i read that the pentastars are built in mexico with outdated tooling and equipment...they have head issues (sloppy valve guides?), crank pulleys falling off and destroying the nose of the crank, and cam issues. i havent read a whole lot about it, but typing 'pentastar engine reviews' on google turns up a lot more negative results than positive.

 

They are and the early 2012's are prone to the 4th cylinder going bad and starting to misfire. It's a known issue and there's service side TSBs on it, but Jeep is having dealerships blame it on low grade gas to get out of replacing the heads on them.

The manual transmissions they're using are junk too. There's been a ton of people that have had them crap out on them after a few thousand miles and need to be replaced entirely. If they were mechanically worth a **** I'd actually look at getting a 4 door.

 

First gen 4G63 motors have a poor reputation online as well. But that stemmed from a bunch of morons hacking together modifications or neglecting regular maintenance and encountering issues because of it.

If I believed everything I googled I'd also believe that exhaust BACKPRESSURE is a good thing, when in all reality its velocity that is important.

 

The 0331 heads are garbage. Does that mean the entire 4.0 line of engines suck?

And with that, I'm out!

 

No, but the Pentastar line of engines does suck. It took 15 years before the 4.0 had major motor issues and even then most were well out of warranty before they had any problems. The Pentastar isn't even 3 years old and it's got major issues developing and a lot of time on motors before they hit their first oil change, not to mention Chrysler trying to get out of addressing them on top of it.

Chrysler has never made quality engine. They're used in more than just the Wranglers and there are issues with them in more than just the Wrangler. Sorry, but it's just not a quality motor.

 

i didn't say believed, i said 'read'.

naturally when you google "______ review", you'll have a lot of bull **** to sift through because its usually easier to find complaints, than congratulations.

i was just regurgitating negative reveiws from other people, not forming an opinion.

 

Indeed the KK Liberty is the current XJ descendant. I think it still has the C8.28 rear in it too. IFS though... But it is essentially the same size and a light-weight unibody SUV.

The JKs have a few selling points (solid axles, Pentastar) but in my opinion their design destracts from their positives. Full-width D30s and the 4-doors weigh over two tons! They're crammed with a bunch of tard-mode electronic **** like stability control which apparently pulses the brakes via ABS if the computer thinks you're "unstable" (offroad, lifted, etc) And I keep reading really weird reliability issues with JKs too. Transmissions blowing up after the second oil change, really early rust, catalytic converters dying quickly, and Chrysler issuing flash updates to the PCM that breaks stuff. Mega Fail

If there is a "new" comparable vehicle to the XJ out there, it doesn't say "Jeep" on it.

 

Can someone explain exactly why the post-2001 jeep liberty/Cherokee is considered so bad?

Or is it just a case of people liking the old way BC they're used to it? Did people hate the Cherokee BC it wasn't like the old ones.... power window, fuel injection, ecu/PCM, etc... all that Nanny stuff complicating things

 

Well a lot of people dislike the distributorless ignition, but I group them with the same people who prefer carbeurators over fuel injection.

On engines with federal emissions packages the extra catalytic converters can be a pain to deal with. But this is debatable on whether this makes them 'bad'

The real issue is the 0331 head, and to some people the low-pinion front axle. As you probably know the 0331 has its tendency to crack. In terms of the used vehicle market this is very bad as abused/neglected 2000+ are likely to be in much worse condition than prior model years.

 

IFS, crappy powertech motors, less reliable transmissions, rack and pinion steering, lots of plastic, ect.

It's not a bad vehicle in it's own right, it's just a bad Jeep. Chrylser has never done anything good for the brand imo.

 

Not sure. The wife has an '06 Libby. We bought it in Oct. '08 with 70k miles; it now has 98k miles. It's been really good to us. Only a couple of relatively minor repairs, and it goes through the snow pretty well, too.

 

Ohhh you meant the KJ? Yes, IFS, junk motor, and 2002 is ridden with electrical problems. Plus I think it looks like a VW Beetle lol

Not surprising to hear for any 'last generation' of a given model. Usually all the kinks are worked out by then! CRD by any chance?

The TJ isn't that bad. Last "real Jeep" though

 

my uncle has an 08 jk 4 door and he is on his third engine. the first he went on a 3,000 mile trip and came home finally and was at the gas station pulling out and it stared running bad and clanking so he was right by his house and went home and no oil. he runs royal purple so there was no smoke as it was sucking it through the pcv and he had to fught jeep to get a new motor.
so he gets the new one in and it was the newer one they gave him and then it threw a rod and now he wants to get the hemi but don't have the cash so he will be getting a 4th engine

 

Yeah, but I don't consider it Chrylser since the Wrangler was introduced/designed under AMC. Same with the ZJ.

 

If I had a new vehicle that was on it's 4th motor after 4-5 years then the brand would be buying it back or they'd see my *** in court. That's just completely unacceptable imo.