New Battery Required for WK2 Diesel Overland

[MattG]

Howdy, my alternator died while on the way home from camping two weekends ago. 2012 Laredo Diesel with 65k on the clock. I have a second battery but it's completely separated from the alternator load (charge with solar only while camping). As others have reported, lost power steering, gear changes, everything with little warning. Pretty dicey on winding roads with a fully loaded trailer on the back. With a bit of help I got it home on a prayer and a new battery before I twigged to the alternator. Was still on the original battery (6 years old), so preemptive replacement might have saved the alternator as suggested. As is always the way I was just starting to look around at replacement batteries the week before.

Bought the Jaylec replacement alternator (65-8536) from USA Auto Parts for $700 (delivered same day) and had a local joint do the swap for $250. New Century AGM battery (DIN85LH AGM) from supercheap was $450.

Turned out to be an expensive long weekend.

Kept the failed unit and receipts, though I'm not holding my breath for a recall and unlikely I'd even be covered not going through a dealership. Probably need to submit the details of failure to ACCC or someone though? Not really interested in talking to FCA again.

[pmd92ta]

Hi All. just an FYI for everyone.

I have a 01/13 build Diesel Grand Cherokee Overland. Coming home from the shops last Saturday morning and only a few kilometres from home, the red dash light came on at the same time that a very loud "whirring" noise started coming from the engine bay. The motor felt the extra strain. I limped the car home knowing the battery was now powering my electricals as I was close. Maybe a 3 minute drive. I parked out the front of my house to have plenty of room to investigate.

Immediately there was smoke coming out from under the hood (yes ... American term but you'll possibly read that elsewhere anyway ... hey .. I'm a fan of American cars and a Pontiac guy ... which is why I own a Jeep!). I'm not talking a little bit of smoke, I'm talking a lot of smoke. I have a video I'l ltry and put up somewhere:

You Tube

I thought all would calm down so left it for 5 minutes and it did not stop (2nd video):

You Tube

... something was definitely burning with no intention of stopping so I was able to get a nearby garden hose and douse the alternator.

Thanks to the internet and groups such as this I learned that the T36 recall dealt with my year model and for this very scenario. I downloaded the recall VIN's and checked for mine - MISSING! Aaah crap.

I phoned the Jeep dealer in Fyshwick who had done some previous work on the car, and they didn't really want to entertain the idea of fighting my cause with Jeep seeing my VIN was not on the list. They suggested Slaven Jeep in Belconnen. These guys ... in particular Karan ... helped a lot. They took me through the process where they would request Jeep to correct the problem, but Jeep insists that their dealer remove the alternator and inspect before they will commit to a "good will" repair. At the end of the day he could not comment on what Jeep would / wouldn't do (understandable), so it would either be free or $600 + new alternator cost (and I think the RRP is up around $1500 isn't it?) .. .so $0 or $2000.

I need it fixed, so I purchased a used one from Rbay for $250 delivered and I'm throwing that in the back of the car in case Jeep don't come to the party ... BUT ... in a last ditch effort, I thought I'd call FCA ... why not ... they're the boss! So ... they have ahad afew people like myself contact them. They explained that the T36 recall was for this exact situation BUT FOR PETROL ENGINED vehicles only. They are looking to do another recall for DIESEL ENGINE vehicles but are still getting stats. They told me to get my dealer to call them to verify repalcement because, with all of the contact they have been getting, they would like my old alternator to add to the instances of the fault occurring .... and they will pay to have a new one fitted.

So the car is booked in for this Monday ... we'll see what happens.

[drover]

Amazes me how many people keep driving............... I smelt burning in my Colorado, stopped straight away lifted bonnet and doused the alternator with fire extinguisher, towie was amazed as it was usually a burnt out vehicle when that happened .................. If my Grand alternator chucks it in, I won't be waiting for Jeep to sort it, replace it and give them the bill I reckon...I'm still suss if its the alternator causing it or a shonky board somewhere.

In the Colorado's case it was a collapsed bearing that cooked it.

[bjm]

This is the second one in a forums members diesel in a couple of weeks.Same alternator as the petrol ,remember this was a worldwide SAFETY related recall.!,I recall the last forum member was reimbursed by FCA for the replacement.FCA should be liable for a foc change over.PS .FAC would be well aware whats causing these failures as a large problem in US

[SouthernComfort]

What FCA is waiting for is hard to figure out. They have already conceded with petrol and are well aware of the growing number of alternator failures in diesel.

They are playing with fire (excuse the pun) because eventually one of these dire failures could result in a fatality. You'd think they would sooner go down the path of mitigation before that happens. If it does, they'll be in it up to the neck, way deeper than if they'd done a recall for all affected vehicles. Makes you wonder why they don't just get the monkey off their back.

[Mousie]

Unfortunately, the design issue is the fault with combo Power Steering / AC etc on the alternator. So any warranty recall is just not fixing the problem. The AGM Supercheap with the 20% day off is the go and get in earlier as I know the batteries will do many years but as they age the alt has to do even more heavy. I long for another discount day! My advice is to change the batt out earlier so it can deliver the load to perhaps protect the diodes here. Then again, AGM by design is not ideally intended for significant Intermittent current loading and again the alt is doing the lifting here. The other is once this occurs to you, immediately have to remove the battery terminal or charge wire from the alt to protect the battery going to a dead short. I’ve yet to locate if a fuseable link exist so pulling that fuse will protect the car by disconnecting the alt wire that is in short. If one or a couple of diodes fail to short, its not enough to blow the fuse hence dead battery. In next week or two will put up a diy on replace diode pack, as I picked up another New pack for $80 dollars locally. Going to be the guinea pig and silver solder (force 44 spec so I can remove and replace a pack on the fly. Bugger that they copper crimp the pack to the alternator windings otherwise, would be an easy job.

[SouthernComfort]

Jeep isn't the only brand to suffer inadequate alternators. Friend had one die on a brand new Astra after 18 months (very low miler too). It's a fact most/all modern cars are overloaded with electrical equipment sapping more and more power, and alternators haven't kept up. I agree a replacement is still only a short term fix if the design hasn't changed.