Latest TSB on the Pentastar engine

[beachbumm78]

Three engines in 144K miles is crazy! Did all of them have the same problem?

Yes, it is crazy. Engine 1 died around 104k. Had a water pump leak, while about to get that replaced apparently serpentine belt broke which led to head gasket warping and overheated. Bought a new engine -engine 2 lasted for a month before it blew up basically. Literally codes started going off. And as I pulled into the dealership lost all power and coasted into the service bay. They ended up replacing not only the engine but all parts connected to the engine due to metal fragments. Engine 3 has been in 1.5 years and 30k miles on it and now has an engine Light on for bank 1 phaser code.
so no not all the same it seems like. Although on engine one I do think I was starting to have some issues with my cams/rockers but they were determining if it was when it died.

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[dstevens]

This problem has existed well before the PUG - from the introduction of the pentastar in the JK a dozen years ago. It is nothing new. It seems unlikely to be a single material failure. From what I have seen from people I know who have had Jeeps using the pentastar my estimate is that it affects 10-20% of the engines before 100,000 miles. Only Stellantis knows for sure, and even then only for engines under warranty.

Note that camshafts & head gaskets should be covered under the 7 year / 70,000 mile emissions warranty if you live in any of the states that follow the CA emissions laws.

 

[beachbumm78]

Millions of these engines out in the US. Last figure I saw was it was affecting less than 1/2% of all 3.6 engines manufactured. Yeah I would say a pretty reliable engine.

You’d think but I’ve had 3 engines in this Jeep and all 3 have had issues.

 

[Ron Texas]

https://www.classaction.org/news/he...ver-alleged-3.6l-pentastar-v6-engine-problems

This is one of the class actions.

 

[azjl#3]

Yes, it is crazy. Engine 1 died around 104k. Had a water pump leak, while about to get that replaced apparently serpentine belt broke which led to head gasket warping and overheated. Bought a new engine -engine 2 lasted for a month before it blew up basically. Literally codes started going off. And as I pulled into the dealership lost all power and coasted into the service bay. They ended up replacing not only the engine but all parts connected to the engine due to metal fragments. Engine 3 has been in 1.5 years and 30k miles on it and now has an engine Light on for bank 1 phaser code.
so no not all the same it seems like. Although on engine one I do think I was starting to have some issues with my cams/rockers but they were determining if it was when it died.

I have tires last longer

 

[Ron Texas]

You’d think but I’ve had 3 engines in this Jeep and all 3 have had issues.

My hunch is a .5% defect rate is low. There is a lot of speculation and doubtful information going around.

 

[carlos c]

My hunch is a .5% defect rate is low. There is a lot of speculation and doubtful information going around.

If they can’t keep up with the demand of parts to replace on the bad engines,
that should tell you something, a lot of f***** up engines out there.

 

[Stuckinthesand]

My hunch is a .5% defect rate is low. There is a lot of speculation and doubtful information going around.

Sounds low right. In reality say it’s at 1% and we know that there are 10 million Pentastar manufacturered as of 2019. That’s 100,000 defects at 5% it’s 500,000. Either number is a barely a drop in what was manufactured. This engine is in half of all Stellantis/FCA North American vehicles.

 

[Stuckinthesand]

If they can’t keep up with the demand of parts to replace on the bad engines,
that should tell you something, a lot of f***** up engines out there.

Look at my numbers above. Add that into the fact they most likely trashed all old inventory once they thought it was a manufacturing defect and started over from scratch. That’s why there is a back order. On top of that they don’t sell the parts separately anymore. It comes as a kit.

 

[_olllllllo_]

You’d think but I’ve had 3 engines in this Jeep and all 3 have had issues.

I am glad you are getting the Jeep looked at. I am at 132,000 miles and do wonder if I am starting to get a little valvetrain noise. I plan on pulling the valve covers at 150,000 when I replace the plugs again and replace the Dorman oil cooler housing gaskets with Felpro. If there is wear on the cams I will just replace them with the newer components.

 

[beachbumm78]

I am glad you are getting the Jeep looked at. I am at 132,000 miles and do wonder if I am starting to get a little valvetrain noise. I plan on pulling the valve covers at 150,000 when I replace the plugs again and replace the Dorman oil cooler housing gaskets with Felpro. If there is wear on the cams I will just replace them with the newer components.

Oh yes. Definitely not avoiding it. Hopefully yours isn’t anything really. That sounds like a good plan. I’ve been hearing about the Dorman oil cooler. At least you’ve got the skills to examine and replace the cans if it shows wear.

 

[Jay Gatsby]

Look at my numbers above. Add that into the fact they most likely trashed all old inventory once they thought it was a manufacturing defect and started over from scratch. That’s why there is a back order. On top of that they don’t sell the parts separately anymore. It comes as a kit.

Exactly, most likely a large percentage of the new parts are going to be installed on new JL’s and JT’s.

 

[Odyssey USA]

You’d think but I’ve had 3 engines in this Jeep and all 3 have had issues.

Yeah, Stellantis isn’t ever going to give the failure rate freely. Without that info, I’m going to take the tech’s word how bad it is with 1-2 in the shop every day in a relatively small town. That’s before the backorder. To them, that’s not normal.

 

[Ron Texas]

Sounds low right. In reality say it’s at 1% and we know that there are 10 million Pentastar manufacturered as of 2019. That’s 100,000 defects at 5% it’s 500,000. Either number is a barely a drop in what was manufactured. This engine is in half of all Stellantis/FCA North American vehicles.

10 million Pentastars sounds like lot. It' could be right. I would love to see some official data from Stellantis. Also, it's time for them to step up and announce an extended warranty program for this issue.

 

[Jeep Junkie]

What is TSB and what should I do about it? Mine is a 2024 3.6

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