CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2014 (and 2015) Jeep Grand Cherokee have a serious defect trend of transmission complaints. Most of the complaints are for rough shifting — things like jerking & hesitation when shifting gears.
At about 300 miles I got around to pushing the DHA (Down Hill Assist) Button and immediately Grazed a 3" Maple which I swear was at least a foot away a second ago. This was early in my (still on-going) "White Knuckle Learning Period" of separating the Pro's and Con's built into or stuck on this "Jeep Grand Cherokee."
The name is a complete misnomer. What I now suspect I'm operating is a Cleverly Disguised Obese "Cell Phone" mounted on 'Shiny' wheels. I took it to the dealer, Blevins of Potsdam, NY 13676 (such nice people, if they can't solve all the problems your sent elsewhere and don't ever have to go back) As a veteran with a long term brain injury and ptsd, directional help is sometime needed and on top of that understanding that explosive anger showing up for the first time there was nothing more than an anomaly and had to happen someday. Back to the DHA. After their computer "Schultzy" saw nothing, the Service Desk Guy, after listening to me explain how in Low Range at 4mph I couldn't understand how pushing the button could drop from whatever gear to 1 causing the slide wasn't a fault. He told me (driver error) that my FLR (forward looking radar) must have seen something and hit the brakes.
I went home stuck with an Insurance claim for $2400.00, $1,000 of it on me and started researching. By what felt like forever I managed to connect the Dots. A. DHA uses the brakes only. B. FLR is, by default, disabled in Low Range as encountering multiple objects is expected off-road. C. I can't find information that clearly defines the use of DHA. I did take the vehicle down a very steep grade in LR and it just crawled down it. At the bottom, looked at the shifter and it was in neutral, probably muttering to myself about Blevens at the top. On the DHA I tried replicating what happened with my brother in the woods, same speed, same place, pushed the button and away we went, Free Wheeling as though it was in "Tow Mode" gaining speed until I got on the brakes. At about 3mph it suddenly dropped into DHA which threw us ahead in our seats.
Chrysler's got some explaining ta do.
Update from Nov 9, 2017: My 2014 JGC Overland shows a Jeep facing (DHA) 'Downhill'. DHA only operates when the vehicle is in 4WD, Low Range and your speed is 5 mph or less. If you are 'Old School' (as I was) and think DHA, once activated, will use the Drive Train and its gearing to gently ease your $50,000 of 'Wrechology' down the hill, "Your Wrong"!!!
The 'Techologists' at Jeep (I add a 'c' before the 'J' for simplification) decided that 'Riding the Brakes' to control speed was the way to go until the 'cJ' senses 'overheating' at which point 'DHA' disengages and 'Your Off', left to your own 'Wit's'.
Gently use whats left of your brakes and I've found the vehicle will find a Gear it likes and kick in to it, then hit the + Paddle to find what gear it is and then quickly use the - Paddle for control. Of course this is providing your not careening around a bend and haven't a clue where the Darn Paddles are.
This info is (actually begins) on page 458 of the 660 page 'Owners Manual', which you must demand as you return the Disc in about 8 pieces that you were provided. If anyone has found anything useful on that Disc I would love to hear about it. Happy Trails!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
At about 300 miles I got around to pushing the DHA (Down Hill Assist) Button and immediately Grazed a 3" Maple which I swear was at least a foot away a second ago. This was early in my (still on-going) "White Knuckle Learning Period" of separating the Pro's and Con's built into or stuck on this "Jeep Grand Cherokee."
The name is a complete misnomer. What I now suspect I'm operating is a Cleverly Disguised Obese "Cell Phone" mounted on 'Shiny' wheels. I took it to the dealer, Blevins of Potsdam, NY 13676 (such nice people, if they can't solve all the problems your sent elsewhere and don't ever have to go back) As a veteran with a long term brain injury and ptsd, directional help is sometime needed and on top of that understanding that explosive anger showing up for the first time there was nothing more than an anomaly and had to happen someday. Back to the DHA. After their computer "Schultzy" saw nothing, the Service Desk Guy, after listening to me explain how in Low Range at 4mph I couldn't understand how pushing the button could drop from whatever gear to 1 causing the slide wasn't a fault. He told me (driver error) that my FLR (forward looking radar) must have seen something and hit the brakes.
I went home stuck with an Insurance claim for $2400.00, $1,000 of it on me and started researching. By what felt like forever I managed to connect the Dots. A. DHA uses the brakes only. B. FLR is, by default, disabled in Low Range as encountering multiple objects is expected off-road. C. I can't find information that clearly defines the use of DHA. I did take the vehicle down a very steep grade in LR and it just crawled down it. At the bottom, looked at the shifter and it was in neutral, probably muttering to myself about Blevens at the top. On the DHA I tried replicating what happened with my brother in the woods, same speed, same place, pushed the button and away we went, Free Wheeling as though it was in "Tow Mode" gaining speed until I got on the brakes. At about 3mph it suddenly dropped into DHA which threw us ahead in our seats.
Chrysler's got some explaining ta do.
Update from Nov 9, 2017: My 2014 JGC Overland shows a Jeep facing (DHA) 'Downhill'. DHA only operates when the vehicle is in 4WD, Low Range and your speed is 5 mph or less. If you are 'Old School' (as I was) and think DHA, once activated, will use the Drive Train and its gearing to gently ease your $50,000 of 'Wrechology' down the hill, "Your Wrong"!!!
The 'Techologists' at Jeep (I add a 'c' before the 'J' for simplification) decided that 'Riding the Brakes' to control speed was the way to go until the 'cJ' senses 'overheating' at which point 'DHA' disengages and 'Your Off', left to your own 'Wit's'.
Gently use whats left of your brakes and I've found the vehicle will find a Gear it likes and kick in to it, then hit the + Paddle to find what gear it is and then quickly use the - Paddle for control. Of course this is providing your not careening around a bend and haven't a clue where the Darn Paddles are.
This info is (actually begins) on page 458 of the 660 page 'Owners Manual', which you must demand as you return the Disc in about 8 pieces that you were provided. If anyone has found anything useful on that Disc I would love to hear about it. Happy Trails!
- chenzo, Norwood, NY, US