Sponsored

Rubicon Poll - Have you had problems with your locker sensors

Have you had "service axle locker" (locker sensor) problems on your Rubicon?

  • Never had problem, but have under 15K miles on Jeep

  • Never had problem, and have over 15K miles on Jeep

  • Had the problem, while Jeep had less than 15K miles (not self inflicted)

  • Had the problem, while Jeep had over 15K miles (not self inflicted)

  • Had the problem, but it was self inflicted (stretched lines, etc)

  • I potted my sensors, and don't have the problem since potting


Results are only viewable after voting.
OP
OP
gato

gato

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2021
Threads
20
Messages
1,251
Reaction score
1,938
Location
New England
Vehicle(s)
2021 JLUR
I wouldn't care if they replaced the axle under warranty, except for the fact that I have installed a non-standard lift with parts from multiple manufacturers and I know for a fact they wouldn't put it back together correctly.
Sponsored

 

CarbonSteel

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2019
Threads
296
Messages
5,268
Reaction score
7,142
Location
Colorado
Vehicle(s)
2023 Ford Bronco Wildtrak
Vehicle Showcase
1
Yes, of course. If any automaker had a 14% failure rate on a drivetrain component, manifesting itself with a median of 15K miles, that would be boardroom level discussion.

I have a feeling that Stelantis calculations go something like this....

a) We have great margins on Rubicons
b) If it fails, Dana has to pick up the tab, so we are good.

Dana's calculations go something like this:
a) We have great margins on these Rubicon 44 axles with lockers
b) If these D44 fail, we take them back and sell them for good $$$ in the used market, which does not use the sensor anyway.

So there is no real incentive to do anything - that is, unless they cared about customer sat.
Depends on who specified the sensor as to who has to eat it. I am betting that FCA spec'ed it.
 
OP
OP
gato

gato

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2021
Threads
20
Messages
1,251
Reaction score
1,938
Location
New England
Vehicle(s)
2021 JLUR
Depends on who specified the sensor as to who has to eat it. I am betting that FCA spec'ed it.
I don't think that is how it works. Jeep buys complete axle assemblies from Dana. Any endemic failure would be on Dana. The fact that Jeep specified lockers or not, 4.10 on 3.45 gears, sensors or not is immaterial. Dana is responsible for the quality of the full axle assembly, unless they excluded some component, which is extremely unlikely.
 

CarbonSteel

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2019
Threads
296
Messages
5,268
Reaction score
7,142
Location
Colorado
Vehicle(s)
2023 Ford Bronco Wildtrak
Vehicle Showcase
1
I don't think that is how it works. Jeep buys complete axle assemblies from Dana. Any endemic failure would be on Dana. The fact that Jeep specified lockers or not, 4.10 on 3.45 gears, sensors or not is immaterial. Dana is responsible for the quality of the full axle assembly, unless they excluded some component, which is extremely unlikely.
Unless Dana recommended "X" and FCA passed on it to save $$. Happens every day in the manufacturing world.
 

Ospreyfe55

Well-Known Member
First Name
Marc
Joined
Jan 13, 2021
Threads
17
Messages
195
Reaction score
202
Location
Navarre, FL
Vehicle(s)
2020 Jeep JLU Rubicon
I don't think that is how it works. Jeep buys complete axle assemblies from Dana. Any endemic failure would be on Dana. The fact that Jeep specified lockers or not, 4.10 on 3.45 gears, sensors or not is immaterial. Dana is responsible for the quality of the full axle assembly, unless they excluded some component, which is extremely unlikely.
Will there is a thread on this and potting the sensors and the electrical sensors are supplied to Dana from FCA. FCA is the one that won’t release the sensor for sale. Numerous Offroad shops have reached out to Dana for these sensors and they aren’t allowed per FCA to release them.
 

Sponsored

OP
OP
gato

gato

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2021
Threads
20
Messages
1,251
Reaction score
1,938
Location
New England
Vehicle(s)
2021 JLUR
Will there is a thread on this and potting the sensors and the electrical sensors are supplied to Dana from FCA. FCA is the one that won’t release the sensor for sale. Numerous Offroad shops have reached out to Dana for these sensors and they aren’t allowed per FCA to release them.
I'm not privy to the contract between Jeep and Dana, so everything is speculation. But Jeep, since the JK, has held a patent and has guarded the locker position sensor. That is why other aftermarket lockers don't use a sensor to read/verify the position. Still doesn't mean that Dana is not responsible for the engineering, packaging of the sensor and the entire axle assembly.

Either way, the resale value of these locked Dana 44s is huge. So either way Jeep is not spending a ton of money to have them replaced. In fact the cost (vs price) from Dana to Jeep plus labor maybe less than what Jeep/Dana can sell the failed axle assemblies for.

It's all about how Jeep values customer sat.
 

RubiHOG

Well-Known Member
First Name
Emil
Joined
Apr 29, 2020
Threads
3
Messages
53
Reaction score
125
Location
Louisiana
Vehicle(s)
2020 JL, 2017 Harley Road Glide
2020 JLR - Bone stock. Rear sensor went out around 6k miles. Rear axle replaced.
 

Amaruq

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2020
Threads
10
Messages
976
Reaction score
1,306
Location
Atlanta
Vehicle(s)
JLR 6spd
Sensor started acting up just now while driving on highway. Heading to Moab on Saturday. Will this prevent my rear from locking?
 

Ridgway Jeeper

Well-Known Member
First Name
Frank
Joined
Jun 24, 2021
Threads
2
Messages
475
Reaction score
882
Location
Ridgway, CO
Vehicle(s)
2021 JLR
Occupation
Real Estate Agent
Sensor started acting up just now while driving on highway. Heading to Moab on Saturday. Will this prevent my rear from locking?
It can prevent the lockers from working period, that is usually what happens. It has also been reported that the possibility exists for it to lock when you do not want it to but that seems unlikely to me.
 

Sponsored

Amaruq

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2020
Threads
10
Messages
976
Reaction score
1,306
Location
Atlanta
Vehicle(s)
JLR 6spd
It can prevent the lockers from working period, that is usually what happens. It has also been reported that the possibility exists for it to lock when you do not want it to but that seems unlikely to me.
Fun. Hoping zlocker arrives by Friday.
 
OP
OP
gato

gato

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2021
Threads
20
Messages
1,251
Reaction score
1,938
Location
New England
Vehicle(s)
2021 JLUR
Thank you all for continuing to vote, please don't forget to update if the situation changes.

At the 265 vote mark, we have 115 Rubicon owners with more than 15K miles on their Jeeps. Of those 23 (exactly 20%) have had the issue and 92 (exactly 80%) have not.

That certainly does not inspire confidence 1 of every five Rubicons will have a locker failure after 15K miles (at least in our sample set)!!!

For owners who had a non-self-inflicted problem (42 in total), 45% saw the problem before reaching 15K miles, and 55% saw the problem after 15K miles. So the median mileage for problem onset seems to be right around 15K miles.
 

Amaruq

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2020
Threads
10
Messages
976
Reaction score
1,306
Location
Atlanta
Vehicle(s)
JLR 6spd
Ordered a zlocker, it was shipped within 3 hours, got it in 2 days, solved my issue.
 
OP
OP
gato

gato

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2021
Threads
20
Messages
1,251
Reaction score
1,938
Location
New England
Vehicle(s)
2021 JLUR
Car and Driver just posted their long term review mid-point report on their Gladiator and they have the axle locker sensor problem in the rear. I hope this publicity helps Jeep see the light that they need to address this issue in a sane way (i.e. replace the sensor, not the axle).

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a34761896/2020-jeep-gladiator-mojave-reliability-maintenance/

Our 2020 Jeep Gladiator Mojave's Novelty Is Wearing Thin
Halfway through its 40,000-mile test, our at-times-troublesome Jeep pickup is testing our patience.

..... our long-termer also has gained an electronic glitch that falsely indicates the locker is engaged when it is not—and from what we can tell it cannot be locked at all. Pandemic-related issues have complicated leaving our truck at the dealer for the necessary amount of time for a full diagnosis, but we'll follow up soon with an update.
 

Down South

Well-Known Member
First Name
Sam
Joined
Apr 13, 2021
Threads
2
Messages
142
Reaction score
119
Location
Louisiana
Vehicle(s)
2020 JLUR
Occupation
Retired
2020 JLUR. 21,000 miles no problem. I don't use the lockers that often.
Sponsored

 
 



Top