Issue Bulletin: Frame Weld Inspection/Repair (Rust, Pinholes, Alignment)

[Jeepsterfreak]

Please realize that the UA5 recall only addresses the front track bar mounting bracket weld for possibly being misaligned and not on the seam. Dealers will most likely inspect this specific weld to make sure it is in the proper location. I doubt they will be given any authority to evaluate the “quality” of any welds.

If you have concerns with the “quality” of your welds on any part of your frame in regards to location, porosity, penetration, slag, rust, etc, this recall will not address those concerns. I recommend filing a complaint with NHTSA.

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[Jeepsterfreak]

Same here. I don’t know why the dealership didn’t catch this during pre delivery? I would not have accepted it. So here I am 3 weeks later awaiting from the service manager, Jeep wave and NHTSA. My jeep just sits in the garage with 147 miles on it. I want a replacement Jeep with rust free frame welds. Simple request from David to Goliath right?

Rust or Slag? According to the FCA STAR publication in post #1, Slag is acceptable and no repair needed. Nothing will get resolved until FCA changes this policy and states slag is not acceptable and requires repair. What will it take for FCA to change their minds?

If you examine new JLs on the lot and don’t notice the orange slag, this means the factory has improved its welding process to reduce, eliminate, remove slag OR they are just doing a better job of covering it up with paint to make it look pretty knowing darn well the paint will eventually flake off after you make the purchase and drive it home.

 

[wranglerwillys]

FYI. A lot of the slag is just silica from the weld. Electrical coating won't stick to anything except metal.


Welding variances, Metal variances, how clean your tip, nozzle and diffuser is will also affect this.

 

[NCJeepn73]

Rust or Slag? According to the FCA STAR publication in post #1, Slag is acceptable and no repair needed. Nothing will get resolved until FCA changes this policy and states slag is not acceptable and requires repair. What will it take for FCA to change their minds?

If you examine new JLs on the lot and don’t notice the orange slag, this means the factory has improved its welding process to reduce, eliminate, remove slag OR they are just doing a better job of covering it up with paint to make it look pretty knowing darn well the paint will eventually flake off after you make the purchase and drive it home.

In researching this more I have come across several standards for slag/silica within welding. Although FCA says slag is acceptable, it is only acceptable per guidelines found in code: BE EN 25817 (ISO 5817)

https://www.academia.edu/10540664/Defects_imperfections_in_welds_-porosity

Scroll down to "acceptable standards" in that paper and it says:

"Acceptance standards

Slag and flux inclusions are linear defects but because they do not have sharp edges compared with cracks, they may be permitted by specific standards and codes. The limits in steel arespecified in BE EN 25817 (ISO 5817) for the three quality levels. Long slag imperfections are not permitted in both butt and fillet welds for Quality Level B (stringent) and C (moderate). For Quality Level D, butt welds can have imperfections providing their size is less than half the nominal weld thickness. Short slag related imperfections are permitted in all three-quality levels with limits placed on their size relative to the butt weld thickness or nominal fillet weld throat thickness."

There are also other pretty strict guidelines or codes related to these types of inclusions in auto welding specifically. My honest opinion is that there are owners that have a strong case based on certain weld beads on their Jeeps. Some may fit within industry guidelines and codes while others do not.

 

[Capt-Zoom]

NHTSA Called me today. Things are not looking good for Jeep. According to them Jeep states that the affected range of Build Dates is May 6th to August 15th. They also say the Jeeps that have already been bought back or repaired will not show up in the VIN list. NHTSA also stated that they are taking this investigation very seriously and are further investigating the Schlage issue steering issue and other issues in addition to the track bar

 

[Capt-Zoom]

Forgot to mention. NHTSA said that's Jeeps plan to fix the weld issue and track bar issue is to send out teams from the tower frame Factory to grind down and reweld frames at your dealer. I have a very bad feeling about this.

 

[UNC Rubicon]

NHTSA Called me today. Things are not looking good for Jeep. According to them Jeep states that the affected range of Build Dates is May 6th to August 15th. They also say the Jeeps that have already been bought back or repaired will not show up in the VIN list. NHTSA also stated that they are taking this investigation very seriously and are further investigating the Schlage issue steering issue and other issues in addition to the track bar

Almost the exact same thing my contact at NHTSA told me.

 

[NCJeepn73]

NHTSA Called me today. Things are not looking good for Jeep. According to them Jeep states that the affected range of Build Dates is May 6th to August 15th. They also say the Jeeps that have already been bought back or repaired will not show up in the VIN list. NHTSA also stated that they are taking this investigation very seriously and are further investigating the Schlage issue steering issue and other issues in addition to the track bar

Well, I think we all know the dates these defects in the track bar brackets occur on. Mine is 2/14/18. I know we've seen January builds all the way through August. So I just don't get it.

Also, I want Jeep to succeed. I really wish, for my sanity, sake, and my son's sake, that my Jeep wasn't affected by these weld issues. I just hope this all pans out in the right way for us owners and doesn't diminish the Wrangler brand too much.

NHTSA has also mentioned the same things to me about welds in general and checking more than the track bar. Should be interesting to see how this all shakes out.

 

[jforse]

NHTSA Called me today. Things are not looking good for Jeep. According to them Jeep states that the affected range of Build Dates is May 6th to August 15th. They also say the Jeeps that have already been bought back or repaired will not show up in the VIN list. NHTSA also stated that they are taking this investigation very seriously and are further investigating the Schlage issue steering issue and other issues in addition to the track bar

Interesting. I believe mine was built April 26th and looks to have inclusions, slag, spatter, and poor penetration.

 

[Capt-Zoom]

Its all very sad. I am a jeep guy and hav3 been for 35 years. I just hope that jeep does this right and does right by their customers. The brand depends on it. Look what happened when another American icon Harley davidson stopped listening to their customers, treating them unfairly, and focusing on making overpriced tshirts...their costomers fled to other brands like indian, victory, iron horse, and Star. I pray jeep can salvage this.

 

[Tar Heel Wrangler]

Had mine at the dealership for a squeaky clutch and asked them to check the frame welding (wish I hadn't). They took pictures and sent to corporate. Now they won't release it back to me until corporate makes a ruling. They've had it for 6 days with no progress from corporate.

Has anyone had them keep it and how long did it take? I asked them to escalate as I'm going to the OBX this week and will be really pissed if I don't have it back (just put a hitch on and bought a cargo hauler for fishing on the beach). I have a loaner that is plastered with "Service Loaner" all over it and no hitch. At least I have a soft top for cigar driving down.

 

[Capt-Zoom]

Interesting. I believe mine was built April 26th and looks to have inclusions, slag, spatter, and poor penetration.

There are definitely Jeeps outside of those production dates since the first track bar shearing off was reported in something like April I know mine with bad welds was February

 

[mrmarco21]

Case Number: S1813000001

I was putting on my front skid plate and I noticed these rusted holes in the welds. My vin number is not on the recall list. That's just not right. Thanks for letting us know about this issue.

 

[jforse]

Had mine at the dealership for a squeaky clutch and asked them to check the frame welding (wish I hadn't). They took pictures and sent to corporate. Now they won't release it back to me until corporate makes a ruling. They've had it for 6 days with no progress from corporate.

Has anyone had them keep it and how long did it take? I asked them to escalate as I'm going to the OBX this week and will be really pissed if I don't have it back (just put a hitch on and bought a cargo hauler for fishing on the beach). I have a loaner that is plastered with "Service Loaner" all over it and no hitch. At least I have a soft top for cigar driving down.

They had mine for a week.

 

[Tar Heel Wrangler]

They had mine for a week.

Didn't want to hear that. They better be done by Wed.

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