Jeep N23 Final Drive Control Module Recall Kills Towing Capability

March 26, 2014, 11:03:01 am

This recall covers:

2005 through 2010 model year Jeep® Grand Cherokee and 2006 through 2010 model year Commander vehicles equipped with Quadra-Drive II or Quadra-Trac II four wheel drive system. Any other model or 4WD system is not included.

On thousands of cars it has resulted in generation of a "Service 4WD System" code which disables the ability to change the transfer case mode. It is stuck in 4-hi. If you take it to a dealer they will replace the "bad actuator", this does not fix the problem but enriches the dealer. The problem appears to be in the software now detecting something that was previously invisible or not there at all - Jeep has not been forthcoming - yet. In any case I refer to your reading pleasure http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f67/n23-recall-issue-no-4-low-1561787/
In our case we had the "update" installed a couple days before leaving for the CCI Jacksonville Rally. The day we left we got the code and Cheryl had to drive the car to Perry for the FMCA show. If you read the Jeep Forum postings there is a fuse removal procedure, it did not work for us and Cheryl, who suffers from MS, had to drive back to central FL in agonizing pain the whole trip. We couldn't go more than ~100 miles a day.

I've been a Jeep customer for over 50 years but have to advise any owner covered by this recall to NOT have it performed until Jeep/Chrysler/FIAT fixes it - unless you never tow or use 4-low and don't intend to.

Also described in the Jeep forum is a fix involving changing the FDCM to a pre-recall junk yard part. I've had no luck locally, if anyone on the list knows where there is such an item that entered the recycle system before May 2013 I would very much appreciate the information.

Finally, I would like thank the fellow CC owner I talked to at FMCA who explained all this and referred me to Jeep list. He left before I could place his name in my sieve-like memory. Thanks friend!

Bob (rthandren@...)

Re: Jeep N23 Final Drive Control Module Recall Kills Towing Capabili

Reply #1 – March 26, 2014, 12:25:35 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 94631

Robert, I have a 2006 Grand Cherokee and had the N23 recall done in August then towed it to a local event with no problem. In October I towed it to Utah and 4 wheeled it and after a few days it would not shift into 4 low and I had to pull the driveshafts to get it home. Local dealer replaced the shift motor and had to reprogram it several times until it worked. Towed it to Quartzsite in January and after wheeling one day it locked in low range so out came the driveshafts to tow it home. The dealer then replaced the pigtail connector to the shift motor and it worked. I had to disconnect the battery twice to clear transmission over temperature code but it now works. Chrysler paid for all of the work last week = $976. It works now but I have lost faith in it and don't want to get stuck again so I bought a 2014 Rubicon and the Grand goes to my son. Bob Cole
2005 Inspire 51394

Re: Jeep N23 Final Drive Control Module Recall Kills Towing Capabili

Reply #2 – March 26, 2014, 12:51:55 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 94634

Thanks for your kind words. She is taking one of the meds you heard about. seems to have helped. Her very short term memory is now poor, but all else OK. We'll see what comes next.

Lee (leozbrowski@...) 2007 Country Coach Intrigue 12153
CAT C-13

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