Besides the trailer hitch, my WJ had a recall for a PCM update, an intake manifold heat shield, and seatbelt shoulder bolts. The heat shield is just an aluminum wafer blanket that covers the intake manifold to protect the injectors from exhaust heat. It seems the cast iron manifolds get really hot and the new open design of the intake manifold allows heat to boil fuel in the rail and injectors at low vehicle speeds or after shutdown. I was told by the parts manager that they've had some engine fires from debris getting into the openings and catching fire. It seems plausible to me if you left the hood open under trees long enough, it could fill with leaves and pine needles. My house is surrounded with 60-ft tall pines and the needles get into everything! I have to clean out my rear hatch gasket area a lot. Also the hood hinge area at the ends of the cowl.

 

I called my local Jeep dealership last week to see about having them install the OEM hitch and wiring harness. I read somewhere that it's the strongest vs. aftermarket. That's when I was told about the recall. It's there now and they're doing the work on the recall. They quoted me $850 for the hitch!

 

WAIT!!!....If your VIN is on the recall list, the hitch should be FREE!

 

What is the deal with the air bags anyways. That's new to me and, based on the description of the recall hitch placement and the cut out bumper, with a plastic surround attatched afterward, I think mine has the recall hitch. My air bags have been replaced, not sure if it was done for a style change, or a recall thing, but it's the radio surround, passenger air bag, and vent on the driver's side, out of a newer model with the silver trim instead of wood grain. However, the air bag light is on, and the passenger bag isn't in all the way on the bottom and idk how to fix it. Not trying to hijack this thread just a curiosity

 

Actually what you describe is the factory installed trailer hitch that comes with the tow package. This is the same hitch they are using for the recall. When I went to the dealer to get mine done, there were about 20 boxes of hitches on a truck they were unloading at the time. They were marked "Mopar genuine parts." IDK if ZJs and XJs are included in the recall, but they should be because they have the same collision vulnerability, although they are stronger in the back.

The tow package includes a wiring module, 3.73 axle gears, and an aux trans cooler. This should be a small radiator in front of the A/C condenser.

The airbag sounds to me like it was replaced by someone who wasn't qualified to do it properly. IDK if I'd rely on it.

 

Yeah and my concern is trying to get it working. The light is on and the bag isn't mounted into the dash fully. The lower end of it is sorta hanging out beyond the edge of the dash. About the hitch, mime has the large plug on it, not the 4 prong one... Doesn't seem to work either. I've hit the prongs with a test light and run the lights while testing them and my light never once lit up...
The guy that did the lift and engine also had the whole nose replaced. Claims it was from them being rusty but who knows, maybe accident?? Has the limited headlights, new hood and fenders.. Maybe the bags we're replaced due to them being deployed... Idk

 

It was not. They only inspected the subframe for rust. If I had already put on an aftermarket hitch they would have done something.

 

Okay so update on my hitch and the question of it being installed via the recall, it was and the 7 pin trailer harness as well... However, the wiring going TO my 7 pin harness is M.I.A.
I find that to be strange and unfortunately it appears I will need to replace the plug.

 

When I took my '03 WJ to the dealer for air bag and hitch recalls, I was remembering Dave's nightmare post regarding the dealer hitch install and decided to decline it. My aftermarket hitch is set up perfectly for my towing requirements, and I didn't see much advantage for to changing over other than the NTSB safety advisory.

 

Yeah and I'm sort of put off by the height difference in the hitches, I have two grands and one has a aftermarket hitch, stock ride height. My lifted jeep has the recall hitch, which is tucked into the rear bumper, making it higher. So to get my small trailer to tow level, I need a heck of a drop hitch.

 

I did a measurement comparing my receiver height (aftermarket), and a same model year WJ receiver height with a Mopar hitch. The difference was slightly taller with the Mopar, but not advantageous enough to motivate me to change over.

 

This whole recall thing comes down to $$$. If you decline the recall, you can't sue Fiat-Chrysler for damages in a rear end collision resulting in a fire. Simple as that!

 

Yeah but the taller hitch on a jeep that's lifted just pushes the hitch that much further from the ground and with the small trailer I have, it will pitch the trailer far from level. There has to be a fairly significant difference if they have to cut the bumper out and put in the plastic surround to install the mopar hitch. My other jeeps bumper is still in one piece so that hitch is lower than the other at least two inches.

 

Quite true, and that was one many considerations I made before declining.