I've got a little over 18,000 miles on my 2012 JKU and all of a sudden I'm having stalling issues. At first I thought it was the auto transmission because when I floored it the engine would stall out like some kind of throttle limiting activity. After a few test runs up a different grades of hills and at different speeds on level roads I noticed the auto trans would shift normally under normal acceleration. It was only when I floored it that it would try to choke out. Eventually it got to a point when I floored it the engine would backfire (escaping air?) under the hood under moderate acceleration. The second I let up off the accelerator the engine would perform normally.

I took it to the dealership and they screwed around with it ALL--DAMN--DAY. My JK was in their hands from 7am to around 3 friggin' 30 when I decided to drop the patience and start becoming more concerned and pick up the phone. The guy says: "The tech doesn't know what's wrong with it." Then he says: "It's not shooting out any codes."

Are you mother-fraggin' kidding me?

He says: "Oh it's acting just like you said it would when you drive it but we don't know what's causing it." At this point I want my shit back. You can't fix it, then put it back together and I'll find somebody that will. At least I can get back and forth to work and if the damn thing blows up I'd have a good excuse to sweep up the remains with a Bobcat, dump it in a steel drum, weld it shut, and send it back to Chrysler for a refund.

I get a call 10 minutes later. The guy says: "The tech is going to reprogram the PCM and we'll see what happens." They were fuggin' clueless for over 8 hours but they all of a sudden had an epiphany in 5 minutes? Yeah, right. Anyways, since they supposedly reprogrammed the PCM, it still stalls when I floor it but at least it doesn't sputter, choke, and backfire like before. So, since my JK isn't completely helpless, I took it back from them anyway. The guy wants it back because the tech said it's possibly the upper or lower catalytic convertor. So, it seems the only way I'm going to get a loaner car from Chrysler is they're going to have to sit on my Jeep for two or three straight days.

So far I haven't found a damn thing about this issue on the internet. If anyone has experienced the same or similar situation and have any advice on how to rectify this bull I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

You have some anger issues. This isn't fast food, they acknowledged you have a problem, and tried to trouble shoot it but it sounds like something out of the ordinary. Why don't you get a loaner next time?

 

It's called: 'I don't like to be dicked around after having bought a brand new vehicle'.

I have extensive experience on the inner workings of dealerships as an employee and as a customer.

Right off the bat--you don't suggest that a customer go home rather than wait in the service department lounge unless you KNOW your techs have a propensity to dick around in the service bay.

It doesn't take 8 hours to come to the conclusion to tell a customer "I don't know what's wrong with it," when a service department is only experiencing a modest influx of automobiles to repair.

Especially when it only takes someone a little over 5 minutes to all of a sudden come up with a solution AFTER the possibility of losing a customer and getting a bad rep arises.

Four different Jeep dealerships within the metro area have all said that Chrysler doesn't give loaner cars. Otherwise, I'd be minding my own business and moving on with my life in a Chrysler 200 or some other kind of mid-sized car while they did the job of fixing my Jeep.

However, somehow, this guy feels he can convince Chrysler to loan me a car if they can prove my Jeep will require more than two days to rectify the issue.

If this dealership ends up holding on to my JK for a while and actually convince Chrysler to loan me a car they'll win my loyalty for life. If they waste my time I'm going to carve my JK forum screename on the face of the Chrysler building in Manhattan, NY with a stick welder.

 

Could this be contaminated fuel,if you're stuck with the ethanol blend , it could have separated out into water and alcohol. Just a thought.

 

Great minds think alike.

I filled up at Ft Mclellan after drill and had problems two to three days afterwards.

I tried dumping two canisters of Sea Foam motor treatment in the tank (pictured below). I had great results with my Acura in the past but nothing with the Jeep.



I read an article somewhere in the JK stock tech forum about disconnecting the positive cable from the battery, grounding it with the negative post, reconnecting it, turning the key (but not starting), then turn the lights on and off. I wouldn't be surprised if the tech at the dealership did the same thing already because I had to reset the time on my radio.

I may even try a more aggressive approach after work today. Buy some more Sea Foam and pour it in the PCV valve line, oil reservoir, and gas tank (manufacturer recommended).

 

If you got bad fuel, it might be better to drain it all , could have sludge in it. Trying to revive it might put contamimants through the sensors and cats, very expensive. A sample of the gas in question in a clear glass jar will show if it's contaminated.Check with the gas station or pe ople you know that got fuel there around the same time.If their fuel is bad,they are liable for the repairs. That positive/ negative battery connector doesn't sound like a good idea, maybe double check that.

 

That's going to be quite a task for those guys to perform. Nevertheless, I'll let em' know.

 

Got the JKU back today. The fuel pump was burned out. Now it drives like a MONSTER.

 

18,000 miles and the fuel pump burns out....
I wonder if the dealership replaced the fuel filter too.... since a plugged filter would obstruct fuel to the pump.
Thats really a short life for a fuel pump when local Jeep owners have > 200K miles on the fuel pumps in their XJ.

 

Good looking out. I need to scan the receipt to see what all they replaced. I was so excited to see "0.00" at the bottom of the receipt that I did cartwheels. I'm going to have to go back to the dealership anyway. The engine warning light stays on and the econo "ON" light won't come on.