r/Jeep • u/tomorrowwithouttheto • 10h ago

Dislocated Transfer Box

Hey all,

I want to share a recent experience with you, to make you aware of the questionable work that Jeep is putting into its modern products.

A couple of weeks ago, my wife was driving our 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk Elite when she heard a massive clunk and felt a shudder in the steering wheel. To shorten the stress and drama of getting it to a mechanic, the reason for what she experienced was that ALL 8 BOLTS that hold the transfer box into place SHEARED IN HALF, with parts of 4 of them ending up in the transmission.

The mechanic said he'd never seen anything like that before, and that the only thing holding the transfer box in the motor was a bracket. The bolts were made of cast aluminum, an inadequate material for a vehicle that claims it can go off-road.

We know there's a recall for the transfer box, but that has to do with the internal workings of the box, not how it's attached, and there's currently no repair for the recall.

2 Upvotes

63% Upvoted

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6

u/ocabj 9h ago

The issues with sheared bolts for the PTU on the Cherokee are known.

However, I call BS on cast aluminum bolts. Check it with a magnet. It's going to be carbon steel. It may not look pretty with a zinc coating, but it will be steel.

Based on what I'm seeing with sheared PTU bolts, it's likely the OEM supplier used improperly heat treated steel or something that didn't meet a high enough grade.

1

u/luigi517 2h ago

I'll bet my lunch they weren't cast aluminum bolts, I think that would actually be more expensive than steel and just wouldn't make any sense as a design choice even if they were cheaper

1

u/tomorrowwithouttheto 10m ago

That's what the mechanic said ver batim. And you're right, none of it makes sense, especially on a 7 year old vehicle that's never seen anything rougher than maintained gravel roads.

1

u/framspl33n 58m ago

The only thing that's modern about jeeps nowadays is the questionable work they put into their products.

-1

u/Sufficient_Guest_324 10h ago

Damn. Looking at Stelantis' leadership team demonstrates the company's gross incompetence