Important Notice To all Dodge & Jeep Owners with the 3.2L & 3.6L Engines

[OscarMike]

According to carcomplaints.com & carproblemzoo.com and many online searches or forums relating to the failure of the Oil Filter Assembly (OFA), Jeep has discontinued the manufacturing of the Oil Filter Assembly (OFA) and may be opting for a redesign. What does this mean? It means that at some point within your Dodge or Jeep's history, the current 3.6L/3.2L OFA is going to fail and you're going to be left with oil spewing out the back of your engine, down onto your transmission and onto your exhaust system.

Some have said that this "could" catch fire as an end result. But let's clear the air. According to our Diesel expect, the only way oil can catch fire is if it under extreme pressure & heat. as this would not be the case under the jeep while driving etc. The worse that can happen is the exhaust will smoke.

With this part being discontinued, it's our belief that jeep may be redesigning this cooler assembly.

According to another post on the forum, this person is claiming that the oil is bypassing the oil filter entirely. our issues is not related to the oil filter but the oil cooler. So our oil is passing through the filter, but is not passing through the oil cooler. But without removing the intake manifold, The dealership can not verify what or how the oil is leaking other than seeing other jeeps with this same issue. According to jeep, this is not a dangerous or hazardous enough issue to warrant a recall.

You will need to take precautions to routinely degrease and wash this oil back flow off these components and maintain your oil level because there's no replacement on the market. Jeep themselves has known of this issue since 2014 and has not issued any recalls. It is also important to anyone performing your oil change on any of the 3.6L engines, DO NOT overtighten the oil cap as this can break the housing/assembly & seals on the assembly thus causing the leak.


Oil Filter Assembly (OFA)

So if you start seeing an oil leak like this on the engine/transmission, One might think it's the rear main seal. Have your jeep diagnosed as to verify if it's your OFA and not the rear main seal. As of one week ago, Our 2017 jeep Wrangler with 72K miles was diagnosed with a failing OFA without any ETA on when the replacement part will arrive. This failing part effects ALL Dodge & Jeep Models with either the 3.2L or the 3.6L Pentastar Engines.


Oil leak that looks like a rear main seal failure

I've been doing some cross-referencing of this part on several retailer's parts sites. None of these sites are listing this oil filter assembly or list the assembly as being on back order. The only sites that list this part as being available is eBay & Amazon. We're hoping to hold on any panic buying in order to have the dealership install this part as they will offer a lifetime warranty. Otherwise you can take your chances with using aftermarket parts or buying from sites like Amazon or eBay.

I've also contacted Jeepcares in another forum as well as on twitter and within their Jeepcares web site to see what can be done about this issue. if you're jeep is going through this same issue, then you need to either post you failure date on carcompleints.com or other sites and let others know this is unacceptable. We need this part redesigned and soon.

If your Dodge, Jeep or any other vehicle with the 3.2L or 3.6L engine has this leaking Oil filter assembly, send a contact to @JeepCares here:

Email Jeep
https://twitter.com/JeepCares

 

[SlowPoke]

For anyone mechanically inclined who has this problem and doesn't want to be constantly checking their oil level and cleaning the mess, you can buy the OEM part on Amazon and replace it yourself. Here's a decent video on YouTube showing how to do it.

 

[OscarMike]

SlowPoke

Agreed, BUT.. the part will not be warranty if we install it or if it's installed by the dealership and thats what we're waiting on parts and labor to be warrantied.

Here's the latest:

I messaged Jeepcares via twitter over the weekend, they just got back to me moments ago.

Unfortunately, I am unable to speculate on whether or not a
part is being redesigned, I apologize. That said, so I am
understanding, has your dealership already ordered the part or will
you be purchasing from a third party? If you are purchasing through a
third party, our team is unable to assist and will recommend you work
with them to obtain the part. Please let me know. ^KP

I informed this person that we're hoping to wait this out, but if it takes months for this part, we're either going to have to locate it third party or get rid of the jeep. This is unfortunate and when I confronted the jeepcares twitter account holder. I told them the reason there's a delay is prob because the part is or was made in China.. needless to say, jeepcares twitter disconnected from that chat.

So would you drive your dodge/jeep month/s years knowing you have this leak that can't be fixed anytime soon?

 

[USStrongman]

Did mine last weekend. Oil change place cracked it form overtightening the oil filter housing. There is a redesign... but it is on national backorder. Had to replace with the OE part. Bottom pic measured just under 2" of oil in the valley.

 

[OscarMike]

@USStrongman

I knew I could count on your chiming in. But let me make something perfectly clear. Although many of you have the room, time and are capable of doing these types installations, I am not. Arthritis has eaten away my knuckles and with chronic back pain, I would not be able to do these types on installs ever again.

I've bene consulting my wife and she says she wants to keep the jeep as long as possible. so this prob means we're going to have to avoid the dealership and opt for a repair shop with an after market part. On a positive note, I'll be calling my nephew in western NC to see if he's willing to attempt this as he's done everything else to the jeep.

Lesson learn, Not to trust lube centers to know what they are doing.

 

[SlowPoke]

I get that there are people who can't fix this themselves, but I wouldn't wait for FCA to stop shuffling their feet anytime soon. Find a local mechanic and get it replaced with the OEM part. Then change the oil yourself, or by someone you trust, to prevent lube center guy from screwing it up again. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

 

[OscarMike]

Here's the latest:

Called the dealership this afternoon and wanted to ask a few questions of the parts department. I wanted to find out what the part number they ordered for the jeep. My objective was to see if I could locate this part on my own. I was given the part number and that it Supersedes several other version of oil filter assemblies. The parts department also informed me that they personally order 15 of these assemblies and there is a nation wide demand for this part current total 5,678 of these oil filter assemblies are on back order.. So I shouldn't feel so bad thinking I'm the only one with this issue.

 

[USStrongman]

Its clearly a known issue... as they redesigned the part but there is no recall. FCA can suck a bag of (add your favorite noun here). The national backorder is on the redesigned part. Clearly having it made in China, thus the massive delay.

I too am just too broken to get under my rig. I've used the same shop for 3-4 years now. They owned up to it being their responsibility and have been pleasant to deal with. Since I paid for it out of pocket and am not charging them for labor, it made it easier. When someone comes to them and wants a check before having it repaired, they work a little harder to ensure you are going to actually repair it.

You can source the OE part without a problem. There are other generic manufacturers making the same part available through Auto Zone, O'Reillys, etc. But they are not OE. I ordered through the dealer.

If you do it yourself, you will also need these:
Upper intake gaskets
Lower intake gaskets
Spark plugs (if you're in there, replace them to save half a day of doing it later) Gapped at 0.043.
Depending on mileage, consider replacing coil packs also.

 

[OscarMike]

USStrongman

Thank you for the insight as always its good to hear from you. But wish it was under different circumstances. yes we're aware of the upper and lower gaskets or at least hope the dealership is aware as well as aware f the newly revised o-ring set for the oil filter assembly. I have seen some good info at this and another forum.

yesterday I was contacted by a shop who was made aware my our issue. The gave us a couple of options to have the oil filter assembly installed for us. But we're not pleased with the limited warranty they are offering and will continue to hold out for our dealership. but their offer is at least a last resort.

But I do have something to share here;

New Discovery

We've been sitting here with the engineers at our company during lunch break. I was explaining to them what's been happening to our oil filter assembly/adapter. Then realized myself what's been happening. The issue is, when you stomp on the gas as to accelerate into traffic, this sends a massive amount oil under pressure into the oil filter assembly, which is not designed to handle this quick large amount of oil at one time and even though the assembly is securely attached to the engine block the o-ring or rings can not withstand this large amount of force at one time. Thus the o-rings are dislodged from the seats causing the ruptured seals. So until jeep realizes this faulty design, the system will not be able to withstand these types of forces during a deliberate forced acceleration and will continue to fail until this system has been redesigned.

We wont know for sure until the part arrives and is installed to see what or where the issues is. it's either broken, of as I said above, the seals have dislodged. I really doubt the assembly is actually broken.. more over it's the o-rings as jeep has issues an o-ring update.

 

[Woolyaz]

@OscarMike your new discovery makes a lot of sense. Mine cracked and started leaking while running a trail at Sandhollow a little over a year ago. Dealer replaced under the powertrain warranty. If it happens again, I hope the new design is better and they will cover it under warranty from the initial repair.

Hang in their until the parts are available, once modified these Jeeps are a lifetime keeper, at least mine will be.

 

[OscarMike]

Moments ago and in order to get the week started off with a bang, I sent emails to three FCA officials who have been asking installers questions referencing the oil filter assembly leak.

We're needing an update on the current oil filter assembly/adapter leak which pertains to either a crack or break in the assembly or that the system can not withstand a large amount of pressure thus blowing dislodging one of all of the o-rings. According to your last TSBS noticed, you've inform dealerships to simply replace the failing old o-rings with a revised version. We need verification as to what the current reversion of these o-rings are. Contacts have suggested that there are 3 orange rings or is the entire set made of this orange material. What is the orange o-rings made of? Currently there's a few at several jeep & dodge forums speculating to if the revised o-ring replacement is the correct way to handle this issue.

A total re-modification of the oil filter assembly/adapter would be necessary or the system will continue to fail again within 3 years. Within our forums, several members have suggested why the o-rings continue to fail on this assembly. The current system was not designed to handle a large pressurized amount of oil flow at one time. Is this true and what type of pressure can the current oil filter assembler withstand or is suppose to withstand? This issues occurs when the driver stomps on the gas in order to accelerate into traffic thus blowing one of all of the exit o-rings.

Members have suggested in the past that this issue is related to over tightening of the oil filter cap which may not be the case. In this instance we're discussing the possibility of redesigning & relocating the oil filter assembly and reverting back to the old style of oil filter canister. It is possible to tab the exit/inlet holes forward of the engine block as to allow for threaded fittings and tubing to run through top of the block, out the rear of the block there the header, down to one side, then incorporating a secured location/mount for a canister oil filter?

Lastly, Our dealership has informed us, that they have personally ordered 15 of these oil filter assemblies and that there is a national back order of more than 5,000 units. Our jeep is just one of those with this oil filter assemble leak and it's imperative that Jeep look into this issue, correct the issue and get these newly revised assemblies back to dealership ASAP. We also need to know the wait time on either the revised o-ring kit as well as when one can expect to see the revised oil filter assembly.

 

[USStrongman]

I took at look at my unit I replaced and sure enough, one of the O-rings was unseated of about 30% of the mating surface. Not sure that this was an issue with mine but maybe a contributing issue? I have a 1" crack directly under the filter housing from over torqueing the housing. MOPAR calls for 18lbs torque for that thin composite material. Way too much. My O-rings that mated to the black are black (2017), not orange.

 

[OscarMike]

Thanks for the confirmation @USStrongman

Question, is it possible to show an image of your cracked unit?

I spoke with another forum member about the o-rings in question.. according to him the orange version is a Europe o-ring set not intended for the US as the o-ring is made of VITON which has a lower threshold then the north American version. meaning these orange ones would not last as long as the black one's currently on these assemblies. But again I'm looking for confirmation to this.

I've subscripted to several parts sites in the hopes that someone will have these parts in stock very soon. However, Sat morning I got an email from one of these retailers saying they found this assembly for me. But when I went to their site, there's no indication of anything changed or has been adjusted stating they actually have this part in stock. Still says "out of stock" or "back ordered" The wife and I think it's the vendors way of trying to get us to comment to a sale when there's nothing to buy at the moment. Just another way to tie up our savings till the new part arrives. We just can't risk any sort of impulse buying at the moment.

 

[OscarMike]

Editorial

It's become second nature to exit the house, with a bucket of soapy hot water and crawl under the jeep to wash the oil off it's belly. The jeep turns 73K miles today and with less than 5K left to pay off after 4 years of driving, the wife and I got to talking this morning because I noticed on several of the parts sites are now listing projected dates for this part to arrive by early April. Although jeep claims that our part is made in the USA, some parts are not. It is apparent that our oil filter assembly/adapter was made in China and because of the trades between the US & China we're caught in the middle of this. So instead of jeep reverting the manufacturing here in the US they kept their manufacturing in China even with the stricter trade agreements as set by President Trump.

Now that Biden has taken office, the flow of Chines products will again increase back into mainstream USA. Not trying to go political on anyone, but if by chance the date on those vendors sites keep changing or being pushed back even more months, we're going to have to make a decision. This could mean having to bite the bullet and find the oil filter adapter in some junk yard and hope it's not been damaged or find an alternative part or.. get rid of the jeep. If one buys a vehicle and later learns parts are no longer available, then there's not much can do. One has to either locate an aftermarket part that may not last long or create something of their own just to keep the vehicle on the road. this is one reason you look out into those fields and see abandoned cars.

We've registered with several vendors sites as to keep us posted when this part arrives. We also have a few repair shops on stand by if they find this part. In other words, Is it possible for some company to step forward and start the manufacturing of parts we need, here in the states instead of relaying on China for these parts. At one point I've searched Standard Brand, Omix-ADA, Crown and a few other sites in the hopes we can located this part, because we simply can not wait for Jeep to remanufacture this part in China, then have it checked in through customs, then end up on our dealership shelf months, even years behind schedule.

Our list of options are growing short as well as our patience.

 

[USStrongman]

So I think... what you are looking for is the redesigned unit, and as far as I can tell, it never entered the US market. moparpartsonline.com has several part numbers. New OE (2014 & up I think), new redesign and previous generations in 2011, 12, 13 which all have different part numbers. There are OE parts out there. I got mine from a dealer in Amarillo (2017) and was overnighted to my local dealer.

Call your local AutoZone or whoever you like and have them look. When I got mine, AutoZone had 4 of them in stock around West Texas. Again, it is the OE version that is available, not the redesign.

 

[OscarMike]

Editorial II

Although I've done some research on this and other forum have reported the same issue, I wanted to make it clear that oil filter assembly/adapter is common on the 3.2L and 3.6L engines. However I have just learn that this same 'type" of assembly is also on the Hemi engine as well as the 2.0L/3.0L/3.6L JL & JT engines which all have some form of newly designed above the block oil filter assembly. In fact, using the hemi & 2.0/3.0 numbers, these too have either a "discontinued" or "no longer available" noticed on their pages. So this is a total Jeep/Dodge etc engine failure on all aspects. I've double cross referenced all types of oil filter assemblies from the 2.0L/3.0L/3.2L/3.6L. Just so others know that this also applies to the 2.0L (gas) & 3.0L (diesel) engines. So if you think you're 2020/2021 jeep/dodge will not be effected by this issue, you'd be dead wrong.

The issue is that most will say that the weakest spot to this design is the lowest spot below the oil filter container tube. However, my discovery shows this is only one small part of these weakest link. The units o-rings will blow out or dislodge from their seated positions thus causing an oil leak. As I posted in other forums, this dislodging of the o-rings occurs when one stomps on the gas as to accelerate into traffic which sends a massive amount of oil and pressure to the units o-rings. I've registered with several sites this past week looking for any updates. at that time, these sites did have dates. But checking this morning.. those dates have been removed and in big red letters (Discontinued) or (Not Available)

Sorry for the long winded comment.. but to answer any questions about IF you should drive your jeep with this type of failure, The issue is either you have a cracked unit because someone over tightened the oil cap or is it just the o-rings has bene dislodged.. if oil is getting to the oil filter you're fine to drive the vehicle. but it would require you to constantly maintain the oil level. it actually looks worse because the oil is basically flowing or back flowing from the oil cooler, that's if it's entering into the oil filter and not just leaking out from the unit. We've bene driving the jeep for 2 weeks now with this leak and although it's not leaking like a sieve.. we get a gush of massive oil all over the rear of the engine, transmission and down onto the exhaust cross pipe. This is because the oil collects between the engine heads slowly fills up the when you hit a bump or turn a sharp corner the oil in the valley spills out onto the rear of the engine down onto the trans etc.

Borrowed this image from @USStrongman who's been talking to us about the same issue. He did the repair himself

The bad part all this, there's NO ETA on when this part will arrive and may are getting rid of their jeep/dodge etc and writing complaints like you & I have and jeep isn't or hasn't done anything about this. So if you happen to take your Dodge/Jeep to the dealership and they remove the intake manifold, see the leak and know this part is on national back order, you're screwed because they aren't going to reinstall these parts for free and may ask that you don't drive the jeep till the part arrives which could be months/years.

As I said in my #48 comment, the fellow not knowing, took the jeep in and the dealership completely disassembled his engine, left him hanging and he's going to get rid of the jeep all because either your lube center over tightened your oil cap or you've stomped on the gas (like I did) and blew the o-rings. The way we look at it, we've going to drive this jeep till jeep recalls this part or the engine blows. Not that we're trying to make the engine blow. but as you said it is our only vehicle and the only vehicle I can fit and sit in comfortably.

However, There is a small glimmer of hope. I've send an email to some of those engineers we've work with over these last 20 years. I'm calling all engineers to band together and create a new better oil filter design seeing that jeep has not given me/us any idea when this part will be back on the market. Current I'm waiting to hear back from those engineers to see if any of them have the time to dissemble/analyze the current oil filter assembly. 68365931AB Building a better mouse trap sort of speak. Only thing I can say now, is pray that those engineers I sent email to, reply favorable and we can get those 3D printers working on the creations of a new redesigned assembly.

 

[OscarMike]

This just in, Jeep cares called my wife and said that they spoke with our dealership:

Quote:

"Your dealership has changed management, Terminated several service technicians and relocated your service advisor to a new dealership and the part for your jeep was never ordered"

End quote.

Update:

I'll have a major announcement early next week.. stay tuned.