JL welding Issues

[Jeepsterfreak]

This complaint on NHTSA (if legit) pretty much sums it up. Tower makes the frames for Jeep.

This person from FCA or Hyundai Mobis (assembles the chassis components) or a third party contractor was sent to Tower to repair bad welds.

NHTSA ID Number: 11076098

Incident Date February 25, 2018

Consumer Location CLARKSTON, MI

Vehicle Identification Number N/A

Summary of Complaint

CRASHNo

FIRENo

INJURIES0

DEATHS0

SENT TO TOWER IN PLYMOUTH MI TO WELD JEEP FRAMES THAT ROBOT WAS NOT WELDING CORRECTLY. TOLD TO JUST COVER THEM UP AND THEY WILL JUST PAINT FRAMES. TOLD THEY HAVE TO MEET THEIR PRODUCTION NUMBERS. I WOULD NOT DRIVE OR WANT ANYONE ELSE TO DRIVE ONE OF THESE.

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[Jeepsterfreak]

I was really trying to wait for a 2019 model thinking these problems would be solved, BUT after seeing the 2.0T with 48V BSG I don’t want the BSG system on my V6. I really hope Jeep delays the BSG for the V6 another year or two.

 

[Rebecca76]

I took delivery of my 2 door Jl Rubicon a little over a week ago. After seeing so many post about welds, I took a look under mine. There's some pretty shoddy welds under there. Not sure if it will affect the frame structurally but not what you would expect to see, no doubt.

 

[NCJeepn73]

I took delivery of my 2 door Jl Rubicon a little over a week ago. After seeing so many post about welds, I took a look under mine. There's some pretty shoddy welds under there. Not sure if it will affect the frame structurally but not what you would expect to see, no doubt.

Oh boy!

Imho, all these bad welds are going to come back to haunt Jeep.

 

[viper88]

I took delivery of my 2 door Jl Rubicon a little over a week ago. After seeing so many post about welds, I took a look under mine. There's some pretty shoddy welds under there. Not sure if it will affect the frame structurally but not what you would expect to see, no doubt.

Did anyone tell you the welds on your frame are bad? I am planning on ordering a 2-door and was hoping the bad frames were isolated to the earlier 4-door Unlimited frames. Hopefully those bad frames were pulled out of production, not assembles and sold, only to be patched under warranty after a unassuming customer buys it.

 

[viper88]

Not if no one contacts CEO Mike Manley . Dealers have no power . FCA send the bad welds to the dealers . Only CEO Mike Manley has power .

I agree the bottom line ends with the CEO. It's up to regional reps, FCA QC, management, to address these issues. Who knows if they are doing their jobs and reporting up the chain to someone who can make decisions? Hopefully all the quality control issues are more incompetence then corporate culture. I have a feeling it's a little of both? I have herd stories of how backed up dealer service departments are where customers are waiting weeks just to take their cars in for warranty work. Maybe a letter to Manley would not be a bad idea?

 

[TaiMc]

I agree the bottom line ends with the CEO. It's up to FCA QC, management, to address these issues. Who knows if they are doing their jobs and reporting up the chain to someone who can make decisions? Hopefully all the quality control issues are more incompetence then corporate culture. I have a feeling it's a little of both? I have herd stories of how backed up dealer service departments are where customers are waiting weeks just to take their cars in for warranty work. Maybe a letter to Manley would not be a bad idea?

A certified letter. This way you know it was signed for and received.

This is EXACTLY what I plan to do if my mechanic gets under my Jeep and takes pics of my welds and they resemble these. I'm straight up gonna send a certified letter to corporate addressed to Mr. Manley.

 

[viper88]

A certified letter. This way you know it was signed for and received.

This is EXACTLY what I plan to do if my mechanic gets under my Jeep and takes pics of my welds and they resemble these. I'm straight up gonna send a certified letter to corporate addressed to Mr. Manley.

I have a feeling NCJeepn73's case will bring light to someone at FCA about the frame welds? FCA should have handled this differently. It's probably better to be proactive with something like this then to have it get into the wild and be on the National News.

 

[TaiMc]

I have a feeling NCJeepn73's case will bring light to someone at FCA about the frame welds?

I hope so....but I know I'll be bringing this issue to light if my welds look like these. That's a fact.

I had an issue with an insurance company I was with for about 9 years... After an accident that wasn't my fault, My insurance didn't want to cover my rental fees. I let them know that I wasn't having it. That for 9 years they were HUSH MOUTH and gladly taking my monthly payments but the moment they are obligated to pay out behind something that wasnt my fault, they wanna be frugal??? And tell me that i shouldve drove my wrecked ( entire back end was smashed) vehicle around Houston until their adjuster came a week later to assess damage....um..NO SIR.

Why would I risk my life in an unsafe vehicle and not rent a car just because they didn't get and adjuster out quicker than a week? I'm not hearing that foolishness.

After they reimbursed me for my rental fees and fixed my vehicle, as was their obligation, i switched insurances that next day and sent them a letter, indicating why.

So ye, if im paying my hard earned money for something, I expect it to be right. I dont have an issue letting companies that try to take advantage of me because of greediness, have a piece of my mind, on paper. Even if it does nothing for them, it does a lot of me.

A certified letter is some of the best non-violent closure you can get!

 

[jebjkey]

Although these welds do not look as bad as SOME of the pictures on here, they do look just as bad as others.

This is a 2018 Toyota 4-Runner TRD Pro, by the way. All of the ones on the dealer's lot were similar, some better and some worse. This one was the easiest to get a picture of though.

 

[digitalbliss]

Looks like Subaru is having some issues, except they are actually issuing a recall.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jensen...u-says-some-owners-will-get-new-vehicles/amp/

 

[digitalbliss]

See it says the problem cannot be fixed , so the manufacturer is giving customers new vehicles .

Wouldn't help me ; I bought a Jeep for disability adaptation reasons , and I would never fit in any submarine subaru .

I'm not sure what you mean by "disability adaptation" but im guessing you have not been in any of the recent Subarus?

 

[viper88]

Looks like Subaru is having some issues, except they are actually issuing a recall.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jensen...u-says-some-owners-will-get-new-vehicles/amp/

FCA can get away with it because consumers let them. Wrangler has no competition yet. All car companies will have problems with Quality Control at one time or another. I get that. It's how they respond. Will they take responsibility and do what's right? Consumers should demand quality. It's not a 'Jeep Thing'. it's a quality control issue within a company that is owned by a larger parent company that is struggling. Chrysler used to be the "value" choice among the Big-3. Not any more, not when the MSRP of a Wrangler is $30K-$50K. Jeep is pricing themselves out of the budget, value market, and into the "customer better be treated better" market. Customers are willing to pay more, they should be treated accordingly and fairly.

 

[NCJeepn73]

I have a feeling NCJeepn73's case will bring light to someone at FCA about the frame welds? FCA should have handled this differently. It's probably better to be proactive with something like this then to have it get into the wild and be on the National News.

As far as I am aware my pictures are being forwarded to more than one person in QC or that manages frame assembly/welding with the intention that the pictures will shed light on welds, attempting to fix them, and reduce this happening again. I hope that's the case, as I'm a believer in the brand and I know they can do much better than this. Quality can go a long way to say the least.

 

[viper88]

As far as I am aware my pictures are being forwarded to more than one person in QC or that manages frame assembly/welding with the intention that the pictures will shed light on welds, attempting to fix them, and reduce this happening again. I hope that's the case, as I'm a believer in the brand and I know they can do much better than this. Quality can go a long way to say the least.

I know a supplier built and supplied the frames. I wonder how much quality control FCA required initially from the supplier? A friend used to work for a very large manufacturer and supplier. He said they made parts for every auto manufacturer in the world. Honda, GM, Ford, Chrysler all ordered parts. Honda would do quality quality control audits on them several times a year. Honda would actually send QC engineers to their plants to do audits. He said Chrysler never did. This was in the late 80's.

I saw your post about all the Jeeps you owned. The JL will only be my third. I hope FCA takes care of you sooner then later!

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