JEEP CLUTCH RECALL FAILURE PROBLEMS

[Jerry Bynum]

JEEP CLUTCH RECALL PROBLEMS

My Name is Jerry Bynum, and I am the sad owner of a 2021 Jeep Wrangler JL.

On Saturday, November 23, 2024 for the first time of taking the Jeep off-roading and engaging it into 4WD since the Clutch Recall had been completed on August 30, 2024 by Hunter Dodge Jeep in Lancaster, CA. While off-roading and traveling on hard pack dirt roads (not needing 4WD), I come upon an area of the road consisting of dry sandy washout forcing needing to go into 4WD-4L. After driving through the dry sandy wash bed in 4WD-4L for approximately 1/8 mile, problems began to occur resulting in causing the jeep to lose drive-train power while smelling the overheated clutch along with noticing that the serving ABS light had appeared on the instrument panel. A couple of minutes after the ABS light appeared and stayed on, other warning lights appeared such as … First, the “SERV 4WD” light appeared, a few minutes later, the Second, service light appeared “Clutch Hot Fully Release Pedal and Reduce Clutch Use”, and a few minutes after, the Third service light appeared “Service Transmission”. As a result, the Jeep was now stranded in the sand without power resulting in having to wait for at least two hour for the clutch to cool off enough (hot clutch light did not appear, but service transmission light was still showing) before continuing through the sand and back onto the hard dirt roadway with the “Service Transmission” continuing to stay on. After getting back onto the flat hard dirt roadway, the “Service Transmission” light still remained showing and the Jeep’s speed was reduced to a max speed of only 40 mph. A couple of days later, the vehicle was towed from my residence in Tehachapi to Chrysler Jeep Dealership in Bakersfield, CA

On Thursday morning, December 05, 2024, the Service Representative from Chrysler Jeep Dealership in Bakersfield called me saying the problem found with my Jeep was due to overuse of the clutch by driver causing it to cause damage to the clutch. I then explained to him that the Clutch Recall had been completed at the end of August 2024, and the first time I took the Jeep off-roading and experienced overheating problem was on November 23, 2024. Eric stated to me that I had put over 2,000 miles on the vehicle from the time the Clutch Recall had been completed up until the problem with the clutch overheating on November 24, 2024, and that the clutch problem was not related to the Clutch Recall and deemed the problem to be driver era due to over use of the clutch and that the problem was not covered under Jeep Warrantee. I then asked Eric if he had reached out to Jeep Customer Care regarding the situation, and he said no because the problem with the clutch was not related to the Clutch Recall nor anything falling under warrantee.

After getting off the phone with Eric at Chrysler Jeep Dealership in Bakersfield, CA, I then called Jeep Customer Care and explained the Jeep situation with a customer care representative of which opened up a new case number [Jeep Customer Case Number: 91628768] and that it would be assigned to a customer care advisor that would call the dealership in Bakersfield, CA, and then call me on the situation.

To sum it up … from the time I picked up my Jeep at Hunter Jeep in Lancaster, CA on August 30, 2024 after the Clutch Recall had been completed, I put just a little over approximately 2,000 miles on my jeep driving it on paved highways/roads until taking my jeep off-roading for the first time on November 27, 2024 of which then I only drove off-road for approximately 20 miles and was only in 4WD for only approximately ¼ of a mile driving through a sandy wash-bed when clutch problems stated occurring. And now … the Service Advisor “Eric” at the Chrysler Jeep Dealership in Bakersfield, CA is telling me that the overheating and damage to clutch is my fault “driver era”!

It’s scary for not only myself, but for 10000’s of other Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator owners when going off-road and using 4WD with thought in mind, “is my clutch going to be okay or go out and leave me stranded out in the middle of the boondocks” because Jeep can’t seem get the clutch problem remedied!!

If any of you are and/or are having the same problems, I would really like to hear back from you. Thanks!

Jerry Bynum

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[Sparty]

JEEP CLUTCH RECALL PROBLEMS

My Name is Jerry Bynum, and I am the sad owner of a 2021 Jeep Wrangler JL.

On Saturday, November 23, 2024 for the first time of taking the Jeep off-roading and engaging it into 4WD since the Clutch Recall had been completed on August 30, 2024 by Hunter Dodge Jeep in Lancaster, CA. While off-roading and traveling on hard pack dirt roads (not needing 4WD), I come upon an area of the road consisting of dry sandy washout forcing needing to go into 4WD-4L. After driving through the dry sandy wash bed in 4WD-4L for approximately 1/8 mile, problems began to occur resulting in causing the jeep to lose drive-train power while smelling the overheated clutch along with noticing that the serving ABS light had appeared on the instrument panel. A couple of minutes after the ABS light appeared and stayed on, other warning lights appeared such as … First, the “SERV 4WD” light appeared, a few minutes later, the Second, service light appeared “Clutch Hot Fully Release Pedal and Reduce Clutch Use”, and a few minutes after, the Third service light appeared “Service Transmission”. As a result, the Jeep was now stranded in the sand without power resulting in having to wait for at least two hour for the clutch to cool off enough (hot clutch light did not appear, but service transmission light was still showing) before continuing through the sand and back onto the hard dirt roadway with the “Service Transmission” continuing to stay on. After getting back onto the flat hard dirt roadway, the “Service Transmission” light still remained showing and the Jeep’s speed was reduced to a max speed of only 40 mph. A couple of days later, the vehicle was towed from my residence in Tehachapi to Chrysler Jeep Dealership in Bakersfield, CA

On Thursday morning, December 05, 2024, the Service Representative from Chrysler Jeep Dealership in Bakersfield called me saying the problem found with my Jeep was due to overuse of the clutch by driver causing it to cause damage to the clutch. I then explained to him that the Clutch Recall had been completed at the end of August 2024, and the first time I took the Jeep off-roading and experienced overheating problem was on November 23, 2024. Eric stated to me that I had put over 2,000 miles on the vehicle from the time the Clutch Recall had been completed up until the problem with the clutch overheating on November 24, 2024, and that the clutch problem was not related to the Clutch Recall and deemed the problem to be driver era due to over use of the clutch and that the problem was not covered under Jeep Warrantee. I then asked Eric if he had reached out to Jeep Customer Care regarding the situation, and he said no because the problem with the clutch was not related to the Clutch Recall nor anything falling under warrantee.

After getting off the phone with Eric at Chrysler Jeep Dealership in Bakersfield, CA, I then called Jeep Customer Care and explained the Jeep situation with a customer care representative of which opened up a new case number [Jeep Customer Case Number: 91628768] and that it would be assigned to a customer care advisor that would call the dealership in Bakersfield, CA, and then call me on the situation.

To sum it up … from the time I picked up my Jeep at Hunter Jeep in Lancaster, CA on August 30, 2024 after the Clutch Recall had been completed, I put just a little over approximately 2,000 miles on my jeep driving it on paved highways/roads until taking my jeep off-roading for the first time on November 27, 2024 of which then I only drove off-road for approximately 20 miles and was only in 4WD for only approximately ¼ of a mile driving through a sandy wash-bed when clutch problems stated occurring. And now … the Service Advisor “Eric” at the Chrysler Jeep Dealership in Bakersfield, CA is telling me that the overheating and damage to clutch is my fault “driver era”!

It’s scary for not only myself, but for 10000’s of other Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator owners when going off-road and using 4WD with thought in mind, “is my clutch going to be okay or go out and leave me stranded out in the middle of the boondocks” because Jeep can’t seem get the clutch problem remedied!!

If any of you are and/or are having the same problems, I would really like to hear back from you. Thanks!

Jerry Bynum

I hate Facebook, but check out their Clutch Recall group

Reading through that will make ANYONE in their right mind avoid the recall like the plague and go with an aftermarket clutch.

I went with South Bend Clutch and couldn't be happier!

 

[AKLespaul]

I had a Centerforce installed at 11K miles. At 30K now with no issues and have refused all dealer recall upgrades. Well into offroad trails up to 5K feet on dirt and mud with no issues. Jeep paid for the clutch and labor... $3200.00 or so. Took two years to get payment but I did get it.
I will not involve the dealer at all unless it's absolutely necessary.

 

[autotragic]

Just another one in a long list that's been screwed over by the recall clutch. Anybody let knows knows not to get it done to their Jeep. It has worked for some people and some people are perfectly happy with it but I wouldn't buy a JL that's had the clutch recall performed on it. I got my first recall notice a few weeks ago and it went straight to the trash.

 

[alphawolff]

Dealer tech here who also owns a manual JL. I would not trust that garbage clutch (or garbage transmission) for any type of serious off road duty.

It's defective in its raw design combined with a transmission with the worst gear ratios in existence. I do not know what the engineers were thinking. I don't believe they were thinking at all. They just forced a powertrain through because they had to, not because they wanted to. It is the laziest half assed design for a problem that shouldn't of existed in the first place (Stop start on a manual...). A manual is bought by enthusiasts, it should be designed for an enthusiast.

This clutch has seen multiple recalls and they've slapped flex tape on it every single time while refusing to actually redesign it. The same negligence is present with our defective steering stabilizers.

I recommend everyone upgrade to an aftermarket clutch at the first sign of any issues.

 

[Red Willy]

Dealer tech here who also owns a manual JL. I would not trust that garbage clutch (or garbage transmission) for any type of serious off road duty.

It's defective in its raw design combined with a transmission with the worst gear ratios in existence. I do not know what the engineers were thinking. I don't believe they were thinking at all. They just forced a powertrain through because they had to, not because they wanted to. It is the laziest half assed design for a problem that shouldn't of existed in the first place (Stop start on a manual...). A manual is bought by enthusiasts, it should be designed for an enthusiast.

This clutch has seen multiple recalls and they've slapped flex tape on it every single time while refusing to actually redesign it. The same negligence is present with our defective steering stabilizers.

I recommend everyone upgrade to an aftermarket clutch at the first sign of any issues.

Agree totally. I went with the Centerforce internal hydraulic option on the wife's '21 Willys 2 door. So smooth and actually feels like a real clutch. As far as the gear ratios, I was perfectly fine with them while on the flat ground of Florida, but getting into the hills of NC and TN, the ratio spacing really sucks. Yeah, put those ratios in front of a 3.45 gearing.... Trail rated? Don't think so.

 

[Sparty]

I do not know what the engineers were thinking. I don't believe they were thinking at all. They just forced a powertrain through because they had to, not because they wanted to. It is the laziest half assed design for a problem that shouldn't of existed in the first place

10-1 it was farmed out to an overseas "engineering" group who has probably never even driven a vehicle. This is based off of first hand experience in a related industry

 

[Jerry Bynum]

Good Afternoon,

Jerry Bynum once again in reference to the Jeep Clutch Recall! A few days ago I posted about the Recall Clutch problem from hell I’m going through with my 2021 Jeep Wrangler JL. After reading a lot of the reply’s to my post, I’m now entertaining the thought of going with an aftermarket clutch. My silver bullet question is for those of you who have already installed and aftermarket clutch is … what aftermarket clutch will be the best, and will interface with the Jeep Wrangler JL computer system in regard to calibration the computer bells & whistles with the aftermarket clutch?

Look forward to reply(s) !

v/r
Jerry

 

[Jerry Bynum]

New update on my 2021 Jeep Wrangler JL [12-09-24] … I received a call from Jeep Customer Care / Stellantis Customer Retention Team this afternoon regarding an update of the the situation with my Clutch Recall taking a crap only after driving my Jeep 2,000 miles after the dealership completed the Clutch Recall service. The representative told me that the dealership (Chrysler Jeep Dealership in Bakersfield, CA) told him that the problem with the new recall clutch installed in my Jeep was due to over excessive use of the clutch meaning “Driver Era”, and did not fall into justifying it to be fixed with the clutch recall warranty. Another word, If I want them to do the clutch repair the cost would be out of my pocket. I then stated to representative that the Jeep is still under the 60,000 mile Power Train Warranty and could the repair be done under that ? He then stated, if your Jeep had an automatic transmission it would be covered, but since your Jeep’s has a Manual Transmission and Clutched, unfortunately it is exempt from being covered under the Jeeps 60,000 mile Drive Train Warranty. Wow ... wish they had explained this at the dealership before I purchased my Jeep!

 

[JLRyder]

Sounds like they won’t pay; if you want it fixed you will have to do it yourself. Go with ACT, South Bend, Center Force…doesn’t matter seems they would all be better in your case.

Guess I’m an outlier as my clutch recall was performed without issue and the jeep wheels off-road without issue. If it blows up, then I’ll do as mentioned above.

 

[alphawolff]

New update on my 2021 Jeep Wrangler JL [12-09-24] … I received a call from Jeep Customer Care / Stellantis Customer Retention Team this afternoon regarding an update of the the situation with my Clutch Recall taking a crap only after driving my Jeep 2,000 miles after the dealership completed the Clutch Recall service. The representative told me that the dealership (Chrysler Jeep Dealership in Bakersfield, CA) told him that the problem with the new recall clutch installed in my Jeep was due to over excessive use of the clutch meaning “Driver Era”, and did not fall into justifying it to be fixed with the clutch recall warranty. Another word, If I want them to do the clutch repair the cost would be out of my pocket. I then stated to representative that the Jeep is still under the 60,000 mile Power Train Warranty and could the repair be done under that ? He then stated, if your Jeep had an automatic transmission it would be covered, but since your Jeep’s has a Manual Transmission and Clutched, unfortunately it is exempt from being covered under the Jeeps 60,000 mile Drive Train Warranty. Wow ... wish they had explained this at the dealership before I purchased my Jeep!

The clutch is under the 1 year/12k MOPAR warranty. The dealership can choose to warranty this repair if they so choose, but the warranty time pays so bad they probably don't want to deal with it and are showing you the door. I'd suggest never returning to that dealer in the future. You may be able to get the local area rep involved, as a 2k mile failure is obviously a defective component assuming the original clutch lasted a while.

Personally I would strongly suggest going with an aftermarket clutch and being done with this nonsense. The factory clutch is garbage.

 

[Jerry Bynum]

Thanks for your reply and have already started the process of bypassing the dealership and going with an after market cluth.

 

[Jerry Bynum]

Sounds like they won’t pay; if you want it fixed you will have to do it yourself. Go with ACT, South Bend, Center Force…doesn’t matter seems they would all be better in your case.

Guess I’m an outlier as my clutch recall was performed without issue and the jeep wheels off-road without issue. If it blows up, then I’ll do as mentioned above.

I order an after-market (Centerforce II with external slave), and the transmission shop (5-star rating) in Bakersfield, CA will be installing and test driving my vehicle.

 

[AlgUSF]

I wheeled mine post 19A recall and new transmission were installed. I was pulling a trailers through sand and mud and haven't ran into any problems yet with 800 miles on it.

 

[Jerry Bynum]

Jerry Bynum here once again in reference to the Jeep Clutch Recall problem and now replacing the faulty Recall Clutch with an after-market clutch kit.

This morning (12/16), I delivered the new after-market clutch kit (Centerforce II Clutch & Flywheel Kit) to Brandon’s Transmission & Automotive Repair shop in Bakersfield, CA and talked with the owner in regard to after the new clutch had been installed, he had my permission to take the vehicle out for and extensive test drives (both paved road and off-roading) to observe the quality of the new after-market clutch. I expect to have my Jeep back from the shop next Monday (12/23), drive it for a few days, and then post again on how the after-market clutch is working out.

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