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Overall Reliability?

jeepoch

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Jeff,

Welcome to the forum, glad you're here.

After reading lots of these types of threads, where someone asks about this or that reliability factor, you are indeed correct in your prediction; expect responses from all over the spectrum. This thread is turning out to be no different.

Instead of jumping right in and providing my feedback, I'd like to ask you a couple of questions as well. How much do you really want a Wrangler? Are you expecting to be persuaded either for or against?

It seems some people buy a JL with some specific up-front expectation and then complain when some part of its delivery doesn't match or meet it.

Wranglers are not cars, they don't drive like your dad's (or grandfather's) Oldsmobile. They're not trucks, they have the towing capacity of a Beatle. They don't perform like go-carts or dragsters and certainly have mileage ratings that any environmentalist will despise to the point of shear anger.

What Wranglers are is something no other vehicle can ever deliver, a go anywhere, do anything, customizable, purely unique vehicle that delivers a little bit of everything plus some stuff only 'you' could dream up.

Still for a lot of people this still isn't enough. They want it to ride like a Cadillac while getting 30+ miles per gallon. They want it to act like a Camry when going for groceries yet be the biggest baddest jalopy in the parking lot.

They want to dream or believe they'll take it far into the wilderness when the furthest they'll take it is to Disney's Wilderness Lodge.

A Wrangler seems to have to satisfy the highest of expectations from people that somehow believe that simply owning one will change their lives and fulfill their adventurist spirit, all by itself. Just add gas and '''poof''' you're suddenly somewhere on the planet no one has ever been before.

Where Wranglers truly shine is what they were designed for: a four wheel drive utility vehicle that will get you to wherever it is YOU point it. On-road, off-road, sleet, snow, sand, mud, rocks, beaches, boulders, mountains.

You can do more in a Wrangler than any other vehicle produced. Take off it's roof, doors, windshield and sway-bar links. Lift it, regear it, winch it, tow it. 4Hi, 4Lo, either locked or unlocked. Doing all of this as if it was designed that way... (of course, it certainly was.)

However, it doesn't do any of these things... You do. How much of it truly acts like a Jeep (or not) is up to you. At the mall or up on a high mountain pass is only up to you and wherever in your heart you want to be. The Wrangler will very dutifully oblige your intentions like nothing else. Even almost exactly stock.

So only you can judge reliability in the context of your own perceptions. Sure, the clutch, and steering-box recalls are egg on FCA's Engineering's face. Fuses, wiring, fit and finish are UAW mess-ups. Spending $50+K should speak volumes in having no issues whatsoever. Especially if correcting such problems require a dealership and corporate experience from hell.

We Jeepers are clearly in an ugly tug-of-war, and your specific reliability experience will depend on many dynamic factors. As with any other automobile, quality is but a fleeting perception when you've acquired a lemon. Be it a Jeep, Lexus or Ferrari. But no other vehicle has the pure unadulterated 'fun' factor available to so many. That in it's own right has value. That is as long as your willing to play and expect your Jeep to be something more than simply ordinary.

No one can set the 'value' of what a Jeep means to you (but you).

For reference, the cluster and Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) had to be replaced on my 2019 Sport S with 20K miles. Both very (very) minor inconveniences as compared to the smile on my face whenever I'm piloting it. It takes me to places I may not otherwise ever experience. I'm especially really enjoying this ZF8 speed Automatic Transmission mated to the 3.6L engine. It is by far (bar none) the best vehicle and daily driver I've ever owned.

Good luck with finding the enlightenment you seek.

In the end, I hope your JL will provide the same enjoyment for you.

Jay

Jeep Wrangler JL Overall Reliability? InShot_20200915_223133135
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Bryce

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23,667 trouble free miles to date with my 2019 JLUR. I did have to pull the fuses and reboot the radio once when it freaked out and wouldn't do anything.
 

Joe98

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I took delivery in July 2019. I have a 2 door JL Sport S.

I too do light off roading. I have also done long highway trips.

In late Jan 2021, the engine light came on. It turned out to be the "fuel pressure sensor". The service man asked me which fuel do I use. "E10" I responded.

At the time I had half a tank. He suggested to fill up with 98 and then use 95 after that. No issues since 👍
 

WranglerMan

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I have had my 2018 for just over 40k miles and other than a few recalls that were addressed by the dealer and one main battery that died 7 months into ownership my Wrangler has been trouble free, I have had several mods done to it but nothing over the top, the biggest thing I did outside of the normal things like a lift with larger tires and new front bumper with winch as I went to a dual battery system to replace the crappy FCA design but even before I replaced it the stock system gave me no trouble I just wanted the additional power and reliability.

I have been off road a few times but nothing compared to most here but I truly love the capability of a Wrangler, all vehicles have issues regardless of maker and a Jeep Wrangler is no different but as stated by @jeepoch the Wrangler is a different animal and does not handle like most vehicles, I kinda look at a Wrangler like an AR-15 it’s the Matel of rifles and the Wrangler is the Matel of 4x4 you can do pretty much anything to it and the only thing holding you back is imagination and $$$
 

LFMS

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Per dave-p's discussion about engines above...is 2021 the first year with the 6-cyl eTorque engine in the JL? I thought this was at least offered in 2020, if not earlier. I've seen no complaints or issues, even in other vehicles, so just curious if anyone here has any to report. Despite it's complexity, it seems like a pretty reliable engine.
I can‘t speak for the 3.6, but the etorque on my 2018 2.0 sport has been flawless so far (and the rest of vehicle attached to it), and I love the start/stop feature, barely notice it. Good luck with your purchase, too bad you have to sell that CJ, it looks awesome!
 

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calbake

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I have a 2019 JLU Sport with the 3.6L V6 and 8 speed automatic. 8500 miles and no issues to report. I have it bone stock (no lift, no aftermarket wheels, no engine/drivetrain mods of any kind). I also tend to drive like a granny to get the best MPG possible. I haven’t had any of the issues that have been commonly reported so far, but I have no doubt that others have!

P.S. I used to drive a 2010 Challenger with the 3.6L in it. I ran the hell out of it for 150k miles with a lead foot and the motor never missed a beat. It truly is a great motor and was the sole reason I elected to buy a Wrangler with essentially the same engine.
 

aldo98229

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I’ve owned my 2018 JL for 14 months; it has 6,500 miles.

I test drove a dozen JLs until I found one with a steering I could live with.

Overall it’s been trouble-free. The electronics are a bit finicky, though: the backup camera park lines have disappeared and reappearEd a handful of time, the head unit randomly rebooted itself a couple of times, the backup camera failed to work one time, sometimes the BSM disables itself on the trail, the Offroad Pages appear and disappear randomly. Last week I lost all audio volume: no music, no navigation prompts, no phone. So far everything has self corrected on its own, but gives me an uneasy feeling.

The 8-speed automatic and the V6 have been responsive, smooth and flawless.
 

anotheraznguy

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2018 JLUR. with over 25k miles

with 600 miles spent a month in the dealership due to cam sensor error and it ended up being timing chain tensioner and a slew of other issues

Had a few issues with electrical issues and charging etc.

Also had issues with rear defroster

And just recently my plastic fuel line burst while i was on a trip with the whole family.

In terms of reliability I think the jeep is the worst of both worlds. Bad domestic reliability and really bad Italian wiring. I knew going into it that it wasn't going to be reliable and I am systematically going to end up replacing everything once it is out of warranty.
 
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flyer92

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Jay,

Many thanks for the great insight. As a long-time Jeep owner (CJs and TJs), I'm very well versed in what these vehicles are...and aren't. I care very little about the creature comforts, electronic whiz-bang stuff, and other bells and whistles, which I'd rather do without. Unfortunately, FCA doesn't allow us to pick and choose options as much as I'd prefer, so I just have to accept things that many others would likely demand in a new vehicle. Going into this purchase, I only need a vehicle that can drive a couple hours on the freeway, mild-to-medium off-roading in the desert, and then a couple hours back home....without leaving me stranded in the middle of nowhere. That last point is critical, and why I'm so concerned about reliability. If it's not up to that sort of (minor) task, then I might as well stick with my old CJ. Again...I appreciate the thoughtful feedback and hope that my future JL serves me as well as yours is serving you!

Jeff
 

DeadHead

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2020 JL 3.6 and manual transmission, rubi suspension, 33 inch Mickey Thompson tires on the m186 m200 axles. Daily driver with 42 k miles.

It's been abused. Water over the hood (hit it with enough speed and it doesn't have time to get into the intake), buried up to the frame on the beach, been on it's side, and been airborne a few times.

I've had to replace the grille, fenders, bumper, section of exhaust pipe, one door, but that's all been my fault.

Never been in for warranty work, did do one clutch recall. Never left me stranded or walking back to pavement. I'm not even sure where the check engine light is. But I've also never skipped a fluid or filter change either.
 

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flyer92

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Thanks Deadhead. Like you, I am meticulous about servicing any machinery I own, and even more so with cars/Jeeps. My family likes to joke that I take better care of our car babies than myself, and there's clearly some truth to that. As such, the only time I've ever been stranded, is when the ignition module on my old CJ-5 unexpectedly crapped out, which is common with many old vehicles (dammit...I just jinxed myself now!).

Think about that for a second...the only thing resembling a computer on that CJ, is the only thing that ever caused it to stop working. And here we are in 2021 with 1000 times that circuitry, connected to components with seemingly dubious functionality. That's what makes me a little anxious/nervous to take a JL into the middle of nowhere for a weekend, and exactly why I'm interested to see what everyone's experience has been. Thanks for sharing, and keep it coming...love to hear the good, bad, and ugly!
 
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CaptStarboard

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Hey Jeff. I got a 2020 JLUR here in Australia. 2.2L TD Rubicon with auto and all bells and whistles except luxury group. 6 months and 11.5k Kms (~7.5k miles) with no issues.

I'm stock, but added custom Rhino Rack roof rails, MaxTrax's, Mopar hitch, RedArc TowPro, Airbag Man airbags.

I regularly 4wd and rock crawl with my Jeep club, tow a 1.2t offload trailer (towed over half of the miles).

Jeep claimed they were number 11 in initial customer quality right around when I bought my JL. I thought it was a BS claim. I have to eat crow on that, because I've not had ONE mechanical issue, or found ANY issues with fit or finish (I'm a perfectionist that crawls under and around cars looking for any issues). All issues I've caused when installing hitch (broke one tab off a trim piece) or had the trailer bump the rear light and crack it and the mount (had to practice my plastic welding with a soldering iron after the crazy glue failed 2 months later, learn to plastic weld, it's a trip and great skill!).

So to sum up, 6 months and no issue, no mechanical, no electrical issues, and superior build quality in a BEAST of a 4wd that does every challenge I throw at it with little fuss, quiet refinement. The wife even things it's a better DD than the previous IFS Jeep Cherokee (Liberty) we had before this. 8 speed auto is flawless. Mileage and torque from the diesel is perfect for my needs and wheeling/towing style. All that said, then you take off the roof and doors for the summer.... heaven!

Check an article on this forum where a rental agency of Jeeps in UT and AZ discusses the changes and reliability of JK to JL... worth a read...

(I did have the radio issue once where sound muted to off, but quick fix in 60 seconds googling issue on this forum! So I don't consider that an issue as it was a weird source issue that solved when you click on AM and then back to DAB/FM etc).

Enjoy!
CaptStarboard

Photos from Fraser Island a few weeks ago (largest sand island in the world off the coast of Queensland, Australia)
Jeep Wrangler JL Overall Reliability? tempImagekRAERG
Jeep Wrangler JL Overall Reliability? tempImageUSLIyS
Jeep Wrangler JL Overall Reliability? tempImagefyXMK
 

dgoodhue

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Unfortunately, my wife prefers the automatic trans, so my only other option is the 4-cyl, which may not be so great for towing.
The 4 cylinder Turbo should be fine for towing, it has a higher torque rating then the V6. I tow a boat. I just order 2021 this week, I had planned on buying (and I thought I would prefer) a turbo 4. I ended up ordering a 3.6 V6 based on testing driving both.

is 2021 the first year with the 6-cyl eTorque engine in the JL? I thought this was at least offered in 2020, if not earlier. I've seen no complaints or issues, even in other vehicles, so just curious if anyone here has any to report. Despite it's complexity, it seems like a pretty reliable engine.
2021 is not the 1st year of the motor. I know the etorque V6 was available in 2020 on the Sahara. Jeep has been putting the etorque on the turbo 4 since 2018. I am new to Jeep and FCA vehicles so I don't know the history of where else it maybe been used.
 

Equitasforall

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Long-time Jeeper here, but new to this site and in the process of ordering a new 2-door JL Sport with soft top. I plan to use it in stock configuration for the most part, as a daily driver, beach cruiser, and light/medium off-road machine...mostly on trails and flat-ish desert (no rock crawling or mudding). Before I pull the trigger, just trying to get an idea of how reliable this model has been for most folks. I've already read a ton about the steering and clutch issues, and know about the vehicles ratings from the usual suspects (C&D, Edmunds, etc.). However, I take the most stock in user experience, and just wanted to see what others think before I proceed. Certainly, I realize this is a very open-ended question and will likely end up with numerous subjective comments, but that's exactly what I need to see. Appreciate anything you can provide and look forward to contributing to this forum in the future.
I have an early build 2018 JLR purchased in Aug 2018. It's a soft top only, auto, V6, that also came with the 8.4 Unconnect with Alpine, Steel Bumper Group, Cold Weather Group, proximity door locks (Cant remember that group name at this point, ) and leather. It's been virtually bulletproof so far and passed 38,000 miles this morning. I should note that it sat for over a year while I was on an overseas assignment, so you can see that I've used it quite a bit while I've been stateside, and that use includes a combination of everything: highway... offroad... exploring.... mountain climbing... etc.

While it is mostly stock, I have done a few simple things that most people on here wouldn't even consider "mods." Those include swapping out the stock shocks for Fox 2.0 (with no lift) and going with Rugged Ridge XHD 17x9 wheels (in anticipation of eventually going to 35's although kept the original 33" KO2s for now.)

I've done the recalls of course, and had one minor UConnect issue early that was corrected under warranty. Other than that, no problems at all. Steering is ok. Engine great. Soft top only with no problems in winter.

So far so good. Let me know if you have any other questions!
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