NHTSA Complaint #11402542 — 2014 JEEP COMPASS

ON MARCH 4, WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN WARM-UP PHASE AT HOME, IN IDLE, A SHARP SNAP WAS HEARD (LATER DISCOVERED WAS THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY), THEN VEHICLE SET TWO CODES (P0171, P2173), AND IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO LIMP MODE (TRACTION CONTROL OFF, THROTTLE BODY REDUCED POWER, ABS FOR SLOWING VEHICLE IF BEING DRIVEN ABOVE SLOWER SPEEDS FOR LIMP MODE). WE WERE ON A SCHEDULE, SO VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF IMMEDIATELY AND WE USED OUR OTHER VEHICLE FOR TRANSPORT. BOTH CODES WERE RESEARCHED TO DETERMINE BEST REPAIR METHODS. SINCE THE P0171 WAS A REPEAT CODE, AND THE P2173 WAS AN UNFAMILIAR SAE CODE NOT NORMALLY USED ON MY PREVIOUS VEHICLES, A COMPLETE DISASSEMBLY OF THE INTAKE WAS WARRANTED. I AM MECHANICALLY COMPETENT DUE TO TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE AND KNOW MY OWN LIMITS OF COMPETENCY AND TOOLS FOR REPAIR. HERE ARE THE BASICS FOR REFERENCE OF WHAT WAS FOUND. 1. THE PCV VALVE (MULTIAIRE) HAD FAILED AT THE INTERNAL PINTLE, AND WAS ALLOWING CRANKCASE AIR/OIL TO ENTER THE INTAKE AT TOO HIGH A VOLUME. IT WAS REPLACED. THE MAP SENSOR SET THE P2173 CODE, THEN FAILED DUE TO OIL INTRUSION AND WAS REPLACED. THE RAPID SNAPPING OF THE THROTTLE BODY UNDER PRESSURE UNCALIBRATED THE INTERNAL THROTTLE POSITION SENSORS, AND COULD NOT MAINTAIN PROPER POSITION WAS REPLACED. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD (NEWER DESIGN FOR THE 2.0L I4 WITHOUT THE FLAPPER CONTROLS JUST GUIDE VEINS FOR THE INTAKE AIR) MAIN GASKET HAD SHRUNK IN THE PLASTIC INTAKE SEAT CHANNEL AND WAS ALLOWING OUTSIDE AIR (P0171) TO SEEP PAST THE GASKET ON THE LOWER LIP OF THE GASKET, AND WAS ALSO NOT SEALING BETWEEN THE CYLINDERS (GASES WERE TRANSFERRING BETWEEN THE CYLINDERS). THE THROTTLE BODY GASKET WAS PRISTINE. DURING REPAIR, PRESSURE TESTED INTAKE FOR LEAKS, AND TUBES AND LINES FOR CRACKS. READING SAE CODE P2173 WAS DETERMINED THAT CODE AND SUBSEQUENT LIMP MODE WAS DESIGNED TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. IT WORKED.*DT CONSUMER STATED THE REASON FOR GASKET NOT SEALING, BLOW BY-GASES FROM ONE CYLINDER TO ANOTHER. CYLINDER HEAD WAS CHECK AND PLASTIC INTAKE FOR WARPING, THE