Loose Steering/Dead Spot Finally Fixed! My 1.5 Year Story!

[leskcdn2]

I have a 2019 2 door base JL, 6 speed manual, with crank windows, no aircon, no power nothin.
It is an April 2019 Build....bought late April 2019. From day 1 I have had a 2 to 3 inch dead spot/play in the steering. In Sept 2019 I took it to a dealer near home-I bought it elsewhere.
First some details. Being an Apr. 2019 build my jeep already superseded several TSB's including the steering damper & new track bar.
So, at my closest surrogate dealer I had the tech drive my jeep....work order states that tech drove jeep and noticed 2-3 inches of play/dead spot. Dealer ordered new AE steering box-a week later AE box installed-no fix-still had 2-3 inches of play with no steering input in the 2-3 inches.
My surrogate dealer then ordered a new cast iron steering box through TSB 03-074-20 sometime last October 2021.
During the wait time my friend got one of the first new cast iron steering boxes as he was in a law suite with FCA. On installation & re-flash etc... he drove the jeep home...same issue-steering play-no fix-solution-sold his 2019 JL.
Seven months later, in early April 2021, I got a call from my surrogate dealer who said that my cast iron AB steering box had arrived with the bolt kit and new pinch bolt under new TSB 08-003-21 (superseded TSB 03-074-20 and others similar TSB's). I had the new AB steering box installed a week later. After completion of work I drove it out of dealer garage and home & same issue-steering box play/ dead spot . I have read many posts in this forum that dealers would not do re-flash or do it wrong or install new box using the old aluminum bolts etc. So, I returned to my surrogate dealer and asked them to confirm re-flash-done, new bolts etc.....they agreed and put the jeep on a hoist and we all got underneath as the tech showed me the new bolts etc....all tasks were properly completed as per TSB 08-003-21. WTF? I took the jeep home disappointed. A day later I met a new neighbor who is a jeep lead tech at another dealership. I told him my issues....he took out his dealer scan tool and confirmed 100% that the re-flash was completed and registered by FCA. What now? A day later I had the jeep hood open to check my oil. I noticed that my power steering fluid reservoir was empty....so I took my reliable and trusted 2015 RAV4 to my surrogate dealer and bought a bottle of the electronic power steering fluid. I drove home and poured half the bottle of oil into the reservoir to the COLD FILL Line. Then I went for a drive.....WOW-DONE! Jeep steered fantastic....sharp, linear with no play/dead spot at all. I then drove back to my surrogate dealer and asked the tech if he put the oil into the steering box as per the TSB...he said yes and the proper volume. So, the called for volume is incorrect! I told him that after adding more oil into the reservoir it now steers with no play or dead spot....he then drove the jeep and returned with a smile. He said that with a low oil volume the steering box probably had some air in it and on driving the jeep the oil/air frothed/cavitated and created the play/dead spot. After hand shakes & hand cleaner all around, he and the service manager then called the FCA zone tech to tell them that their last and most updated TSB was incorrect as per the steering oil volume....case closed!

I hope this helps everyone.....Happy Trails....

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[Punknhed]

I have a 2019 2 door base JL, 6 speed manual, with crank windows, no aircon, no power nothin.
It is an April 2019 Build....bought late April 2019. From day 1 I have had a 2 to 3 inch dead spot/play in the steering. In Sept 2019 I took it to a dealer near home-I bought it elsewhere.
First some details. Being an Apr. 2019 build my jeep already superseded several TSB's including the steering damper & new track bar.
So, at my closest surrogate dealer I had the tech drive my jeep....work order states that tech drove jeep and noticed 2-3 inches of play/dead spot. Dealer ordered new AE steering box-a week later AE box installed-no fix-still had 2-3 inches of play with no steering input in the 2-3 inches.
My surrogate dealer then ordered a new cast iron steering box through TSB 03-074-20 sometime last October 2021.
During the wait time my friend got one of the first new cast iron steering boxes as he was in a law suite with FCA. On installation & re-flash etc... he drove the jeep home...same issue-steering play-no fix-solution-sold his 2019 JL.
Seven months later, in early April 2021, I got a call from my surrogate dealer who said that my cast iron AB steering box had arrived with the bolt kit and new pinch bolt under new TSB 08-003-21 (superseded TSB 03-074-20 and others similar TSB's). I had the new AB steering box installed a week later. After completion of work I drove it out of dealer garage and home & same issue-steering box play/ dead spot . I have read many posts in this forum that dealers would not do re-flash or do it wrong or install new box using the old aluminum bolts etc. So, I returned to my surrogate dealer and asked them to confirm re-flash-done, new bolts etc.....they agreed and put the jeep on a hoist and we all got underneath as the tech showed me the new bolts etc....all tasks were properly completed as per TSB 08-003-21. WTF? I took the jeep home disappointed. A day later I met a new neighbor who is a jeep lead tech at another dealership. I told him my issues....he took out his dealer scan tool and confirmed 100% that the re-flash was completed and registered by FCA. What now? A day later I had the jeep hood open to check my oil. I noticed that my power steering fluid reservoir was empty....so I took my reliable and trusted 2015 RAV4 to my surrogate dealer and bought a bottle of the electronic power steering fluid. I drove home and poured half the bottle of oil into the reservoir to the COLD FILL Line. Then I went for a drive.....WOW-DONE! Jeep steered fantastic....sharp, linear with no play/dead spot at all. I then drove back to my surrogate dealer and asked the tech if he put the oil into the steering box as per the TSB...he said yes and the proper volume. So, the called for volume is incorrect! I told him that after adding more oil into the reservoir it now steers with no play or dead spot....he then drove the jeep and returned with a smile. He said that with a low oil volume the steering box probably had some air in it and on driving the jeep the oil/air frothed/cavitated and created the play/dead spot. After hand shakes & hand cleaner all around, he and the service manager then called the FCA zone tech to tell them that their last and most updated TSB was incorrect as per the steering oil volume....case closed!

I hope this helps everyone.....Happy Trails....

fyi there is a post i forget the gentlemans name, he said he had to bleed his system several times to get all of the air out. I wonder if they did fill yours, and as air made its way out, your fluid level went down. just a thought. i will definitely check mine a couple times after i have it done this week finally.

 

[MARSHMELLA]

After hand shakes & hand cleaner all around

Nice write up. I’m glad you finally got everything cleared up.

Sorry to sound like a jerk but that line made me cringe, so bad.

 

[leskcdn2]

Thanks for your input Punknhed & UpGrayedd,

That said, the tech did fill my new AB box but obviously not enough...on initial startup there was not enough fluid in the box and thus my return to ask him how much he put in...at that point he did admit that the reservoir was filled but on taking it out of the garage the reservoir emptied the fluid into the box and more should have been added....none was added so the cavitation/air foaming continued until my return and addition fluid was added to fill reservoir. Oh....I forgot to mention that on replacing the first AD box to the AE box the first tech scratched...no gouged up my left front fender connecting the oil lines on top of the box....on my picking up the jeep I saw the damage and mentioned it to the service manager who fessed up and ordered another fender which was installed a week later....great dealer who went all out....just a little sloppy.
Now I have worries about all the clutch recalls!
Thank God I also own two very reliable Toyota's....8 years old each with no recalls & nothing but oil & filter maintenance....even brakes and rotors are still original....go figure!
les

 

[Vinny2002]

fyi there is a post i forget the gentlemans name, he said he had to bleed his system several times to get all of the air out. I wonder if they did fill yours, and as air made its way out, your fluid level went down. just a thought. i will definitely check mine a couple times after i have it done this week finally.

Just checked mine and has some in the tank but below the "cold" line... Gonna drive by my dealership and make them top off... I'm not spending another dime!

 

[HiJinx69]

Your story almost mirrored mine. I couldn't detect any fluid in mine after a new steering gear. Also, they left me a gift under my hood, a 18 inch pry bar!

 

[Vinny2002]

of course service department was overwhelmed as usual. couldn’t get them to top off steering fluid. does it have to be mopar brand. i wanted to do myself but didn’t want to mess things up. probably will wait until oil change next month otherwise to ask again.

did adding the fluid actually help anything. mine is a tad below the cold line.

 

[mwilk012]

I use pentosin CHF 11S. Doesn’t have to be Mopar but it does have to be quality, and designed for EPS systems.

 

[gevo1]

I did me dirty like that too, and worse. Luckily, I was changing out my lift kit when I realized they had left my pitman arm nut on the steering box shaft hanging by a thread.. Had to go and buy a XL sized socket and torque to some high value, added red loc-tite for good measure. They had also left a bunch of lines and wiring unclipped. I've realized this to be the case with almost any shop..

 

[2mnycars]

I have a 2019 2 door base JL, 6 speed manual, with crank windows, no aircon, no power nothin.
It is an April 2019 Build....bought late April 2019. From day 1 I have had a 2 to 3 inch dead spot/play in the steering. In Sept 2019 I took it to a dealer near home-I bought it elsewhere.
First some details. Being an Apr. 2019 build my jeep already superseded several TSB's including the steering damper & new track bar.
So, at my closest surrogate dealer I had the tech drive my jeep....work order states that tech drove jeep and noticed 2-3 inches of play/dead spot. Dealer ordered new AE steering box-a week later AE box installed-no fix-still had 2-3 inches of play with no steering input in the 2-3 inches.
My surrogate dealer then ordered a new cast iron steering box through TSB 03-074-20 sometime last October 2021.
During the wait time my friend got one of the first new cast iron steering boxes as he was in a law suite with FCA. On installation & re-flash etc... he drove the jeep home...same issue-steering play-no fix-solution-sold his 2019 JL.
Seven months later, in early April 2021, I got a call from my surrogate dealer who said that my cast iron AB steering box had arrived with the bolt kit and new pinch bolt under new TSB 08-003-21 (superseded TSB 03-074-20 and others similar TSB's). I had the new AB steering box installed a week later. After completion of work I drove it out of dealer garage and home & same issue-steering box play/ dead spot . I have read many posts in this forum that dealers would not do re-flash or do it wrong or install new box using the old aluminum bolts etc. So, I returned to my surrogate dealer and asked them to confirm re-flash-done, new bolts etc.....they agreed and put the jeep on a hoist and we all got underneath as the tech showed me the new bolts etc....all tasks were properly completed as per TSB 08-003-21. WTF? I took the jeep home disappointed. A day later I met a new neighbor who is a jeep lead tech at another dealership. I told him my issues....he took out his dealer scan tool and confirmed 100% that the re-flash was completed and registered by FCA. What now? A day later I had the jeep hood open to check my oil. I noticed that my power steering fluid reservoir was empty....so I took my reliable and trusted 2015 RAV4 to my surrogate dealer and bought a bottle of the electronic power steering fluid. I drove home and poured half the bottle of oil into the reservoir to the COLD FILL Line. Then I went for a drive.....WOW-DONE! Jeep steered fantastic....sharp, linear with no play/dead spot at all. I then drove back to my surrogate dealer and asked the tech if he put the oil into the steering box as per the TSB...he said yes and the proper volume. So, the called for volume is incorrect! I told him that after adding more oil into the reservoir it now steers with no play or dead spot....he then drove the jeep and returned with a smile. He said that with a low oil volume the steering box probably had some air in it and on driving the jeep the oil/air frothed/cavitated and created the play/dead spot. After hand shakes & hand cleaner all around, he and the service manager then called the FCA zone tech to tell them that their last and most updated TSB was incorrect as per the steering oil volume....case closed!

I hope this helps everyone.....Happy Trails....

Wonderful review. It's one of the things that others have reported noticing. I'm so glad you fixed it!
Well done.

Our issues were reported day of delivery. It took a year to get resolved. We are in Canada--Ontario. I had to get @JeepCares and FCA Jeep Canada Customer Service to help.

Good work!

Dave
Mississauga

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