Clutch Fire (1 Day After Recall) Burns 2018 JLU to the Ground

[krweatherl]

The dogs who are safe today thanks to one man’s alertness.

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[JEEP4U]

Quite frankly, for a clutch to generate that kind of heat, there would have to be a large, sustained discrepancy between rpms and speed, i.e. slippage. You can blame the dealer for faulty clutch, or slave , or whatever it was, but the Jeep burning to the ground is squarely on the shoulders of the operator.

The quote is BS. There are design, engineering, and implementation flaws with this clutch system.

The operator did not cause this.....
There are NO fire/alarm detection systems in this vehicle......or a operating procedure in your Jeep manual; stating what to do if your clutch pedal falls to the floor.

 

[brennaman]

I’ve been following this clutch issue for a couple years, there’s been at least 2 Recalls to address a clutch that’s not strong enough to hold the torque generated. FCAs answer in both recalls has been an ecu reflash (reducing torque generated to equal clutch capacity?) instead of replacing the clutch with one with a proper torque rating.

I’ve been a heavy haul lowboy truck driver (200,000+lb loads)
for over 30 years. Around 1997 the company I was working for at the time built a new truck from a W900 Kenworth glider kit. We used the then new 550 hp Cat engine that developed 1850 ft torque but put the same clutch used behind the 425 Cat that developed 1450 ft torque. As you can imagine it didn’t turn out well. I could walk through that clutch with an empty trailer let alone with a load. Our answer to that problem was not to detune torque output to to equal clutch capacity. We replaced the clutch with one rated to handle the torque, never had a problem after.

I understand FCAs reluctance to replacing all those affected 2018-2020 JL & JT clutches but isn’t reducing torque output really just a bandaid trick to cover over the real problem to avoid the expense of a true fix? If it weren’t for the sharp eyed driver who alerted her to the emergency developing under her feet this could have turned out very differently and they could have a problem much larger than replacing a few thousand clutches.

You mention 2018-2020 JL and JT. Is '21 and on different? Just curious. I have a '21 that I ordered with a 6-speed. I read all the bad reviews, but it is what I want, so I bought it. If it goes bad, I get another clutch, or if it burns like your neice, I get another Jeep. Glad to see she and the pups are OK. Also looks like she had a positive outlook. Not many are smiling like that after their vehicle is totaled. To go thru that and still be smiling shows she has a pretty good outlook on life, good for her.

 

[Spank]

Weird how JK clutches never got recalled.

This new design is a big fail by Jeep.

In this particular instance, the dealer is the likely culprit. But the Jeep never should have needed to be there for a recall in the first place.

Chrysler and FCA were never quick to do recalls on the litany of serious JK flaws and were reluctant to hand them out until many years later. Many of them never graduated beyond a TSB that you still had to fight the dealership to not bill you for despite Jeep offering to cover the work.

The JK's garbage TOBs were what put me back into an automatic when I got my JL.

 

[Kryten]

...the Jeep burning to the ground is squarely on the shoulders of the operator.

How so? She didn't design the faulty clutch nor do a half assed job on the repair or whatever else caused this.

 

[krweatherl]

You mention 2018-2020 JL and JT. Is '21 and on different? Just curious. I have a '21 that I ordered with a 6-speed. I read all the bad reviews, but it is what I want, so I bought it. If it goes bad, I get another clutch, or if it burns like your neice, I get another Jeep. Glad to see she and the pups are OK. Also looks like she had a positive outlook. Not many are smiling like that after their vehicle is totaled. To go thru that and still be smiling shows she has a pretty good outlook on life, good for her.

The latest recall is for 2018-2020 https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2021/RCRIT-21V028-6608.pdf
You nailed her attitude exactly, “I purchased a manual because that’s what I wanted and my next Jeep will be a manual in spite of this”.

 

[Blanco802]

The latest recall is for 2018-2020 https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2021/RCRIT-21V028-6608.pdf
You nailed her attitude exactly, “I purchased a manual because that’s what I wanted and my next Jeep will be a manual in spite of this”.

Glad everyone is safe and thanks for sharing the story. I'd be interested to learn once the investigation is over on the cause of this failure. Clutch fluid can be the likely culprit, but also have to wonder how much investigation the insurance company will force at the hands of the dealer who performed the recall just a day before this incident.

 

[slowpoke387]

I’m thinking you’re onto something, she said it was cruising just fine, no slippage, traffic slowed so she pushed in the clutch to downshift and the petal stayed on the floor. She used her foot to pull it back up, pushed it again and that’s when the other motorist (a volunteer firefighter) got her attention.
I can envision a scenario where a clutch fluid leak ignites a fire, spreads immediately to the throw-out bearing slave cylinder, that heat compromises the rear main seal and you’ve got all the fuel needed to create a real problem.

Ding Ding. There it is. Knew it. This will end up being the cause. Someone who worked on it left something loose.

 

[No IFS]

Non-flammable clutch slave fluid is needed.

 

[JEEP4U]

Non-flammable clutch slave fluid is needed.

You do know the brake and clutch master cylinders share the same reservoir ..........therefore they both utilize DOT3 brake fluid.

There are no design flaws....what? Another flaw- the bleed valve on top of the slave cylinder is a two eared thumb knob, which moves very easily, with no means of locking it in place.

 

[TheBirdie72]

Making me glad I got the automatic!!!

Someone owes this poor woman a new Jeep!

 

[krweatherl]

Links to both clutch recalls that I know about.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2020/RCRIT-20V124-1465.pdf

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2021/RCRIT-21V028-6608.pdf

 

[intentsrig]

To me the video shows similar damage to the others who have had this happen. Looks like the bell housing exploded. The clutch plate/ flywheel. Something getting very hot and exploding. Causing fluid of some sort to catch fire. Some noticed a loud noise and then subsequent fire.

Seems like the software update is not the answer.

 

[LLRubylady]

Thank you so much, we are so grateful for the sharp eyes of the other motorist who alerted her. Agreed this is one for the insurance and dealership.

photo the day she purchased it new in 2018

then yesterday

The dogs are safe in my Gladiator.

At least she is ok. It can be replaced. Goodness what a nightmare this situation is.

 

[Tejas]

Thank you so much, we are so grateful for the sharp eyes of the other motorist who alerted her. Agreed this is one for the insurance and dealership.

photo the day she purchased it new in 2018

then yesterday

The dogs are safe in my Gladiator.

hat a fantastic attitude in a completely shitty situation. She'll go far in life. I disagree about an exhaust leak, bell housing is gone, fire came from inside there.

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