Leaks and Blend door issues

[Outlaw70]

Will probably create controversy over this, but when will Jeep start addressing leaks and blend doors! Should not have to worry about water leaks on 5 year old vehicle or replacing blend door for the 2nd time in 3 years!! Was going to buy 2019 Wrangler, but now will consider a vehicle that I can depend on! Not all people who buy a Wrangler off road it! These are amazing vehicles, just wish issues like these didn't exist, especially what you pay for them!!

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[The Great Grape Ape]

Because no other convertible leaks?

Oh wait.... except the Ford Mustang... the VW EOS... Mitsubishi Eclipse... Chevy Corvette - Camaro... Audi TT - R8... Mercedes SLx... etc..

Enjoy that 'other vehicle', good luck finding a convertible that's never had a customer complaint about leaks.

 

[Outlaw70]

You have a great point about convertible's, as do I about these well documented issues!! Bought a Wrangler to get back and fourth to work in severe, inclement weather - not to have flooded driver's side floors and NO HEAT!! Hardtop and doors were never removed and was told by dealer that was the main cause of that issue!! Casting sand (sludge) issue was addressed 2 years ago, only to have same issue surface with heat again!! Estimated cost between $1000- $2000!! I DON'T buy into (it's a jeep thing), as I bought into the whole Harley image thing with 3 bike's and countless, expensive issues!! Not here to agitate, just here to get my point across!!

 

[bilash31]

Not here to agitate, just here to get my point across!!

Don't mind him. He has a position like everyone. Only he loves to argue his positions incessantly with anyone. Anyone who frequents any wrangler forum knows there are strong opinions on either side of this issue. It's probably been beaten enough. I for one agree with you. The soft top leak (and sometimes hard top) are a joke. My 1995 YJ never let a drop in. And that's even through south Florida hurricanes when I lived there. It's simply a design issue. But FCA said they set out to fix these JK shortcomings and people are kidding themselves if they don't think this issue is high on the list given the known accounts of buybacks and specialists over the years.

 

[Matt The Hammer]

You needed to remove and re-seat the top panels. Mine have dripped before too when not seated correctly. Wranglers are all leak tested when they leave the factory. Someone was fooling around with it before you bought it (at the dealership?).

Not the blend door. Not casting sand either as it's not used to make the blocks. It's the garbage coolant that is breaking down. Swap it out to something better and the clogging of the heater core goes away. What I did.

Severe weather in Pennsylvania?

 

[Vegas_Sirk]

My top leaks on occasion. Its mostly if the Jeep was parked outside in a rain storm over night and then I start driving it, but in normal driving in rain its fine. I would say its not bad enough that for me its worth complaining about. As it will drip for about 30 secs at most.

 

[Outlaw70]

Appreciate all the input and advice!! We do get severe weather!! Here in the mountains, the last 2 winters, we have gotten hit with 3 storms of 25 to 30 inches each!! The Wrangler has been heaven sent!! Again, dealer diagnostic states the blend door as faulty and not opening!! Like everyone else, I have great appreciation and love for this iconic vehicle! Love the Jeep just as much as that rebellious, youthful feeling I get driving the Camaro!! Only hope any future purchases of a Jeep Wrangler won't be met with disappointment in the quality of the product!!

 

[WXman]

A journalist once wrote something like, "Jeep claims their SUV can handle anything that you throw at it. Turns out it can't even handle a car wash."

When I drive by my dealership, there are always technicians with a Wrangler outside the bay going over it with a water hose. If we knew how much $$$ they have spent on warranty claims due to leaks, it would probably shock us all.

That's why I think the new JL will address some of these issues. We won't know until we actually get our hands on them so we can look over the new designs.

As far as no heat is concerned, the Pentastar models had rampant issues with casting sand from the manufacturing process not being cleaned thoroughly, which would then get into the cooling system and clog up the heater core. Mine spent a week at the dealership when it was two months old for that issue. They had to rip the entire interior and dash out and replace everything. It's horrible that things like this are still happening now days. The Pentastar engine had a horrible launch. Failing heads, failing HVAC systems, drivability concerns, etc.

 

[Matt The Hammer]

Ironically, the 3.6 is not a sand cast block and rather a high-pressure, die cast aluminum unit with cast iron bore liners and aluminum cylinder heads; cast aluminum pistons with low friction rings are fitted to forged steel connecting rods.

I've read that the heads are sand-cast, and undergo serious inspections for cleanliness before reaching assembly plants. The machining department has two parts-washing operations for the heads. -They use an 80 horsepower motor with a 2,500 psi pump about the size of a small diesel motor.

Saw this posted too online: "To say they come out clean is a gross understatement. The only ‘dirt’ problems I can remember was, a couple of times, having oil pump relief valves sticking with aluminum chips from the vendor — who had all Hell to pay because of it.”

There was a class action lawsuit filed against FCA for the sand issue in June of 2017. Curious what will come of it.
https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2017/jeep-wrangler-casting-sand-lawsuit-engine-damage.shtml

 

[COBill]

Because no other convertible leaks?

That would be great if it were the top that was leaking; but in my experience when I owned a Wrangler it wasn't ever the top.

The top isn't responsible when after a hard rain you have a huge puddle on your passenger floor board.

In my case, water was getting in around where the blower motor sealed to the firewall in the engine compartment and my local service department "fixed" it by using about two tubes of silicone.

Humorously (sadly?) enough I was reading about new Wranglers several model years later with the exact same issue.

Jeep quite frankly doesn't bother fixing a lot of these issues because people buy them anyway, so they may as well only work the problem when people complain to their dealer enough and fix them on a case-by-case basis.

 

[Matt The Hammer]

There's a lot of foam tape stuck in odd places on my new JK. What's the expected life of those quick fixes?

 

[COBill]

There's a lot of foam tape stuck in odd places on my new JK. What's the expected life of those quick fixes?

Not to be snarky but at least in my experience about the length of the warranty.

The one good thing is that foam is there for a particular reason, so when it fails you can replace it in the same locations.

 

[smudgeontheglass]

I have had my hard top start to leak in the winter due to ice building up in the freedom panel joints. I've had to wait for a good chinook to blow through to warm up everything to reseat the panels. I can't comment on the blend door issues. Plenty of -30C winter driving days with lots of heat over the 4 winters I've had it thus far.

 

[Jeeptimus Prime]

I had the wet passenger floor issue with my new JK and after installing in-channel wind deflectors it stopped. I would be shocked if the JL didnt finally fix the door seal issues.

 

[wanderer]

IF you are worried than don't buy it. simple ! We will still pull you out in your landrover or you can get a car and watch form the sidelines. When I think back the on the trucks jeeps and cars I have owned, some had quirks like my 77 cj7 soft toft. the doors would blow open in strong side winds and had to be closed with a bunny cord you couldn't lock it I mean there were no locks it leaked like a sieve. But some of the best adventures I ever had were in that Jeep so in the scheme of things and life whats a little water?

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