Problems with wifes car, input needed.

[baldguy637]

My wife has an 08 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 3.7L V6. She was on her way home this evening when it started acting up. She said all of a sudden it started missing out at highway speeds but once it got under 30mph it would run fine. She said when it hit 30, she would give it gas but the car would just sputter and the rpm's wouldnt change.

She pulled to the side of the road and tried using the auto-stick to upshift through the gears but it wouldn't come out of overdrive. There were no warning lights on, and she said when she took off it ran fine untill around 30mph then it would happen again. She nursed it home and called me at work.

When she called i told her to go ahead and take a little drive down the road with me on the phone to describe what it was doing. She said when she started it up, it let her cycle through all the gears no problem with the auto-stick, and didn't have anymore problems at all. She got it up to 60mph with no issues in both automatic and auto-stick modes...

So where do i even start on this thing? It's like one giant computer, and with no codes kicking up i'm at a loss...

 

[serpicostraight]

My wife has an 08 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 3.7L V6. She was on her way home this evening when it started acting up. She said all of a sudden it started missing out at highway speeds but once it got under 30mph it would run fine. She said when it hit 30, she would give it gas but the car would just sputter and the rpm's wouldnt change.

She pulled to the side of the road and tried using the auto-stick to upshift through the gears but it wouldn't come out of overdrive. There were no warning lights on, and she said when she took off it ran fine untill around 30mph then it would happen again. She nursed it home and called me at work.

When she called i told her to go ahead and take a little drive down the road with me on the phone to describe what it was doing. She said when she started it up, it let her cycle through all the gears no problem with the auto-stick, and didn't have anymore problems at all. She got it up to 60mph with no issues in both automatic and auto-stick modes...

So where do i even start on this thing? It's like one giant computer, and with no codes kicking up i'm at a loss...

she might have got watered down gas. have you put it on a scope?

 

[geronimojoe85]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-tCIRJH9p0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[baldguy637]

she might have got watered down gas. have you put it on a scope?

I haven't done anything yet, I'm working nights this week, and still have 4 more 12hr shifts to go. I'm going to see how it runs in the morning when i get home.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

had something similar with my wifes 08 avenger, although one of the idiot lights did come on. was driving about 55-60, then it gave a hiccup and sputtered down to about 30 and wouldn't go any higher. once we got to our destination (daughter's bball game about 2 miles left), i thumbed through the manual and it said something about it being an emergency mode that occurs when there is a problem. the car remains driveable so you aren't stranded, but rpm's and speed are limited to prevent damage.

once i restarted the car, it was fine and has been ever since. i think the quick hiccup (miss/backfire) set it off, but it hasn't happened since. i'll try to look up the section in the manual that mentioned this; as a chrysler product, maybe your wifes cherokee is similar. although as mentioned before, we did have a flashing idiot light.

 

[danielocean03]

Chrysler's do have a "limp mode" where the transmission shifts into either second or third gear and stays there until it's restarted and the issue no longer exists if I'm not mistaken, although your issue doesn't seem to match that description.

 

[shooter1054]

My Mom's 300m did something similar IIRC. It was a computer issue and had to be replaced. This happened a while back, so I might be remembering wrong.

 

[baldguy637]

had something similar with my wifes 08 avenger, although one of the idiot lights did come on. was driving about 55-60, then it gave a hiccup and sputtered down to about 30 and wouldn't go any higher. once we got to our destination (daughter's bball game about 2 miles left), i thumbed through the manual and it said something about it being an emergency mode that occurs when there is a problem. the car remains driveable so you aren't stranded, but rpm's and speed are limited to prevent damage.

once i restarted the car, it was fine and has been ever since. i think the quick hiccup (miss/backfire) set it off, but it hasn't happened since. i'll try to look up the section in the manual that mentioned this; as a chrysler product, maybe your wifes cherokee is similar. although as mentioned before, we did have a flashing idiot light.

I remember something about that "safe mode" as well, but i figures i'd have a light kick up as yours did. She isn't the best at describind/diagnosing problems either, lol.

 

[baldguy637]

My Mom's 300m did something similar IIRC. It was a computer issue and had to be replaced. This happened a while back, so I might be remembering wrong.

I hope its not the ecu or something similar, the warranty just ran out about three months ago.....

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

got the manual out of the car; it's called the electronic throttle control indicator light. the light looks like backwards parentheses ) ( with a lightning bolt in the middle. book description is similar to what i said, if it comes on and remains lit, vehicle is drivable but get serviced soon, if it comes on and flashes it could have accompanying power loss, rough idle, and increased brake pedal effort. "immediate service is required"

 

[darkkevin]

if you're a little mechanically inclined, get out some carb spray and a toothbrush and clean the throttle body really well, most commonly the TB gets gummed up with carbon and creates too much resistance for the motor to open and close it (you have a vehicle without throttle cables, just and electric motor to open/close the throttle). that's the most common issue, most shops will replace a VERY expensive throttle body when it only needs cleaned, but sometimes it needs replaced too. just a suggestion. if you need any more help, just holler!

 

[baldguy637]

if you're a little mechanically inclined, get out some carb spray and a toothbrush and clean the throttle body really well, most commonly the TB gets gummed up with carbon and creates too much resistance for the motor to open and close it (you have a vehicle without throttle cables, just and electric motor to open/close the throttle). that's the most common issue, most shops will replace a VERY expensive throttle body when it only needs cleaned, but sometimes it needs replaced too. just a suggestion. if you need any more help, just holler!

I never even thought of that. I'll do that as soon as i get home, thanks!

 

[ckcollins2003]

From what I know and have experienced and fixed on vehicles, if it were the throttle body, the problem would occur constantly. Although a cleaning may be in line, I'd be more inclined to check the ECU and sensors. Just like a throttle body, most sensors can be cleaned with Seafoam instead of having to be replaced.

Until an idiot light comes on to give you a code, I'd just take it easy with it. It might work itself out if it just occured a slight problem in the emissions sensors.

 

[Awful Waffle]

The problem is its a Chrysler. Those things are absolute junk.

 

[NYFelon]

I hope its not the ecu or something similar, the warranty just ran out about three months ago.....

Warranty or not, check for recalls and/or unannounced TSB's that pertain to your issue. If there is one, the dealership cannot deny you warranty service whether or not the vehicle is actually in warranty. It's odd that no codes were stored however. Typically if a car enters LimP mode, the event which caused the ecu to do so is stored. Just because there is no check engine light on, doesn't mean there is no code stored. Did you read the codes or just assume there aren't any because there was no MIL? If not, throw a code reader on it. If so, you may have ECU issues.

 

[buford t justice]

Warranty or not, check for recalls and/or unannounced TSB's that pertain to your issue. If there is one, the dealership cannot deny you warranty service whether or not the vehicle is actually in warranty. It's odd that no codes were stored however. Typically if a car enters LimP mode, the event which caused the ecu to do so is stored. Just because there is no check engine light on, doesn't mean there is no code stored. Did you read the codes or just assume there aren't any because there was no MIL? If not, throw a code reader on it. If so, you may have ECU issues.

Have some one scan it for codes before you start chasing your tail.

 

[tyler34]

if your cleaning out the throttle body go ahead and seafoam the jeep. 1/2 the can in the tank and the other half sucked through a vacuum line that goes into the intake manifold, that will clean anything out from both ends.

 

[tgallmey]

trade it in

 

[snorko]

got the manual out of the car; it's called the electronic throttle control indicator light. the light looks like backwards parentheses ) ( with a lightning bolt in the middle. book description is similar to what i said, if it comes on and remains lit, vehicle is drivable but get serviced soon, if it comes on and flashes it could have accompanying power loss, rough idle, and increased brake pedal effort. "immediate service is required"

OP's description, and the above, sound like what I had with a 1998 Grand Cherokee. Some chip or other went bad and it drove rough. Mine was not too bad of a repair cost wise.

 

[snapping turtle]

We had the exact same symptoms with a astro van at 90K miles. It was throwing a Mass air flow sensor problem. It had been running rich for a bit according to gas mileage. It seems we had clogged the catalytic converter. It would run up to 35 MPH and the bog out. Turn it off for 30 minutes and it cleared up. Take it out the next day and at 30 it would bog down. I cut it out and problem solved for a while. I guess that we were not burning all the fuel and it was burning in the converter. A new set of plugs and wires and it is back to getting better mileage,