[Khan Adda]

... it definitely has it’s weaknesses.

I’ve had my Cherokee for just over 2 weeks and 1900,km/1180 miles now. Mine is a 2021 white Trailhawk Elite with the 3.2L v6. It’s been nice to drive, has a great interior and is really solid off-road. But today I found some frustrating things:

1. Fuel economy: I took my Cherokee off road today and it handled like a champ... until I got to the gas station. I filled up just before heading off road. After that fill-up I travelled a total of 87km/54 miles – most of that off-road – before filling up again. The tank took 23.689L/6.458gal – nearly ½ tank! . That works out to 27.23L/100km, or 8.64 miles per US gallon!? What the...??? I get it that off-roading isn’t going to give me highway mileage, but 27.23L/100km / 8.64 miles per US gallon? I was mostly in 4-low, not riding it hard, moving slow, a lot of uphill then a lot of downhill. I don’t get anywhere near that kind of fuel economy on my worst day in my 1995 GMC Safari 4.3L V6 work van carrying its own weight in tools and materials, often up long steep hills due to the local terrain on our north shore. Has anyone else experienced this kind of abysmal fuel economy off-roading? I can’t imagine how a long trip would even be possible at 8.64 miles/gal. For my math I used Simply Auto, an app I’ve used for years to track my fuel economy on my vehicles. The Cherokee and my previous 2019 Escape were both generous in calculating their fuel economy. The app calculates based on actual mileage and amount of fuel added since last fill-up, so it is more accurate than the vehicle’s estimate. Even the Cherokee’s estimate was 25L/100km or 9.41 miles per US gallon.

2. No engine-running notification when leaving the vehicle: One thing I liked about my 2019 Escape was if I got out of the vehicle and closed the door with the engine running it would give me 2 quick honks to let me know. The Cherokee says nothing. I realize I should just know to turn it off, but I’m a long-term key-in-the-ignition guy, and I don’t always remember to push that button before getting out. At home that’s no issue because it’s quiet there and I can hear the engine when I get out if I left it running. But if I’m in a loud area I may not hear the engine. That happened today – I ate a whole meal in a restaurant and came out to the Cherokee and I thought I’d left the headlights on. So I turned them from ‘On’ to ‘Auto’ and walked to a nearby coffee shop to get a coffee. On my way back I saw that the taillights were on. What the Firetruck? Finally I realized that the engine was still running. Yes, silly me, but would it hurt to give some indication that I’ve left the engine on when I leave the car? This brings me to the third item...

3. Potential security issue: If I leave the engine running and don’t lock the door, someone can easily drive away. The car does not need the fob inside for someone to shift into gear and leave. I tested this to make sure: I started the Cherokee, got out and put the fob far away, then got back into the Cherokee and drove around the block. The Cherokee was happy to let me shift into gear and go wherever I wanted to take it. Chrysler’s been building these for 7 years, and this has not occurred to anyone there? Don’t they have spies at Ford? Shouldn’t it be a no-brainer that no one should be able to drive away without a fob? Yes, I should remember to press the button to turn the engine off. Yes I should remember to lock the doors. But sometimes I don’t. If everyone did everything perfectly all of the time, newer vehicle wouldn’t have so many things in place to compensate, like lane departure warnings, blind spot warnings, lane keep assist, automatic braking, etc. Why not some notification (horn honk?) that I’ve left the vehicle running when I get out of the car? And why not prevent the car from being put in gear if there is no fob in the vehicle. There is, however, a nice little message on the screen to any would-be car thief saying “Fob not in car. Press okay to cancel this message” Why not also add “Now shift into drive and enjoy your new stolen vehicle.”?

4. Passing power: I do like the Pentastar v6 for the most part until I need to pass (also see item #1 above). I’ve tried passing twice on 2-lane highways in the past week, beginning my pass with the oncoming car just a dot on the highway way off in the distance. I was not at all comfortable with how close those oncoming vehicles got on those two occassions by the time I was able to complete each pass. In fact, on the first occasion the oncoming vehicle began to slow down and pull over to the shoulder as my Cherokee crept past the car I was passing. It seems that this v6 not a terribly strong engine beyond 80km/50miles per hour. Perhaps passing is a thing of the past for me with the Cherokee? My 2.0L 2019 Escape would easily zip by those considering it their sacred duty take the term ‘speed LIMIT’ seriously, and who consider the number on the sign to be the absolute MAXUMUM speed at which they should travel. With the Cherokee, it seems that if I want to pass, that way-off yonder on-coming vehicle better be a bicycle or farm tractor. Is it just me or is this just the nature of this vehicle and engine? Am I now doomed to never pass safely on a 2-lane highway for as long as I own my Cherokee?

5. Minor issue, but while I’m griping: The accessory gauges in the Off Road Pages are not working correctly. The Trans Temp and Oil Temp gauges seem to be buggy, with the bar missing on one and the numbers missing on the other. Anyone else notice this?

Beyond all this the ride is nice, still love the vented seats and the vehicle feels solid with no rattles or creaks. Today was my worst day with the Cherokee, but at least it wasn’t due to any functionality issues.

Thoughts? Comments?

 

[rumrunner]

more thorough testing prior to purchase can help with these surprises. but even then, there is usually some settling in with a new car. here's hoping you get used to the quirks of the KL. I did

BTW I still can't figure out when the engine would turn off if I open the rear hatch. it's some combination of parameters but I couldn't tell ya what they are. also I just discovered there's a "lock" button on the rear hatch. I've had the car since 2015!

 

[jcool001985]

In traffic or when passing people often on 2 lane roads use sport mode. Makes the torque curve better and holds gears longer. Also limits you to 6 gears instead of 9 so you mash the gas it has less gears to drop to get you moving quicker. Though some planning is still in order since its a modest v6 and is not high torque. Only 239 ft lbs for a 4k+ lbs suv.

I do agree with the drive without a fob issue. Most all push button start vehicles allow you to drive them without the fob present. I am not sure if its by design or what but I know in many cities slider crimes are up and I imagine this is one reason why. Someone leaves car running to grab something real quick but keeps fob with them thinking someone cannot drive off. Then they come out to an empty parking spot. Basically if you are exiting the vehicle for any reason shut it off.
if the auto manufacturers are going to allow people to drive off with no fob there should atleast be a kill switch on the key fob itself. Yeah I know it would only kill the engine within about 200 feet but would be enough to shut down many theifs if you see them drive away.

The oil temp gauge is only a dial it does not have a temp reading. The trans temp will give you an actual f or c reading depending on what you have setup.

 

[NScherry]

I just discovered there's a "lock" button on the rear hatch. I've had the car since 2015!

Only took five months for me to discover that button. I kept closing the hatch and walking back to the drivers door to lock down, lol.

 

[Khan Adda]

more thorough testing prior to purchase can help with these surprises. but even then, there is usually some settling in with a new car. here's hoping you get used to the quirks of the KL. I did

Tough to know what to test for when I'm unfamiliar with a new vehicle (My first Jeep anything). And, as you said, it took you 5 years to discover the "lock" button - and it took someone else 5 months, so it seems that gaining any real familiarity with a new vehicle takes more time than any pre-purchase testing will allow. I'm glad you guys mentioned or I may never have found it since I wasn't looking for it.

BTW I still can't figure out when the engine would turn off if I open the rear hatche. it's some combination of parameters but I couldn't tell ya what they are. also I just discovered there's a "lock" button on the rear hatch. I've had the car since 2015!

I just checked: My engine doesn't turn off when I open the rear hatch. Mine is a power hatch so if yours isn't it might be different. Actually, my Cherokee will let me drive away with the hatch open (did it yesterday), but fortunately it gives very clear notification on the instrument screen to let me know and I didn't get to far with it open.

I appreciate the tip on the "lock" button on the rear hatch though - one of my (minor) annoyances has been that the doors unlock with the hatch. I just checked for the lock button and I like it a lot. It's nice that I can press the button while the power lift gate is closing too, not just after it's closed.

Based on the replies here, it seems I'm not experiencing anything unusual with my Cherokee. I notice no one commented on the 8.64 mile/gal off-road, so I'm guessing that's to be expected too. That's a tough one for me to get used too. I may have to invest in some gas cans and a roof rack if I want to do any long off road trips.

 

[Khan Adda]

In traffic or when passing people often on 2 lane roads use sport mode. Makes the torque curve better and holds gears longer. Also limits you to 6 gears instead of 9 so you mash the gas it has less gears to drop to get you moving quicker. Though some planning is still in order since its a modest v6 and is not high torque. Only 239 ft lbs for a 4k+ lbs suv.

I appreciate the tip on Sport Mode. I'll give that a try. And I guess I'll have to get used to the v6's abilities.

I do agree with the drive without a fob issue. Most all push button start vehicles allow you to drive them without the fob present. I am not sure if its by design or what but I know in many cities slider crimes are up and I imagine this is one reason why. Someone leaves car running to grab something real quick but keeps fob with them thinking someone cannot drive off. Then they come out to an empty parking spot. Basically if you are exiting the vehicle for any reason shut it off. If the auto manufacturers are going to allow people to drive off with no fob there should atleast be a kill switch on the key fob itself. Yeah I know it would only kill the engine within about 200 feet but would be enough to shut down many theifs if you see them drive away.

Yes, the being able to drive away without the fob is a weird one. It could simply be a matter of not being able to shift out of park, like when I do a remote start. Auto manufacturers are able to do so much with software, I'd think a bit of vehicle security while the vehicle is standing still would be fairly simple. I think I do understand why there is no kill switch though: Safety hazard. If the thief were to be making a turn then suddenly be shut down, that could create a crash situation involving others.

The oil temp gauge is only a dial it does not have a temp reading. The trans temp will give you an actual f or c reading depending on what you have setup.

I'm not sure if we're talking about the same gauges. I'm talking about the software gauges in the Off Road Pages on the 8.4-inch screen. The Off Road Pages screen shows Drivetrain, Accessory Gauges, Pitch & Roll and Selec-Terrain.

Anyway, I think you're right about the oil gauge. But there is something wrong with the Trans Temp gauge. I only mentioned this to see if anyone else had a take on it, or had also experienced the same issue on their Cherokee. I'll post about it on a more appropriate page to give more detail, and include pix to clarify the issue with the Trans Temp gauge and to see if anyone else has noticed it or gotten a fix.

 

[Tyler-98-W68]

The pentastar engine is very strong in the upper rpm range and speeds, never had an issue with passing, granted my 2016 was tuned even when it was stock the higher rpm performance was always very good, same thing with my mildy tuned 2014, zero issues on the highway, if i'm not careful i'm doing 145kms/h by the time i'm back into my lane.

Sport mode isn't going to make it go faster, its simply going to be at a lower gear and not skip as many gear for a downshift when you pull out to pass.

 

[Lindy]

4. Passing power: I do like the Pentastar v6 for the most part until I need to pass (also see item #1 above). I’ve tried passing twice on 2-lane highways in the past week, beginning my pass with the oncoming car just a dot on the highway way off in the distance. I was not at all comfortable with how close those oncoming vehicles got on those two occassions by the time I was able to complete each pass. In fact, on the first occasion the oncoming vehicle began to slow down and pull over to the shoulder as my Cherokee crept past the car I was passing. It seems that this v6 not a terribly strong engine beyond 80km/50miles per hour. Perhaps passing is a thing of the past for me with the Cherokee? My 2.0L 2019 Escape would easily zip by those considering it their sacred duty take the term ‘speed LIMIT’ seriously, and who consider the number on the sign to be the absolute MAXUMUM speed at which they should travel. With the Cherokee, it seems that if I want to pass, that way-off yonder on-coming vehicle better be a bicycle or farm tractor. Is it just me or is this just the nature of this vehicle and engine? Am I now doomed to never pass safely on a 2-lane highway for as long as I own my Cherokee?

What you describe there is not something I've ever experienced with my V6, nor do I recall any other posts on this forum of people complaining about passing abilities.

Granted, we are talking about an SUV here, not a sports car, so you won't be blowing past the people you are passing, but you certainly shouldn't be' creeping' past cars as you describe. It sounds to me like you aren't pushing the pedal down far enough for the transmission to even downshift. But if you are getting downshifts then I wonder if the car you are passing is also accelerating. Some people unconsciously speed up while being passed, while others are just dicks who intentionally speed up.

 

[Tyler-98-W68]

Just so you know, a Ford escape with the 2.0 is magazine tested to be within 0.2s in the 50mph-70mph passing test....virtually the same, and again, higher speeds horsepower is more important and the cherokee has 26hp more than the 2.0 Turbo escape

 

[Khan Adda]

The pentastar engine is very strong in the upper rpm range and speeds, never had an issue with passing, granted my 2016 was tuned even when it was stock the higher rpm performance was always very good, same thing with my mildy tuned 2014, zero issues on the highway, if i'm not careful i'm doing 145kms/h by the time i'm back into my lane.

Sport mode isn't going to make it go faster, its simply going to be at a lower gear and not skip as many gear for a downshift when you pull out to pass.

Oh, that kind of passing power would be nice! Mine feels like it's just not gearing down enough.

Looks like you have some good posts on tuning the v6 - I'm going to dig into them. Any issues with the drive train or warranty? Do you think your previous posts on tuning still apply to the 2021 Trailhawk with the 245 tires?

 

[Khan Adda]

What you describe there is not something I've ever experienced with my V6, nor do I recall any other posts on this forum of people complaining about passing abilities.

Granted, we are talking about an SUV here, not a sports car, so you won't be blowing past the people you are passing, but you certainly shouldn't be' creeping' past cars as you describe. It sounds to me like you aren't pushing the pedal down far enough for the transmission to even downshift. But if you are getting downshifts then I wonder if the car you are passing is also accelerating. Some people unconsciously speed up while being passed, while others are just dicks who intentionally speed up.

I hadn't considered that the other car might have been speeding up...

I've only had my Cherokee for 2 weeks so I'll have to take more time testing it out to get to know it better. Good to know that others aren't having an issue.

 

[Khan Adda]

Just so you know, a Ford escape with the 2.0 is magazine tested to be within 0.2s in the 50mph-70mph passing test....virtually the same, and again, higher speeds horsepower is more important and the cherokee has 26hp more than the 2.0 Turbo escape

Interesting. My escape seemed faster, but I've never done an actual comparison. Each passing situation is different, and as someone else mentioned it's possible that the other car on the first passing occasion was accelerating while I passed. The second was a dump truck so no concern of that there. I'll need more time to get to know the Cherokee and do some experimenting with it in controlled situtations.

 

[rumrunner]

sometimes when passing I'll nudge the gearing lower manually 1 gear. I have the 4cyl & it likes to stay in as high a gear as possible. then if I get frustrated & punch the pedal it downshifts too much. so I try to plan ahead & sometimes I'll nudge it down just a smidge & the mph will go up on their own. my cruise control is pretty good to. I can press the up arrow to a speed adequate to pass & the car will do the rest. it varies but depending on the traffic situation it may only require a 2-5 mph increase to accomplish the pass. in this part of the country my highway speed isn't too high. I rarely go over 70. for the most part I've learned how to drive the car with just the gas pedal & anticipating situations before they require more aggressive acceleration. I don't care for sport mode

 

[Tyler-98-W68]

As for the tuning, currently 2019+ V6 isn't supported in HP Tuners, but the bolt on mods for the previous years would work

 

[rumrunner]

very cool! thanks for sharing! don't think I've ever run my 4cycl's revs that high to get to those speeds. but then, I can't reach those speeds that quickly. sweet audio tho! hehe

 

[Tyler-98-W68]

2.4's are redlined at 6200ish.

The 3.2 is set to shift at about 6500rpm stock, I raised the shift points to just shy of 7000 for some gear shifts

 

[Khan Adda]

As for the tuning, currently 2019+ V6 isn't supported in HP Tuners, but the bolt on mods for the previous years would work

Is this because the 2019+ are tuned differently, or is the system locked and not tune-able on the 2019+?

 

[Tyler-98-W68]

Hp tuners doens't list support for 2019+ yet.

I've not done anything with my 2021 as it has warranty and i'm not going to void that at all. 2018+ also need a security module bypass to even use the OBD2 port for tuning .

 

[jcool001985]

The main thing with the Cherokee feeling slowly than the escape is the drive by wire and the electronic throttle. Seems modern FCA vehicles have more throttle lag than other brands. My friend has a 2014 escape with the 2.0 and it feels much quicker when you mash the gas and responds quicker. Its also lighter in weight so that maybe some of it. But I still think Ford and GM do better at tuning their electronic throttle than FCA. Have always noticed some delay. Wish the throttle cables would come back. There was zero delays with those. Instant response on any vehicle with an actual cable.

 

[Flybynightcru]

Grab a gear, and mash on it!!!😎