Rubicon Hood Vent Flew Off!

[binfordtools]

Yeah, that!

The wife, "whoa! did it just come from your Jeep?" I pull over, back up, and find the sad remains of the passenger side hood vent perched atop the grass. Apparently, these decorative hood vents are two-pieces initially, then fused together by the supplier (US Farathane who coincidentally I can see their factory from my eastern facing window here at work). The fused joint failed and it ejected the pretty-part and left the lonely husk wedged into the hood. Looks like a missing tooth.

I sent pictures to the local Jeep dealer and asked them to order the part so I can wait for the repair rather than leave my little 4x4 mistress without her beloved owner. Hopefully they do the right thing.

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[Alpha Delta]

The wife, "whoa! did it just come from your Jeep?"

That's when you act all cool and continue driving and explain that it's meant to release under high pressure. Then come back at night by yourself and pick up the part.

Nothing more embarrassing than having parts fly off your jeep while driving.

At least that's how I would have handled it.

 

[TJ2018]

I sent pictures to the local Jeep dealer and asked them to order the part so I can wait for the repair rather than leave my little 4x4 mistress without her beloved owner. Hopefully they do the right thing.

And you didn't share the picture with us? I feel... feel... so... so... sad...

 

[binfordtools]

Picture for your viewing pleasure

 

[TJ2018]

Picture for your viewing pleasure

Thanks! I now feel better informed. But sadder seeing the quality workmanship (or lack thereof) that goes into building our Wranglers.

 

[binfordtools]

But sadder seeing the quality workmanship (or lack thereof) that goes into building our Wranglers.

I've said it before, mass produced anything is susceptible to quality issues. It's why some of my coworkers and me have jobs in the automotive industry in quality.

The part appears to be a high density polyethylene, but that's only a guess (I work with gears and differentials so plastics is not my forte). The two pieces were supposed to be joined (plastic welded) together. Upon closer inspection, it looks like the weld was not consistent all around the entire parameter. Combine a bad weld with cold/heat cycles for the last year, and this is most likely why the part failed.
Now, FCA would have tested the hood vents along with the rest of the vehicle extensively in environmental test chambers, and as well on durability test vehicles which had been running on test tracks in Michigan and in Arizona years before start of production for the 2018 model year. And as well, the supplier has a litany of pre-testing, and production quality parameters they must pass prior to launch. Guessing this was just purely a bad part from the supplier

I'll turn this in for a warranty claim and hopefully the part will end up at the supplier for review, which will hopefully yield some process improvement to avoid this going forward.

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