13.9k miles and leaking coolant (UPDATE: Happened AGAIN at 44k!)

[GoingPostal]

Pro tip: If you're out and about and hear your radiator fans ramp up and something smells like celery: pull over, shut the engine off, and get it towed, even if your temps aren't fluctuating yet. You're leaking coolant.

Will update once the dealer gets ahold of it. Looks like a rock must have hit a soft line between the driver's side tire and the bottom of the engine - basically right above the front diff - and cut it open. Not exactly how I wanted to start my Tuesday.

As a side note, anyone know if this'll be covered under warranty?

2021 JLU/2.0l turbo

Sponsored

 

[jludave]

As a side note, anyone know if this'll be covered under warranty?

Should be.

 

[GoingPostal]

Should be.

Hopeful, but though the guy I spoke with on the phone said it "should be covered under factory warranty so long as the mechanics don't find any damage"

But like... coolant leaks don't really just "happen". So that'll be a fun discussion to have with the dealer that gets to wrench on her. I suppose after about 10,000 miles of gravel, some bumps and bruises are to be expected.

This is where I'm assuming the leak is coming from, almost looks like the hose came straight off the fitting and was held on with little more than electrical tape?!

Spent a good lot of the afternoon putting my bumper/fender closeouts back on so the shop can't try to fight me by saying "your modifications caused the issue and therefore won't be covered under your warranty. Money, please!" and finally got on the phone with FCA roadside about an hour ago. Ran across the block for a couple gallons of distilled water to limp it onto the trailer, which should be showing up any minute now

 

[JABCAT]

I hope it is covered under warranty, although I have a feeling they're going to claim road hazard and thus not covered. May be a lot less hassle, and expense, to replace the hose yourself.

 

[guarnibl]

Road hazards typically aren't covered (insurance does). Similar to how BMW M3's were blowing engines up because they didn't adequately protect the underside oil cooler. I don't believe those were warranty either.

 

[GoingPostal]

Just heard back from the dealer - good news! They ran a coolant leak test and found that some bolts had worked themselves loose around the water pump and just needed to be retorqued. Filled her back up with coolant and says she's ready to hit the road again, and it's all covered under warranty. Will update with any further problems if they crop up after I pick it up tomorrow morning. Gotta get to work in the meantime.

Here's a Link to another thread that seems to be addressing the same issue, might be worth checking on if you're the paranoid type.

 

[GoingPostal]

Well boys and girls, it's happened again. 44k miles and leaking coolant. Again. Noticed she was running a little warm in 45°F ambient temps (coolant temps were peaking >225°F during work on 125 mile mail route today)

Got home around 2pm and let her cool down for a few hours. Checked the coolant reservoir and it's well below the min/max indicator as of about 7pm. How many times does this have to happen before I can lemon law it? 50k for a truck and they can't even get the water pump to hold together.

 

[58Willys]

Unfortunately the dealer fix for this is going to fail eventually; as you have unfortunately found out. The warranty fix is pull one bolt, apply Loctite, repeat with other bolt. But if the bolt holes are wet with leaking coolant, the Loctite won’t work. IMO, the fitting needs to be removed completely, holes dried and cleaned, then Loctite applied.

 

[GoingPostal]

Unfortunately the dealer fix for this is going to fail eventually; as you have unfortunately found out. The warranty fix is pull one bolt, apply Loctite, repeat with other bolt. But if the bolt holes are wet with leaking coolant, the Loctite won’t work. IMO, the fitting needs to be removed completely, holes dried and cleaned, then Loctite applied.

Left a message with my dealer about getting in ASAP, but not getting my hopes up as the scheduler on the My Jeep app said their soonest appointment was 3/10. Absolutely not an option for me to wait that long. Gonna call them back first thing in the morning and see about dropping it off tomorrow A.M...
Worst case scenario, I talked with an actual human at a local shop that will be much more likely to apply a more effective long-term fix, and supposedly has time to work me in tomorrow.

The thing that really chaps my ass is that I'm not the only one with a late build '21 that's having this issue, and yet they refuse to provide an actual fix for it - which is going to piss a lot of people off once it starts happening out of warranty.

 

[mwilk012]

Left a message with my dealer about getting in ASAP, but not getting my hopes up as the scheduler on the My Jeep app said their soonest appointment was 3/10. Absolutely not an option for me to wait that long. Gonna call them back first thing in the morning and see about dropping it off tomorrow A.M...
Worst case scenario, I talked with an actual human at a local shop that will be much more likely to apply a more effective long-term fix, and supposedly has time to work me in tomorrow.

The thing that really chaps my ass is that I'm not the only one with a late build '21 that's having this issue, and yet they refuse to provide an actual fix for it - which is going to piss a lot of people off once it starts happening out of warranty.

Tightening the bolts properly is a fix. Loctite is not a glue. It is intended to dry on the fastener before installation and then be installed.

 

[jaymz]

Tightening the bolts properly is a fix. Loctite is not a glue. It is intended to dry on the fastener before installation and then be installed.

That’s not what Loctite says, and not how I’ve ever used the product over the last 30 or 40 years.

 

[GoingPostal]

Tightening the bolts properly is a fix. Loctite is not a glue. It is intended to dry on the fastener before installation and then be installed.

You mean like how the dealership tightened the bolts as a fix, only to have it happen again 24,000 miles later? Yeah ok

 

[GoingPostal]

Sitting at the dealership she was bought from currently. Full schedule but praying for a cancellation so they can get it done today so I can get back to work tomorrow

 

[jellis4148]

That’s not what Loctite says, and not how I’ve ever used the product over the last 30 or 40 years.

Yeah, I have never, ever, seen anyone put on loctite, wait for it to dry, then install the bolt.

 

[mwilk012]

Yeah, I have never, ever, seen anyone put on loctite, wait for it to dry, then install the bolt.

Purchase new body bolts and see how they come. Thread locker pre-applied. Thread locker is not a glue, it creates an interference fit.

Sponsored