New Grand Cherokee L - Flat Tow???

[voltdoc]

Originally Posted by MarkMCCL

Yes, I get the ""Speed to high to shift" notice.

So question - I normally don't have 10 minutes to let it warm up when arriving at a campground. Has anyone remote started the vehicle while in tow mode, actually going down the road. Maybe starting it 5 minutes before pulling in. Just typing this out doesn't sound like a good idea to me though.

Yeah, not sure about that one. Maybe try it sometime when you're stopped.

Recently we stopped for a quick overnight leaving the Jeep attached. I decided to try for the first time leaving it in tow mode overnight. I am using a toad charge which should charge the Jeep battery during the periods when my coach BIM device is charging the coach chassis batteries. I checked it periodically and it did seem to be charging.

The next morning I remote started the Jeep and there were no apparent battery discharge issues, but when I got inside the park brake was on. I don't think I did anything to trigger it, but not sure. I am going to try this again and pay closer attention.

[voltdoc]

Attached photo shows the engine state of warm up where a successful shift in or out of Transfer Case Neutral can be completed.

Before the engine temp reached 140, I either couldn't shift out of TC Neutral, or when shifting into TC Neutral then selecting Park, the "P" continued to flash with the message "Speed to high to shift..."

I also noticed, when shifting into TC Neutral, after pressing the N button with a pencil tip, and even if the coolant temp is above 140, the shift is much less likely to succeed if you go direct from N back to P with the shift knob (the P continues to flash along with the "Speed too high" message). If you go from N to D, then back to N, thru R and finally P it seems to work more quickly and consistently.

[ajohansson]

Originally Posted by ChrisDParise

I don't see where there is a connection between a toad trailer towing package and a cleaner wiring solution to your rear lights. If you want to tow heavier loads then by all means get the trailer towing package.

There are light bars you can attach to your toad if you don't want to use a harness to the toad lights. You'll have to deal with that each time you connect or disconnect and storage in between

I don't see the harm in a proper harness but it's a personal choice

Thank you!!! I could have sworn i read that limited had the quadra trac 2. Found out where I saw it. On Jeep Canada website.

Started.looking at window stickers online and yup all limited with quadra trac 1. Will look for overland and above. Thanks again.

[ajohansson]

So curious i hopped on Jeep usa website and did side by side comparisson. Shows limited standard is quadra trac 2. What the heck.

[harleyjt]

Originally Posted by ajohansson

So curious i hopped on Jeep usa website and did side by side comparisson. Shows limited standard is quadra trac 2. What the heck.

That’s not right. Not the first time a website has had inaccurate information.
jt

[RogerB]

Since joining this thread on the iRV2 and starting a similar thread on the Tiffin forum I’m amazed at the replies that have been posted. RV owners are truly an innovative bunch when it comes to problem solving. I have read so many work arounds developed by GCL owners outlining procedures they use to set the L for towing and steps they follow to get the transfer case out of neutral. Then owners manual states the exact procedures to follow to set the L for towing and how to take it out of neutral which don’t seem to work. If there are more/different steps needed to tow the L they need to correct the manual. I think we can all agree that there is a problem with towing the L that Jeep is not addressing. I kind of feel that L owners share some of the blame on the L towing issues by not holding Jeeps feet to the fire in getting it corrected. I really enjoy our L but if it is so difficult to successfully tow then I will replace it with another tow vehicle. I’m waiting now on our local dealer who ordered a range position sensor which they state is bad or going bad and believe it is causing the not coming out of neutral issue. They will not guarantee that it will fix the problem but have stated that they will track the problem down until it is fixed or Jeep takes over the issue. If Jeep can’t fix this towing issue they need to list it as non wheel wheel towable and and make restitution to owners who purchased the vehicle for towing.

Roger

[ajohansson]

I know im sort of sketched out now to get an L to tow. Really want one. Checks so many boxes for us. Hearing the issues though has me considering other vehicles but none of them come.close to what I want in a toad.

Why dont they make a dingy mode. Just have it purposely do all the stuff. Turn off all the collision stuff etc.

[voltdoc]

Originally Posted by ajohansson

So curious i hopped on Jeep usa website and did side by side comparisson. Shows limited standard is quadra trac 2. What the heck.

That screenshot looks nothing like the current US site I was on. The 6000 pound towing is wrong too for the six cylinder, should be 6200. Did the same comparison, got this:

[voltdoc]

Originally Posted by ajohansson

I know im sort of sketched out now to get an L to tow. Really want one. Checks so many boxes for us. Hearing the issues though has me considering other vehicles but none of them come.close to what I want in a toad.

Why dont they make a dingy mode. Just have it purposely do all the stuff. Turn off all the collision stuff etc.

Anything you are going to flat tow these days is going to have "issues". Look at the GM's with needing to pull fuses and disconnect the battery. Yuck. On my 2007 and 2013 Honda Odyssey you had to be very careful about a few things like don't shift from Reverse to Neutral, must shift from Drive to Neutral.

Honestly the GC-L is very easy IMO once you've done it a few times. Takes me about 10 seconds to go thru the settings and maybe a total of 30 seconds to set it up to flat tow. Yes you do need to wait for the engine to warm up to shift the transfer case, but my procedure now is such that that is almost never an issue.

Yes Jeep could do a better job with instructions and such but probably so could all the others.

[voltdoc]

Originally Posted by RogerB

Since joining this thread on the iRV2 and starting a similar thread on the Tiffin forum I’m amazed at the replies that have been posted. RV owners are truly an innovative bunch when it comes to problem solving. I have read so many work arounds developed by GCL owners outlining procedures they use to set the L for towing and steps they follow to get the transfer case out of neutral. Then owners manual states the exact procedures to follow to set the L for towing and how to take it out of neutral which don’t seem to work. If there are more/different steps needed to tow the L they need to correct the manual. I think we can all agree that there is a problem with towing the L that Jeep is not addressing. I kind of feel that L owners share some of the blame on the L towing issues by not holding Jeeps feet to the fire in getting it corrected. I really enjoy our L but if it is so difficult to successfully tow then I will replace it with another tow vehicle. I’m waiting now on our local dealer who ordered a range position sensor which they state is bad or going bad and believe it is causing the not coming out of neutral issue. They will not guarantee that it will fix the problem but have stated that they will track the problem down until it is fixed or Jeep takes over the issue. If Jeep can’t fix this towing issue they need to list it as non wheel wheel towable and and make restitution to owners who purchased the vehicle for towing.

Roger

I know several Jeep owners with older Grand Cherokee's that have had difficulty with switching the transfer case. I talked to a guy with a Tahoe that had the same complaint.

Maybe I'm just lucky, only once in the last 50 towing sessions did I have to try more than once to get the TC out of neutral after warming up the engine and even then it worked on the second try.

The skeptic in me wants to say the problem is between the steering wheel and the back of the front seat, but I don't know, maybe there is a more serious bug that affects certain vehicles.

[ElmondTX1]

Originally Posted by huntnski

I’d double check that the Limited in fact has the Quad trac 2. Don’t rely on the salesman. I was looking at a Limited and looked and in fact it was not towable 4 down. I insisted that the Sales Manager double check, sure enough NOT towable. Salesman turns to me and says that’s a good price, still want it?

Salesman was there strictly to sell cars.
Got an Overland from another dealer!

We purchased a Grand Cherokee L Limited 4x4 from River Oaks Chrysler Jeep in Houston telling the sales guy over and over we want it to flat tow behind our motorhome. We got home and read the manual I found out it does not have the correct transfer case. Called sales guy met with manager. They would not take it back since now its a used vehicle. So now we are stuck with this GCL since I didn't want to take a $10K lose getting rid of it. READ THE MANUAL ON ANY VEHICLE YOU WANT TO FLAT TOW. This is easily done online. We purchased a Chevy Equinox AWD to flat tow.

[huntnski]

Originally Posted by ElmondTX1

We purchased a Grand Cherokee L Limited 4x4 from River Oaks Chrysler Jeep in Houston telling the sales guy over and over we want it to flat tow behind our motorhome. We got home and read the manual I found out it does not have the correct transfer case. Called sales guy met with manager. They would not take it back since now its a used vehicle. So now we are stuck with this GCL since I didn't want to take a $10K lose getting rid of it. READ THE MANUAL ON ANY VEHICLE YOU WANT TO FLAT TOW. This is easily done online. We purchased a Chevy Equinox AWD to flat tow.

Ouch!

[JeepinJason]

Originally Posted by ajohansson

Seriously considering a GCL Limited with the quadra tac 2 for a toad. Selling my excursion and TT and will be renting A/C motorhomes until we find out what we want to buy.

Will be using a supplemental braking system like the patriot etc.

I would love to use the coach 7 wire to control the lights on the toad. Is it best if i get the GCL with a trailer tow package? Does that make the install cleaner? I do not want to splice the factory wiring. I read you can also get an after market trailer wiring kit and splice into that. Any help appreciated.

AJ

I installed the tow bracket and wired the lighting myself. The only way to install it correctly is to splice into the rear lights behind each tail light. There is no option yet via the aftermarket for a plug and play version. Believe me, I searched as I did not want to splice into the OEM wiring either. Trailer tow package is nice to have but has nothing to do with the flat tow portion of the lights.

[JeepinJason]

I have about 10,000 towing miles on my GCL. Only problem I had intially with a test drive was not setting up the braking system for the soft pedal. Only took me a block to figure it out so no damage done. The toughest thing on setup is ensuring the parking brake does not come on when you shut the vehicle down. The Neutral is clearing shown on the dash as the picture a few posts up shows. You just have to take your foot of the pedal and make sure that when you press the start/stop button with the engine off that the parking brake light is not on.

I always have my wife double check by getting out after I have hooked up and checking to make sure the rear wheels don't drag when I pull forward a couple of feet. Then, I check a block or two down the road to ensure the regular brakes are not dragging.

I have had more problems with the braking systems than they are worth. I am not convinced that they are needed or make a difference at all for towing. I shut mine off as a test coming down at 12,000' pass and noticed zero difference in stopping or slowing down. With a 40,000 pound RV, I really don't think there is any adavantage to the brake system other than in case the vehicle broke away, which again rarely happens. I know I will get a bunch of crap for saying this, but I am finding more and more RV owners that are not utilizing an aftermarket braking system.

Dragging the car behind me causes more anxiety looking back at the camera or worring about damage than just throwing it on a trailer so I am going to revist an aluminum trailer. Most of my trips are for a week so it is not like I am hitching and unhitching everyday.