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My 2015 model year PTO was replaced under warranty, not due to a drivability issue exactly. After a hour it would emit an burnt lub oil smell. Different failure or just the beginning of the input shaft snap ring issue?
2015’s aren’t included in the snap ring issue, could have been included in other issues like spline failure if it’s an AD2
 
just saw this. My 2019 is on the list. but since mine was a preproduction model (built nov. 2017) I wonder if i am going to regret getting the PTU replaced. it does have 44,000 miles on it and I can only assume the 4,000 miles on it before I bought the jeep were hard miles.

someone convince me that this is a good thing.

fyi I got my jeep because the transfer case broke on my last vehicle and it wasn't worth fixing because of cost. seems that transfer case issues follow me around.

Any other maintenance that I should ask them to do while they are in there replacing the ptu?
 
just saw this. My 2019 is on the list. but since mine was a preproduction model (built nov. 2017) I wonder if i am going to regret getting the PTU replaced. it does have 44,000 miles on it and I can only assume the 4,000 miles on it before I bought the jeep were hard miles.

someone convince me that this is a good thing.

fyi I got my jeep because the transfer case broke on my last vehicle and it wasn't worth fixing because of cost. seems that transfer case issues follow me around.

Any other maintenance that I should ask them to do while they are in there replacing the ptu?
I tend to lean towards the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" side myself...😉😁
 
just saw this. My 2019 is on the list. but since mine was a preproduction model (built nov. 2017) I wonder if i am going to regret getting the PTU replaced. it does have 44,000 miles on it and I can only assume the 4,000 miles on it before I bought the jeep were hard miles.

someone convince me that this is a good thing.

fyi I got my jeep because the transfer case broke on my last vehicle and it wasn't worth fixing because of cost. seems that transfer case issues follow me around.

Any other maintenance that I should ask them to do while they are in there replacing the ptu?
No one said they will actually be replacing them yet. They may do something else like programming until it does possibly fail.
And why do you think your Cherokee is special and different because it was an early 2019 model? There is nothing different or special with your PTU verses other 2019 PTUs, especially since it’s on the list, it would be special if it wasn’t on the list.
 
just saw this. My 2019 is on the list. but since mine was a preproduction model (built nov. 2017) I wonder if i am going to regret getting the PTU replaced.
From the recall notice: "The remedy is under development. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 13, 2025". Any speculation on the fix is just that - speculation.

February 13 is the time for tears. For now it's just worried sobbing. 😢

I tend to lean towards the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" side myself...😉😁
The problem with this particular issue is that any wear issue probably won't manifest itself until it breaks. So, yeah, it ain't broke - yet. I'm in the camp "if it's covered by the recall, hell yeah! Replace that b**ch!" Assuming, of course, that the remedy is to replace the PTU. Maybe it will be an extension of w47 - "It's probably going to break when you least expected it, but don't worry! You'll be reasonably safe when the emergency brake comes on at 85 MPH! After all, it IS a safety concern for all of us at FCA!!"

Edit: Of course, you do realize that the emergency brake "fix" is only when you go to Park. So you need to be going 85 MPH, lose the FWD, the SW automatically switches to RWD (providing you didn't pull fuse F10), and THEN you try to put it into Park as you are careening out of control. Then, and only then, will the emergency brake come on. Not that anyone actually tried it, right?
 
From the recall notice: "The remedy is under development.
Well, I'm sure they're not building brand new, improved PTU's at warp speed to replace all of the bad ones. That would cost money. I mean, what a unique idea that would be...🤔🫤😉😁
 
Well, I'm sure they're not building brand new, improved PTU's at warp speed to replace all of the bad ones. That would cost money. I mean, what a unique idea that would be...🤔🫤😉😁
They can’t keep up now, and you are right it will cost a lot to just replace all of them, and their financial and management situation is not good at this time.
 
I was under the impression that if you are in an accident caused by driving a vehicle that didn't get a recall fixed, and the part in question caused the accident, that your insurance would not cover your claim. So that could expose you to some major consequences, financial or otherwise.
 
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got this off of Mopar dot Com... Do not know if it was posted or not. It applies to my 2019 as well.

Some 2017-2019 MY Jeep Cherokee vehicles may have been built with an improperly seated input shaft snap ring in the two-speed Power Transfer Unit ("PTU"). An input shaft snap ring that is not fully seated may allow uncontrolled movement of the input shaft inward. Uncontrolled movement leads to the potential for wear to the range shift sleeve, spline damage, and / or range fork damage which can cause an unexpected loss of motive power or loss of PARK function while stationary. A loss of motive power can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning. A loss of PARK function can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning and/or injury to others outside the vehicle.
 
got this off of Mopar dot Com... Do not know if it was posted or not. It applies to my 2019 as well.

Some 2017-2019 MY Jeep Cherokee vehicles may have been built with an improperly seated input shaft snap ring in the two-speed Power Transfer Unit ("PTU"). An input shaft snap ring that is not fully seated may allow uncontrolled movement of the input shaft inward. Uncontrolled movement leads to the potential for wear to the range shift sleeve, spline damage, and / or range fork damage which can cause an unexpected loss of motive power or loss of PARK function while stationary. A loss of motive power can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning. A loss of PARK function can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning and/or injury to others outside the vehicle.
So apparently my 2018 is on the list too. Can someone explain in plain English what this recall means and how serious it is? My jeep gonna suddenly loose all power and go careening off the highway or something?
Refer here:


...and here:


...and here:


Every question answered - except for the most important one: "What's the fix??"
 
got this off of Mopar dot Com... Do not know if it was posted or not. It applies to my 2019 as well.

Some 2017-2019 MY Jeep Cherokee vehicles may have been built with an improperly seated input shaft snap ring in the two-speed Power Transfer Unit ("PTU"). An input shaft snap ring that is not fully seated may allow uncontrolled movement of the input shaft inward. Uncontrolled movement leads to the potential for wear to the range shift sleeve, spline damage, and / or range fork damage which can cause an unexpected loss of motive power or loss of PARK function while stationary. A loss of motive power can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning. A loss of PARK function can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning and/or injury to others outside the vehicle.
So apparently my 2018 is on the list too. Can someone explain in plain English what this recall means and how serious it is? My jeep gonna suddenly loose all power and go careening off the highway or something?
Guys that’s what this whole post is about and a link was in the first post and @AZJeeper posted above even more information 😎
 
I've read the entire thread, what I'd like to know is what all this means functionally in laymans terms.
Half the parts listed mean goobly to me. I'm not a mechanic, and these modern cars may as well be rocket science. My last vehicle had a cassette player, and I could pull codes with a paper clip!

So as near as I can figure, it sounds like theirs a faulty ring causing excessive wear going into the driveshaft that connects the engine to the PTU, but not into the shaft that goes from the PTU to the rear drive module?
Which makes me wonder:
Is this primarily an issue with shifting into and out of 4WL?
Or is this an issue ANYTIIME the rear wheels engage for whatever reason?
Does this effect FWD? Can i just disable the rear module either by pulling the fuse, or pressing that convient button on the dash.

Not driving isn't an option. So I just want to know where is this occuring primarily, and what can I do (if anything) to reduce the wear and chances of failure until It can get fixed.

I noticed awhile ago after first getting my cherokee that it doesn't really like shifting into and out of 4WL from a stop. Gear syncing, but also a clunk when the teeth would engage, which to me felt like it would cause excessive wear over time. I noticed that if I went into neutral and barely inched the car forward on a grade using the brake before shifting, that clunk would no longer occur when I did shift. I think it gave the teeth time to mesh and lightly engage before engaging the transmission an putting the power into the teeth. So I kinda wonder if that clunk is related, or if that's just normal. I figured it normal, but I still didn't like it.
 
I think half the problems with the KL platform may be programming related. Firmware that could damage the hardware long-term. For example, one of my problems this year was binding turning left. Out of the blue. Got progressively worse and worse. I was expecting PTU. Rear drive module. Nope it was the drivetrain control module needing a firmware update. I suspect a lot of dealerships are scanning for codes and shotgunning hardware like the good old days when the actual “fix” is an update. This recall has no fix at this time. It’s just an acknowledgment. If it was a hardware problem, a senior mechanic at FCAcould figure it out, right? The fact that they don’t have a fix makes me suspect it’s programming again. Maybe AI can figure it out lol
 
I've read the entire thread, what I'd like to know is what all this means functionally in laymans terms.
Half the parts listed mean goobly to me. I'm not a mechanic, and these modern cars may as well be rocket science. My last vehicle had a cassette player, and I could pull codes with a paper clip!

So as near as I can figure, it sounds like theirs a faulty ring causing excessive wear going into the driveshaft that connects the engine to the PTU, but not into the shaft that goes from the PTU to the rear drive module?
Which makes me wonder:
Is this primarily an issue with shifting into and out of 4WL?
Or is this an issue ANYTIIME the rear wheels engage for whatever reason?
Does this effect FWD? Can i just disable the rear module either by pulling the fuse, or pressing that convient button on the dash.

Not driving isn't an option. So I just want to know where is this occuring primarily, and what can I do (if anything) to reduce the wear and chances of failure until It can get fixed.

I noticed awhile ago after first getting my cherokee that it doesn't really like shifting into and out of 4WL from a stop. Gear syncing, but also a clunk when the teeth would engage, which to me felt like it would cause excessive wear over time. I noticed that if I went into neutral and barely inched the car forward on a grade using the brake before shifting, that clunk would no longer occur when I did shift. I think it gave the teeth time to mesh and lightly engage before engaging the transmission an putting the power into the teeth. So I kinda wonder if that clunk is related, or if that's just normal. I figured it normal, but I still didn't like it.
Fair enough.

The FCA US LLC Chronology (in the links above) shows that Recall W47 (Recall ID 20V-343), Recall 45A (NHTSA Recall ID 23V-302), and the current recalls are all related.

From Recall W47:

The PTU on about 67,240 of the above vehicles may have been built to allow relative movement between the differential input splines and the transmission output shaft. This condition may result in the teeth of the input splines wearing off, which may eventually cause a loss of engagement between the transmission and the differential inside the PTU. If this occurs, torque cannot be transferred between the front wheels and the transmission, which will result in a loss of motive power while the vehicle is in motion and a loss of the PARK function while stationary. A loss of motive power or PARK function can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning and/or injury to others outside the vehicle.

I believe what that means is because the KL is mainly a FWD vehicle it will transition from 4x4 to FWD as conditions warrant. When you are cruising down the road you are likely in FWD mode only. If the input splines shear, you no longer have FWD but the computer keeps trying. Your car doesn't "know" it is free-wheeling, but that's exactly what is happening. You have lost "motive power", potentially at high freeway speeds. If you pull over and put the transmission in PARK, it will not prevent the vehicle from rolling away. BUT the rear drive is still available, either in 4hi or 4lo. So the "fix" in w47 was:

Reprogram the affected vehicles with software for the Drive Train Control Module (DTCM) and the Electric Park Brake (EPB) that will maintain vehicle propulsion by engaging rear wheel drive function and prevent rolling in the PARK selection by activating the electric park brake if a failed input spline occurs.

So when the PTU pukes, you can at least get off the road. Once stopped and in PARK, the emergency brake will come on to make sure your car doesn't roll away.

Can you prevent it? I don't think so because this is a defect that has been traced to an improperly installed snap ring. From the recent recall notice 01C:

Some of the above vehicles may have been built with an improperly seated input shaft snap ring in the two-speed Power Transfer Unit (PTU). An input shaft snap ring that is not fully seated may allow uncontrolled movement of the input shaft inward. Uncontrolled movement leads to the potential for wear to the range shift sleeve, spline damage, and / or range fork damage which can cause an unexpected loss of motive power or loss of PARK function while stationary. Customers may notice a Service 4WD message, noise, vibration or change in drive quality. A loss of motive power can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning. A loss of PARK function can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning and/or injury to others outside the vehicle.

This isn't a 4hi vs 4lo issue. You may not even know it's happening unless you notice "Service 4WD message, noise, vibration or change in drive quality". The recall says "may notice", so "maybe not"! I don't think there is anything you can do to prevent it, except maybe pray.

I don't know if this relates to your experiences in 4lo or not. I somewhat doubt it. Maybe others can chime in.

Hope this helps. Let us know! Maybe someone else can take a crack at the issue.
 
I think half the problems with the KL platform may be programming related. Firmware that could damage the hardware long-term. For example, one of my problems this year was binding turning left. Out of the blue. Got progressively worse and worse. I was expecting PTU. Rear drive module. Nope it was the drivetrain control module needing a firmware update. I suspect a lot of dealerships are scanning for codes and shotgunning hardware like the good old days when the actual “fix” is an update. This recall has no fix at this time. It’s just an acknowledgment. If it was a hardware problem, a senior mechanic at FCAcould figure it out, right? The fact that they don’t have a fix makes me suspect it’s programming again. Maybe AI can figure it out lol
sharp slow left like pulling into a parking space w/ the steering wheel turned full tilt? I try to avoid that just generally. I turn all the way, then back off s smidge, for the actual turn
 
I think half the problems with the KL platform may be programming related. Firmware that could damage the hardware long-term. For example, one of my problems this year was binding turning left. Out of the blue. Got progressively worse and worse. I was expecting PTU. Rear drive module. Nope it was the drivetrain control module needing a firmware update. I suspect a lot of dealerships are scanning for codes and shotgunning hardware like the good old days when the actual “fix” is an update. This recall has no fix at this time. It’s just an acknowledgment. If it was a hardware problem, a senior mechanic at FCAcould figure it out, right? The fact that they don’t have a fix makes me suspect it’s programming again. Maybe AI can figure it out lol
Ah NO, the splines failing is a mechanical issue. Drive splines are always hardened and don’t generally fail easily if made properly, obviously they were not.

Now a snap ring that was not installed properly in the PTU has been discovered during a manufacturing period for the PTU.

Onto other issues besides the PTU problems, the early 948TE transaxle Failures were tracked to an improperly installed snap ring position and a better quality one was made for future transmissions and installed in the proper orientation. The 321 lockout programming was only done on the affected population to hopefully prevent the incorrectly installed snap rings from failing . Cost and a huge amount of disassembly on multiple transaxles or replacement then using the cores to rebuild at FCA at that time would have been a serious undertaking.

Now I will never say the FCA programming for shifting was done very well but the programming obviously was not the cause of the snap ring failures nor do you see multiple transaxle failures happening in KLs.

Pretty much the reality of the FIX not being presented yet is because it will cost 💲 to go into every affected PTU and the dealerships aren’t equipped to do all this work in any timely manner.
And to your statement of Dealerships shotgunning , they are not the ones making the decision for a recall Stellantis is being made to do something by the NHTSA and the Canadian safety agency is involved with reported PTU failures too.
I’m not saying they shouldn’t have to mechanically fix problems, but we have seen over and over etc. that this doesn’t seem to happen .
 
A reasonably good article about the PTU issue. This forum even gets mentioned! Be careful what you say... ;)

 
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