in 4lo) is that accurate?

Thanks!

Sponsored

 

[jeepdabest]

Dealer time.

 

[Ozionjon]

Dealer time.

Thats what I was thinking.

 

[aldo98229]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations!

Perhaps you didn’t engage 4-Lo “well.”

Try to replicate doing it again before you take into the dealership. That’s the first thing the dealer will do.

Bring the Jeep to a complete stop. Shift the transmission into neutral and engage 4-Lo. Then drive at 10-12 MPH. See of it does it again. Avoid doing it and turning on dry pavement, though.

Hopefully it won’t do it again.

Good luck.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Sounds like the transfer case wasn't fully engaged in low range and popped out. My JL has the worst transfer case shifting feel of any 4 WD I've owned or driven. Its difficult to feel when its shifted properly. I've always found it easier to shift a transfer case to low range while rolling just a little. Just barely moving with the transmission in neutral. It makes it easier to shift and can often feel the shift better. Shifting it at a stop doesn't work well in my JL.

 

[Ozionjon]

Sounds like the transfer case wasn't fully engaged in low range and popped out. My JL has the worst transfer case shifting feel of any 4 WD I've owned or driven. Its difficult to feel when its shifted properly. I've always found it easier to shift a transfer case to low range while rolling just a little. Just barely moving with the transmission in neutral. It makes it easier to shift and can often feel the shift better. Shifting it at a stop doesn't work well in my JL.

That makes sense. I was completely stopped in neutral when I shifted.

so to be clear, when shifting to 4hi I can do that in drive moving at slow speeds but 4lo work best if I’m rolling slowly in neutral. Right?

 

[word302]

That makes sense. I was completely stopped in neutral when I shifted.

so to be clear, when shifting to 4hi I can do that in drive moving at slow speeds but 4lo work best if I’m rolling slowly in neutral. Right?

You can shift from 2hi to 4hi up to 55mph I think (check the manual). 4hi to 4lo you want to be 2-3mph.

 

[HoundDude]

shift from 2W to 4H below 45 mph (with auto transmission in drive or while stationary), from 4H to 4L at 1-2 mph (with auto transmission in neutral)

 

[jessedacri]

The maximum speed message is suspicious - sounds like hopefully a sensor fault or something similar. Interested to see what they say at the dealer.


I regularly ride up to 20-25mph in 4lo in my stock Rubicon 3.6 / 8 speed auto. Lots of trails out here with varying sections and the manual states it's good to 25mph - I'm not sure I'd sustain 25mph all day in 4lo but as far as I am aware it's perfectly safe to reach that speed, you'll hear the low 4:1 gearing whine as you cross 10mph, also normal. I've never seen a message warning me about 4lo speed.

 

[Ozionjon]

The maximum speed message is suspicious - sounds like hopefully a sensor fault or something similar. Interested to see what they say at the dealer.


I regularly ride up to 20-25mph in 4lo in my stock Rubicon 3.6 / 8 speed auto. Lots of trails out here with varying sections and the manual states it's good to 25mph. I've never seen a message warning me about 4lo speed.

Yeah I’ll definitely give an update after I take it to the dealer.

looks like you’re local to me. Have any good recomendaciones for local trials?

 

[jessedacri]

Yeah I’ll definitely give an update after I take it to the dealer.

looks like you’re local to me. Have any good recomendaciones for local trials?

Wall of text ahead, not sure what you're aware of out here or if you're new to the trails but there's tons of good stuff pretty local.

You're close to one of my favorite runs. Cleghorn Ridge is just off the I-15 exit of the same name, hop off the exit and you start a climb and 15 miles of trail. Some challenging stuff and bypasses if you want to skip anything particularly challenging, but you should be good for everything up there save for a few skid plate hits in a stock Jeep. May wanna grab some Rubicon takeoff wheels/tires from Facebook Marketplace or Offerup (or these forums if you can find some local). $800ish gets you 33" BFG KO2s which are a great, inexpensive upgrade for sport models.

Once you hop off the trail at Silverwood Lake you can hit the road home, or if you want more drive around the lake to the entrance of Pilot Rock OHV trail, another ~13 miles of trail similar to Cleghorn that takes you into Lake Arrowhead. Beyond there, especially this time of year I've been digging taking the Holcomb Valley trail all 26 miles through the mud and snow. Where that terminates, there's yet another trail that takes you out to the desert and Pioneertown on the other side of the mountains. You can almost cross the entire SBNF on trails - and as you upgrade you're able to take on the badge of honor trails up there (Holcomb creek, John Bull, Gold Mountain). White Mountain and Tip Top Mountain are both fun in the summer and doable stock.


Outside of the San Bernardino trails, Rowher Flats OHV is awesome. Satisfying climbs and great views. Also over there but only open mid-april through October is Lockwood/Miller Jeep Trail, an epic 4-5 hour journey through a remote valley with some pretty fun challenges. Again pretty doable in a stock Jeep but will get a bit hairy at the top on the final climb.


And lastly, probably a couple hour drive south but Sandstone Canyon is unreal. As you trek up the canyon the walls close in and soon you're driving through a slot canyon only a few feet wider than the Jeep. Towards the end you're straddling the walls with your tires. It's breathtaking, got a picture of that:

 

[JeepCares]

hey Guys, Im new here and new to wranglers a well.

I recently picked up a 2018 JLU and while I was out having some fun with it today I was in 4lo doing MAYBE 10-12MPH tops and I lost all power because it seemed like the jeep shifted me to neutral because I was "exceeding the 4lo speed" or at the least that's what the message that popped up said.

After that happened I got a "service 4wd" light that stayed on until I shut the jeep off and after shutting it off it didn't come back on.

should I be concerned at all? And I read that the top speed for 4 lo is 25MPH(which I know thats pretty quick to be in 4lo) is that accurate?

Thanks!

@Ozionjon,
Thanks for reaching out here! While we can see that you've reached out to your fellow forum members for support, please know that our team is also happy to help! Feel free to send us a private message for additional assistance alongside your dealer service.

Kathryn
JeepCares

 

[Stormin’ Moorman]

hey Guys, Im new here and new to wranglers a well.

I recently picked up a 2018 JLU and while I was out having some fun with it today I was in 4lo doing MAYBE 10-12MPH tops and I lost all power because it seemed like the jeep shifted me to neutral because I was "exceeding the 4lo speed" or at the least that's what the message that popped up said.

After that happened I got a "service 4wd" light that stayed on until I shut the jeep off and after shutting it off it didn't come back on.

should I be concerned at all? And I read that the top speed for 4 lo is 25MPH(which I know thats pretty quick to be in 4lo) is that accurate?

Thanks!

It's almost certainly that you didn't fully engage 4L. It happened to me several times when mine was new. You have to really ram the shit out of it when you engage 4L. The shift handle really comes back far. I know the manual says to be moving in N when you engage but i always come to a complete stop and put it in N when i switch to 4L.

 

[AnnDee4444]

My 2018 popped out of 4-low the first couple of times using it, and it had nothing to do with speed. After a couple of trails, the problem completely went away by itself.

 

[Ozionjon]

I did take it to the dealer to have them look at that issue as well my driver side Hubb assembly and steering damper were both shot.

The issue hasn't happened again. Thinking I just wasn't engaged fully.

Thanks!

Sponsored