I should be getting my Jeep soon so and took a look in the Owners Manual at the break-in recommendations. It indicates keeping speeds below 50 for the first 60 miles and driving moderately for the first 300 miles, but doesn’t say anything about how it initially “learns” how you drive. I emailed Chrysler, and they said ask your Dealer.

I’ve seen a number of different comments on how long it takes to learn. Anyone know how long it takes, what it’s actually learning, and if there’s any “optimum” way to initially drive it around? Maybe it doesn’t really matter?

 

Usually, keep the rpm's down for the first 500 miles or so, help's the ring's wear in and the valves to seat.

As for how it learn's, it learns from the corrections it makes to it's base tables. I see you are in Arizona, so it will make different corrections compared to me in Cleveland, or someone in Denver. This is based on your altitude, ambient temps, grade of fuel, humidity, and baro reading's. It will be loaded with a table that will work anywhere, from Death Valley to Mt Denali, then it will adapt the table based on the corrections it make's from the sensor reading's it take's. The drive by wire system also learns how agressive you are with throttle tip in etc, and makes the appropriate adjustments to shift point's and throttle.

Sorry if I made that as clear as mud, lol.

 

Jrgunn5150 – yeah, I’m familiar with the engine break-in stuff, but don’t have any idea about the computer “learning”. I hope it doesn’t adjust it’s tables to the current temperatures cause it get’s kinda hot here in the Summer. Maybe it continually adjusts some things based on the temperature (since the temperature changes in most areas depending on the season)?

I don’t understand what it has to adjust based on how you hit the gas pedal. If you stomp on it you want to go now, if you slowly press it you expect it to start out slower. If you want the engine to be responsive (as some here have issues with the responsiveness of the engine) would it learn better if you are aggressive or not?

 

I had an 01 mitsubishi eclipse with a learnin' chip in it and it would adjust within 20 miles to a different driving style. For example, when my girlfriend would drive it the car would slowly speed up to highway speed after i tore around in it for about 10 mins it would behave much differently...more power less mpg etc. pretty neat.

 

The one thing i have noticed with ours is that when in low range and while going lightly down hill if the engine RPM's get to 1900 or above it goes up quickly till about 3200 or so unless you hit the brake. 6 speed trans, i have always been a throttle jockey and when i hit it it goes and when i let off it slows down till idle, that is how i like it.

Kat

 

Drive by wire is only 8/10's as acurate, at best, as an old style cable. They had more nefarious reasons for switching to drive by wire.

Joe, it does indeed continually learn and make adjustment's, it's just that out of the box, or after the battery is disconnected for an extended amount of time, it will take longer. The drive by wire just learn's your throttle habits, some people push the gas down more rapidly, or abruptly than other's. It try's to anticipate it and make for less lag if you are more heavy footed. Of course it's not the Terminator, it isn't infinitly adaptably, but it does try

 

Jrgunn5150 - Interesting, thanks for the feedback. I don't know why I can't get a straight answer from Chrysler from email or the CS line. In both cases they referred me to the Dealer.

So, if you think your Wrangler hesitates when you hit the gas you should try taking it out and hit the gas and stop and repeat number of times until it get's the message and reduces the hesitation when you hit the gas?

CS did mention today that they thought the transmission and braking “learned” - no details - ask the Dealer they said. I never hear anyone mention anything about the brakes learning anything.

 

And the dealer only knows that you can get side impact airbag's and that makes it really safe, right?

Because unfortunately very few actual car guy's work in the industry nowadays. You should se how many blank stupid stares I get in any given meeting.

The drive by wire system will never be as precise or as acurate as the old style cable, no matter how much it learn's. It will learn to some degree though, and you will adjust. It just takes time unfortunately.

The transmission will adjust it's shift point's and firmness based on how you drive to some degree (if it's an auto), but the brake's don't really learn anything. They are supposed to have special software that allows for more agressive braking offroad, but I can't tell if it does or not.

 

Exactly why I haven’t even bothered asking the Dealer. Plus is it really the Dealers responsibility to know all of the technical details or the manufacturer’s responsibility?


I don’t understand why Chrysler can’t have someone answer the technical email or CS phone questions. My email answers from Chrysler were pretty lame (not sure, ask the Dealer). When I mentioned to the CS person I had a technical question she asked what it was and asked to put me on hold. When she came back she gave me the transmission and brake answer with no details. Sounds like she was probably on the right track - too bad I couldn’t have talked to her source for the information.

Well, I guess I'll just see how it drives when I get it the end of the month/next month. I really didn’t notice any major issues in the 5-10 minute test drive I had.