Sponsored

2018 JL Clutch Question

GeoTracker

Well-Known Member
First Name
Geo
Joined
Jul 8, 2018
Threads
1
Messages
122
Reaction score
137
Location
Colorado
Vehicle(s)
JLU Rubicon
Uphill has been my biggest issue with the manual. My STi would crawl uphill just letting out the clutch. The Jeep is a bit fidgety due to torque curve shape but still manages. I think the other part of the equation is hill assist braking. It feels like that drags just enough to stall me more often in this scenario. Generally though I'm happy with the manual but will probably look at the Centerforce clutch down the road.
Sponsored

 
OP
OP

Grip

Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
11
Reaction score
10
Location
Crystal Lake, Illinois
Vehicle(s)
2004 Grand Cherokee WJ; 2018 Wrangler Sahara JL
Yeah, I’m thinking along those same lines. If this clutch goes out again, I will probably go with the Centerforce clutch and have an independent shop install it.

We just noticed today that since the dealer put that new clutch in, we can’t shift into 4-wheel high or low. It’s like the linkage is jammed. It goes into the shop Monday to figure out what’s wrong.
 

ChattVol

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2018
Threads
109
Messages
2,453
Reaction score
2,734
Location
Tennessee
Vehicle(s)
JLU 4 door
Yeah, I’m thinking along those same lines. If this clutch goes out again, I will probably go with the Centerforce clutch and have an independent shop install it.

We just noticed today that since the dealer put that new clutch in, we can’t shift into 4-wheel high or low. It’s like the linkage is jammed. It goes into the shop Monday to figure out what’s wrong.
Sorry to hear...that's bad service. Hope it works out for you.
 
OP
OP

Grip

Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
11
Reaction score
10
Location
Crystal Lake, Illinois
Vehicle(s)
2004 Grand Cherokee WJ; 2018 Wrangler Sahara JL
Sorry to hear...that's bad service. Hope it works out for you.
Thanks. This issue should be covered under under warranty, though. I am curious, however, as to what’s causing the problem. That 4-wheel shift lever has been incredibly stiff since the vehicle was new. Never had that problem with the other 4 Wranglers.
 

ChattVol

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2018
Threads
109
Messages
2,453
Reaction score
2,734
Location
Tennessee
Vehicle(s)
JLU 4 door
Thanks. This issue should be covered under under warranty, though. I am curious, however, as to what’s causing the problem. That 4-wheel shift lever has been incredibly stiff since the vehicle was new. Never had that problem with the other 4 Wranglers.
Putting mine in 4wd takes some elbow grease and you should be moving a little. Were you shifting in 4wd while stationary or moving?
 

Sponsored

OP
OP

Grip

Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
11
Reaction score
10
Location
Crystal Lake, Illinois
Vehicle(s)
2004 Grand Cherokee WJ; 2018 Wrangler Sahara JL
Putting mine in 4wd takes some elbow grease and you should be moving a little. Were you shifting in 4wd while stationary or moving?

I tried it both ways, several times. Nothing worked. Took it to the dealer today. The mechanic had difficulty with it as well. He said it is a cable system, not a linkage, and also incorporates an electronic actuator. So he is going to check it out and let me know what he finds. I’ll post the findings in case it might help somebody else.
 

jonkaye

New Member
First Name
Jon
Joined
Aug 16, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
1
Reaction score
1
Location
Chicago
Vehicle(s)
2018 Wrangler Sahara
The dealer is standing firm by the letter of the warranty . . anything over 12,000 miles and the clutch is no longer warranteed. I argued that the clutch must have been defective from the very beginning to cause such a catastrophic failure so soon. The dealer said there is no way to document that to FCA.

What is odd, though, is that we picked up the car from the shop this evening and the dealer says we have a 24 month, unlimited mileage warranty on the new clutch! Double the life of the original clutch! Go figure.
I had a very similar issue but for me it was at 26,000 miles. Dealer quoted $2800 to replace clutch and jeep would not budge on warranty. I ended up leaving the dealer lot and taking it to another dealer to trade it in the same day. Frustrating.
 

StacieMay

Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
11
Reaction score
9
Location
Ontario, Canada
Vehicle(s)
2019 JLU Manual Sport S Mojito. 2016 Ram 1500 Blue Streak, 2008 Mazda 3 Sport Maunal
2018 Wrangler Sahara JL with standard trans had the clutch go out at just under 31,000 miles. The dealer mechanic showed me the clutch and pressure plate after he removed them. All of the rivets holding the lining to the clutch were sheared off, the material had large pits in it, and the pressure plate had several hot spots in it. It did impress me though, as I looked at those parts, that the clutch surface seemed surprisingly small for a car of that weight.

This is my wife’s car. She “babies” this thing and is the only one to drive it. We are older, so we both learned to drive on stick shifts (back when only well-to-do folks could afford an automatic transmission!)
This is our 5th Wrangler, all have had standard transmissions and have been virtually bulletproof. I’m wondering if any other owners of JL’s have had any clutch issues. Though the vehicle comes with a 60,000 mile drive train warranty, the clutch is only warranted for 12,000 miles. The dealer is charging $2,650 to replace the clutch assembly, so if this becomes a chronic problem, I won’t be keeping this vehicle.

The Jeep mechanic told me that this Wrangler has a “dual inertia” clutch on it. He implied that this was new on the JL’s. I’m somewhat savvy mechanically, but I’ve never heard of a dual inertia clutch. I googled it and couldn’t find an exact match for “dual inertia”. There are “high inertia” clutches showing up in the search, but those have been around several years. Anybody know specifically what a dual inertia clutch is?

I Have a 2019 JL Sport and I have already had to replace my clutch with only 6000Km on it. It started smoking one night on a 30 second drive up the street. I too have only ever driven manual cars, so as much as my dealership wanted to blame user error I know this is not the case. Work order came back with faulty slave cylinder and clutch had multiple hot spots. The clutch I received is not the same clutch that was originally installed, but instead it's on its 3rd upgrade.
 
OP
OP

Grip

Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
11
Reaction score
10
Location
Crystal Lake, Illinois
Vehicle(s)
2004 Grand Cherokee WJ; 2018 Wrangler Sahara JL
I had a very similar issue but for me it was at 26,000 miles. Dealer quoted $2800 to replace clutch and jeep would not budge on warranty. I ended up leaving the dealer lot and taking it to another dealer to trade it in the same day. Frustrating.

I admire your resolve, trading it in on the spot. The wife & I are considering doing that, but we’re not sure if we would be buying into the same situation with another new JL stick shift. Has anything been improved with the clutch from 2018 to 2020? Don’t know.
 

ChattVol

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2018
Threads
109
Messages
2,453
Reaction score
2,734
Location
Tennessee
Vehicle(s)
JLU 4 door
I had a very similar issue but for me it was at 26,000 miles. Dealer quoted $2800 to replace clutch and jeep would not budge on warranty. I ended up leaving the dealer lot and taking it to another dealer to trade it in the same day. Frustrating.
Did you trade it for an automatic JL?
 

Sponsored

ChattVol

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2018
Threads
109
Messages
2,453
Reaction score
2,734
Location
Tennessee
Vehicle(s)
JLU 4 door
I admire your resolve, trading it in on the spot. The wife & I are considering doing that, but we’re not sure if we would be buying into the same situation with another new JL stick shift. Has anything been improved with the clutch from 2018 to 2020? Don’t know.
Honestly, I'd probably trade mine for an automatic if the clutch was going out early and was $2800.
 

four low

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2017
Threads
13
Messages
3,112
Reaction score
3,670
Location
central New York
Vehicle(s)
2018 JL
I had to look up Dual Mass Flywheel, and will bet donuts that it's coming apart and taking everything with it in the Fire scenarios. Google " Dual Mass Flywheel ", read and weep.
It's a big trade off in reliability and cost over the single mass flywheel, plus the torque range of the dual mass is specific and narrow. I always had manual transmissions, if available, for the fun driving factor, but would seriously not get one now, after learning what the trade off is.
I have the 2.0T, only available in automatic ; guess that was a blessing in disguise.
I think FCA might have gone too far in trying to keep a manual transmission / clutch set up as smooth as an automatic by introducing a dual mass flywheel ; just my opinion
 

OldGuyNewJeep

Well-Known Member
First Name
Don
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Threads
85
Messages
3,816
Reaction score
6,828
Location
CT
Vehicle(s)
2018 Wrangler JL, 2016 Yukon XL
I admire your resolve, trading it in on the spot. The wife & I are considering doing that, but we’re not sure if we would be buying into the same situation with another new JL stick shift. Has anything been improved with the clutch from 2018 to 2020? Don’t know.
30,000 miles on my 2018 6sp Rubicon... sucks your clutch failed so early, but they’re not all like that. My guess is that you got a defective one, but good luck proving that in a wear and tear item.

Personally, I’d take your Jeep to a trusted transmission shop and let them put in a centerforce. Dealer labor prices are insane.
Sponsored

 
 



Top