MoToad

So your #86 post was "embellished" shall we say?

Watchful

Mine hasn't been trouble free: I had an issue with the air conditioning that turned out to be a software issue. Once that was fixed, another minor glitch with my radio not wanting to play MP3s went away as well.

I've had no issue with the trans or anything else.

Hawkmandan

I have also not had a single issue with my TrailHawk. Had for 6 months now and over 9k miles on it. Average 27 mpg and find the transmission to be smooth as silk...what a great vehicle so far.

Basslicks

Pardon me, don't mean to add my two cents as a non-KL owner, but it seems as though Metal's reply was not a bashing of the KL but rather evidence of how well it performs. Perhaps, I'm reading the above incorrectly, but it seems that your phrase "indicative of all his troubles" makes it seem as though you inferred he was giving negative review. I read his reply as excited "show-and-tell" rather than "grrr this thing sucks".

MoToad

No, I agree. He truly likes the car. He is just suffering an abnormal amount of failures. And, reading the love it or hate it thread there has been a number of people reporting some total lemons.
I do know this can be the case in all makes and hope that I don't add to the list. The last few years I have hooked into a couple of bad ones of different makes. Just hoping this is a long term keeper. Time will tell but with two bikes in the corral as my most part three season rides, the Cherokee is just now beginning to be used.

lighttoast

I'm a year and a half in with almost 26000 miles on mine. The only problems I've had which required a trip to the dealer (besides the software updates and recalls) have been for a busted tire, which happened while squeezing through rocks on a trail (covered by my warranty), a loosening bolt in the knuckle (they replaced the knuckle and the bolt just in case - also covered by warranty), and a seal of some sort coming out of the spoiler (they eventually replaced the whole spoiler - under warranty).

I do get the occasional slow shift, but no more and no worse than what I've had in any other electronic transmission. I'm very happy with mine and have recommended it to plenty of people. I've also noticed 3 or 4 more pop up in the parking lot at work...all with little red hooks

Basslicks

I know what you mean. I really like the WK2 Grand Cherokees, but this video is a little discouraging. I hope the lemon laws here in the states are more strict that in Australia.

priell3

I liked my KL, but didn't love it. I traded it last week and got a Dodge Journey.

Chris Clay

Very early owner of a 2016 Trailhawk. So far I love it! Lots of power, smooth transmission, and drives out extremely well. Having the advanced 4WD system is a huge plus over any other vehicles in the same class; definitely was a selling point for me. Plus, my wife and I really like the styling. Definitely no regrets at this point!

MoToad

Further to mine; I have now had it thru freak early winter conditions of compacted snow to ice on the mountain passes and it came thru shining. Very steady with no sign of wanting to lose control. Plus the deeply slanted windshield took at least three direct rock hits from passing logging trucks with not a mark. If the design had been less sloped like previous vehicles I would already have rock chips. Plus, plus the aerodynamics of this vehicle showed to be very steady still in some of the gale force cross winds I encountered on those passes. Very happy camper so far!

MoToad

I am correcting myself on the rock chip thing. Driving into the sun I picked out the three chips. Albeit micro chips but they are there. Dang. Living on Vancouver Island for over 25 years with their mild climate had me never paying any mind to such things. Now out here in the mountains the dealer tells me it's a way of life. you won't find a car without them. Unless of course you don't drive in the winter.
Just hard to take, a flaw in the month old car.

ebduncan

I'll share my experience.

I drove a 1990 Cherokee (XJ) it had the inline 6, and was actually a 5 speed manual. I purchased it back in like 2004, with 43k miles on it (that's not a typo). I drove that thing till it reached 138k miles. It was rather beat up at this point. I decided it was time for a new car, and picked up a 2008 Jeep Patriot.

XJ was awesome off-road, I drove that thing through swamps, ponds, through feet of snow etc. I kept it around for a few years after I got the patriot, mainly got used on fishing trips and camping trips. Since I'm in Alabama now and well it doesn't really snow here.

My parents went out and purchased a 2014 Cherokee Limited fully loaded, and I do mean fully. I drove it around when I visited them just to see what it was like. Comparing the KL to the XJ is a joke, they are two different beasts. Now they didn't get a 4x4 model, so it is only 4x2 but they did get all the other options, lane sense, v6, etc etc

the XJ would be better compared to the trailhawk in terms of factory off-road capability is concerned. I loved my XJ and I am actually thinking about picking up another one to use specifically for off-roading. I purchased a 2016 Cherokee Altitude 4x2 Here is the reason why. Basically boils down to this I'm on the road far more often than I am off it. Even if I did off-road daily i'd rather use some old beat up 4x4 to do it in. Why ruin your nice paint, nice interior and well who knows what else. Do I want to listen to tire hum on my daily commute to work? nah etc

I like my KL Cherokee, I liked my Patriot before it. I liked my XJ, but I would never go back to driving one on the daily.

Basslicks

Makes perfect sense. This is probably the most honest answer I've seen about these. The KL will never be an XJ, ... but they're not supposed to be. It's the concept that's similar. The sooner people understand this, the better.

MoToad

Reporting back from my first long trip. Nelson BC to Moab and back with a little TW200 hung off the back. The 280 lb bike and rack did not effect the ride in the least. The tranny was flawless. I was actually able to get into 9th on the interstate at 90 mph. lol. But only on a downhill slope.
I have had a small shimmy from the front end from the first day of ownership that happens when mildly accelerating from first to second. Pointed that out to the dealer and we tried out the same car in the lot and were able to detect it on that one too. Ain't bothering me too much at this point.
Did have an incident tho. There was loose rock on the road in many places and it was coming around a corner at one of these places that the God of bolders launched a wee 18 inch roller down the slope at me. It bounced up 6 feet high not 30 feet in from of me and I thought for a sec it was coming thru the windshield. I was hard on the binders and it dissappeared under the car with a bang bang bang, coming out the back in three pieces. Pulling over I found oil gooshing out the differential. Got it to a nearby Dealer on a flatbed where within a week the diff was replaced. Cut my trip a bit short. It now has been into my dealer to proceed with the rest of the replacement stuff which includes bashed crossmembers, exhaust and muffler. but all is good.

Basslicks

Would that be a shimmy or a yaw? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the normal driving operation of those is front wheel drive except when off-roading, yes?

That's cool that you towed your bike on the back without any issue. Gotta give props to Jeep for that