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2012 jeep wrangler tow vehicle

Yahoo Message Number: 78244
The Jeep is our new tow vehicle. I was reading the towing instructions in the Jeep manual and it says to turn the key to acc for towing. In the past models this would unlock the steering wheel. In the new Jeep it appears there is no steering wheel lock. When I turn the wheel with engine off and key out of ignition the steering wheel does not lock.
Anybody else have a 2012 jeep as a tow and noticed this same thing?

2007 Tribute 260
Scott

Re: 2012 jeep wrangler tow vehicle.

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 78245
With our 2010 jeep wrangler we do not need to have the keys in the ignition as there is no steering wheel lock. With our prior 2006 wrangler we did have to turn the key to acc as it did have a steering wheel lock. Our manual also says to turn key to the acc position but i do know why. We have been towing without any keys in the ignition since the jeep was new with no ill effects.

Re: 2012 jeep wrangler tow vehicle

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 78247
Our 2010 Wrangler manual I believe said the same thing. I just jacked up the front axle and was able to turn the steering wheel WITHOUT the key in the ignition. I think they have not yet removed the words from the instruction manual. We tow without the key in the ignition.

bill n barb, poconos of pa, 1998 cc prvost 40' xl, #30365

Re: 2012 jeep wrangler tow vehicle

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 78252
I have a 12 Grand Cherokee and there is NOT a steering wheel lock.
Have getting the vehicle ready to tow, we turn the ignition off and away we go.
Dave
07 Country Coach Allure 430 #31495 12 Jeep GC Toad Mountains of So Cal


Dave & Jodi
2007 CC Allure 40’ Tag #31495
2012 Jeep GC
Big Bear Lake, Ca & Henderson, Nev

Re: 2012 jeep wrangler tow vehicle

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 78271
We have a 2011 Jeep Wrangler 4 door with Manual Trans and have towed just under 20k miles last year on a cross country trip and also to Alaska. Never had the key in the ignition. Only thing with the new Jeeps is to have the transfer case in Neutral and the Manual trans in gear and if an Automatic put in Park. This is per Jeep. Reason in gear or park is to prevent the trans from rotating. Remember without the key on your mileage doesn't rack up on the odometer! :-)

Pete

Stuart, Fl

02' Magna #6110

Re: 2012 jeep wrangler tow vehicle

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 78275
Well you learn something new everyday here. I towed a 97 Wrangler many miles and needed the steering wheel unlocked. Now towing a 2012 Wrangler and following manual blindly, pulling fuses, key on in acc position.
Now I just find out, there is no need, no lock. I guess Fiat will have to update the manual.
I can't think of any reason to leave the key on.

Terry

97 Intrigue
10392

Re: 2012 jeep wrangler tow vehicle

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 78346
We too have a new 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. Our Jeep has both the new engine and the new 5-speed automatic transmission, which may or may not account for some of the "towing steps" listed in the manual. As stated by previous replies, our instructions include putting the transfer case in "neutral" (with the transmission in neutral), turning off the engine, then moving the "transmission" to "park" and leaving the key in the "accessory" position. Last, the instructions call for disconnecting the negative terminal from the battery! Significantly, the manual strongly cautions against ever allowing the transfer case to be in "neutral" while the transmission is in "park" and the engine is running! The implication is severe damage will result.
The other day, with the jeep locked, I reached into my pocket for keys to another car for my wife and she asked why I had started the jeep, obviously with remote start. I had no knowledge of starting the jeep, but apparently had accidently triggered the remote start function on the key "fob." Needless to say, I reread the conditions that must be present for "remote start" to be activated. Then it occurred to me that had we been towing the jeep with the key in my pocket rather than the ignition, the safety "preventers" would have been absent so the engine would have started with the transfer in "neutral," the shift in "park" and I would have likely learned what kind of damage would result from that combination. And in a towing configuration, the engine would have run for 15 minutes until the automatic cut-off.
I can't locate where, but I believe I remember reading some description or terminology like "resetting" the transmission. (I can only guess, some computer like function.) This makes me wonder about the towing disconnect instructions which are quite specific without telling us why. First (after safety checks like applying the emergency brake), reconnect the "negative" terminal to the battery, then turn the key to "off," then to "run" - without starting the engine! (This is where I wonder if the sequence, with electrical power on, is a coded computer message of some sort.) Next, the transmission shift lever is moved from "park" to "neutral" so that the "transfer case" can be re-engaged. (Note, while the key position no longer locks the steering, it does control what shifting changes may be made with the automatic transmission lever.)
Again, I don't know all the "whys" behind the specific 2012 Jeep towing instructions, but I have proven to myself that towing my jeep with the key out of the ignition and the battery connected could result in accidently starting the engine with the transfer case in neutral and the transmission in park - something the manual cautions never to do or damage may result! (Perhaps the key in "acc"/battery disconnected "locks" the shifter in "park" - certainly it prevents "remote" start.)
Hope this information has been of assistance, but I too would like to be advised if anyone gets an official answer as to how we may more easily set up for towing, not invite security issues with the key in the ignition and not violate the vehicle warranty or risk damage!

Kent & Dale

2000 Affinity B&B 5801, CCI 7464
2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
 

Re: 2012 jeep wrangler tow vehicle

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 78354
This is my first post so it may be crude,I called the jeep tech line and asked about 2012 wrangler towing instruction listed in the manual as I have same model. I told them that we buy them so we do not have to monkey around with disconnecting cables, wires or pulling fuses so why the new steps their answer was some states require the key in and in the un-lock position even if the wheel not locked so as a saftey that your Jeep does not get stolen they want you to disconnect your battery !!I guess they are trying to cover their butt. Ron & Jeanne new to 2005 Allure Sunset bay 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon

Quote from: Kent McCoin
> > We too have a new 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. Our Jeep has

both

Quote
the new engine and the new 5-speed automatic transmission, which may

or may

Quote
not account for some of the "towing steps" listed in the manual. As

stated

Quote
by previous replies, our instructions include putting the transfer

case in

Quote
"neutral" (with the transmission in neutral), turning off the engine,

then

Quote
moving the "transmission" to "park" and leaving the key in the

"accessory"

Quote
position. Last, the instructions call for disconnecting the negative > terminal from the battery! Significantly, the manual strongly

cautions

Quote
against ever allowing the transfer case to be in "neutral" while the > transmission is in "park" and the engine is running! The implication

is

Quote
severe damage will result.

> The other day, with the jeep locked, I reached into my pocket for keys

to

Quote
another car for my wife and she asked why I had started the jeep,

obviously

Quote
with remote start. I had no knowledge of starting the jeep, but

apparently

Quote
had accidently triggered the remote start function on the key "fob." > Needless to say, I reread the conditions that must be present for

"remote

Quote
start" to be activated. Then it occurred to me that had we been

towing the

Quote
jeep with the key in my pocket rather than the ignition, the safety > "preventers" would have been absent so the engine would have started

with

Quote
the transfer in "neutral," the shift in "park" and I would have likely > learned what kind of damage would result from that combination. And

in a

Quote
towing configuration, the engine would have run for 15 minutes until

the

Quote
automatic cut-off.

I can't locate where, but I believe I remember reading some
description or

Quote
terminology like "resetting" the transmission. (I can only guess,

some

Quote
computer like function.) This makes me wonder about the towing

disconnect

Quote
instructions which are quite specific without telling us why. First

(after

Quote
safety checks like applying the emergency brake), reconnect the

"negative"

Quote
terminal to the battery, then turn the key to "off," then to "run" -

without

Quote
starting the engine! (This is where I wonder if the sequence, with > electrical power on, is a coded computer message of some sort.) Next,

the

Quote
transmission shift lever is moved from "park" to "neutral" so that the > "transfer case" can be re-engaged. (Note, while the key position no

longer

Quote
locks the steering, it does control what shifting changes may be made

with

Quote
the automatic transmission lever.) >

Again, I don't know all the "whys" behind the specific 2012 Jeep

towing

Quote
instructions, but I have proven to myself that towing my jeep with the

key

Quote
out of the ignition and the battery connected could result in

accidently

Quote
starting the engine with the transfer case in neutral and the

transmission

Quote
in park - something the manual cautions never to do or damage may

result!

Quote
(Perhaps the key in "acc"/battery disconnected "locks" the shifter in

"park"

Quote
- certainly it prevents "remote" start.) >

> Hope this information has been of assistance, but I too would like to

be

Quote
advised if anyone gets an official answer as to how we may more easily

set

Quote
up for towing, not invite security issues with the key in the ignition

and