Jeep Wrangler

gman1259

In So Cal we can have the top off for months at a time (if we have a bikini style top for sun protection). I have my soft top on the vehicle and I have only put it up to go through the car wash in the past two months.

Glen

gman1259

It's a little further but you can take the 14 to Palmdale, then catchthe 138 there.

Not sure why am telling you this because I sure you know that area better then I do.

Glen

erickpl

Just make a trail with your Jeep. just kidding.

You can take the 14 to 138 to the 15 and go that way. If traffic is a pain, 14 north to 58 (around Edwards) to Barstow to the 15 is pretty good and traffic is usually pretty light going up there (until you hit Barstow).

-Paul

erickpl

As for the snow, ANY vehicle's weak spot is going to be the driver. If you neighbor is basing the decision to 'park the Wrangler' when it snows on the abilities of his TEENAGE driver, then I suggest your neighbor needs to get out more.

I've seen old RWD cars w/o traction control and abs driving just fine on winding, snowpacked roads while there was a Hummer and a Jeep in the ditch. Common sense will be the rule dictating how you drive. A Jeep is a VERY capable offroader and VERY capable on the snow, but it will only be as capable as the driver controlling it.

Another factor is tires. My FWD Honda Civic was supposed to be decent in snow, but with the tires I had on it, it was like Dorothy Hamill sliding across the ring and doing a Hamill Camel.

So in summary:
1. Your neighbor needs to get out more.
2. Your neighbor's kid needs to learn to drive.
3. Be familiar and comforable in your vehicle.
4. Know your vehicle's handling limits BEFORE it snows.
5. Go nowhere near the limits when it snows.
6. Use common sense - allow for the effects snow and ice have on handling characteristics.
7. Slap a ski rack on the back and go skiing!

-Paul

div2

Good points! I once bought a five speed 1984 T-Bird Turbo Coupe from a friend of mine who claimed the car was terrible in the snow. I promptly threw away the General rim protectors and fitted a set of Dunlop D60 A2s. In the following five years the old sled got stuck ONE time; it got high-centered on a ridge of snow in a friend's driveway.

mtngal

How I wish we had some!

Glad to hear the Pine fire is out - that is the one that had me stumped. Perhaps I shouldn't be so happy - we are driving the Wrangler and we could make our own way across the Mojave desert. My husband did point out that if the 138 from Gorman to the 14 was still closed we could always go into LA and stop at Starbucks for coffee (no Starbucks before Primm the way I go, which is I-5, 138 to 14 to 58 to the I-15).

I use the Wrangler as my daily driver when it snows (the 2WD Tacoma is hopeless in the snow). It is fine for driving in fairly deep snow. I got it stuck once - it got high centered when the 30" of wet snow we had one night got packed under the frame. As soon as I dug the snow out from under the frame I was able to back it up into my driveway and wait for the snow plow (which was a good thing - there were over 100 cars stuck on the freeway so I wouldn't be able to get to work anyway). I have Bridgestone Dueller AT tires on it now and while they were excellent for the first year, they are marginal now that they are pretty worn.

I agree that tires make a huge difference in the snow, and I'm pretty careful about driving in the winter. Any vehicle that locks the front and back axles together (Wranglers included) will have a problem when the roads are mostly clear but might have a few patches of ice every so often. You can't use this type of 4x4 system on dry roads, so the Wrangler will be like any 2WD vehicle (drive gingerly).

greta

Pete; Mine starts off with a digital display that reads "S of 4.0," then reads "No Faults" and then activates though all the gauges individually?; as I had said earlier. ??? I wonder... "What it all means." I guess some days I wonder more than other days. Greta

tsjay

Hey, Jeep Buds, I have heard from Mac via email, and he says he has been away from the board because of a spinal fusion operation.

He says he is sorry if anyone has addressed questions to him or asked something that he might be able to help with: he just can't sit at the computer now.

He says he just can't concentrate for long at a time yet, and I guess that's because of pain (he didn't say).

Let's all post some "get well' messages for the Old Macster. I think he can sit long enough to read a few posts, but he can't take the time to type replies.

So, here's my get well wish for him....

GET WELL SOON, MAC! WE MISS YA!

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

gman1259

Ya Mac,

Get well soon.

Glen

tsjay

I have posted this advice before, but for the sake of the newbies, I'll say it again.

If you think you would EVER want a hard top, the time to get it is at the time of purchase of the vehicle. That dual top option will get you a hard top (factory quality) MUCH cheaper than you will ever get one later.

If you get a factory quality hard top later, they are about $1800, not including shipping. Not sure you would get the rear wiper either for that price.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay

I'll take a look at my FSM for those codes you asked about.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

div2

I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

div2

Did you get any storms down your way? We were lucky-we only had a few branches down and a six hour power outage. Other parts of the area are still without power and in some cases it won't be restored for several days.

mtngal

GET WELL SOON!!!!!!

You have my prayers - I have a slight idea what you are going through (I've got an arthritic back) and I wouldn't wish back problems on my worse enemy.

mtngal

Hope you are doing OK - I heard there was another fire very close to your mountain. My thoughts are with you, hoping for that your place isn't in the path of the new fire.

tidester

From all of us - success and speedy recovery!

tidester, host

wheelsdown

We all miss you. Get back when you can.

Terry

twylie

Our thoughts are with you through your recovery. I've got a good "home maintenance gone bad" story for you when you return!.

-twylie

tsjay

No serious damage in my little neighborhood, Bailey, but there were trees down in the general area. One good size tree split and the part that split fell in a lady's yard just down the road from me, but that was all the damage I have seen.

Power was off about three hours.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay

"Greta- I tried the self-check you described, kind of cool - too bad I don't know what it all means. Mine starts off with S of 2.1, No Faults and then tests the warning lights and gauges. I like that it tests lights that don't apply to my Jeep, like Cruise and Full-Time. Weird that the 4wd Low light didn't light up, then again, it's never come on since I've owned it.

I found it interesting during the gauge test, that it seems to display a few different levels on each gauge. On the speedo, for example, it showed 76 MPH as the highest - which is the fastest I've probably gone in recent memory. I wonder if it's recording maximum levels for each gauge.

Tom or Mac, do your books give any information about this self-test and what those gauge readings mean? Does the 2.1 that mine starts with mean firmware version?

Thanks,
Pete"

Pete:

OK, I found the section in the FSM that describes the instrument panel diagnostic procedure.

The first numbers indicate the EMIC software level (they give an example "SOF 8.9"). The last six digits in the VIN will also be displayed ( I guess that's the next thing you should see).

It will then display any codes pertaining to faults it has detected, and if none are found, it should scroll across the display "no faults."

The next thing it does is turn on and then off the warning lights one at a time.

Finally, it will scan the individual gauges, placing the needle at pre-determined calibration points.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

erickpl

Mac, first of all. Get well soon. I pray for no complications and a speedy recovery!

Mtngal, the fire near tehachapi is east of us up in the mountains by the windmills. As long as the Santa Ana's don't kick up, I don't see a problem. I'm west of Tehachapi, so it would have to pretty much destroy the town before it got to me. Thanks for your concern.

As for tops, Tom is DEFINITELY 100% right - get them both when you buy the car. Problem is, if you buy used, like I did, you may not have that luxury. There are some nice hard tops available aftermarket which offer alternatives to the Mopar top, but they are still pricey.

-Paul

drosketer

Best wishes! Get well soon.

Andrew

gman1259

Yesterday I was saying how I have been topless for around 2 months. This morning I pulled out of the garage (think I should have look outside first) to take my daughter and her friend to school, and guess what! It was raining, and I had to put the top up!! God is such a particle joker.

Well, with the fires that are burning around the County I live in we could use the rain.

Glen

fformula88

Definately get dual if your on the fence about it. Not only will it cost a lot more to pick one up later, you can always sell the hard top later if you do not need it and at least break even (if not make a couple bucks) over what you spent at the dealer for it.

I love it for the winter. You can scrape the windows, have a rear wiper and defroster, and if you need access to the back, you don't have to freeze your fingers playing with a zip out window and cracking it in the process to get back there!

mcrrt

I think the question of soft vs hard tops was most recently brought up by someone interested in an Unlimited. Unfortunately, dual tops are not an option for the Unlimited (wish they were though, I might have opted!). Buying a hardtop at the parts counter will cost about 1900 bucks to get the top and necessary wiring kit (and yes, the top comes with wiper & defrost). For that kind of extra coin, I'm going to try a winter with my soft top and see how it goes.

                                          Marcus

tsjay

Man, Marcus, I didn't realize that there was no dual top option for the Unlimiteds. That's a REAL bummer!

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

erickpl

Where are you in soCal? I have a fire burning not far from me in Tehachapi. We had the Pine fire sending lots of nice ash up to us too.

Even got some sprinkles on the car today and it wasn't from a firefighting plane dropping water.

-Paul

For Unlimited hard tops, you KNOW they would be heavy!

goducks1

I guess if the Jeep is your primary car, and you live in a Northern climate, consider getting both tops. If you live in a place where it snows infrequently, then I wouldn't bother with the hard top. If noise or warmth is the only issue the new soft tops are probably just as good.

OTOH, it's been 3 years since I lived in a cold-weather state, and I haven't sold my hard top yet. There are times when it's convenient and I think the added weight smooths out the ride a bit.

01r1

Tom, thank you for the info Sir! That's what I was looking for. Those are just predetermined calibration points, not my max speed... just a coincidence I guess.

What's your EMIC software level, mine's 2.1 (2002 X) and Greta's is 4.0 (2004?).

Mine doesn't show the last 6 of the VIN, just zeros.

Thanks again Tom.

01r1

Get well soon!

-Pete

tsjay

I have never even run that diagnostic program on Thelma Jane. Never heard of it until Greta posted. I'll do it tomorrow, if I can think of it.

And, you're welcome.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

bamatazz

I must have missed the post, How do you do the diagnostic check..

MAC getting better SOON!!

Keep Jeepin
Bama!!

tsjay

Greta discovered that if you have the ignition in the off position, hold the trip odometer stem in, and turn the key to "on" (but don't go all the way to the "start" position), a diagnostic program runs to check your instruments. It uses the trip odometer display screen to show the messages. Scroll up a few posts.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay

Greta mentioned it in post #13495 on July 4th. Then Pete (01r1) mentioned that he had tried it just a day or two ago.

Do a search on "diagnostic," and I think that should get all the posts to come up that pertain to that subject.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

99tj

Get Well Mac!

Ahhh, I forgot about the crazy amount of brush fires you get.

In the Northeast, we just have the "Nor'easters"
to worry about. Snowstorms move in a circle-like pattern over the ocean and then over New England / New York dumping 2 feet + of snow at a time. The local news, of course, talks about it for a week straight(before the storm gets here) trying to scare the crap out of everybody. After all that we'll end up only getting less than 6 inches!

OK, no more snow talk. The summer is flying by as it is

-Dan

mcrrt

Yeah, I was kinda let down to find I couldn't get dual tops with my Unlimited, as I had always told myself that if I got a Jeep that that would be the way to go (factory installed wiring & all). From what I've read on other forums there are 2 possibilities why you can't get it:
1) Production capacity isn't suffcient yet to supply dualtops as an option.
2) The extra fabric from the longer Unlimited top is too bulky to be folded up under a mounted hardtop for shipping from the factory.

I guess if they offer at as an option for '05 or later, we'll know it wasn't #2.

Still LOVING my Jeep!

                                Marcus

bigjohnny

Long time no post but I've been reading (Hey Tom!)

Anyway, does the check engine light come on automatically at 20,000? I thought it was bad gas (had to get some upstate at a Stewarts Shoppe)but I've run two tanks since then and it's still on. It did come on about the time I crossed the 20,000 mark. Hope someone can help.

gman1259

I live about a 150 miles +/- from you, in Riverside County, near Orange County. We had a fire near Temecula (a little South of me) one somewhere else near here, can’t remember where exactly, plus the one near Palm Springs (where I graduated from high school). I do not know if any of them are still burning, the fires near you have occupied the news mostly. I watched one of those Sky Crane water dropping helicopters fly over a couple of days ago (real low). Those things are cool (and huge).

Glen

tsjay

Hey, good to hear from you again.

My check engine light did not come on at 20K.

The check engine light, I believe Mac said, is ALWAYS an indicator of a malfunction in the emmissions system.

Wish the Old Macster was able to be here like he used to be.

Autozone will read codes for free, so have them check it out for ya.

It could be a gas cap not screwed on right, but you have filled up twice since it came on, and that probably eliminates that possibility.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

twylie

I took my Jeep in to get the rear main seal leak fixed right before my warranty expired. At the time I had about 18k miles on it. While it was in the shop, they noticed the CEL was on (wasn't on when I dropped it off) and it turned out to be a bad O2 sensor. If it's not you gas cap, this would be a likely suspect for you to check into. As Tom suggested, an auto parts store will read the code for you. The OBDII port in on the drivers side under the dash, near the door. Should be easy to look into. Be sure to let us know what it turns out to be.

-twylie

tsjay

Now, was I right or what??? I TOLD you a Jeep is more fun than you could possibly imagine!

When ya gonna bring that puppy down here to KY and go wheelin' with me? I'll take it easy on ya and not put you anywhere that is likely to get you any damage.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

fformula88

CEL Light: It is not normal for the CEL light to come on at 20K miles. I'd venture a guess that it is either a gas cap that was lose (or faulty) or an 02 sensor. On some cars the CEL light will remain lit once it is triggered even if the cause of the light goes away. The codes need to be reset by a scan tool. Fords are like this anyway. My neighbor has acccidentally left his gas cap off a few times on his Focus, and had to take in for the code to be reset and erased to get rid of the CEL. So maybe that is the problem.

Autozone is a free way to find out what the CEL is, but it also sounds like the car is still under warranty with only 20K miles. If so, I would consider taking it to the dealer, just in case the problem is something that would be covered under a warranty repair.

twylie

You can generally reset the CEL yourself by disconnecting the battery for 15 min. This shoudl clear the codes that are stored. If the CEL returns after a few start/stop cycles, you still have a problem.

-twylie

tsjay

Make that "emissions system." Got happy with the M key, didn't I?

Now see there, if good old Mac was hangin' out here like he used to, he would not have let me get away with that.

Oh, can't you disconnect the battery for a couple hours or something to clear codes? You would lose your presets for the radio and have to reset the clock, but that ain't no biggie. How long would the battery have to be disconnected to clear the codes???

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay

Guess we were both typing our posts at the same time. I see that you are saying 15 minutes is long enough to reset the codes.

Thanks.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

mtngal

Well, we made it to Vegas with about an hour detour - Hwy 138 is STILL closed by the Pines Fire. The good thing about that is that we got to stop for coffee and found out that the A/C is still working (drove the Wrangler today!).

I've had the check engine light come on once or twice while I was driving on a rough dirt road, but it went away a day or so later. I figured it might have been a gas cap or something I jarred while driving. Come to think of it, I don't think it has come on since I replaced the exhaust manifold - wonder if that could have had something to do with it?

The local press does the same thing with us - the minute there is a possibility of any rain at all they start talking about the storm of the decade. Could be due to the fact that we haven't had much rain in the last few years, so I guess it is a big deal when it does more than sprinkle...

01r1

I don't know if anyone else got one of those "Test-Drive a 2004 Jeep" and get a pre-paid $75 Visa card offers in the mail. I dropped off my 2002 X this morning because of some engine whine and driveline noise, so I decided to test drive a Rubi.

The first thing I noticed was how crisp the transmission was to shift. Very short throw and notchy. I don't think mine was like that new, maybe they've changed something in the last 2 years.

I tested out Low-Range drool... Boy, that thing can creep! It felt like it's 5th gear in low was like my 1st gear in high. Remember, I'm still suffering through 33's with 3.07 gears - yuck!!!

Anyway, those Rubi's are sure nice. I've got a few years of life left in my X so no Rubi in my near future. At the very least, it was a fun way to earn $75!

-Pete

twylie

I took my test drive this week and mailed off my card today. Nice little bonus for 30 minutes of my time. I went up at lunch this week and took care of it. Thanks, Jeep!

-twylie

tsjay

My EMIC software level is 2.0.

I'm throwing a couple error codes, and I guess that is because I have pulled the #4 fuse to kill the overhead light, since the top and doors are off.

I get a message that looks like it is saying "bus b0." Another one says "panel open."

Probably these errors are both related to the fuse being pulled. The "bus b0" is supposed to mean that the EMIC (Electro-Mechanical Instrument Cluster) is not receiving a signal from the MIL (Malfunction Indicator Lamp).

The "open panel" just means I have an open circuit, which, of course, I do, with the fuse being pulled.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?

tsjay

Pete:

As I said I would, I pulled the air tube off of Thelma Jane's intake system and inspected it for dust.

I took the tube completely off the engine and took it outside in the good light to inpsect for any dust that might have gotten past the filter. Not a sign of any dust! The inside of the tube was clean as a whistle.

There probably aren't many Jeeps that see as much time off the pavement as Thelma Jane, and that tube is still clean inside. It gets REAL dusty at Turkey Bay during the summer (most of the time, but this year it has rained a lot). This is Thelma Jane's third summer of wheelin'.

So, the good old factory filter and the conventional replacements I have used seem to have done the job.

You are still planning to check your tube after enough time goes by, right Pete? To do a fair comparison of the K&N vs. conventional filter, I mean.

Tom

Have you hugged your Jeep today?