Kimberly10

A couple of months ago I posted on this site, but forgot my password and had to create a new acount. Anyways, I purchased a 2014 fully loaded Cherokee Trailhawk with 0 miles on October 25, 2014. This experience has been an absolute NIGHTMARE.

200 miles, and 48 hours after picking the car up, I took it onto the beach. As soon as it got into the sand, it dropped to 2nd gear and RPMS shot up to just over 3000. The car would NOT shift out of second, unless manually done so. The temp went up to 230 and needless to say I took it right off the beach.

Later on that day after the car had been sitting for an hour or so, I got back into it and all the computers in the car started to flash like white noise. It was like a disco ball in my car.

I brought it back to the dealer and was given a variety of reasons for what was occuring. Bad ABS sensor, loose fuse in the dashboard etc. In the end (or what i thought was the end) they replaced the master cylinder, gave me an entirely new computer (ECM) and "tightened" some loose fuses.

I went to pick the car up from the dealer after hours when they were closed. As soon as i turned it on, you guessed it. Flashing white noise on all the screens. I had already dropped the loaner car key in the key drop so I had no choice but to take the car back. I also took it on the beach a day or two later, and yup, you guessed it again. Car wouldnt shift out of second gear on the beach.

It was a few days before the service department had room to fit me in, so in the meantime I was of course driving the Jeep and the problems became worse. The car began to shift very irraticaly. It would up shift very fast accelerate when my foot was not on the gas. When coming to a stop it would down shift so hard, it felt like I was driving a race car with a huge clutch in it.

When I brought the car back to the dealer, (now with 700 miles on it) they called me a day or two later and told me they were replacing the entire transmission. They had the car for over two weeks. (Time in the shop has now approached 20 days) Finally picked up the car last week. Get ready for this, when I got into the car the odometer ready 6000 MILES!! I dropped it off with 700 and change on it. Immediately went right back into the service department and was told that it was a factory mistake, that when the factory sent out the new computer they reprogram it and must have made a mistake. I raised a little hell and then walked into the showroom to speak to the GM again.

He informed me that one of his men has "not been well the past few weeks" and probably "was not thinking clearly" and that he was most likely responsible for the mistake. Ummmmm what? Two different stories in less than 5 minutes. I told him for the 3rd time that I did not want the car anymore, do not feel safe in it etc. I have also been dealing with a jeep resolution team from Chrystler. He told me in order to get a full refund my best bet was to be patient and wait for a decision from Chrystler.

So it's been about a week and the car is shifting more erratic than it has since I picked it up less than 2 months ago. The sunroof leaks water, the windshield is CONSTANTLY fogged and looks like there is a clear coat that may have gotten on the car that makes it impossible to see when driving. I'm thinking this may have been a factory mistake, as I have seen this complaint somewhere on this website as well. Also, when I turn the floor heat on, the front defroster comes on. This jeep is a plethora of electrical problems.

Chrystler contacted me on Friday, and my Jeep has offically been deemed a lemon, and I am entited to a replacement. I dont want a replacement. I want a FULL refund and to head over to the Toyota dealer. I am awaiting a call from the reaquisition department sometime this week. I still can't believe it took this long for them to realize the car is a lemon. I TRULY do not feel safe driving the car. The shifting, and revving is becoming increasingly worse.

caronaxtr

Congrats, can't say I've heard too many people having them say it is a "lemon". Let us know if you get a refund or a replacement.

Sucks though, you instead to be able to buy a "new" car and not have to worry about anything going wrong.

Firestorm500

Fiatsler held the new Cherokee from being shipped, brought them back into the plant to work on the transmissions and the programming some more.

Unprecedented.

They wanted everything to be "right" on debut day.

Sounds like yours slipped through the cracks.

Sorry you had to go through that.

just_jeepin

My buddy whos the service dept director down the street at CJD dealer says the KL's are a nightmare for him and THAT car alone has made him want to leave CJD (the dart and chrysler 200 didn't help)....kinda says something when thats coming from the other side.

metalwonzero

mine had its ups and downs, found out the hard way it had a RAM AIR intake in the 4 banger that is unprotected, (im no mechanic just drive em) which when i pushed water up against the bank coming out of a low water crossing the back pressure (rebound) of the wave caused water to shoot straight up into the thing.. (8000 bucks) knowing ahead of time it had a different than what i was used too.. woulda been priceless.. woulda yanked off a 2 dollar tube and made it safe..

then the new engine.. went nutts, floored its self then all the electronics went berzerk and it hoarked oil out everywhere which left me stranded in BFE where rental cars was a myth..

but when its right.. its a bad little machine.. off road abilities are great.. but if the things wont run right.. whats the point..?

cruiser54

Funny.

When I talk to my buddies at the dealer here, the one I was Service Manager at for 12 years, and relay some of the stuff I've read here, they're very surprised.

metalwonzero

@ Kimberly10 when you had the hawk in the sand, that was perfectly normal for it to stay in a lower gear and maintain high RPMs that is the nature of the machine, even in auto mode after a minute or 2 it will change up the shift points to address the lack of traction keeping you in 2nd gear. if you hammer down on it... it will go back to normal after a certain speed is hit.. (or should) the break down of electronics... i have no logical explanation for...

Also this machine does not really perform until around 3700 rpms.. then it comes alive..

chademinent

I work at a CJD dealer as a parts advisor, and have heard a few things about the new 8 and 9 speed transmissions, however it was nothing very serious. The cherokee and Wrangler alone saved Jeep this last year, selling more cherokees per month than Libertys in 2014 (compared to 2013). People seem to love them. We dont see too many in the service dept for probelems either.

metalwonzero

i must say, the dawg clutch system, has a whole different feeling..compared to what i have driven before... it feels rough.. but thats the nature of the beast.. and it simmers down after it programs its self..

SoCalCherokee

Sorry about your bad experience.


Unfortunately Lemons happen and EVERY manufacturer has them from time to time.

chademinent

^^Very true

SoCalCherokee

Yep, we could talk about Honda Odyssey transmission problems for days or Honda Accords burning oil or Nissan CVT tranny issues or Toyota Camry engine sludge problems ect, ect......

fasteddy27

i purchased my Trail-hawk last November. from day one it had a tranny that shifts all over the place. a rattle noise in the engine when started, a spring sound every time you touch the brake and the ac that wont ever shut off.
Since i worked for Chrysler for almost 2o years i figured give them the benefit of the doubt. well a year later about a dozen trips to two different dealers a set of lifters and 18000 mil;es i get told by Chrysler there's nothing the can do. they heard a slight noise one time and that's all. Im telling you this thing sounds like the chain on a mitsu 2.6 from the 80's. Countless transmission flashes later i get 5 miles less gas mileage than when it was new, we cant fix that. the ac freezes you out of the car, we cant fix that. The brake pedal makes noise, that's normal....
i talked with two Chrysler people from Jeep customer care yesterday.
i let them know that the dealers diagnostics consists of frick and frak listening to my car. no chassis ears, no oil pressure tests, not even a screwdriver against the block held up to an ear. If i want diagnostics i can pay for them she said. well that's was last straw.... LEMON LAW here we come.

Lone Ranger

I have learned my lesson buying vehicles from ''buy here pay here" dealers. I am not saying all are bad and would not be willing to help with a small problem shortly after a purchase. But at the end of the day you can not trust anything you are being told, and alot of the vehicles are hiding issues. They are just buying trade ins with no knowledge and flipping for a profit. Therefore it is the buyers responsibility to check out the vehicle before purchase, and not assume anything. I would have to have a gun to my head to go to a little road side place and buy an ''as is vehicle''. Maybe with a 30 to 90 day return clause of some sort, but good luck with getting that on paper.

ForcedInduction

That’s nice - but the OP’s TH was brand new, not used. It would have been difficult for buyers to check out the reliability of a vehicle in its first year on the market. This is a five-year-old thread, and we know now that the 2014s and some 2015s did indeed have common transmission issues, enough that FCA redesigned parts of the transmission and changed the programming. Back then many dealers were unaware of this recurring issue...




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