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2017 GC Trailhawk Heated Wheel Issue

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2017
48K views 216 replies 64 participants last post by  DetroitJeep 
#1 · (Edited)
2017 GC Trailhawk Heated Steering Wheel Issue

Has anyone else notice the cycle being too short on their heated steering wheel. Mine will only stay on for two minutes upon the first attempt. Then if I try another cycle a couple minutes later it will only last for one minute. Over the last few days the first cycle has been consistently at two minutes.

The owners manual states:



The steering wheel contains a heating element
that helps warm your hands in cold
weather. The heated steering wheel has only
one temperature setting. Once the heated
steering wheel has been turned on, it will stay
on for an average of 80 minutes before automatically
shutting off. This time will vary.

Guessing I need some type of control module update......
 
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#2 ·
"Guessing I need some type of control module update......"
That would probably be a good guess. Dealer would know.
 
#3 ·
Re: 2017 GC Trailhawk Heated Steering Wheel Issue

Has anyone else notice the cycle being too short on their heated steering wheel. Mine will only stay on for two minutes upon the first attempt. Then if I try another cycle a couple minutes later it will only last for one minute. Over the last few days the first cycle has been consistently at two minutes.

The owners manual states:



The steering wheel contains a heating element
that helps warm your hands in cold
weather. The heated steering wheel has only
one temperature setting. Once the heated
steering wheel has been turned on, it will stay
on for an average of 80 minutes before automatically
shutting off. This time will vary.

Guessing I need some type of control module update......
Hi ajkelly,

I would recommend visiting your dealership for further diagnosis. Let me know if you would like me to follow up with them for you!

Andrea
Jeep Social Care Specialist
 
#4 ·
Re: 2017 GC Trailhawk Heated Steering Wheel Issue

Hi ajkelly,

I would recommend visiting your dealership for further diagnosis. Let me know if you would like me to follow up with them for you!

Andrea
Jeep Social Care Specialist
I will, if you have the ability check with FCA to see if there is a service notice or anything of the like associated with that issue on 17's or 16's that we be great. That would at least give then something to target in on. Guessing the control module or whatever regulates it is not anything new on the 2017 GC vehicles.

Thanks,

Alan
 
#5 ·
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#6 ·
Thank you. Nice to see someone following these posts. I did notice something similar in the TSB's you supplied:

NUMBER: 08-016-16
GROUP: Electrical
DATE: February 11, 2016

SUBJECT:
Flash: Heated Steering Wheel Temperature Enhancement

SYMPTOM/CONDITION:
A customer may describe that the heated steering wheel shuts off to soon, usually after 30
seconds and does not achieve satisfactory temperature. This is an intermittent condition
and more noticeable at temps below 19.5°C (67.1°F).



Thanks again for you assistance!

Alan
 
#9 ·
We are having the exact same problem with our '17 GC Trailhawk. I'm taking it in to the dealer tomorrow or Friday. I suspect it will start working when the temperatures drop so better to get it diagnosed when they can see it turning off.

TSB for same issue on '15 Cherokees attached.
 

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#10 · (Edited)
It is not supposed to work when the wheel is warm. As per the 2017 owner's manual it may shut off early or not come on at all if the wheel is warm.

I know that even on cool days, my steering wheel is warm to the touch if the car is sitting out in the sun. If you bring it in on a warm day and the dealer says it is normal, he is probably telling the truth.


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#12 ·
Outside temp was probably 49 degrees and garage was parked in attached but unheated garage. Her previous car was a '14 Cherokee Trailhawk with heated wheel and an '11 Grand Cherokee Overland with heated wheel. Neither of them would shut down like this one. Something is amiss.
 
#15 ·
Our '17 GC Trailhawk is still shutting off the heated steering wheel and it does it even when it is very cold out (below 32 degrees). It won't stay on for more than 1 1/2 minutes and then after that shuts off immediately when I try to turn it on again.

So I went to the dealer today and they say that it was kicking off. They hooked it to the computer. As I expected they said no fault codes and no updated software available. I was able to watch the guys laptop showing the wheel heating up in mode 4, then drop to mode 3 before shutting off at around 114 degrees. They said it was operating normally which clearly it isn't.

I then went for a 1/2 hour ride with my salesman in a '17 GC Summit. Heated wheel stayed on the entire time and worked exactly like our previous '14 Cherokee and '12 GC.

So I went back to the service tech and they are going to give me a loaner and take a good look at it hopefully next week.

I'm not hopeful that it will be fixed until Chrysler gets involved. I doubt there is a hardware problem since another forum member with a '17 GC Trailhawk is also having this issue.

Andrea is there any possibility that you can get this kicked up to a higher level tech support a Jeep/Chrysler? If this is a software issue there is nothing my dealer can do until Chrysler provides updated software.

I also see in another post that a guy with a '17 GC Limited is also having his heated wheel kick off: http://www.jeepgarage.org/f107/2017...and-malfunctioning-steering-wheel-105105.html
 
#17 ·
my 17 gc trailhawk turned heated wheel off soon enough to get my attention. also my previous cherokee trailhawk didnt do this but at this point im figuring its differnt system and its just not cold enough yet. it did stay on id guess 15 minutes. 35 degrees out. guess ill watch it for now.
 
#18 ·
It shouldn't be shutting off after 15 minutes but that's much better than mine. Never even got past 2 minutes. The manual says it will shut off after 80 minutes.

From watching the Jeep tech's computer and his explanation the wheel goes through four levels of heat based upon the temperature of the wheel. I believe it is normal for it to go to the lowest heat setting but not to shut off until it reaches 80 minutes.

Jeep has been down this road before with some of the '15 and '16 models and fixed it with a software update. Not sure if our cars received older software somehow with the Trailhawk being a new model. Maybe Microsoft is writing their code :lol:
 
#19 ·
My 14 Overland had excellent heat from the wheel and seats. I finally had some cold enough temps to check how they function in my 16 HA. Nowhere near as good as they did on my 14... pretty poor, actually. Sad to read that it's still an issue into the 17's.

Another thing to add to the list for the dealer to look at the next time I take it in...
 
#20 ·
Our 2017 GC Limited is having this issue too. The heated steering wheel shuts off at almost two minutes exactly.

My 2015 GC Limited stays hot for my entire hour commute to work each day. I've called the dealer, they are looking into it but I know they have had issues in the past. I did email Jeep already using the link above, curious to see how many other 17's have this issue?

I am going to go to the dealership and check out the other 17 Grand Cherokees and see if they have the same issue.
 
#21 ·
I'm bringing it in on Monday to have it looked at, the head tech says he thinks its related to the thermo in the steering wheel itself and will check to see if throwing any codes when it shuts off. Hopefully this works out but it sounds like I'm heading down the same road as you guys with this one.
 
#22 ·
Yeah it doesn't make any sense. Mine hadn't thrown any codes according to the tech. The '17 Summit I drove had a nice a toasty wheel that didn't shut off for the 1/2 hour I drove it. Just like it should. Only difference that I can tell is the Summit has the wheel with the wood top and the TH (and probably the limited) have the fully wrapped wheel.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Thanks for keeping us and Jeep updated. I just sent Andrea a PM as well. Jeep isn't going to fix this until enough people complain. My wife isn't very happy that she upgraded to a car that essentially doesn't have a heated wheel. Her '14 Cherokee TH worked like it is supposed to and so did her '12 GC Overland before that.
 
#25 ·
I brought my wife's Jeep in to the dealer here in MA, they advised that the steering wheel is functioning normally. I asked them if this was a new feature as my 2015 Limited and my father's 2012 Overland stay on continuously.

Over this past weekend, in the mornings the temperature outside was in the 30's; the heated wheel stayed on for 15-20 mins or so upon first startup. Then once the wheel got up to temperature, it shut off. If I turned on the heated wheel within a few minutes of it shutting off/reaching temperature, it shut off again within +/- 2 mins.

I'll email Jeep my results as I opened up a case with them last week.
 
#31 ·
Hi,
New to the Jeep forum. Haven't properly introduced myself yet. I'll do that later, but I had to comment on this issue. I also just went from a 2014 G.C. Limited to the new Trailhawk and also have problem with the heated steering wheel. I drive an hour to work each day and expected the wheel to stay on the duration of my drive. It was 30 degrees at 5:30 AM the other morning and after 25 minutes the heated wheel shut off. After waiting about 5 minutes I tried to turn the heat back on and it shut off after 3minutes. The wheel cools down, almost cold to the touch but won't stay on. I brought the Jeep back to the dealer today and they tell they can't do anything about it that it's in the software. I have 500 miles on a vehicle and have a 5 year loan on something I feel already has a problem. I'm not to pleased to have an issue were as my 2014 worked as described in the manual. I just wanted to pass this along in hopes Jeep will correct this as I like everything else about the vehicle. Thanks. Jim
 
#32 ·
Hi,
New to the Jeep forum.
Jim
The dealer is correct, they can't fix things if it is a software issue, at least until the TSB lets them know that a solution can be downloaded. In the meantime, make a complaint directly to Chrysler.

Also, ask Santa for a pair of driving gloves. :thumbsup:
 
#36 ·
The wife and I were out and about last night. Car was showing 1 degree farenheight outside temp. Wheel was shutting off like it always does (although when it's that cold out it take longer to shut off).

I'm hoping to get it into my dealer the second week of January.

Does anyone have a '17 Trailhawk with a properly functioning heated wheel?
 
#37 ·
So,
I e-mailed into Jeep, my complaint regarding the Heated steering wheel and received a call last night from a nice woman. We had a short discussion about how the heated steering does not behave as stated in the manual and she listened. To make a short story, it looks like if enough people mail in there concern that it's possible Jeep may eventually put out a TB and re-flash the software. I'm optimistic. :rolleyes:
 
#38 ·
Re: 2017 GC Trailhawk Heated Steering Wheel Issue

I have the same problem with my 17 limited. Taking it to the dealer next week, hopefully they can get to the bottom of it, but after reading this thread I'm not very optimistic
 
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