Likewise here.

My parents have a 3.6l in their 2011 Caravan, and I have the 3.2 in my 2019 Cherokee and both are great engines, albeit let down by their respective attached transmissions, but I digress lol

 

Likewise here.

My parents have a 3.6l in their 2011 Caravan, and I have the 3.2 in my 2019 Cherokee and both are great engines, albeit let down by their respective attached transmissions, but I digress lol

Absolutely agree. I've been driving a Pentastar 3.6 for 11 years in my 11 Journey. The engine is the one thing that was completely reliable in that vehicle. And you hit the nail on the head about the 6 speed being a poor match for that engine. I have the 3.6 it in my 2015 200 and the 9-speed is unbelievably better with it.

 

So, why aren't 21 and 22 models included? What did they change?

 

My 2021 has this problem and I can't get any help from Jeep. They know they have a problem and keep pumping them out. All I have to say is look at the foreign entity that is partners with Chrysler that says it all. My family was greatly affected by their actions in the late 70's. Nothing has changed with them/

 

I've heard a ticking noise when using dino juice, when it first starts up - a good reason to only use synthetic.

 

I have too! The service department says it is normal? I don't know if syn oil would change that?

 

I mean, I've seen plenty of these issues. I've handed out quite a few dozen lifters and rockers myself, but to warrant a class action suit against the company for it?
That's a bit much, honestly. If it wasn't covered under warranty, the vehicle was either 10 years old or had well over 100,000 miles. Many people even had service contracts, and the contracts have covered the job before.... All, atleast, where I work.
Actually reading a bit of it, I have seen that this covers 2 different Pentastar designs (I don't believe the PUG and original designs interchange many items at all). The lone commenter (atleast as of me writing this) on that site also makes a good point.

 

Nope. 2017/53,000 miles. I have every warranty Chrysler offers. They’re stating it’s not covered. Will cost me $1000.00 to replace, with the same part that now needs to be replaced

 

Isn't synthetic the recommended oil? Can any manufacturer be held at fault when the owner isn't using the recommended oil weight & type (conventional vs synthetic)?

I know that the 1st gen Pentastars had a valvetrain issue with the rockers through (I think) 2015 or 2016, but my understanding it is it a resolved issue with newer 1st gen and all 2nd gen and 3rd gen engines

 

From the owner’s manual. I normally get the oil changed at my dealer, but I was too far from home this time and got it done at a different dealer, and in the wonder and awe of a drive-in setup that seemed incredibly posh and well designed, I forgot to specify synthetic. FWIW, the noise was almost identical on our 3.5 V6 and quite similar to that on my old 318 V8...

Engine Oil Viscosity – 3.6L Engine
SAE 5W-20 engine oil is recommended for all operating temperatures. This engine oil improves low temperature starting and vehicle fuel economy.
The engine oil filler cap also shows the recommended engine oil viscosity for your engine. For information on engine oil filler cap location, refer to the
“Engine Compartment” illustration in this section.

Engine Oil Viscosity – 5.7L Engine
SAE 5W-20 engine oil is recommended for all operating temperatures. This engine oil improves low temperature starting and vehicle fuel economy.
The engine oil filler cap also shows the recommended engine oil viscosity for your engine. For information on engine oil filler cap location, refer to “Engine Compartment” in “Main- taining Your Vehicle” for further information.

 

I find it amusing that some are still referring to the roller rocker followers as "lifters". In a lawsuit, that's asinine. One would think they would get their facts straight before filing.

It's also very interesting that some of the claims made there are also very similar in nature to what many are, or have, experienced with the valvetrain on the 3G Hemi V8 (lousy parts, most likely caused by Chrysler cutting corners to save a penny on each part).

The 3.6 actually has always had a much better overall service record in police service than the 5.7. That should tell us something.

 

After about 8 years and 160,000 miles my 2009 5.7 Hemi developed a ticking noise that was louder when the engine was cold. It quieted down once the engine warmed up. I always thought it was one of the exhaust headers not sealing properly. My last truck had the 3.6 with e-torque and I never had 1 problem with the truck. I had the tow package with the 3.55 rear end it it towed much better than I expected. I enjoyed that truck and I got rid of it way too soon. Until now I have never heard of the 3.6 having any serious issues or even a ticking noise.

 

Never ANY issues here.....

 

2012 Grand Cherokee. Blue Smoke. Got rid of it at end of lease (Known recall). 2017 Durango. Had lifters replaced at 4000 miles!!!!! 2020 Grand Cherokee, Wife's truck. Im starting to hear that tick on start up at 12k Miles. There is definatly something going on....

 

My 2016 Caravan with 48,000 miles got the ticking noise.

 

Same thing like the HEMI needing exhaust header bolts.......

 

I also have a 2020 Durango GT. Oil leak. Front engine cover gasket replaced. Still had some oil. Cleaned it up. Possibly oil cooler leak (another common issue it seems). Reminds me of the FORD 4.6 intake manifold coolant leak.

 

Our 2013 Pentastar seems to be doing fine... as was our 2014 ProMaster V6 when we sold it... oh, well. There's a lot of luck in all this.

 

its luck. Im using a 2020 GC limited with 37k miles rent a car now, poorly maintained oil changed needed. the thing is like driving a cloud. smooth as silk lol

 

The lawyers are the only people that actually benefit, i.e. make money, from the suit.. The actual consumer gets very little in compensation.

The suit will be settled out of court to avoid an extended litigation period (read this as it will cost more in lawyers than any settlement would cost and remove the uncertainty of a court trial) and with no fault admitted. The consumer will get an extended warranty and some out of pocket costs if the repair has already been done. And likely get nothing if not the first owner.

\rant off

 

Like the infamous 'Hemi tick' that is blown out of proportion on the internet. The exhaust valve stem diameter was increased slightly to ease cold noise. You don't want hot valves getting too tight either. That may lead to sticking, misfire and dropped guides.

Law firms love this stuff and advertise for people to join in class-actions.
You had better be able to produce documents that show oil changes at the recommended intervals and the use of API-certified motor oils that meet Chrysler MS-6395.

Granted there have been some instances of noise. A few exhaust manifold studs broke that would sound like a 'lifter'.
For the most part, the lifters themselves were not much of a problem.

 

I have 3 Wranglers 2015, 2015, 2016, and run full synthetic. Once in a blue moon I may hear a little ticking that doesn't usually last long. A friend of mine is a mechanic with his own shop and he said what he noticed was in the earlier 3.6 years there was more of a problem. If there was a class action for rads then I would join.

 

Could you expound on the rad issue? My lower casing cracked and said there were no known issues?

 

I have this issue in my charger and whenever a Pentastar powered Mopar drives past me I listen for the tick and I have heard many with it as well.

 

It feels like we live in an age of lost perspective. From what I had read the 2.7L V6 had design flaws that were widespread enough where the OEM needed to take responsibility (please correct me if I am mistaken here). On the other hand, if we all "demand" perfection for everything we not only have unreasonable expectations it starts becoming inhumane IMHO.

 

FAKE NEWS !!!!!

 

2012 Charger 3.6 105,200 miles, don,t want to get in a oil debate here but i use quaker state 5w-30 dino. No issues quiet as the day we bought it. Why this oil? Simple, its the cheapest oil in this area other than no name oils and meets Chrysler spec MS 6395. Again not trying to start an oil debate and having worked on motors as a career for 1/2 my life before i wised up i saw no failures that could be linked to a particular oil brand. In the late 1970,s if i recall correctly there was a problem with some of the 10-40 oils but i personally never saw it. I was in the industry before all the zinc was reduced- removed from oil and i understand that has caused issues in some engines. FWIW most of the engine failures we saw were from lack of oil, air filtration systems comprimised or altered, oil contamination (gas dilution) and engine overspeed.

 

I'm not so sure it isn't an issue. Doesn't take much looking at find new internet posts each week (with pictures) of ruined cams on both the the Hemi and Pentastar. Is it a massive issue? Probably not. But is it bad enough to generate lots of negative PR and have buyers quit Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep and Ram? Yes.

 

For fun, there is a YouTube channel called “I do cars”.
he breaks down junk engines for salvage parts, and clearly has a distaste for mopars (I let it slide), but he has shown several examples of scoring on mopar cams. (as Well as dropped valve seats. It could be that the engines are junk because they are overheated or starved of oil, and that’s the result, or perhaps the parts are cheap and deteriorating across the board. Hard to tell, as people don’t usually open up good motors.
I will say, of the few mopar engines he has done on the channel, they were all droppEd valve seats (I think). Where his preferred GM designs spin bearings, grenade pistons, bend rods, and ventilate blocks.

 

My experience:

My daughter's 2015 Charger SXT required follower replacement at 55,000. Purchased as certified used, it was covered by warranty with no questions asked. Believe me, it was more that a tick at warm up. Neither her or I have any idea what they replaced. She just took it to the dealer and picked it up when it was fixed. She has owned the car for 6 years. Only other repair has been a center bearing for the driveshaft, also covered by warranty.

My wife and I have a 2012 Grand Cherokee 3.6. Head was replaced at 83,000, now has 125,000 mi. Took it to the dealer at 8:00 am, they called at 10:00 am or so and said it needed a new head and I picked it up the next day around noon. No charge. The only other repairs required so far has been a collision sensor of some sort, a thermostat due to slow warm up and rear brake pads. I am satisfied with that.

 

My 2014 Charger has 192,000 miles and still runs like a top. No ticking, no smoking, no leaks. Ive been really happy with that 3.6 I have in it.

 

SO, YOU MAINTAIN the vehicle! We wee looking at data, when the 3.6 was introduced, that indicated it could live for 500,000 miles IF YOU CHANGED THE FRIGGIN O I L!

 

I think the engine is a good design and I've had great service from them. I also think that FCA cost cutting at times hurt the reliability somewhat.
On the Gladiator forums there were a surprising number of head and engine replacements in my opinion.

 

The Pentastar has three-peated the Ward's list of the top 10 engines in the world:

Chrysler Group's Pentastar V-6 "Three-peats" on Ward's 10 Best Engines List

/PRNewswire/ -- Lone engine among Ward's 10 Best to be tested in a truck "Combines luxury-car-like refinement with boatload of low-end torque," says Drew...

www.prnewswire.com

This award was given almost 10 years ago. Since then, we had the PSU/PUG upgrade in 2016 (I think we got everything except the direct-injection).
For the 2023 ProMaster, they call it a 'next-generation' Pentastar. Anyone know what is different about this next-generation?

PSU (formerly PUG) — the Pentastar V6 engine upgrade

PSU (formerly PUG) - the Pentastar V6 engine upgrade The Pentastar upgrade has finally arrived, though, for the moment, only for the Jeep Grand Cherokee. We had written, "We are expecting revised heads, direct injection, and better cam phasing, possibly affecting exhaust as well as intake, or...

www.allpar.com

From the 2023 Ram ProMaster article:

I have an AWD 200S with the Pentastar/9-speed combo and am very pleased with it.
I use the Pennzoil 5W-20 synthetic and Mopar oil filters.

https://oilsadvisor.com/chrysler-ms-6395-certified-motor-oils-list/

 

(Re ImperialCrown) Interesting.

Incidentally from the 2013 Dart owner's manual:

Engine Oil Viscosity (SAE Grade) – 1.4L Turbo Engine
SAE 5W-40 synthetic engine oil is recommended for all operating temperatures. This engine oil improves low temperature starting and vehicle fuel economy. ...

Engine Oil Viscosity (SAE Grade) – 2.0L And 2.4L Engine
SAE 0W-20 API Certified engine oil is recommended for all operating temperatures. This engine oil improves low temperature starting and vehicle fuel economy. ...
If 0W-20 engine oil is not available, SAE 5W-20 API Certified may be used as a temporary suitable alternative.

They should never provide alternatives without being clear how temporary it is - have they learned nothing from the Ultradrive failures?

The Pentastar has three-peated the Ward's list of the top 10 engines in the world:

Chrysler Group's Pentastar V-6 "Three-peats" on Ward's 10 Best Engines List

/PRNewswire/ -- Lone engine among Ward's 10 Best to be tested in a truck "Combines luxury-car-like refinement with boatload of low-end torque," says Drew...

www.prnewswire.com

For the 2023 ProMaster, they call it a 'next-generation' Pentastar. Anyone know what is different about this next-generation?

PSU (formerly PUG) — the Pentastar V6 engine upgrade

PSU (formerly PUG) - the Pentastar V6 engine upgrade The Pentastar upgrade has finally arrived, though, for the moment, only for the Jeep Grand Cherokee. We had written, "We are expecting revised heads, direct injection, and better cam phasing, possibly affecting exhaust as well as intake, or...

www.allpar.com

I am completely unaware of any changes to the Pentastar for 2023 but a large number of changes had been planned for a while. I'll see if I can figure it out. Output seems unchanged. Maybe that's just carryover language from old PUG.