Some Chrysler V-6s in Need of Repairs
About 1,300 new Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram brand vehicles are in Chrysler dealerships awaiting maintenance because of defective cylinder heads, according to Automotive News.
The trade publication reports that a small percentage of Chrysler-built 3.6-liter V-6 engines — also known as the Pentastar V-6 — have defective cylinder heads. A cylinder head feeds and exhausts air from the engine block as well as delivers fuel to the cylinders and covers the combustion chamber. Chrysler has designed a new cylinder head and is replacing the unit on select vehicles that have experienced the problem.
The cylinder head problem cropped up in June, when several dealerships reported that some V-6-equipped Chryslers were experiencing early cylinder head failure, according to Allpar, a Chrysler enthusiast site. On an Allpar forum, some owners of new Chrysler vehicles have reported experiencing cylinder misfirings, check-engine light illumination and stalling after just 3,000 miles, presumably related to the defective cylinder head. On the forum, the cylinder head problem was most reported on the 2012 Jeep Wrangler, which received the new Pentastar V-6 for the model year.
The Pentastar is Chrysler's only V-6 engine for its 2012 cars and crossovers. There's a 3.7-liter V-6 on the 2012 Ram 1500 and 2012 Jeep Liberty, but the Pentastar is coming to both models for the 2013 model year, Allpar says. The V-6 has a rare cylinder head design in which the exhaust passages merge into a single outlet, whereas most engines have multiple exhaust passages in the head, according to Automotive News.
Chrysler is averaging more than 500 new service requests per week for cylinder head replacements, Automotive News says. In fact, demand for new cylinder heads is increasing so fast that Chrysler cannot keep up with it; there's currently a backlog of about 1,300 vehicles, says Automotive News. The problem has been discovered in about 7,500 Chrysler V-6s, and there could be more, the publication reports. Chrysler is giving owners free rentals while it fixes the defective motors, says the trade publication.
Chrysler has declined to describe the full nature of the cylinder head problem or its method of fixing the issue to Automotive News. The cylinder head fix will be covered by each new vehicle's powertrain warranty.
Related
Dealers Repairing Pentastars (Automotive News)
Rare Pentastar Problem (Allpar)
Chrysler Details Future Upgrades to 2012 Jeep, Dodge, Fiat Vehicles
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Looks like domestic auto makers still don't know how to make a good vehicle. Give them another 100 years and some more bailout money then maybe they will get it right.
Just Google "Toyota recalls" or "Honda recalls" or "BMW recalls" or whatever your favorite foreign carmaker is. I'm amazed at the knee-jerk reactions to American carmakers' recalls. Did you know that the Chevrolet Corvette can go head to head against the world's best sports cars at a fraction of the price? That Cadillac beats Acura, Infiniti and Toyota in quality rankings? That Chevrolet beats Volvo and Volkswagen? That the Mercedes-built Smart has the worst quality ranking? Did you know that bestsellers such as the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are designed and built in the USA, with American workers? Any quality difference with similar products from the Big 3 is due to management style and competence, and the Japanese manufacturers in the US have proven that you don't need to throw excessive compensation at executives in order to "retain the best". That is a uniquely American and thoroughly discredited notion.
Rich's post was dumb, but John's is actually dumber. Every auto manufacturer has recalls, but if you believe those rediculous quality statistics #'s floating around, you're an idiot.
Rich: Chrysler is owned by fiat and it was owned by Delmar a German company. Ford is the last American owned and family owned car company in America. General Motors is part owned by Isuzu motors and our government.
Ford WAS the last family owned company. While the Ford family still owns 40%, the company has been public since 1956.
@Mike
It's Daimler, not Delmar. It's the company behind Mercedes-Benz and Smart cars.
Everyone is entitled to there opinion. I've owned M3s and corvettes and loved them both but would never be without a silverado 2500.The good old USA trucks by far are a better quality working class vehicle than any other country can produce. If only our Unions had the solidarity they had our American workers would be much happier. Over there if you mess with the milkman the whole labor industry stands by him..
I just returned from my local Jeep dealer in W MA. They scheduled the replacement of my cylinder head. Said it would be a same day job. Engine light pop'd on for me at just over 16,000 miles. I noticed the idel was rough and a slight decrease in MPG. Other then this issue I love my Jeep and am happy with the level of service my Jeep dealer has shown me. Kudoes to the folks at Bertera Jeep. I've owned Audi, Saab, Toyota, Honda, Ford and Chevy products. I can say none of them were service free... So far I've been very happy with my first Chrysler product and will definitely consider them for my next vehicle purchase inspite if this minor issue.
Just bought a 2012 chrysler town and country touring l love it but the check engine light came on at 32,000 miles the dealer said it needs a new head also will be fixed next week thought the mileage was a little weak and it ideled rough so see if this was the cause. Other wise love the thinggreat ride and lots of power compaired to my 06 limited