2004 Jeep Wrangler Transmission Problems

Your transmission is jerking and shifting roughly, especially when shifting between gears or downshifting. The vehicle has even downshifted on its own while stopped. Even after having the transmission replaced twice, the problem keeps coming back. The transmission will likely need to be inspected again or replaced with a different unit to resolve the issue.

AT 91,500 MILES THE PCM FAILED FOR A SECOND TIME. I AM NOT CERTAIN WHEN THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED, BUT IT WAS SHOWN TO HAVE BEEN FLASHED PREVIOUSLY. THIS ISSUE SURFACED IN THE FORM OF A STALL OUT AT A LIGHT. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM AN IDLE POSITION THE ENGINE STALLED. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, TURNING OVER THE ENGINE WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY GIVING IT GAS, THE VEHICLE TURNED OVER. ACCORDING TO THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AMONG '04 JEEP WRANGLERS THAT THEY HAVE ENCOUNTERED RECENTLY (12 YEARS AFTER MARKET AND 2 YEARS COMPLETELY OUT OF WARRANTY). NO ONE CAN FIND A REPLACEMENT PCM BECAUSE THEY ARE NO LONGER MANUFACTURED, AND IT WAS CHRYSLER'S RECOMMENDATION THAT CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE GO TO A SCRAP YARD TO FIND A REPLACEMENT (LIKELY TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE). AS A CUSTOMER I AM APPALLED THAT WE ARE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS. DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY MY BATTERY CHARGED TO 20 VOLTS AND COULD HAVE EXPLODED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE HUB BEARING AND AXLE SEAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND WAS REPAIRED AT 41,846, 46,297, 52,000 AND 55,600 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

THE TRANSMISSION WENT ON A WELL TAKEN CARE OF 2004 JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON WITH ONLY 55,000 MILES TOOK IT IN AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT ALL THE GEARS WERE STRIPPED IN THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

FAILURE TO SHIFT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INTO 1ST, 3RD, AND 4TH GEARS. ONLY STAYS IN 2ND GEAR OR REVERSE. WAS TOLD BY A DEALER THAT THE PCM WAS CAUSING THE MALFUNCTION. REPLACED THE PCM AND THE TCM ALSO BLEW OUT. THERE ARE ONLY 48000 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE AND IS TAKEN CARE OF WELL. THERE SHOULDN'T BE ALL THE COMPUTERS GOING OUT ALL AT ONCE. NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST FROM CHRYSLER. UNFORTUNATE, SINCE THIS IS MY THIRD WRANGLER AND I HAVEN'T EVER HAD THIS MANY ISSUES WITH ANY VEHICLE EVER. WAS A DIE-HARD FAN AND STOOD BY JEEP PRODUCTS. NOW I WILL MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS NOT TO PURCHASE THESE FAULTY VEHICLES. HOPEFULLY AFTER $1050 IN REPAIRS THIS RESOLVES THE ELECTRICAL ISSUES....BUT SOMEHOW WON'T COUNT ON IT!!! BOOOOO TO JEEP! YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES. *TR

WHILE MOVING ROCKS IN MY YARD, I PUT THE TRANSFER CASE IN LOW AND LOCKED THE AXLES, BOTH FRONT AND REAR. THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE U-JOINT EXPLODED, DAMAGING THE INNER AND OUTER AXLES. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDRIVABLE. I DO FAILURE ASSESSMENT FOR MY WORK AND HAVE DETERMINED INCORRECT HEAT TREATING OF THE CRITICAL DRIVE TRAIN COMPONENTS TO BE SUSPECT. THIS IS SUPPOSE TO BE A HEAVY DUTY VEHICLE. MOVING ROCKS IS HARDLY HEAVY DUTY. THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF "REPLACEMENT" AXLES AVAILABLE ON THE AFTERMARKET THAT STATE THEY ARE "MORE" HEAVY DUTY THAN STOCK. A NEIGHBOR DOWN THE STREET EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE PRIOR TO ME. MY VEHICLE MISSED THE WARRANTY BY 2,700 MILES BUT IS 2 YEARS UNDER. REPAIRS ARE EXPECTED TO BE $1,000 PLUS LABOR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH ON A SNOW COVERED ROAD SURFACE, THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHIMMY. NEXT WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DRIVE SHAFT WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,526.

MY 2004 JEEP WRANGLER WAS IN PARK AND RUNNING AND DRIFTED DOWN A HILL AND INTO ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE CAUSING 4K WORTH OF DAMAGE TO MY JEEP AND WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH TO THE OTHER VEHICLE. THERE IS A RECALL ON 2005 AND 2006 JEEP WRANGLERS FOR TRANSMISSION "PARK" PROBLEMS, I THINK THEY ARE MISSING A YEAR! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE AXLE FAILED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE REPAIRS, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE MONTHS LATER. HE RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO REPAIR THE AXLE AND THE PUMPKIN. THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE AXLE FAILURE. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT THE AXLE WILL FAIL WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSE A CRASH. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

I WAS DRIVING AND WHEN I STOPPED THE JEEP WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK. I FOUND A PIECE OF LEVEL GROUND TO STOP ON BUT THEN SINCE IT WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK, I COULD NOT TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. I WAS VERY LUCKY THE DEALER WAS OPEN SO I COULD DRIVE IT THERE TO BE FIXED. THEY TOLD ME THE CENTER PIN/SHAFT ON SHIFT ASSEMBLY WAS BROKE. I ASK IF THAT WASN'T A SAFETY PART AND WAS TOLD NO EVEN IF IT HAD BEEN, THE JEEP WAS OUT OF WARRANTY SO IT WOULD NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE ANY WAY. THE LADY IN WRITE UP SAID THAT WAS THE SECOND ONE THEY HAD TO FIX. I BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A VERY DANGEROUS THING. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN! I LIVE ON A HILL AND THERE WAS NO WAY I COULD GO HOME WITH IT NOT BEING ABLE TO PUT IT IN PARK, I COULD NOT EVEN GET OUT OF IT IN MY DRIVE WAY BECAUSE OF THE INCLINE. WHAT'S HAPPEN TO THE STEEL WITH WHICH THEY MAKE THE CAR PARTS TODAY? *TR

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT TO PARK - UNABLE TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION - TAKEN TO THE JEEP DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION 42RLE WAS RECALLED IN 2005 WRANGLERS AND I WANTED TO KNOW WHY THE 2004 WRANGLERS WERE NOT PART OF THE SAME RECALL WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION - THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 22,000 MILES - THE 2005 WRANGLER RECALL NUMBER IS 05V460000: A/T PARKING PAWL SHAFT ANCHORING AND RECALL - A/T PARKING PAWL CUP PLUG DEFECT - SAFETY RECALL E14. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE GEAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER WAS ABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT A PART INSIDE THE LEVER FAILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,500 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 28,000. THE NYLON ROD WAS THE PART THAT FAILE INSIDE THE SHIFTER LEVER.

I COULD NOT SHIFT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO PARK. THE SHIFTER WOULD GET STUCK IN REVERSE, RESULTING IN ME INADVERTENTLY MOVING BACKWARDS WHEN TAKING MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE- A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, WAITED AND THEN WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO PARK. THE NEXT DAY I ALSO COULD NOT SHIFT DOWN FROM PARK INTO GEAR. HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER IN JEFFERSONVILLE IN, THEY SAID THE SHIFTER WAS BAD AND REPLACE IT AT A COST OF $ 325 TO ME. AFTER DRIVING FOR A DAY I NOTICE THAT I DID NOT NEED TO PRESS THE BRAKE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. TOOK IT BACK AND THEY SAID "SORRY"....AND FIX IT BUT THE INDICATOR STILL IS NOT RIGHT BUT I DON'T TRUST THEM. IT SEEMS LIKE JEEP HAS 2 MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEMS WITH THE 2004 WRANGLER. THE DEATH WOBBLE AND THE SHIFTER. *TR

I COULD NOT SHIFT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FROM "IN GEAR" TO PARK. THE SHIFTER WOULD GET STUCK IN REVERSE, RESULTING IN ME INADVERTENTLY MOVING BACKWARDS - A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. I ALSO COULD NOT SHIFT DOWN FROM PARK INTO GEAR. I HAD TO REMOVE THE PANEL AND MANUALLY MOVE THE ANCHOR FROM THE IN-GEAR POSITION TO PARK. I NOTIFIED MY DEALER OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY PERFORMED THE FOLLOWING: "FOUND SHIFTER ASSEMBLE INTERNALLY DAMAGED. REMOVED AND REPLACED SHIFTER ASSEMBLE AND CHECKED OPERATION." THE COST OF THE REPAIR + LABOR WAS $483.27. THERE IS A RECALL/DEFECT FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM IN THE 2005 WRANGLER. I OWN A 2004 MODEL. THE RECALL NUMBER FOR THE 2005 MODEL IS 05V460000. *JB

RIGHT REAR AXLE SEAL LEAKING FLUID ONTO BRAKE SHOES. *TR UPDATED 12/12/07.

THROW OUT BEARING AND NOISY TRANSMISSION I WAS TOLD AT THE DEALER WHEN I TOOK THIS 2004 JEEP WRANGLER IN FOR SERVICE, TOOK THE JEEP TO CANYONLANDS IN UTAH WHERE IT WOULDN'T GO INTO ANY GEAR AT ALL, HAD TO PULL IT HOME BEHIND A FRIENDS JEEP. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESS AS A RECALL ISSUE! I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE TO TAKE MY JEEP SOMEPLACE ELSE FOR SERVICE REAL RUDELY. ALSO PAID FOR A 7 YEAR 70,000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY TRANSFER FROM ORIGINAL OWNER TO ME, THIS SAME DEALER ALSO SHOWED I PAID FOR NOTHING, SINCE IT WASN'T APPLICABLE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS SENT TO ME BY DAIMLER CHRYSLER.*JB

TRANSMISSION FAILS TO DOWN SHIFT BETWEEN 45 AND 55 MPH. SOUNDS LIKE BALL BEARINGS IN A TIN CAN. THIS HAPPENS ON A LONG GRADE INCLINE AND TRANSMISSION WILL NOT DOWN SHIFT UNLESS THE ACCELERATOR IS PUNCHED TO THE FLOOR. TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS OVER MANY MONTHS, BOTH WERE UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. SOUNDS SIMILAR TO ODI CASE # 10105648 & 10072841. *JB

PROBLEM NO. 1: MY 2004 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED HAS HAD A STEERING AND WHEEL VIBRATION PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW IT IN JULY 2004 FROM PARRISH JEEP IN FAIRFAX, VA. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO GET WORST. THE WHEELS AND STEERING VIBRATE ABRUPTLY BETWEEN 45 - 60 MILES MPH. I HAVE TO HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL WITH 2 HANDS TO ATTEMPT TO SAFELY DRIVE MY JEEP. AS OF AUGUST 2004, I HAVE TAKEN IT TO 2 VIRGINIA JEEP DEALERSHIPS FOR THE VIBRATION PROBLEM ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, IN WHICH THE PROBLEM WAS WITNESSED AND NOTED. ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM WAS WITNESSED BY THE JEEP DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD I HAD TO PROVIDE PROOF OF MY VEHICLE SERVICES, WHICH I DID. PARRISH JEEP HAS COPIES OF ALL OF THEM. AFTER CONTACTING JEEP CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHICH JUST TOLD ME TO CONTINUE TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS FINALLY TOLD IN DECEMBER 2005 BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT I HAD TO BRING MY JEEP IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN FOR A JEEP ENGINEER TO TEST DRIVE AND DIAGNOSE. THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT HE BELIEVED THE TIRES TO BE FAULTY, BUT NOW THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE MILEAGE ON MY JEEP. I REMINDED HIM THAT THE RECEIPTS SHOW THAT I HAVE COMPLAINED OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN I INITIALLY BROUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW IN 2004. SO, NOW I HAVE BEEN WAITING OVER ONE MONTH FOR A CALL TO HAVE THE JEEP ENGINEER REVIEW THE PROBLEM. THIS IS MY 3RD JEEP THAT I HAVE OWNED, IN ADDITION TO THE 2 THAT MY FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE OWNED BECAUSE OF MY RECOMMENDATION, AND I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. THIS MAY BE MY AND MY FAMILY MEMBERS' LAST TIME TO BUY JEEP PRODUCTS DUE TO SAFETY AND LACK OF CUSTOMER SERVICE. PROBLEM NO. 2: THE TRANSMISSION JERKS AS I COME TO A STOP. THIS JERKING HAPPENS AFTER I HAVE DRIVEN THE VEHICLE AND IT HAS WARMED UP. THIS PROBLEM WAS NOTED AS OF THE SUMMER 2005. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN TO THE SAME 2 VA DEALERSHIPS, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. THE COMPUTER WAS CHECKED AND I WAS TOLD THAT ALL UPDATES HAD BEEN MADE. HOWEVER, THE JERKING IS STILL PERSISTED.*AK

MOTOR RATTLES FROM 42MPH TO 60MPH IN 4L I-6 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN OD. WITH O/D OFF, IT RATTLES FROM 35 TO 45MPH.*AK

MOTOR RATTLES GOING FROM 3RD TO 4TH IN THE 4L AUTOMATIC ENGINE. *AK

LEAKING TRANSMISSDIONTRANSFERE CASE. DEALER HAS TRYED TO FIX WITHOUT SUCCESS. BRAND NEW RUBICON LESS THAN 2500 MILES ON IT AND LEAKING BAD.DEALER HAS TRYED TO REPLACE SEALS WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS.NOW THEY SAY ITS A MANUFACTORES DEFECT.*AK

LEFT FRONT AXLE SEAL LEAK. *NM

NEW 2004 JEEP WRANGLER SE. THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION CLUNKS CLINKS & SOMETIMES GRINDS WHEN UPSHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. I WAS NEARLY REARENDED LAST WEEK. I WAS GOING UP A HILL FROM A STOP. WHEN I SHIFTED FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR THE SYNCROS STARTED GRINDING. NOT WANTING TO ABUSE MY JEEP, I BACKED OFF TO NEUTRAL AND WAS NEARLY REARENDED BY THE CAR BEHIND ME. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER AND THE FACTORY REP. THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THAT IT IS"THE NATURE OF THE BEAST", ALL OF THESE TRANSMISSION ARE A LITTLE NOISY, BUT NOT TO WORRY BECAUSE I HAVE A 7 YEAR,70,000 MILE WARRANTY. WHAT GOOD IS A WARRANTY IF THEY REFUSE TO ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM? *AK