Category: Jeep

About 69,000 Wrangler SUVs from 2018 to 2023 models and Gladiator pickups from 2020 to 2023 models have been recalled. The recall is due to a faulty clutch pressure plate, which can lead to overheating clutch components, ultimately posing a fire risk.

Jeep broadened its recall program in early 2021 to encompass a broader range of model years, as the previous recall did not address vehicles produced in the same time frame.

Risks Posed By the Imperfection

This defect could lead to sudden engine stalls or even cause debris to fly out from beneath the transmission hood, posing a significant risk to the driver and passengers. Not only does this defect increase the likelihood of accidents, especially when the driver is driving at high speeds and loses control of the vehicle, but it also has the potential to affect essential systems such as braking, steering, and airbags. In such an adverse situation, the severity of the threat may increase.

Before the clutch pressure plate fails, drivers may notice a burning odor, feel clutch slippage, or see a warning light illuminate on the instrument panel behind the steering wheel.

Recalled Automobiles

Thousands of vehicles have been recalled due to the potential fire risks that could endanger drivers, passengers, or others on the road. Owners of the following models are advised to take their vehicles to an authorized dealer for repair or replacement of the defective part(s) at no cost:

• Wrangler SUVs (models Aug 23, 2017, to Feb 16, 2023) 
• Gladiator pickups (models Dec 21, 2018, to Feb 16, 2023)

What Should Owners Do?

As a Jeep Wrangler or Gladiator owner, it is crucial to take immediate action if you have been affected by a recent recall due to an exploding clutch plate defect. Even though no incidents have been reported, it is still crucial to take preventive measures to ensure your vehicle’s safety. Take these actions to ensure that your vehicle is safe. 

Contact your local dealership as soon as possible to schedule a repair appointment. Or visit NHTSA and enter campaign number 23V116000 for further information. Don’t delay; stay informed and up-to-date on any additional updates regarding the recall.

Actions Taken by the Manufacturer

Jeep is currently working on a solution to the problem and will notify owners as soon as it is finalized, with the assurance that the automaker will cover all expenses. Earlier this year, FCA investigators discovered more incidents of vehicle fires linked to failed clutch assemblies in models made after the 2021 recall fix. Therefore, the recall has now been expanded from 33,237 to 69,201 units. As a result, owners of previously recalled models are also eligible and can expect to receive correspondence starting on April 14.

Brief-Wrap-Up

The recall of Jeep’s Wrangler SUVs and Gladiator pickups due to the potential fire hazard is a matter of great concern that shouldn’t be ignored. It is imperative to verify if your vehicle falls within the scope of the recall and if so, adhere to all the directives to rectify the safety concern.

Let Us Help You!

The Lemon Firm has a team of skilled attorneys specializing in securing compensation for clients who were sold vehicles with manufacturing faults. Our track record speaks for itself – we have successfully recovered compensation for several clients. So, if you want to get what’s rightfully yours, dial 833 LEMON FIRM and talk to our lemon experts today.

If you own a Jeep, you may have heard of the “death wobble” phenomenon. It results from unsettling vibration caused by driving over rough or uneven terrain. The problem has been linked to faulty suspension components in some model Jeeps, and now the company is offering a reimbursement program to those who have experienced it. This blog post will provide an overview of the settlement, along with tips for Jeep owners who may be eligible.

Jeep’s ‘Death Wobble’ – What Is It?

The death wobble, also known as the front-end shimmy or steering oscillation, is a frightening shaking sensation that occurs when driving a Jeep over certain surfaces. According to reports, it can happen at any speed and has been linked to suspension parts such as tie rods, ball joints, and control arms. The issue has become a major concern for Jeep owners, who claim that the company did not properly address the issue. In response to an increasing number of complaints, Jeep has announced a settlement offering compensation to those who have experienced this issue with their vehicles.

Symptoms of Death Wobble

Driving at high speeds can be an exhilarating experience, but if any of the following symptoms arise, it could mean you are experiencing “death wobble”:

• A sudden shaking of the steering wheel that is difficult to control.
• Difficulty keeping your vehicle in a straight line despite turning the steering wheel slightly left or right.
• Uneven wear on tires after driving for long periods.
• Loud clunking noises come from underneath your car when traveling over bumps or potholes.
• Loose suspension parts such as ball joints, tie rods, sway bar links, etc.

How to Identify Death Wobble?

Death wobble can be identified by an unsettling oscillation that originates in the steering wheel and feels almost like you are going over speed bumps at any speed. Understanding how to identify death wobble can help diagnose it and potentially prevent it from happening. If you suspect your Jeep has death wobble, professional assistance can help you determine what steps should be taken to prevent further damage and keep you driving safely.

Overview of the Lawsuit

This class action asserts that the 2018-2020 Jeep Wranglers and 2020 Jeep Gladiators have a defect in the front suspension steering damper, potentially leading to serious problems if not addressed. The proposed settlement would resolve the claims asserted in this class action and provide cash payments and/or reimbursements to individuals who purchased or leased a Class Vehicle. The settlement also resolves certain other claims related to alleged suspension problems. Moreover, the settlement provides a free extended warranty for certain Class Vehicles, as well as other benefits.

Qualifying Requirements

1. In order to be eligible for the reimbursements and other benefits from the settlement, you must have purchased or leased a 2018-2020 Jeep Wrangler or 2020 Jeep Gladiator.
2. You must have experienced a front suspension steering damper issue, as described in the Settlement Agreement. 
3. The Jeep must be registered and insured in your name.
4. You must provide proof of repair and payment made in order to receive reimbursement. Accepted documentation includes a copy of your paid invoice/repair order, credit card statement, check register, or canceled check associated with the repair(s).
5. If you have already paid for a new front suspension steering damper for your class vehicle, you are entitled to reimbursement as part of the settlement. Submitting a claim is the next step in obtaining this compensation.

Benefits Available 

Extended Warranty

All 2018-2020 Jeep Wranglers and 2020 Jeep Gladiators are eligible for an extended warranty providing coverage for repair or replacement of suspension components related to death wobble, including tie rods, ball joints, and control arms. This settlement offers an 8-year warranty extension, but there really is no definitive repair to prevent this from happening again. You may love your Jeep and all, but is this really the risk you want to take with your loved ones?

How to Claim?

Claiming to receive the benefits offered by this settlement is a quick and easy process. You must submit proof of ownership of your Class Vehicle and documentation demonstrating that you experienced a front suspension steering damper issue with your vehicle. If approved, you can expect to receive out of pocket reimbursements and possibly an extended warranty.

However, if you want to safeguard your lemon law rights and file an individual lawsuit, this is the time to act. We urge you to connect with our expert class-action lawyers to opt out of the class. An individual lawsuit may yield a buyback that could bring you full reimbursement and the possibility of punitive damages. If you choose to exclude yourself, you must do so before March 10th, 2023. Please get in touch with us today to assist in this process.

Bottom Line

If you own a 2018-2020 Jeep Wrangler or 2020 Jeep Gladiator, you may be eligible for minimal financial relief through the class action settlement. Please contact us immediately so we can help you determine if this is something you should accept, or if you deserve a lemon law buyback for this safety hazard.

For more information about how Lemon Firm’s experienced attorneys can assist in getting the compensation you deserve, contact us today at (833) Lemon-Firm.

Jeep Cherokee is one of the most popular SUVs with leading levels of capability and customization. It’s packed with V6 power, a trio of four-wheel-drive systems, towing capacity of up to 2,041 kg (4,500 lb), and runs smoothly in all weather conditions, in both on- and off-road settings.

However, many owners have reported trouble with their Jeep Cherokees. Jeep owners say the 2.4L Tigershark engine consumes a quart of oil every 1,000 miles. This heavy oil consumption makes its engine inefficient, irritating, and expensive and can be dangerous if the oil indicator system doesn’t even alert you when oil levels are low.

The engine has an oil capacity of 5.5 quarts. If your oil level is 3.5 quarts or below, the engine will stall without the oil indicator light kicking on.

Some owners reported that the light only turns on once the engine has stalled. Some owners have reported unwelcomed grinding, clunking, or scraping sounds from the rear of their vehicles, and some owners have reported trouble with the motorized tailgates on their Jeep Cherokees.

The 2.4L Tigershark engine consumes a quart of oil every 1000 miles.
Defective control rings allow oil to enter the combustion chamber.
The automaker has been sued after maintaining their stance that all the consumption levels are “normal,”

Design Defect Burns Off Oil
Jeep Cherokee may have design defects that burn off oil. Control rings at the top of the piston sidewall prevent oil from entering the combustion chamber but a defect in the Tigershark engine means the piston rings don’t work correctly with the cylinders. This allows oil to enter and burn off in the compression cycle.

Engine oil loss, excess heat, and friction will damage internal components. It causes the engine to stall and eventually seize up and fail.

Stellantis’ new normal?
Stellantis (formerly Fiat-Chrysler) has been accused of knowing about the problem since 2015 but misreporting that consumption levels are “normal” to avoid a recall.

If you are burning oil the rate of a quart every 1,000 miles irreversible damage to the engine will occur if you follow the owner’s manual. According to the owner’s manual, the oil should be changed “at 4,000 miles (6,500 km)” for normal conditions and even under “severe Operating Conditions” it can be around 3,500 miles since the last reset.

Which are the affected Models?

The 2.4L Tigershark MultiAir II can be found in the following Stellantis models.

Chrysler 200 Gen 2 (2015-2016)
Dodge Dart Gen 1 (2013-2016)
Jeep Cherokee Gen 5 (2014-2020)
Compass Gen 2 (2017-2020)
Renegade Gen 1 (2015-2020)

The Oil Consumption Lawsuit

A class-action lawsuit was filed against FCA in August of 2020.

The plaintiffs say that by continuing to call the consumption levels “normal,” FCA has avoided driver safety and the tremendous cost of recall and repair of affected vehicles. Instead, they’ve left owners to pick up the tab.

On September 30, 2021, the parties filed a stipulated order to stay the proceedings pending settlement discussions. The stay was to be through November 1, 2021, however, the docket does not have any entries after the Sept 30 stipulated order.

Final Thoughts
If you are an automobile owner and have manufacturing issues, you can contact us regarding your involvement in this or any potential class-action lawsuit. Serious vehicle problems require serious legal representation, especially when you are bringing a claim against a major automaker.

At the Lemon Firm, our experienced Attorneys have been able to successfully recover compensation for our clients who were sold a vehicle with manufacturer defects, and we can do the same for you. Call (833) Lemon-Firm to speak with a Lemon law expert today.

A class action lawsuit was filed alleging Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator corrosion warranties are a “sham.” The lawsuit includes 2018-2021 Jeep Wranglers and 2020-2021 Gladiators. Jeep issued technical service bulletins over aluminum corrosion and bubbling paint, and knew about problems but didn’t fix them, says the lawsuit.

The affected Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator vehicles allegedly suffer corrosion problems which cause the paint to bubble, flake, peel, rust, and/or blister.

The class action lawsuit was filed by a Louisiana plaintiff who purchased a new 2018 Jeep Wrangler, a Maine plaintiff who purchased a new 2020 Jeep Gladiator, and Florida plaintiffs who purchased a new 2019 Jeep Wrangler when they lived in New York.

The plaintiffs assert, they overpaid because the premature corrosion is not covered in the warranty. The suit also says that the plaintiffs then had to spend a lot of money to get the panels repaired and repainted.

According to the Jeep lawsuit, Fiat Chrysler (FCA) began using aluminum in the body panels and chassis to improve fuel efficiency by reducing Jeep weight.

“in its brochures, Jeep boasted that the 2018 Wrangler was ‘Lighter in weight,’ noting that ‘high-strength, lightweight aluminum is used throughout the doors, hood, windshield frame, swing gate, and fenders to help Wrangler shed over 200 lb. It’s strong, durable and aids efficiency.’”  — Jeep Wrangler corrosion warranty lawsuit

Aluminum Jeep Wrangler body panels began in 2018

Automaker Jeep began using aluminum body panels and other stampings to reduce jeep weight. The lawsuit says Chrysler issued TSB 31-001-18 in March 2018 and entitled “Aluminum Body Panel Corrosion Repair” for the 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The bulletin concerned “inspecting and if necessary, removing corrosion and refinishing the suspect aluminum hood, door, or liftgate panel.”

The class action lawsuit also says the 2018 TSB further directed dealers to apply pre-treatment wipes to the repair areas prior to refinishing the aluminum panels.

The suit alleges that the bulletin advised using an anti-corrosion pen on problem areas. But only if the panel did not qualify for replacement.

FCA issued TSB 31-001-19 in July 2019 which expanded the Wranglers beyond those sold in North America to include those sold in the regions of Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Europe.

And on October 27, 2020, FCA then issued TSB 31-002-20 which included the 2020-2021 Jeep Wrangler and the 2020-2021 Jeep Gladiator.

Why Jeep Wrangler warranty is a “sham?”

According to the class action lawsuit, the Jeep corrosion warranty also provided for extended warranty coverage of a period of 60 months for corrosion to “an outer-body sheet metal panel,” which FCA defined as “one that is finish-painted and that someone can see when walking around the vehicle.”

“This warranty covers the cost of all parts and labor needed to repair or replace any sheet metal panels that get holes from rust or other corrosion. If a hole occurs because of something other than corrosion, this warranty does not apply. Cosmetic or surface corrosion — resulting, for example, from stone chips or scratches in the paint — is not covered.” — Jeep corrosion warranty

 According to Jeep Lawsuit, the corrosion warranty is a sham because it is “widely known throughout the automotive industry that aluminum body panels don’t perforate from corrosion, and thus, FCA knew that customers who had purchased the Class Vehicles could never take advantage of the CW to the extent perforation of the panel was a requirement to obtain coverage.”

The plaintiffs allege this means the extended warranty coverage for “an outer-body sheet metal panel” was misleading and deceptive.

The plaintiffs also claim the TSB repairs don’t fix the corrosion problems and do anything for the diminution of value that occurs from repainting the Jeeps. According to the lawsuit, repainted newer Jeeps are worth less than Jeeps with the original paint.

The Jeep corrosion warranty lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan: Orozco, et al., vs. FCA US LLC.

Are Other Owners Experiencing This Same Jeep Wrangler JL Corrosion Issue?

When carefully reviewing online Jeep Wrangler Forums and Facebook Group discussions, it’s found that there are many owners who are facing the same issues.

Final Thoughts

If you are an automobile owner and having manufacturing issues, you can contact us for a class-action lawsuit. Serious car problems require serious legal representation, especially when you are bringing a claim against a major automaker. 

At the Lemon Firm, our experienced attorneys have been able to successfully recover compensation for our clients who were sold a vehicle that did not perform as intended and we can do the same for you.

Contact us for a free consultation today if you have experienced problems like those experienced by the Jeep class action above or any other types of design or manufacturing defects with your vehicle.  Our experienced attorneys can be reached by calling (833) Lemon-Firm. 

By: Nicole Halavi

Jeep has now been a part of Chrysler for more than 100 years and offers a line of vehicles consisting solely of sports utility vehicles, including crossovers and fully off-road models. While Jeeps have consistently been in high demand in the auto market, consumers are now complaining of their various Jeep models exhibiting multiple defects. For instance, users complained of a jerky shifting defect in some Jeep models, and more recently, a rollaway risk in Jeep Cherokees has presented a serious cause for concern. Upon investigation, Jeep has recalled more than 82,000 SUVs to address user complaints regarding the rollaway safety danger.

If you are concerned that your Jeep Cherokee has been exhibiting serious defects, CCA is here to help. Feel free to call our experts today for a free consultation: (833) LEMON-FIRM.

What is the Rollaway Danger in Jeep Cherokee Models?

A vehicle rollaway can be hazardous and can also lead to fatal accidents. A rollaway danger occurs when a car’s parking and brake mechanism is of poor quality or is defected. Without an adequate park and brake system in place, the vehicle is at risk of rolling away and putting the driver in a potentially dangerous position.

The rollaway danger in the Jeep Cherokee is allegedly the result of an issue with the power transfer units (PTUs) as “differential input splines and the transmission output shaft may cause some input spline teeth to wear off, which may eventually cause a loss of engagement between the transmission and the differential inside the PTU.”

Over the past few years, users have filed complaints against Chrysler because of the Cherokee’s faulty brake system. Below are some of the common complaints involving the 2014-2017 models exhibiting brake defects:

“Parking brake has multiple issues. The brake squeaks when engaged and disengaged. When the car is auto started the parking brake no longer comes on.” – driver of a 2017 Jeep Cherokee.

“I was lucky. I was in heavy traffic when the brake pedal kicked back, and I had no power brakes. Crashed into curb, tied up traffic for 2 hours until roadside assistance towed the car away. It took them two weeks to get the part. If this had happened an hour earlier, I would have been off the side of a mountain and dead. This is the second time this SUV has nearly gotten me killed.” – driver of a Jeep Cherokee Limited 2.5L V4.

After receiving many complaints alleging defective park functions and motive power, Chrysler began an investigation to further address the defect. According to Chrysler, there haven’t been any reported fatalities or injuries caused by this defect. However, a Jeep owner claimed that the parking brake defect in his vehicle caused a car crash. As per the manufacturer’s report, more than 67,000 vehicles have been affected in the United States, about 13,000 in Canada and 10,000 outside of North America.

Chrysler has also announced a recall of more than 2,000 replacement PTU parts. As per the reports, the recall was expected to begin on July 31st, 2020.

What Can I Do if I’m Worried about the Rollaway Danger on my Jeep Cherokee Model?

If you have been noticing any of the issues discussed above, CCA is equipped with a set of experienced lawyers that are ready to help resolve your lemon law issues and obtain for you the compensation that you deserve. Best of all, our services come at no cost to you – all of our fees are paid by the automakers.

Contact our experts today for a free consultation at (833) LEMON-FIRM.