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Jeep reliability dead last in Consumer Reports

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20K views 108 replies 40 participants last post by  Scott Weldy 
#1 ·
"Recently merged Fiat Chrysler Automobiles fared worst in [Consumer Reports] rankings, with its Dodge, Ram, Jeep and Fiat brands in the bottom four spots. The new nine-speed transmission in the Jeep Cherokee was among the company's headaches."

Toyota tops Consumer Reports reliability rankings - US News

Certainly not what I wanted to hear while awaiting the build of my Grand Cherokee Ecodiesel!

Any real world stories about really good reliability out there???
 
#4 ·
Over the years my rule of thumb has been what ever Consumer Reports pans I buy. The vehicle I sold to buy my 2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited ADII 3.2L was a 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS. Consumer Report said it was the worst thing on wheels. Yet I got 15 trouble free years out of it and the college kid I sold it to is still driving it. Same with my new Jeep Cherokee. Only one minor problem and this was an employee defect not a part defect. A new employee put some goop on the back of the front brake pads where he wasn't supposed to. Chrysler stepped up and replaced both the front pads and front rotors where just replacing the pads would have fixed the problem. As to the 9 speed transmission. Mine was an early build and I have not had one problem with it. Nor have I had any of the TSBs/flashes does to the 9 speed transmission. Next month my Jeep Cherokee will be one year old. I can honestly report except for the minor brake miss install I have not had one problem with it. If I were to total it I would buy another one tomorrow without hesitation.
 
#12 ·
Over the years my rule of thumb has been what ever Consumer Reports pans I buy.
Same here.. If Consumer Reports has any place, it is next to the toilet for when you run out of toilet paper.. I used to think it was a "fair/balanced/un-biased" publication. Then I noticed an anti-American car bias, which has become laughably more apparent with each issue I've had the misfortune of gazing upon..

CR reminds me of a few friends of mine who refuse to buy American made cars. When asked for a reason, they all say the same blanket statement, that "American cars are unreliable." None of them have ever actually had an American car.. Meanwhile I've had several vehicles made by the big three, and no catastrophic reliability issues have occurred.

In the end, its the same as politics. People get emotional about Import/Domestic the same as they are about Democrat/Republican; and once you have an opinion, its nearly impossible to sway. Unfortunately CR comes off as entirely biased as it leans towards anything not made by Chrysler, GM, or Ford.
 
#8 ·
Thanks. I'm aware of the difference in transmissions, but there have been numerous issues on this forum with the 8 speed as well - all seem to be software or torque converter issues. There are also some issues discussed on the forum with the diesel emissions system. The article was a reference to the Consumer Reports survey, not the survey itself so I don't know if the infotainment was an area of consumer complaints.
 
#9 ·
I never had a problem, nav system, audio system, transmission, etc.etc., not a single issue...dont want to say it too loud or it might not start today when I head back home !..ha,ha..

But the point is : am I the only one with a trouble free 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee ??...my guess is that the answer is NO.
 
#13 ·
"Any real world stories about really good reliability out there?"

The good news is that my 17-month old Grand Cherokee with 33,000 (52,000 km) has had no issues with the engine, transmission, or air suspension.

The bad news is that the Jeep has had so many glitches with its infotainment display and instrument cluster, not all of which have been solved. In March, the OCR under the front passenger seat failed catastrophically. (Chrysler has since recalled vehicles for this problem.)

Would I buy another Jeep? No. Reason 1: Chrysler's software and firmware stink. Reason 2: The Grand Cherokee's small windows and thick pillars severely limit the driver's view.
 
#14 ·
Slammed by Consumer Reports, Fiat Chrysler quality chief resigns

The New York Times reports that Doug Betts, Fiat Chrysler quality chief, has abandoned his post this morning. The company, where Betts worked for the past seven years, occupied the very bottom of Consumer Reports magazine’s annual rankings released yesterday, with Fiat, Jeep, Ram, and Dodge taking the bottom four slots and Chrysler nabbing number 22 on the list of 28.

Betts, whose official title was Senior Vice President of Quality, had also served in quality control positions at Nissan, Toyota, and General Motors. But since joining Chrysler in 2007, Betts faced an uphill challenge turning around the company’s poor reliability scores.

Chrysler
Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram all dropped in Consumer Reports’ quality rankings compared with last year, with nagging problems like the rough-shifting 9-speed transmission in the Jeep Cherokee providing constant headaches.

In a statement, Fiat Chrysler named COO of Product Development Mark Chernoby and Matthew Liddane, quality head for Chrysler of North America, as Betts’ replacements. Betts, the company says, is off to pursue “other interests.”
 
#15 ·
Yeah - and Consumer Reports constantly ranks Samsung washer/dryers/refrigerators right up the top, but check out all the consumers complaining about them on various forums. Wont be renewing my CR subscription again.
 
#19 ·
I agree, Jeep definitely seems to be less reliable than the Japanese brands, but you can be unlucky either way, just a slightly higher chance of being unlucky with the Jeep. The biggest problem for Jeep (here in Australia anyway) is the lack of decent service agents and availability of parts.

My MY14 CRD has been reliable so far, but I'm expecting something will bite me one day. If you expect it to happen, it won't be such a disappointment when it does happen.
 
#22 ·
I love my 50 week old Grand Cherokee. I have had some transmission issues and vibration issues as well but nothing that stranded me. It tows my trailer well and gets good fuel economy from the Diesel engine. I can't think of a vehicle more appropriate for what I need it to do.
 
#25 ·
To dismiss the CR ratings as "garbage" ignores the fact that the same metrics are applied to all of the manufacturers and that reliability is a relative measure. Are all Jeeps unreliable? No. Is your Jeep unreliable? Maybe, maybe not. But Jeeps, on average, tend to be less reliable than many other brands, including Toyotas and Hondas as well as Fords and Chevrolets.

The CR results merely reinforce what we already know from other surveys, including JD Power. FCA needs to step up their game in terms of quality and reliability.

Thankfully Sergio and others at FCA are not burying their heads in the sand as some on this board are wont to do at the faintest criticism of Jeep.
 
#28 ·
I have a year old 2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited ADII 3.2L that so far has been perfect. I am a perfectionist and have OCD. If there was a problem with this vehicle I would have found it by now. What I think we have is a bunch of people who are not suited to be Jeep people and should stick with their foreign luxury cars that they are comfortable with. I don't want my Jeep turned into a foreign luxury car just to suit them.
 
#31 ·
The issue is not foreign v. domestic. It is whether FCA has quality control issues.

You suggest that CR is biased but do you think you might be biased (understandably so) given that you grew up in a Chrysler family?

For the record, since 2011, I have bought three vehicles, the JGC made in JNAP and two cars made in nearby Hammtramck. The two GM vehicles have been excellent in terms of their reliability.
 
#32 ·
Then I think you have solved your own problem. You should be buying GM because that is what you are happy with. Myself, I am happy with my Jeep. I would say I would continue to buy Jeep/Chrysler but I am 64 years old and tend to keep a vehicle 10 to 15 years so this very well may be my last new vehicle. As far as reliability, goes my family has bought Chrysler vehicles since way back in the 1950s and buying Desotos. We never have had a reliability problem with any of them. I still remember fondly the 1953 Desoto my mom had built for her when she was the executive secretary for the President of Desoto. I was in junior high before we got rid of it. It was great fun cruising with the family to the drive-in, in it. Sounds like you might have had a string of bad luck with your vehicles. Sorry to hear about that.
 
#35 ·
Follow up on my last post. Having just reviewed the Consumer Reports rankings page, an interesting fact emerges. Out of 30 mid-size SUV's ranked, the Grand Cherokee ranks 28 and 29 (different engines) in predicted reliability, but 3rd (CRD) 4th (V8) and 15th (V6) in owner satisfaction! Toyota Highlander and FJ Cruiser ranked 1st and 2nd.

It looks like Jeep owners love their Jeeps, even if they need a little more attention. This says a lot for the features these cars offer and why folks buy them.
 
#39 ·
I really wonder if CR is taken seriously any more. On October 13 I bought some FCA stock, the first day it was available in US. In 16 days it is up almost 20%.

Thank you Chrysler for helping to pay for my new Ford. :thumbsup:


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#40 ·
Macfan,

I'm glad that FCA's sales are increasing. I bought a JGC in 2014 as did two colleagues at work that I turned on to the JGC EcoDiesel as well. None of us have previously owned a Chrysler product. I suspect there are many other folks in those sales numbers you cite who are also first time Chrysler buyers.

If these folks do not have a good ownership experience and the quality of their vehicles is below that of other vehicles they owned, they are not likely to have a favorable impression of Chrysler and therefore may not be inclined to buy another Chrysler product.

Chrysler products in the 1970s had a horrible reputation for quality and the company needed a federal bailout to rescue in it early 1980s. Chrysler's quality also lagged during the Diamler/Cerberus era. Bankruptcy and a federal bailout ensued.

Separately, as I'm sure you are aware (but may not want to believe), market share for the Big Three has declined substantially:

http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2010/12/26/saupload_car1.jpg

If the Big Three want to increase their market share, they are going to have to win over buyers who have been buying lots of Hondas and Toyotas since the 1970s. You may not care, but Honda and Toyota buyers value reliability. That is why this issue is so important, particularly to people who want to see our domestic auto industry succeed. Ignoring the issue and pretending it doesn't exist or minimizing the problem is enabling the corporate culture and business practices that resulted in such steep declines in market share and resulting bailouts and bankruptcies.
 
#43 ·
From today's Wall Street Journal:

"Pretax margins for the region were 4% but would have been closer to 6% if it weren’t for the added recall and warranty costs, said Richard Palmer, FCA’s chief financial officer. “The single largest cause of our depressed [North American] earning is due to our recall campaign costs, which are substantial,” said Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne."
 
#44 ·
From today's Wall Street Journal:

"Pretax margins for the region were 4% but would have been closer to 6% if it weren’t for the added recall and warranty costs, said Richard Palmer, FCA’s chief financial officer. “The single largest cause of our depressed [North American] earning is due to our recall campaign costs, which are substantial,” said Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne."
Wow, we could have been up 30%. :D

We'll see what happens after the Ferrari spinoff.


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#45 ·
Certainly some interesting results:

Merc is way down, while Audi is up near the top. I'd like to see the ranking for the Grand Cherokee....
 
#46 ·
Here's what Anita Lam, CR's auto data manager, cited as being the reasons that the worst were indeed the worst:
• Fiat 500L:
The boxy Italian design has a balky infotainment system, using a version of Chrysler Group's UConnect, and transmission issues.
• Ford Fiesta: Owners responding to Consumer Reports' survey didn't like its automatic transmission.
Mercedes Benz CLA: A raft of problems, including squeaks and rattles; engine issues, bad audio and electrical problems.
• Jeep Cherokee, with the four-cylinder engine: The nine-speed transmission was an issue and the four-cylinder version had twice as many complaints as the V-6.
Jeep Grand Cherokee, with the diesel engine: Owners reported that the new engine gave them fits when it came to the fuel system.
Nissan Pathfinder: The new one has a new CVT and owners didn't like it.


Why 'Consumer Reports' says these 6 cars are trouble
 
#47 ·
Ive owned 3 Grand Cherokee models...Laredo, 13 SRT and 14 SRT and one warranty claim....

better than my wifes lexus, audi and BMW. All of which had several each.
 
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#48 ·
That chart isn't actual results, it is predicted results. In other words it's pure BS. Just reading this forum since the '14 was introduced, it is obvious that Jeep, while not perfect, has made great strides in handling many of the problems with the early builds. At the rate they are going, I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see their ranking rise when actual results are out for the 15s.


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#49 · (Edited)
I agree, I'm just interested in what the prediction is based on. I see they rate the Cherokee poorly due to the problems with the new 9 speed, from the above it seems the survey provided bad feedback on Diesels 'fuel system' for the GC. I'm not sure what that means, perhaps the DEF system?

The consumer reports guys briefly discuss the Jeeps at about 9:30 in this video:

Talking Cars Video Podcast Episode 52 | Car Reliability - Consumer Reports
 
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