Motor Trend confirms steering issue fix made to 2020 Jeep JL (gear valve tuning & pump calibration changes)

[VKSheridan]

You may be correct. Maybe I am the 1%. I have test driven every car I have ever purchased on the freeway. Come to think of it, my entire immediate family, and all of my brother in laws do too. So have several coworkers that I can think of and a few bosses. All test drive a car on city streets and the freeway. Not far, maybe 5 miles each way. I guess that we are all part of the “1%.” How else are you going to know if you like the way it drives, accelerates, handles bumps, handles braking, handles cornering, Wind noise, etc, etc, etc.?

I don’t bother with a test drive either. This is 2020 and I expect every car that I roll out has steering, acceleration, bump and corner handling and brakes. If in the off chance I buy used, yes, I’ll drive it but new? Nope.

I learn more about a vehicle on a 12 hour road trip than a test drive and for learning winter capability, I just wait for winter. If you can determine all the pro’s and con’s in 5 miles, right on. The first 500 miles is pretty much a waste for me.

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[Johnbuz]

My 2020 build date is 11/19. I can essentially drive without hand on the wheel on long straight freeway (NO WIND) at 70mph and not have to correct the steering, seemingly, any more than a passenger sedan.

when I purchased, I went to the dealer. They had the Rubicon I wanted. I took it on a test drive on the freeway. I focused on the steering and made sure I liked it. Drove back to the dealership and closed the deal.

for the life of me I cannot really appreciate how someone can take a test drive then proceed to buy the vehicle, then 3 weeks later decide that it has steering issues. But, it seems to happen on this forum a lot. Some folks say “my dealer didn’t let me take it on the freeway.” The answer to this is “find another dealer.“

In some places, there is no road that you can safely get above 50mph for some miles. So test driving at high speed isn't realistic.

 

[WreckEm711]

My 2020 was built just a couple of weeks ago, has about a half inch of play in the wheel, and at 80 on country roads with West Texas winds pummeling my rolling box it feels about as good as a SFA can feel.

Really sorry to the folks having issues, the disparity in steering quality people are running into is NUTS.

 

[Foggy47]

I've got a 2020 JLUR. Ordered the one I wanted and it delivered in Mid November 2019. I cannot say it is the best tracking vehicle I've owned.....but we get along ok at any speed. Sometimes I think I need to "herd" it a bit more than a good passenger car.

I am going to look for someone with a Jeep JL having a known steering problem......and let them compare to mine.

I think I am OK with the product I have......but every now and again I wonder if I am too easy to please.....or just lost in space. Grin. I never expected this vehicle would track like a caddy....but as said, maybe I am too easy to please? I like my Rubi.....

 

[srs148]

New forum member here...
I traded in my 2017 JKU Sport for a JLU Sahara.. For me, the steering is exceptional compared to the JK..
I drive from Houston to Texas Hill country (250 miles) every couple weeks.. even on the windiest days the JL holds the road, my JK was all over the place.. for me the steering is almost comparable to my wife's Grand Cherokee... build date on mine is 02/20..

I'm coming from a 2014 Grand Cherokee, so I'm hoping my 2021 JLUR's manners will be at least similar (though I know won't be quite as silky smooth... I do love that GC).

 

[srs148]

I don’t bother with a test drive either. This is 2020 and I expect every car that I roll out has steering, acceleration, bump and corner handling and brakes. If in the off chance I buy used, yes, I’ll drive it but new? Nope.

I learn more about a vehicle on a 12 hour road trip than a test drive and for learning winter capability, I just wait for winter. If you can determine all the pro’s and con’s in 5 miles, right on. The first 500 miles is pretty much a waste for me.

I'm with you and have ordered custom built several new cars on review alone, no test drive, and have been pleased every time. I test drove the JLURs at a local dealership. One had the steering issue (it was a 2019 leftover) and the other tracked perfectly.

I ordered from Criswell in Gaithersburg, MD (I worked with my dude Leon Travis) and asked if I could do an Acceptance drive before signing off on delivery of the JLUR based solely on the steering issues - he said I could and I could re-order if I wasn't happy. Now that may be a bunch of BS, but I know Criswell moves vehicles, so I wouldn't be surprised if, worse-case scenario, they took it for inventory and I ordered another.

 

[BrandonB00]

You may be correct. Maybe I am the 1%. I have test driven every car I have ever purchased on the freeway. Come to think of it, my entire immediate family, and all of my brother in laws do too. So have several coworkers that I can think of and a few bosses. All test drive a car on city streets and the freeway. Not far, maybe 5 miles each way. I guess that we are all part of the “1%.” How else are you going to know if you like the way it drives, accelerates, handles bumps, handles braking, handles cornering, Wind noise, etc, etc, etc.?

I have to chalk this up to lesson learned. I test drove plenty of Jeeps on the lot before I ordered this one making sure I knew exactly what engine I wanted, What top I wanted and how many doors I wanted. I drove them on the highway and on country roads. This was a massive splurge for me as I didn't need a new vehicle. The way they drove so well actually tipped the scales and is why I decided to pull the trigger. I've never ordered a car before just bought off the lot. All of the Jeeps I test drove felt fantastic so there was no reason to believe that the one I ordered just for me would feel any different so I never considered test driving the one that I ordered.

 

[Obi.Wan.Shawnobi]

i wonder if using a higher viscosity fluid would help soften the dead spot. I do have the same issue on a 2018 2dr. I did change my pinion angle and it helped a lot but its still there.

 

[gr8ridn01]

i wonder if using a higher viscosity fluid would help soften the dead spot. I do have the same issue on a 2018 2dr. I did change my pinion angle and it helped a lot but its still there.

Changing to a different power steering fluid might not be a good idea. There are some with no steering issues and others very frustrated with the steering. The common denominator in these two groups is the steering fluid. If the fluid change did reduce the poor steering response this is likely a band-aid to the actual issue that needs correction. Additionally the steering fluid used is a highly engineered fluid that has properties the design engineers specified. In the absence of the engineering specified fluid you may do further damage to the steering or worsen the situation. Kind of like using the wrong brake fluid in your vehicle. Just something to consider.

 

[Revolution_322]

Its the reason l Leased my 2018...

 

[Nole_Dynasty]

I’m going with a Mopar lift on my 2021 Diesel. Two reasons:

• AEV (my usual go to) has fallen in love with pickup trucks and will likely take forever to change the springs on their lift.
• Given all the talk of funky steering, I don’t want to give Jeep a get-outta-jail-free card by blaming a non-Mopar lift

I have the Mopar lift and had it installed by the dealership and have a huge dead spot. I honestly don’t feel safe driving on the highway.

 

[rickinAZ]

I have the Mopar lift and had it installed by the dealership and have a huge dead spot. I honestly don’t feel safe driving on the highway.

That sucks about your steering. Good news is that, using a Mopar lift, installed by Mopar service people should cut down on the finger pointing.

 

[Cyclrder]

I have the Mopar lift and had it installed by the dealership and have a huge dead spot. I honestly don’t feel safe driving on the highway.

does that lift have adjustable lower control arms? more castor could help.

 

[Nole_Dynasty]

does that lift have adjustable lower control arms? more castor could help.

I’m not the expert here but I believe it does. It notes it came with the following:

• Front & Rear Coil Springs
• Front & Rear Shocks
• Front Control Arms with Flex Style Bushings
• Sway Bar End Links
• Extended Bump Stops
• Installation Hardware

 

[RagTopDeluxe]

I’m not the expert here but I believe it does. It notes it came with the following:

• Front & Rear Coil Springs
• Front & Rear Shocks
• Front Control Arms with Flex Style Bushings
• Sway Bar End Links
• Extended Bump Stops
• Installation Hardware

That list doesn’t include control arms. I would get your caster checked—I bet it’s too low. Mine is at around 7* and it’s great.

However, correct caster will help with wandering and overall feel but not dead spot (at least in my experience).

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