New 392 FE 170 Miles Suspected Transmission Oil Leak

[bigdaddyspank]

Welp, took delivery of a 2024 Tuscadero 392 FE last week after waiting 11 weeks. At 170 miles on the odometer, I saw what I believed was a leaking engine rear main oil seal. Took it to the dealer and they confirmed it. LOL, but not funny, had the same issue on a 2017 Raptor after 3000 miles and a Chevrolet Sonic at 10000 miles. I guess these are the issues that cannot be discovered at the factory, only after driving for a bit. Oh well, hopefully it is replaced without any Dealer Collateral Damage. Even though I have Jeep Wave on it and RAM Care on my TRX, I still do all my own oil changes at my expense so that I don't have to worry about sloppy work and carelessness being done. In this case, they can drop the transmission...I guess new vehicles have problems like old vehicles, but the real issue is taking it to someone at a Dealership is where the stress kicks in.

 

[bigdaddyspank]

UPDATE*** So, after removing the Transmission, replacing the rear Main Seal, it was still leaking. Then Star and the Dealer Technician decided that the Transmission Torque Converter Seam Weld was leaking, and the fluid dripping was actually Transmission Fluid and not Engine Oil as the ZF Transmission Fluid is about the same color as Engine Oil and not Red like normal Transmission Fluid..

They again removed the Transmission, and replaced the Torque Converter and Front Transmission Seal, and its still leaking...WHAT???

So now Star is replacing the whole Transmission Assembly with a new unit next week.

The Bad News... The dealer had gotten in three new 392 FE's yesterday and 2 of the 3 has the SAME TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK.. No way right? WAY...

I will post a picture of what it looks like...Its a drip that is just to the rear of the oil pan drain plug hanging off of the lug of the bell housing on the passenger side... It is a Dynamic leak, (when vehicle is driven) and not a Static leak, (when the vehicle is parked and off).

If you own a new 392, better take a look because this appears to be a thing...

 

[Robr651]

They could’ve diagnosed that with a black light when they first checked and saved you all the the hassle. The transmission fluid has a UV dye in it for that reason. It sounds like your dealer kind of sucks.

 

[bigdaddyspank]

They could’ve diagnosed that with a black light when they first checked and saved you all the the hassle. The transmission fluid has a UV dye in it for that reason. It sounds like your dealer kind of sucks.

I guess my point right now is that it's still leaking, and we know its transmission fluid. The REAL issue is that 3 of the 4 FE's that this dealer has gotten in, 3 of them are leaking to include mine...and yet to know if a replacement transmission won't have the same issue, like a Lot/Batch or something or if it is in fact the Torque Converter which has been replaced once...

 

[392mike]

My 2022 392 had the same leak. I took it to the dealer and they said they would need to pull transmission etc to figure out where it was coming from. Another Jeep forum member said his did the same thing when new, then just stopped. I decided to give mine a chance and after about 1,500 miles it never leaked again. I just bought a 2024 a few weeks ago, crawled under it and sure enough there was the fluid. It now has just over 1K miles and is dry as a bone.

 

[bigdaddyspank]

Well they are currently installing a new transmission, should be done by Monday. If it still leaks, imma send it up for a buy back…seems if it were a thing with the HP75 ZF Transmission, there would have been a TSB or something put out by Jeep. “Star”. They are the Jeep engineers and the ones that said the Transmission should not be leaking and to replace it. Again, there are 3 other 392 FEs at the dealer right now and 2 are leaking…it may be a thing, but not all of them have the issue. I would hope that others would respond…

 

[DB392]

Posted at the other forum but log on here the most. I have a 2024 that has the same drops on it. I guess taking it to a dealer soon. Problem is my local dealer is a joke, not sure where in nearby in MD Near Baltimore / Owings mills is a decent knowledgeable dealer.

I have 2565 miles on mine and noticed it at the first oil change I did at 1500 miles to get any break-in junk out and clean. Thought it was oil also. Did some driving and it didnt seem to return but checked it today and saw the same weep / pooling.



D.B

 

[bigdaddyspank]

Well mine should be done this week and I’ll post an update. If you have doubts about your dealer contact Jeep Cares and they will monitor and involve the “Star” team for the repairs.

 

[DB392]

If my life depended on an accurate diagnosis and I had to choose between the local Jeep dealer and the local Preschool's kids.

I would choose the local Preschool, they are that bad....

They Jacked up a prior SRT Cherokee Strut wiring harness while diagnosing a failed Fog light. Swearing that Fog light harness was bad also but not the light. Turned out to be the light. Plus the new damage to Strut harness.

Needed a quote for a Spare tire holder and some other rear door parts. Quote had all the parts except for what was actually needed.

The dealer in the next town over isn't any better. Wanted a fluid change in a Track hawk, they said its forever fluid. OK but what if I pay for a filter and change for piece of mind. ITs forever fluid, ok again I would really like it replaced since its getting the miles on and I plan on keeping it. Its forever fluid. WTH just bill me and change the fng fluid and filter.

These local dealers are the definition of Football Bat...

 

[Bacon392]

Jeep 392 Fluid Edition

 

[bigdaddyspank]

So, after pulling the Transmission, it was found that Fluid appears to be seeping from around the lower Bell Housing Area referenced in Star Case S2221000003, Leak Area #2. I have attached the Star Case PDF, Transmission Cut Away Illustration PDF with suspected areas circled, and my actual transmission after removal which shows the leak and pooling at the bottom of the transmission. In any case, Transmission replacement is required and in progress as the large O-ring seal between the Bell Housing and internal Transmission Flange is leaking somewhere in its circumferential area and not necessarily at the bottom where it is pooling. These again are dynamic not static leaks, (pressurized when driving or engine running). I will follow up after completion to let you guys know if this is the fix. Incidentally I provided this info to my dealers Service Department, as they were unaware of its commonality.

 

[bigdaddyspank]

UPDATE****
So, the Transmission was replaced and after 25 miles, the NEW one is also leaking in the same place...WTF? The new one had a manufacture date of May 2024, the same time mine Jeep FE was manufactured...maybe a bad run? Awaiting word back from Jeep Corporate Customer Retention...

 

[DB392]

Crazy you are going through this, so they replaced TQ converter and transmission and still leaking. Surprised they don't have the case O-ring as a serviceable part.

 

[bigdaddyspank]

Update***
So they are again going to replace the transmission, this will be 3 Torque Converters, 3 new Transmissions including the original 170 mile unit, a Rear Engine Main Seal and removal and installation of the drivetrain 4 times..The word from Star and Chrysler is to replace the replaced unit again…

 

[Bacon392]

Maybe it’s time to replace the replacers

 

[bigdaddyspank]

No, actually they were very careful and no collateral damage. They are just following the instruction from the Star Team. I've watched the remove and install several times and don't have one thing about the service department to complain about. There is an issue with the run on these 392 Transmissions, otherwise Star would not keep insisting on replacements. Somebody at Jeep knows something...I'll keep posting until its fixed. I KNOW there are others out there that owners are unaware of...I know for a fact one just sold at my dealer that has the same issue. The owner just isnt as detailed as I am I guess, or does not know what they are looking at.

 

[392mike]

Put some miles on it, the leak will stop. Can’t tell you why or where it is coming from, but I have had two do the exact same thing now. Dry as a bone after a few hundred miles.

 

[grumgirl]

hoping mine I just bought last week does not do this too :-(

 

[Leftfield]

Put some miles on it, the leak will stop. Can’t tell you why or where it is coming from, but I have had two do the exact same thing now. Dry as a bone after a few hundred miles.

Same experience for me. Although mine is a '21 so this could be something different.

A week or so after I picked mine up I was underneath to measure something and noticed a couple drips hanging there. Sick feeling to the stomach after dropping that much money. Wiped it off, checked it a week later dry. Now just rolled over 50k miles, still dry. No explanation - maybe a seal lip or o-ring pushed to the side upon installation and then when running it slips into the correct position? No idea. But happy with the outcome - and glad I waited a bit.

LF

 

[bigdaddyspank]

Thanks all for the replies...I am going to drive for a bit as a replacement trans could take a few weeks. I was hoping more out there would chime in with their experiences and maybe i'll feel better about dropping 100K on something that leaks, at least temporarily...