Push button 4WD for the Wrangler

[AFD]

DONE!

Honda Element and Jeep Wrangler are pretty much the same thing, right?

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[Chris2183]

I like the lever. It’s also a great place for a ball cap so I don’t burn when riding/wheeling topless.
What great engineering: the “multifunctional”lever is a huge hit for my family.

Spiderweb shade is a massive quality of life upgrade for riding topless.

 

[DwnSth]

Lever! Too many damn buttons already!

 

[AlgUSF]

A couple years ago the wife’s very expensive Kenmore Elite stove’s oven quit working. A little electronic box the size of a pack of cigarettes failed, the part was no longer available, nor could it be repaired. A $2500 range that looked like new was junked because the over no longer worked

Think of the economic benefit though, you're putting more money into the economy. High efficiency air-conditioners don't save nearly enough money to justify their cost and when something goes wrong it's super expensive to fix. These new ECM Motors fail much quicker than their inductive AC counter parts and cost 7-8 times more if the supply house will even sell them to a homeowner. Automobiles are getting that way too... Bummer.

 

[guarnibl]

No— the current Wrangler has too many creature features as-is.

 

[Rubigone]

I was the same in the beginning after driving a RAM 1500, but mostly because i was a bit scared because of the gear clash and general difficulty of the lever when it was new and barely used.

After driving some time now i’m actually happy that i have the lever because of the swiftness i can engage 4H and 4L in now when ive got some more off-roading under my belt, barely have to stop moving to throw in 4L and the same to go back to 4H after passing the obstacle, annoying to have to stop and wait for a computer to do something i can do myself faster, part of the beast itself now i think.

 

[FINN 2.0]

I had all kinds of problems with the electronic transfer case module on my old 2001 ZR2 Blaser. The TCM was replaced 3 times. The transfer case shift motor was also replaced. Worst part of it was the TCM would default to 4/wheel drive low.

 

[Heimkehr]

These new ECM Motors fail much quicker than their inductive AC counter parts and cost 7-8 times more if the supply house will even sell them to a homeowner.

My repair experience with the residential HVAC industry left me with a sour taste that continues to inform my opinion of them.

Tangentially, we recently learned a similar and pricey lesson as it concerned solid state drives vs. traditional hard drives.

Experience is a lousy teacher. It administers the test before it administers the lesson, lol.

 

[Shibadog]

Optioned a HD PTO TC on my PU even though I don’t need the PTO to get no-fault manual shift, not a knob. PU almost became junk recently due to “obsolete” ignition control module. It took extensive searching to find one in an out of state junkyard, next time??

Exactly the point-a perfectly serviceable piece of equipment out of service because of a “chip”

 

[tk1700]

 

[JeepGeezer]

OK. All of my life I have been a contrarian and I guess that I still am. I would prefer a button, and I will tell you why.

Shifting from 2H or 4H in a new Wrangler seems to be almost impossible. I thought I was going to break the lever when I first tried, and shifting into Neutral was even worse. Sure. Shifting back from Neutral to 4H and 2H is even worse because there is no leverage.

Yes. Shifting repeatedly makes the whole process easier, and now it is not nearly as bad, but an electronic button controlled shifter would just be a lot easier to use and more foolproof.

Yes. It would be more expensive to repair, but no one would be breaking the linkage or the lever if it were button operated, and who bought a Wrangler to save money anyway???

 

[sigsegv]

OK. All of my life I have been a contrarian and I guess that I still am. I would prefer a button, and I will tell you why.

Shifting from 2H or 4H in a new Wrangler seems to be almost impossible. I thought I was going to break the lever when I first tried, and shifting into Neutral was even worse. Sure. Shifting back from Neutral to 4H and 2H is even worse because there is no leverage.

Yes. Shifting repeatedly makes the whole process easier, and now it is not nearly as bad, but an electronic button controlled shifter would just be a lot easier to use and more foolproof.

Yes. It would be more expensive to repair, but no one would be breaking the linkage or the lever if it were button operated, and who bought a Wrangler to save money anyway???

Get one with a Selec-trac transfer case, it's exactly the same amount of effort brand new, old, stopped, moving, in park, whatever. Still has a lever.

 

[Tethmes]

My only personal experience with push button 4x4 was in my '02 Blazer, so my experience is limited to a lot earlier (and GM) version of the tech. But it was pretty bad. It didn't like to engage if you weren't moving, hell even if you were moving it would still take a while. It would stay locked in after it shouldn't have been. I never really felt confident that it wouldn't strand me somewhere when I took it off road. But it was a blazer, so that was fine. It saw dirt a handful of times when I owned it. Used the button more in the snow than anything.

For a vehicle that I plan on taking offroad more than any I've owned before I just feel more comfortable having a physical link to the transfer case.

 

[rubiria]

Absolute “no-no” to push button 4WD for me. I prefer guaranteed Manual engagement of the Transfer Case to 4WD, period.

But then again, there’s the dumb idea from FCA’s Software Engineering Department to electronically disable 4WD when ABS Sensor Fault is detected (regardless if you’re shifted into 4WD or not).

 

[mnjeeper]

..and non-fixed roof/windshield, lockers and sway bar disconnect. Just unnecessarily complicated features that could potentially break at some point and ultimately make production costs too high for people that don't use them.

You know...I like how you think. While we are at it, I wonder if we could make the ride a little better with

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