Overheating problem with 2014 Grand Cherokee Diesel

[TR Laredo]

Hope they can sort this out for you. I'd be asking them to do a cooling system leak down test as well as a monoxide test since the Darwin dealer failed to correctly diagnose the problem. Radiator header tanks for the diesel are available for $68.77 USD Part No 55037999A, radiator caps are $7.80 USD Part No 5278767AB from these guys:
https://www.moparamerica.com/auto-pa...omponents-scat
Be interesting to see what they charge here in Aus for the same parts.
Let us know how the post repair road load test goes.

Cheers

[desertman]

Originally Posted by Wombat6

Just to give you an update, after driving a further 8000 km’s we finally reached Melbourne and home. Through this we learnt how to manage the overheating problem and continue our trip. It meant that we needed to constantly watch the temperature but found that we could do around 80 kms/hr but all hills were a problem and steep hills required many pull overs to allow the engine to cool down.

Now that we are in Melbourne I had our Jeep dealer look at it and they believe it is a failure in the coolant over flow bottle and that it is releasing pressure to early (I did notice early on that the radiator cap did not seem to tighten properly). Anyway, they are going to replace the coolant bottle and then we will retest it. As it is out just out of warranty they have said they will try to get Chrysler to reduce the cost of the bottle which is sort of good (it shouldn’t take much labour to do this).

If this is the problem it will then make us very angry about the Darwin Jeep dealer and why didn’t they pick it up. They had it for five days and they should have noticed the loose radiator cap.

Wombat6,

I had no less than 4 dealers go over my vehicle with diagnoses ranging from no fault found to faulty coolant bottle cap and thermostat. None of these things had any bearing on the real issue of a warped head which most likely was caused by the first and subsequent overheating incidents.

The dealers technical abilities leave a lot to be desired and their hands are also tied (to a degree) as any major investigation requires Jeep authorisation. Jeep told me that my overheating symptoms were a normal part of the vehicle's performance characteristics and even referred to sections in the user manual which tell you to stop, switch off the aircon and wait for the engine to cool!

I would urge you to test the vehicle after the claimed fix and make sure that the diagnosis was indeed correct. The status of your warranty also makes it imperative that you confirm correct diagnosis and repair.

Cheers,

DM

[08crd]

Take it to a radiator shop and ask their opinion

[OzRick25]

Get an independent leak down and a monoxide test done. And assuming this started and you took it in before your waranty expired if you haven't documented the timeline of going to dealers and the issues start doing so.

[Wombat6]

Well finally a month ago we took the van out for its first trip since the overflow bottle was replaced. Got onto the Western Hwy, ... and then it over heated on the first long hill. When we finally managed to limp our way off the freeway we then tried to run the heater to cool the engine. Worked like a treat although it meant travelling in 35C with all the windows down but it did get us to our campsite.

Two days later we left early morning thinking we at least had a solution to get us home. However, just as we got back onto the freeway we noticed that only cool air was coming through and then the engine temp shot up and over heated. Nothing we could do would get it to blow hot air (checked to make sure it was not on auto and air con was off). Eventually managed to limp home but not happy Jan.

Back to Jeep again and last Thursday the replaced the thermostat which the said was “faulty”. This time I was determined to take it on a test drive before heading off anywhere. Got only 20min down Eastlink before it over heated. Again the heater would not blow hit air. However, after again limping off the freeway, overheating 3 more times the heater finally started working again which at least made the return trip much faster. A friend then suggested the next day I try his pop top camper which is around half the weight of my van. Whilst I had to drive down to Arthur’s Seat, I was very relieved when the car over heated again as now I can rule out the caravan.

So now I have it booked in again on Friday to be looked. Whilst so far all of this has been covered by the extended warranty I took out, I am starting to get a little pissed. Replacing the “faulty” thermostat did not make a difference and it really looks like they have just been picking off the low hanging fruit. This time I will insist on speaking to the senior mechanic. What I see is that the temp will sit on under 110C until the car is stressed (usually takes a hill on highway speeds) and then it very quickly shoots up and over heats. I also want them to look at the heater issue.

[JGC-ANDY]

Wombat
you may find that both are related, to me it sounds as though you have an air bubble or air trapped somewhere, any air in the system or blockage and the car will run hot and when some water or gets past the blockage it will overheat very quickly.
try Natrad, they hook up a machine and force water through under pressure.
my 2012 diesel sits at about 80 degrees even in traffic it very rarely goes over 95.

[Classic Boy]

Originally Posted by Wombat6

just as we got back onto the freeway we noticed that only cool air was coming through and then the engine temp shot up and over heated. Nothing we could do would get it to blow hot air (checked to make sure it was not on auto and air con was off).
Got only 20min down Eastlink before it over heated. Again the heater would not blow hit air. However, after again limping off the freeway, overheating 3 more times the heater finally started working again which at least made the return trip much faster.. I also want them to look at the heater issue.

The heater going cold at the time it overheats is a symptom not a fault.

You likely have a faulty head gasket as combustion gas seeps into the cooling system it creates an internal gas bubble which more often than not disrupts the coolant flow and often the symptom appears as overheating and a cold heater because of no or very poor water flow.

I have seen this happen on other makes in the past and an experienced dealer will be aware of it too, IMO they are just trying to kick the problem down the road.

Sometimes a tell tale will be the occasional sound of rushing water behind the dash.