[BCTrailhawk]

I will try to be succinct: (seldom happens ).

I very seldom had wobble prior to the kit installation - 2 or 3 times over 1 1/2 years.
I never had any wobble when I turned the fix-it kit on. Another 1 1/2 years.

Brian

 

[rpasetto]

FCA/Jeep installed the "towing enhancement kit" gratis for those who bought the KLs when there was no mention of the tow-wobble kit (2014,2015). After that, even though the AD2/ADL Cherokees continued to be advertised as *flat-towable* in subsequent years, Jeep began to charge owners for the kit. Many were outraged, as this and other forums show. Some have forgotten, many called Jeep "deceptive" and worse; many remember.

So now Jeep wants buyers to assume that for 2019 there is a fix and the wobble tendency is gone.... with no announcement, no formal test report... merely a statement that the "kit" is no longer "required" for the 2019s. Should buyers trust them based on that?

 

[AZJeeper]

So now Jeep wants buyers to assume that for 2019 there is a fix and the wobble tendency is gone.... with no announcement, no formal test report... merely a statement that the "kit" is no longer "required" for the 2019s. Should buyers trust them based on that?

Why do you keep saying that? There's no assuming here, it has been clearly communicated that there are improvements, they just won't say exactly what they did. I can understand why FCA wants to keep the actual fix close to the vest. For example, I've been reading a lot on the Chevy Colorado with their EPS flat tow issues. Do you really expect FCA to just give away their intellectual property?

An "announcement" has been made. Stop saying otherwise, please. It's pretty frustrating to those of us who have read the material and understand what it says.

For those of you who want a deeper insight into the the 2019 flat tow issue, this thread might be helpful: https://jeepcherokeeclub.com/337-towing-towed/235106-2019-active-drive-ii-flat-tow.html

 

[rpasetto]

Why do you keep saying that? There's no assuming here, it has been clearly communicated that there are improvements, they just won't say exactly what they did. I can understand why FCA wants to keep the actual fix close to the vest. For example, I've been reading a lot on the Chevy Colorado with their EPS flat tow issues. Do you really expect FCA to just give away their intellectual property?

An "announcement" has been made. Stop saying otherwise, please. It's pretty frustrating to those of us who have read the material and understand what it says.

For those of you who want a deeper insight into the the 2019 flat tow issue, this thread might be helpful: https://jeepcherokeeclub.com/337-towing-towed/235106-2019-active-drive-ii-flat-tow.html

I stand corrected as to the publication. This is the first I've seen of it; you posted a reference to the "STAR Online Publication Case Number S1823000031" on July 21. When I googled that term I got nothing, so I didn't see what it said.

I know you do not like my skepticism, and as I have said before I hope that you're right. You know there has been misleading information in the past. Back during the 2014-'15 days when there were many conjecturing as to the cause of the KL wobble, someone posted a patent application for 'wobble mitigation' (by FCA, dated around 2011).

Of course if the "19 KL in OEM equipment form, has improvements that does not require the Mopar accessory Flat Tow Performance Kit to stabilize the vehicle" there are two possibilities here:
1- The aforementioned patent applies to this and intellectual property of FCA/Jeep is not at issue. They would not be "giving away" anything to Chevvy or Ford here.
2- FCA/Jeep did something entirely different from what that patent specifies. Under this possibility, I would expect that there is another patent.
3- Or, do you think they are keeping this as a trade secret?

Furthermore I think it's a soimewhat insulting to imply that I should "read the material and understand what it says". Have you read the patent? Have you seen evidence FCA tested their new design?

I am not trying to start an argument here but you seem to be argumentative regarding anything which questions the "improvements".

 

[AZJeeper]

I am not trying to start an argument here but you seem to be argumentative regarding anything which questions the "improvements".

Not trying to be argumentive, just a bit frustrated. As far as my motives, I'll let this previous post speak for itself:

https://jeepcherokeeclub.com/2866290-post54.html

I stand corrected as to the publication. This is the first I've seen of it; you posted a reference to the "STAR Online Publication Case Number S1823000031" on July 21. When I googled that term I got nothing, so I didn't see what it said.

Furthermore I think it's a soimewhat insulting to imply that I should "read the material and understand what it says". Have you read the patent? Have you seen evidence FCA tested their new design?

The "read the material" I was referring to is STAR Online Publication Case Number S1823000031 which was posted and referenced several times. Sorry, I assumed you read it as I responded to you with a link to the material (https://jeepcherokeeclub.com/2859116-post33.html) and you responded back (https://jeepcherokeeclub.com/2859264-post37.html).

The "evidence" is probably going to be anecdotal, at best. So far a google search has turned up zero instances of wobble in the 2019's. Certainly not proof, but a good start.

Still friends? :|

 

[Mark_]

This has been, and will contunue to be, a touchy subject... and lack of communication and leadership from FCA played a big role in how it escalated.

One angle I think is pretty convincing to me, for the 2019 issue : the legal one. They've come out with a statement that says 2019s are fixed, so they are legally bound by that (liable). Now why haven't they disclosed *the fix* ? Many options here, and one I haven't seen recently is... because they don't want pre 2019 KL owners demanding the new hardware pieces for free, or try fixing this themsleves ?

Legally, FCA are probably well covered with the present situation, where pre 2019s require the harness, no ifs ands or buts. But then just recently someone posted about towing an older KL while not knowing about the harness, and someone posted after buying an older KL second hand, not knowing about the death wobble situation... nor the need for a special harness.

 

[rpasetto]

@AZJeeper, @Mark_,

I don't think it should be a "touchy subject" between us forum members anyway as we should work with one another as friends sharing ideas and information; dealing with FCA/Jeep it's a different story. Many have been mislead in the past by, let's call it "Marketing Errors" by FCA/Jeep, chief of which is the advertising of the KL as the "ideal towed vehicle" back in 2013 when they knew they had an inherent wobble issue which was only correctable with engine on, certainly not when it's a "towed vehicle". The 2011 patent (mentioned and described thoroughly in this thread and elsewhere) makes that clear. There have also been cases (not necessarily noted in this thread) where buyers in 2017 and 2018 were told the wobble is fixed.

Now it's known that FCA/Jeep has made some changes to the KL in their mid-cycle update, but they do not publicize a change which solves the towed-wobble issue; there's one Star-Case report. These Star cases do not appear to be generally available to the public but evidently something between dealerships and the FCA technical support department.

Given a new design of steering/front end components, the scientific/engineering approach would be to conduct tests to ensure the objectives of the change have been met. Have they done this testing yet?or does FCA marketing hope the design change eliminates the wobble.

My hope is that AZJ and other '19 KL owners have safe travels; meanwhile I'm not about to go to the Jeep dealer and shop for a Cherokee as a new towed just yet... or a GC for that matter.

 

[Dave from Canada]

Can you post the video on Youtube or elsewhere? Then post the link here?

Severe shaking problem towing behind motorhome

I have a 2014 Latitude V6 with Active Drive II. While towing behind my motorhome on a 5000 mile trip last summer I experienced a severe side to side shaking in the front wheels of the Jeep about 7 times. Extremely intermittent, and difficult to diagnose at first (is it motorhome, towing setup...

jeepcherokeeclub.com

 

[Dave from Canada]

I have a 2015 Jeep Trailhawk and it has the same problem.

 

[rpasetto]

I have a 2015 Jeep Trailhawk and it has the same problem.

You may be able to convince FCA/Jeep to provide the kit gratis after all this time. Some time ago, back in this thread, members noted that they purchased this kit. Good luck.