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Grand Cherokee + sand = FAIL

179K views 924 replies 109 participants last post by  BobT 
#1 ·
How has everyone been going in the sand? I had my front recovery hook fitted 2 weeks ago (been waiting 8 months for jeep to provide a suitable solution after deleting them from the overland and not telling anyone) and decided a day on the sand was in order.
It was a pretty awesome day at Stockton and there was another GC overland driving about. All was perfect until just past tin city when the EVIC declared that quadralift required a service and 4WD required servicing. Within 5 seconds I lost power to the front wheels and bogged down to the rear axle.
Although inconvenient given that the tide was coming in, several people assisted to drag my beached Jeep to higher ground where I waited until my tow arrived. While I waited the other GC overland owner told me that his had just done exactly the same thing and he had to get someone to pull him out but now his was working ok again. So I wait for the tow to come get me and half way back to the road everything starts working again! After paying the 350 bucks for recovery I go to the servo to pump my tyres up. Another GC overland owner approaches me and explains that he had exactly the same thing happen last month and he no longer takes his on the sand until a fix comes from jeep.
Is this an experience that anyone else has had? Has anyone contacted jeep? This is not the first issue I have had with this car and I'm beginning to think it was a mistake buying this over a Toyota.
 
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#108 ·
ESC turns off in sand mode anyway. The ESC OFF light illuminates on the dash
True! My light was on too but it was still making that ESC noise so something was working hard.
 
#118 ·
Is this problem only with CRD or V8 and V6 as well? I have found a dealer im happy to deal with but this is a major concern. Can i ask what would be the best question i can ask the dealer that may cover my ar*e if i have a problem i will also post the answer i get.
.
Any help would be great.
 
#124 ·
quick question. have people been noticing the problem when driving through soft sand (high/low range) or on hard sand (high/low range)?
 
#129 ·
Thnx, that's good to hear
 
#131 ·
I've heard new LR Disco suffering similar fate. Anyone else verify this?
 
#133 ·
I am going to the Gold Coast next month, is there any sand driving I can try it out on nearby ? I only know of Noosa which is a bit far.
 
#134 ·
No - there are Stradbroke and Moreton Islands near Brisbane but you need to go on a ferry and it's a fair way or as you said noosa and around there. I believe there could be some offroading in the Hinterland at the back of the Gold Coast but no sand. If you're coming up from Sydney you could stop at some places on the way
 
#137 ·
I hav not considered any 4x4 on our trip, but we will be there for a full week and I will get tired of theme parks after a few days. I will do some research on Bribie Is, as a fun run in the sand with the kids would be a blast.
I guess I will find out if I am one of the unlucky ones with the Serv 4x4 message.
 
#138 ·
Hi Enforcer,

North Straddie on a Sunday use to have $50 return ferry passes but must go and come back on the sunday would not say it is the best 4X4 but worth a drive over for $50 ferry trip, also great Pub with a great Feed over looking the Northern end Of Straddie Looking up to Moreton Island. that would be the only bit of sand driving you could do on the Cheap. Moreton is great but return ferry for a day is around $150 I think could be wrong.

Geokep
 
#139 ·
Agree on Straddie, amazing place. Bribie is up near Noosa and seeing you said you thought it was a bit far... but if you are considering doing Straddie with a 1 hour ferry to and from it may be worth a look, it's a fair bit cheaper (but not as nice). Straddie also has some tracks other than the beach. The Tripod track is a nice sandy run through the middle of the island to a lookout (Pics 1&2) and there is another track that runs through just behind the beach past some wetlands. We did this track in my uncles Pajero and must say the entrance is a pretty gnarly (an articulating steep rock step). Also, this track is only good when it's pretty dry as the water from the wetlands comes over the track and gets very deep. Its a fun trip though
 

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#140 · (Edited)
good news !

4x4 Australia magazine responded to my email. they are planning to run a article on this issue and they have forwarded my email to jeep Australia and waiting for reply. 4x4 Australia magazine asked me for high resolution photos for their article (which I have promptly sent :D )

So if you got stuck in sand due to 4wd malfunction , send your photos and what happened directly to 4x4 Australia ASAP.

4x4Australia@acpmagazines.com.au
 
#148 ·
Great work! Can't wait to see the article. I have a subscription.
 
#142 ·
4x4 Australia magazine responded to my email also, along the same lines as fix69er.

The magazine was very supportive when I notified them of the recovery hook issue in February, so I would again encourge you all to send them your experiences of the sand failure.

Tim Scott is the editor.
 
#144 ·
Taking your issues to the mainstream media is probably not a good idea

I agree, but the alternative of doing nothing is pretty ordinary as well.



I'm note sure 4x4 magazine is mainstream - it is a specialist niche with a tiny readership.

I have tried through the dealer and Chysler customer assist to get a proper resolution but unfortunatley, it has been my experience that Chrysler do not volunteer to solve problems. This was my experience with the recovery hooks.

I for one want to be able to use my GC on the sand, so if that means I need to apply a bit of pressure to Chrysler, well I'm happy to do that.

Any better ideas on how to get Chrysler to move?
 
#145 ·
I am sure any loss of resale value would only be as a result of doing nothing. Regardless of whether a magazine publicises the issues, or whether the buying public hear of it by rumour, the result is the same. That is do nothing, and there is a great possibility that values will drop somewhat.
Do something to get Chrysler to own up to their incompetance, and the issues will get rectified, and no loss to the owner.
Who knows, you might even end up with a car that meets the sales hype and actually does what it was supposed to do.
 
#146 ·
^100% agree. Time to step up to the plate!
 
#149 ·
I spoke to the manager of customer service in Melbourne today. I told them of the current action that forum members are taking, and advised the this is just the start, owners are pissed that we can use the vehicles the way they are intended. I informed them that unless they resolve my issues in the coming weeks I'll be driving around with lemons on my roof and a big picture on the back windows. They need to realise that we are serious and very aggravated with the response we are getting.
 
#152 ·
They must have encountered this on the CRD's press launch on Moreton Island. This forum exceeds 1:1 on those with the problem and those without. So just on that you would have thought that half the GC's on that launch would have stopped dead in their tracks. I guess that no problem was encountered as I'd expect the press would have said so if there was.

This is the Youtube video of the launch ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVe3cHDRqPk&feature=plcp

So what's the difference between those 10 or so GC's and the problematic ones?
 
#153 ·
They must have encountered this on the CRD's press launch on Moreton Island. This forum exceeds 1:1 on those with the problem and those without. So just on that you would have thought that half the GC's on that launch would have stopped dead in their tracks. I guess that no problem was encountered as I'd expect the press would have said so if there was.

So what's the difference between those 10 or so GC's and the problematic ones?
So it seems there must be some specific cause of this problem. We've not heard of anyone reporting this error on the bitumen (even though it does happen in Auto Hi range on the sand). Also not heard anyone reporting this issue in mud, dirt, etc so far. Most reports seem to indicate that it happens on sand and usually within a very short time/distance on the sand.

Can anyone who has had the problem give some more details on what the conditions were like when it happened - i.e. was it dry soft sand, or in deep tracks with sand rubbing up against the belly, etc?

Unfortunately we might get a better idea of what's actually causing this condition before Chrysler pull their fingers out. :mad:
 
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