Jeep Garage  - Jeep Forum banner

SAND driving - Have you had a problem with your GC?

21K views 53 replies 31 participants last post by  Hutch801 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi all,

Most of you would know that quite a few members have had a SERV 4WD error appear while driving on sand. But there are also quite a few that havent had any problem.

So I thought it would be useful to have a thread where those that have taken their GC on sand, can provide some info and then see if there is a pattern to those that do have the SERV 4WD issue and those that don't.

I know there's a TSB for the Quadralift error (08-034-12), but I dont think that actually addresses the 4WD error. It wouldnt do anything for owners with standard suspension GC's.

If you have driven on sand with your GC, please add a reply to this thread with the following info and share your experience with other members.

  1. Did you experience the SERV 4WD problem?
  2. What level of GC do you have? (Laredo, Limited, Overland, etc)
  3. What month and year was your GC built?
  4. Which engine? (Hemi, V6, CRD)
  5. Which 4WD system? (Quadra-trak 2, Quadra-drive 2)
  6. Which Select Terrain setting do you use on sand? (Sand, Auto, 4WD Low, etc) - (This one may seem silly, but there may be members that dont use sand mode and dont have a problem)
  7. Which suspension? (Quadralift or standard)
  8. How many times have you taken your GC on sand?
  9. On average how long did you stay on the sand?

I havent taken mine on sand yet, but I am planning to when the weather starts warming up here in Australia.

Thanks all!
 
See less See more
#33 ·
Did you experience the SERV 4WD problem? yes
What level of GC do you have? (Laredo, Limited, Overland, etc) Laredo
What month and year was your GC built? October 11)
Which engine? (Hemi, V6, CRD) CRD
Which 4WD system? (Quadra-trak 2, Quadra-drive 2)Quadra-Trac2
Which Select Terrain setting do you use on sand? (Sand, Auto, 4WD Low, etc) - Sand
Which suspension? (Quadralift or standard) Standard
How many times have you taken your GC on sand? 2 separate days
On average how long did you stay on the sand? several hours on hard sand 10klms on soft before issue surfaced drove on hard sand came good after a few klms

Have had a software upgrade due to "implausible data from abs" Not been back to see if it is fixed
 
#34 ·
Hi all,



If you have driven on sand with your GC, please add a reply to this thread with the following info and share your experience with other members.

  1. Did you experience the SERV 4WD problem? NO
  2. What level of GC do you have? (Laredo, Limited, Overland, etc)
  3. What month and year was your GC built? 2013, April
  4. Which engine? (Hemi, V6, CRD)
  5. Which 4WD system? (Quadra-trak 2, Quadra-drive 2)
  6. Which Select Terrain setting do you use on sand? (Sand, Auto, 4WD Low, etc) - (This one may seem silly, but there may be members that dont use sand mode and dont have a problem)
  7. Which suspension? (Quadralift or standard)
  8. How many times have you taken your GC on sand? 1 time only
  9. On average how long did you stay on the sand? 1 hour
I've had no problems.
 
#37 ·
Did you experience the SERV 4WD problem? No
What level of GC do you have? (Laredo, Limited, Overland, etc) Overland
What month and year was your GC built? Aug 2011
Which engine? (Hemi, V6, CRD) 5.7 Hemi
Which 4WD system? (Quadra-trak 2, Quadra-drive 2) Quadra Drive 2
Which Select Terrain setting do you use on sand? (Sand, Auto, 4WD Low, etc) - (This one may seem silly, but there may be members that dont use sand mode and dont have a problem) Sand
Which suspension? (Quadralift or standard) Quadralift
How many times have you taken your GC on sand? twice so far, going again this Fri
On average how long did you stay on the sand? All day

Long trips across the Qatari desert involving traversing multiple large sand dunes with some very soft sand in place and patches of sand flats with hard sand. Tyres aired down to 20psi on 20" standard rims. Not very experienced off-road driver but had no real issues with the GC except starting climbs too slowly and only getting half-way. Reverse out and try again with more momentum worked for me.

I did get a traction control warning light at the end of a days driving on sand but it cleared after a couple of miles on the road on the way home.
 
#39 ·
Update Jan 7, Went back again to the desert and drove about 2 hours in the sand with no problems then on the return drive home got the SERV 4WD error and lost drive to front wheels. Managed to keep going avoiding the deeper softer stuff but was very tail happy and close to bogging in a couple of times. Once back on the road after switching off to air the tyres the captions all cleared (also had traction control warning and ABS warning and one other). I have had the latest TSB updates done just a couple of months ago so this clearly does not fix the issue, and I am now nervous of going back again. If there is a certified fix I would love to know so I can get back to the dealer.
 
#38 ·
I've been on the beach at least a dozen times with no problems.

Overland built 3/14, with HEMI, QL and QD2

I use either sand mode or auto, and OR1.

Stay on beach is 4 to five hours, but most of that time is spent fishing, not driving.


---
 
#41 ·
Hi BobT,

Many thanks for the information, I will check with the dealer although this TSB should already have been done when I took it there in Sep last year, but I'm sure it will be worth checking!

As for not starting on sand, that will be difficult. We drive down to the Inland Sea and there are no roads to get there. Its a very nice area and we spend the day swimming and chilling with a barbecue etc so are there for several hours, some stay for the weekend. It takes an hour at least to get there across the desert, some hard packed but the last sections are all soft sand and large dunes (up to 300 ft) but it would not be possible to leave the car engine running all day but I guess I can try driving off very carefully to start with and avoid spinning the tyres.

I will let everyone know how I get on.

Thanks again
 
#42 ·
HI Guys, long time other brand 4wd owner. Decided to look at the GJC Laredo 06/13 Laredo CRD 4wd.

Took it for a test drive with the dealer on board and handled the road and hard rock track with ease.
Tried the sand track selected sand, low range. Lasted two car lengths then no power, oil pressure warning on the dash cam on and stalled multiple times.

No drive to wheels. when drive returned after several restarts bogged down to the sills.
Enjoyed trying to dig it out until a recovery vehicle came to snatch it out.

Have had two explanations from the dealer
1/ Low fuel, and it has an auto shut down to avoid damage. ( However we were on flat ground and drove it back to the dealer once recovered in undulating terrain without refuelling)

2/ Being a demo car it hadn't been through Pre delivery and therefore hadn't been upgraded by flashing the ECU to 4wd.
Anyone heard of this before?

interested in your thoughts or similar experiences.

  1. Did you experience the SERV 4WD problem?
  2. What level of GC do you have? GJC Laredo,
  3. What month and year was your GC built? 06/13
  4. Which engine? CRD 3.0
  5. Which 4WD system? Std
  6. Which Select Terrain setting do you use on sand? (Sand, Auto, 4WD Low, All Nothing worked.
  7. Which suspension? Standard
  8. How many times have you taken your GC on sand? Two car lenghts
  9. On average how long did you stay on the sand? Hours until recovered.

Love the chat and info sharing on this site and appreciate any assistance to help reassure me any of the above is irregular issue and / or I just experienced a lemon.
 
#43 · (Edited)
HI Guys, long time other brand 4wd owner. Decided to look at the GJC Laredo 06/13 Laredo CRD 4wd.

Took it for a test drive with the dealer on board and handled the road and hard rock track with ease.
Tried the sand track selected sand, low range. Lasted two car lengths then no power, oil pressure warning on the dash cam on and stalled multiple times.

No drive to wheels. when drive returned after several restarts bogged down to the sills.
Enjoyed trying to dig it out until a recovery vehicle came to snatch it out.

Have had two explanations from the dealer
1/ Low fuel, and it has an auto shut down to avoid damage. ( However we were on flat ground and drove it back to the dealer once recovered in undulating terrain without refuelling)

2/ Being a demo car it hadn't been through Pre delivery and therefore hadn't been upgraded by flashing the ECU to 4wd.
Anyone heard of this before?

interested in your thoughts or similar experiences.

  1. Did you experience the SERV 4WD problem?
  2. What level of GC do you have? GJC Laredo,
  3. What month and year was your GC built? 06/13
  4. Which engine? CRD 3.0
  5. Which 4WD system? Std
  6. Which Select Terrain setting do you use on sand? (Sand, Auto, 4WD Low, All Nothing worked.
  7. Which suspension? Standard
  8. How many times have you taken your GC on sand? Two car lenghts
  9. On average how long did you stay on the sand? Hours until recovered.

Love the chat and info sharing on this site and appreciate any assistance to help reassure me any of the above is irregular issue and / or I just experienced a lemon.
The problem easily fixed. You should find all you need to know here: http://www.jeepgarage.org/f190/grand-cherokee-sand-fail-44722.html#post656696
 
#46 ·
Hi Team,

Followed up with the dealer on the weekend. Test drove the same vehicle on the same terrain, no problem at all. Creamed the silt / sand. Impressive in standard format with the tyres down to 1.7 Bar.

Dealer explained that the vehicle had not been "programmed / flashed with the latest TSB settings for 4x4 mode" as this was done as part of the standard pre delivery.

Still didn't explain the low oil pressure issue. Yet it didnt ocurr on the latest test drive.

Anyone else experienced the low oil pressure warning?
 
#47 ·
Good to hear they did the sand fix. I can't see that the low oil pressure warning would have anything to do with sand traction but who knows how these things work these days. My guess is that the oil level was low. Did anyone check the dip stick?
 
#48 ·
Hey guys I've got a 2012 5.7 limited grand Cherokee and I go off-roading in sand a lot and not the kind of sand you have in the US I'm in Egypt and I use the car in the great sand sea so we are talking extremely soft sand... So far QL works fine so I'm guessing some cars have problems but not all thank god
 
#49 ·
That's right, some don't have the problem. My MY2012 never had the problem. My Jeep manages soft sand easily on the flat at 16psi, not so easily on the dunes but with a little less pressure it would probably be OK.
 
#50 ·
Aug 2012 overland here with hemi. Took it out to the dunes and beach at wilbinga today near perth and had the error come up after about half an hour driving along the beach- serv 4wd, service air suspension, FCW off.

Luckily I was in low range and whilst it dropped the height to normal, it stayed in 4lo and I continued on merrily (ok I was shitting myself waiting to go into rwd and sink)

I was in sand mode and driving behind a friend in some very rutted soft sand. "Esc off" light was on as it does in sand mode but the Esc light was flashing occasionally and I could hear / feel it correcting the car's attitude as it slid in the ruts. Once on a straighter stretch the issue cleared and didn't return. I have a feeling the system simply overheats, gets confused and gives up for a while.

Overall considering its on 20's with the stock tyres I was impressed. I started at 18psi but was struggling. Dropped to 12 and was fairly unstoppable. Went everywhere my mate in his patrol ute with big tyres went (he aired down to 15) Good times.
 
#51 ·
It's great that you enjoyed yourself. However, so that you can do it again without having to stress about bogging down in 2WD, take your car to the dealer and ask for the "sand fix" to be installed. If he doesn't know what that is, tell him it's covered by Techical Service Bulletin TSB 21-003-13 but you would be better off going to a dealer who knows.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top