3.6L light throttle engine surge

[JeepCares]

I have a 2019 Wrangler Unlimited Sport S 3.6 liter automatic.

As other have stated, mid range mph 30-50 with a steady throttle the vehicle every 5 seconds or so acts like a misfire with any backfire or warning lights being tripped.

Obviously, I am not the only one, has anyone had this problem resolved?

I would much prefer to go to the dealer with a solution than have them tell me they cannot find a problem.

@sraeb007,
We certainly understand your concerns here. If you would like our additional support while visiting your dealer, please feel free to follow up with us privately.

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[GrumpyBadger]

I hope this thread is not completely dead, because I just brought a 2020 JLU (auto trans) home a few days ago and noticed this same surge / pulsing (of course after the paperwork is signed and my trusty Tacoma is gone).

Did anyone find an actual solution? I've read through this thread, and my miserable non-vehicle-brain has not been able to discern a definitive solution. Did Jeep ever 'fess up to a problem or...?????

 

[Kevin Mojito]

Nope.
From others I have talked with, thinking it's a too lean condition. Others say egr system is too aggressive, either way a bunch of ideas no fix yet.
You can pull the negative battery lead for 30 min. or so. This will help mask the problem for a few miles, but it will come back ( dealer fixed it .) You sure did.....................

 

[wwheeler]

Has anyone test driven or happen to also own a 2.0? I’m really considering trading my 3.6 for a 2.0 if there are no issues like this with the 2.0.
(I’m also still waiting for the steering to be made better before I do anything, but that’s a whole other thread lol)

 

[AnnDee4444]

Has anyone test driven or happen to also own a 2.0? I’m really considering trading my 3.6 for a 2.0 if there are no issues like this with the 2.0.
(I’m also still waiting for the steering to be made better before I do anything, but that’s a whole other thread lol)

I haven't driven a 3.6 JL, but I can tell you that the 2.0 doesn't seem to have this issue.

FWIW: This sounds like a tuning issue. I'm not up on 3.6 tuning, but I would expect that this could be fixed with a real ECU tune (not a piggyback or throttle commander).

 

[psdtime]

I was reading this thread last week and I think that someone suggested the Pedal Commander and since I can't go anywhere on the weekends, no fancy dinners, no gun stores, no nothing to waist my money on, I decided to try the Pedal Commander. I installed it last Friday and although I only have about 100 miles on it, I think the surging is gone. Also, as I was going down the highway at around 70mph (before the commander) I was having an issue with maintaining speed. My throttle pressure would be constant (I thought), but I would always seem to be losing speed. The Pedal Commander fixed that too. I would suggest some others try it or something similar since there are many other options that do similar things.

 

[sraeb007]

I hope this thread is not completely dead, because I just brought a 2020 JLU (auto trans) home a few days ago and noticed this same surge / pulsing (of course after the paperwork is signed and my trusty Tacoma is gone).

Did anyone find an actual solution? I've read through this thread, and my miserable non-vehicle-brain has not been able to discern a definitive solution. Did Jeep ever 'fess up to a problem or...?????

So I wasn't able to find a solution by the dealer but.....
The JL 3.6 has two batteries so you must pull multiple grounds to kill the computer(s). I left it disconnected for several hours, probably about 4 and then reconnected. The problem has been gone since a couple days after my last post when I performed this reset. You can be sure all batteries are disconnected by opening you driver door and watching the cluster, nothing should happen. If the screens light up, you have additional terminals to disconnect. I also changed the intake air filter to an aftermarket filter, still an insert style, not a new intake.
Additionally, I more or less have stopped using the stop start feature if the vehicle, except for the occasional time I fail to turn it off.
Also, I stopped trying to maximize every drop of fuel per tank.
My theory, at least in my own application, is that there takes a perfect storm for the computer to respond with this failed throttle map, the OEM air filter is possibly to restrictive and when you combine it with constant light acceleration, the computer responds with a new fuel map that has some glitches. I am not sure how or if the start/stop feature plays a role in the computer defaulting to this the new fuel map but I have determined I do not like the feature anyway.

So it has been more than a couple of months now with the problem gone.

 

[GrumpyBadger]

So I wasn't able to find a solution by the dealer but.....

So it has been more than a couple of months now with the problem gone.

Cool. I am working on getting in the habit of turning off the ESS right when I hit the "ON" - stupid, useless feature that they should allow us to either bypass completely, or at least have the system remember the last setting (yeah, I know I can get work arounds, but it's irritating to have to have it forced on ya). I live in a rural area, and I save ZERO gas or fumes by that idiotic system - wouldn't mind its existence if they allowed for it to remember me setting it to off.

Anyhoo... I've not noticed the problem as much with the ESS off. Of course, I am not going anywhere or driving it much, so... yeesh... two months old and it doesn't even have 200 miles on it yet!

 

[sraeb007]

Cool. I am working on getting in the habit of turning off the ESS right when I hit the "ON" - stupid, useless feature that they should allow us to either bypass completely, or at least have the system remember the last setting (yeah, I know I can get work arounds, but it's irritating to have to have it forced on ya). I live in a rural area, and I save ZERO gas or fumes by that idiotic system - wouldn't mind its existence if they allowed for it to remember me setting it to off.

Anyhoo... I've not noticed the problem as much with the ESS off. Of course, I am not going anywhere or driving it much, so... yeesh... two months old and it doesn't even have 200 miles on it yet!

Yeah, no, we can understand the frustration, it is a stupid problem to have but a problem nevertheless.

I recommend disconnecting the two batteries. A quick Google search will tell you what terminals you need to disconnect. Open the drivers door and confirm the computer is actually off, you should not see a display on the cluster. Leave it disconnected for a couple of hours, at least. While it is disconnected, replace the intake air filter. It doesn't need to be K&N, I just went to the O'Reilly's parts counter and bought the better of the two they stocked. When you bring it back online and drive it, just be a bit more aggressive with the accelerator pedal than you were previously. No need, to drive it like a race car, just don't pamper it either.

Try this and let us know how it goes. This solution has so far worked for me and I have gone several months when others had theirs come back in a day or two.

If this works for you, then it would confirm the theory of the failed learned map generated by FCA/Jeep algorithms coupled with an air filter that met be too restrictive. ihave a 2019 which means they have not yet been bothered to find a solution to this problem or do not know how to fix it.

Either way, disappointing problem to have with your brand new vehicle. Once you get this problem solved though, this new JL does have some positives going for it.

Good luck!

 

[psdtime]

This has to be something that could be corrected with programming from Jeep. My Jeep does it too. What I noticed if I run the Pedal Commander on stree

Yeah, no, we can understand the frustration, it is a stupid problem to have but a problem nevertheless.

I recommend disconnecting the two batteries. A quick Google search will tell you what terminals you need to disconnect. Open the drivers door and confirm the computer is actually off, you should not see a display on the cluster. Leave it disconnected for a couple of hours, at least. While it is disconnected, replace the intake air filter. It doesn't need to be K&N, I just went to the O'Reilly's parts counter and bought the better of the two they stocked. When you bring it back online and drive it, just be a bit more aggressive with the accelerator pedal than you were previously. No need, to drive it like a race car, just don't pamper it either.

Try this and let us know how it goes. This solution has so far worked for me and I have gone several months when others had theirs come back in a day or two.

If this works for you, then it would confirm the theory of the failed learned map generated by FCA/Jeep algorithms coupled with an air filter that met be too restrictive. ihave a 2019 which means they have not yet been bothered to find a solution to this problem or do not know how to fix it.

Either way, disappointing problem to have with your brand new vehicle. Once you get this problem solved though, this new JL does have some positives going for it.

Good luck!

Do all JLs have two batteries? I haven't been under the hood enough to notice. Are they standard car batteries?

 

[sraeb007]

Everyone would agree that it should be solvable with a software update from FCA and yet no one here has had any luck with that avenue.

The start/stop feature adds the second battery located in the front passenger fender wall. I have personally not put eyes on it, so I cannot say for sure how many amp hours it may be. Just a guess, but I would suspect it is smaller than the primary battery due to space constraints, weight savings and cost savings.

 

[MadDog27]

This has to be something that could be corrected with programming from Jeep. My Jeep does it too. What I noticed if I run the Pedal Commander on stree

Do all JLs have two batteries? I haven't been under the hood enough to notice. Are they standard car batteries?

They all have 2 batteries. Reason for it is for the ESS auto start/stop feature that we all get. The 2nd battery is a smaller motorcycle battery, 12 volt still, and hidden underneath the main battery you can see under the hood. Theres an entire thread or 2 about it on the forum if you do a quick search. There are ways of bypassing it too if interested and there’s an entire thread on that as well.

 

[psdtime]

They all have 2 batteries. Reason for it is for the ESS auto start/stop feature that we all get. The 2nd battery is a smaller motorcycle battery, 12 volt still, and hidden underneath the main battery you can see under the hood. Theres an entire thread or 2 about it on the forum if you do a quick search. There are ways of bypassing it too if interested and there’s an entire thread on that as well.

Thanks, I never knew that. I have a 2018 Pacifica too with that crap on it. I assume I have two batteries there. I'm pretty sure I can turn it off with my Flashcal. I think I'm just going to do that and give it a try. Thanks

 

[goose77]

My 2018 JLU is doing this now. Hesitation/pulsating at idle. Drives me crazy, I installed a pedal commander and no difference :{

 

[Rhinebeck01]

My 2018 JLU is doing this now. Hesitation/pulsating at idle. Drives me crazy, I installed a pedal commander and no difference :{

Talk to your Service Dept. and ask that they do this TSB. Cured my JL and other's with JL's on the forum that had idle issue, loud fan, etc..

You will need to tell them your JL, has the symptoms mentioned in the TSB or they probably will not do the update to your JL.

There is a big chance this PCM update will remedy your JL's issues.

Is your 2018 JL an automatic.. and no, Pedal Commander is a terrific addition to the JL, withthe 8 speed tranny but no it will not cure the idle problem you are seeing.

DO remove the PC before you go to the dealership. Do not mention the PC to the dealer.

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