I have a 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. I am having an issue and Jeep is leaving me hanging. The local Service Manager refuses to call me back after more than a week.

Here's the background. When I bought the Jeep I spent about $1500 for an "LED lighting upgrade". At about 39,000 miles (3,000 past the warranty) I have a simple tail light out.... The part (no labor, just the part)... is $900 !!!!! There is visible water inside the light assembly. No damage, just a bad seal. The Service Manager has zero intention of even talking with me about it. Their position... out of warranty... $900... not their problem,...

Let's do some math. $1,500 for the upgrade. about $900 every 40K miles (x2 since $900 is for one side and they are all going to fail). Reasonable life expectancy about 200K miles so you will replace both sides about 5 times. This Jeep apparently has $10,000 tail lights. Awesome... I am a lifetime Jeep owner and have owned numerous. This may be my last Jeep. Super unhappy. Neither the local Service Manager or Jeep Customer Service wants to talk with me about it.... I assume that means they are well aware this is a known defect.

Jeep, If you are going to charge $900 for a tail light then it better outlive the frame.

No problems here with my 2020 led tail lights. Maybe @JeepCares can help

 

@JeepCares almost hung up on me with my same problem. It's more like @jeepgiveszerofucks

 

Your Jeep had a 36,000 mile warranty, right? The light failed at 39,000 miles, right? According to my math this isn't a warranty or dealer issue. How are they to know that at some point during the Jeep's life you didn't damage the seal somehow?

 

The tone of your replies on this thread tells me you're sympathetic to the dealer's BS tactics vs customer support. That's odd to me as a user - where's your allegiance? You might not wish to be that way seeing that you own a JLUR, and I'm guessing you also have the LED package? If you don't, lucky you.

I've owned 7 Mazdas, a Toyota, and a Lexus, and I know a thing or two about "Good Will Warranty" coverage, where a dealer will extend this courtesy to a customer when an expensive problem, or one that's well known, happens to a customer's vehicle. Mazda just replaced the touch screen on my wife's CX-5 GTR, 5K miles past the bumper-to-bumper warranty, because the screen was disintegrating, and it was a known problem. (Plus, we've been good repeat customers.) This leaking Mopar OE LED taillight assembly is a current known problem, specifically the right rear unit, where moisture is leaking at a failure in the heat weld of the plastic castings. I venture a guess that Chrysler Jeep is well aware of this problem, and it gets talked about behind closed doors, to pretend the problem doesn't exist, leaving the customer in a bind. This attached photo is a CLEAR indication of this happening at a corporate level. Imagine your vehicle having parts that go out of production.... while new Wranglers are coming off the assembly line with this exact same LED package, for a mere $1,800. This is so sketchy to me.

 

Verify your connection did not get corroded.
Very easy swap out if need be.

Scroll to the bottom for the video.

Mopar LED Tail Light with Lane Change Avoidance for 18-25 Jeep Wrangler JL

Keep your Jeep Wrangler JL safer with the Mopar LED Driver Side Tail Light including Lane Change Avoidance. This safety feature is a sensor located inside the tail light making it discrete and practical.

www.quadratec.com

 

Welcome to the forum. Note sure one part failure equates to a reoccurring problem. Well known defect?

 

Welcome to the forum. Note sure one part failure equates to a reoccurring problem. Well known defect?

This is becoming a known problem, that something about the heat welds for the red plastics on the RIGHT side lamp fails, allowing moisture to enter at a rate faster than the little brown "breathers" on the backside of the unit will evacuate. Jeep is acting like they know nothing about this. And this is model year after model year.... same problem. Wherever that factory is that makes these lamps, there's probably one dude on a machine asleep at the wheel all day. But he's on the machine that makes the passenger side rear taillamps.... go figure.

 

Don’t be so quick to jump from Jeep. I had a 2021 Ford Ranger those tail lights are even more expensive. It’s the sensors inside the tail lights that are common on new vehicles that bring the high price tag.

If it’s just a seal issue and out of warranty I know I would be dealing with it myself. $10 RTV or silicon and done. No dealer drama or wasted time talking to them for me.

 

Don’t be so quick to jump from Jeep. I had a 2021 Ford Ranger those tail lights are even more expensive. It’s the sensors inside the taillights that are common on new vehicles that bring the high price tag.

If it’s just a seal issue and out of warranty I know I would be dealing with it myself. $10 RTV or silicon and done. No dealer drama or wasted time talking to them for me.

These units aren't typical - there's no foam surround seal like a typical vehicle. The unit is designed to be heat welded and glued shut and unserviceable, with the LED board and supporting circuitry inside the housing, which cannot be opened to repair anything. Water gets into a failed heat weld, can't get out and causes corrosion of the circuitry, burning out the LEDs. It's a terrible design. I took my son's right rear lamp off his Jeep, pulled off the vent covers, put my wife's hair dryer to the exterior to heat things up, ran the shop vac on the vent ports, and did this over and over for more than an hour. I successfully dried it out, and dribbled super glue into the top seam of the red plastic, hoping it would seep into what I could see was a visible crack. It worked for a couple months, then the water got back in and then the running lamp failed. The turn signal and brake light still works, but currently we can't pass inspection. PITA!!

 

I've seen OE JL LED tail lights listed for $450.

Sounds like you need a new dealer.

Good luck.

 

Sounds like you need a new dealer.

Why? Because they won't cover it after the warranty has run out?

 

Quadratec has them for $377 each; free shipping.

Mopar LED Tail Light for 18-20 Jeep Wrangler JL for Passenger Side on 18-25 Jeep Wrangler JL

Upgrade your Jeep Wrangler JL with this LED Taillight by Mopar. Not only is LED a brighter light, it offers superior strength with no filament to dislodge while hitting those trails.

www.quadratec.com

 

1. Search internet for part
2. Buy part
3. 10 minutes to install part

 

Ahh you're "that" guy, like so many on internet forums all over the world, who doesn't know what TF he's talking about but likes to oversimplify a problem in attempt to make someone else look like a moron. Don't be that guy.

 

PS - according to Quadratec, their $377 Mopar tail light includes the blind spot monitor.

Per their listing:

Keep your Jeep Wrangler JL safer with the Mopar LED Driver Side Tail Light including Lane Change Avoidance. This safety feature is a sensor located inside the tail light making it discrete and practical. A premium feature with bright LED technology illuminating the rear of your Jeep during the night. Mopar offers this as a simple plug and play installation getting you back on the road quickly.​

 

Not really sure where you’re seeing that. Screen shot from the $377 passenger side link you provided…

States plug and play install without BSM

 

As to the op comes here first post bashing the brand and part over a failure. Stuff happens I get it. Also the fix isn’t cheap I get it as well. Amazing how he’s assuming he’s gonna be replacing lights every 40k because one light fails. Also butt hurt because the dealer won’t replace something for free well outside the warranty parameters.

 

I've been on many auto forums over the years. This Wrangler forum is something else tho. For a "community" of owners who give the little "Jeep Wave" to each other and put ducks on each other's vehicles, you sure do eat your own on posts like this.

Granted the OP pulled a "PTG" (Posted then Ghosted), but his problem is real, frustrating, expensive and seemingly has no known solution. I'm here for the same reason, and my son's JL is 3 model years older. Moisture in the passenger side taillamp which failed the running light inside the lamp. Jeep is acting sketchy AF about this, the part appears to be out of production and the more I look, the more I find this is a widespread problem.

 

It’s a tough situation. We don’t have all the details and weren't there when it happened. My guess is this was a mixture of high customer expectations combined with poor dealer customer service.

It’s hard to fault anyone for having high expectations given the price of these Jeeps.

This is my personal take on Jeep ownership: these vehicles are at the very limit of what I feel comfortably paying to own and maintain. If I had to start replacing expensive parts unexpectedly, it wouldn’t take much to shove me over the edge.

It wasn’t always like this, though. When I first got into Jeeps, 25+ years ago, Wranglers were for blue collar people and college kids. Today, Wranglers are the realm of realtors, dentists and contractors. When I see the prices Jeep throws around these days with a straight face, my eyes pop out of their sockets.

I’ve been fortunate to get a very nice, trouble-free JL. But unless something dramatic happens, I don’t see another Wrangler in my future. Especially not at these prices and the prevailing attitude at Jeep dealers.

 

Xs 2.This is where Im at also.

 

Going back to the OP, shortly after getting my Jeep back in late September of last year, during a very rainy period, when I went to replace my stock taillight bulbs for LED bulbs, I also noticed water inside the taillight housing, particularly on the passenger side.

This has been bothering me ever since, but since we are just now getting into the spring thaw, and everything has been consistently frozen outside until last fall (including on my Jeep, which is parked outside), I haven't yet looked again inside the taillight housing for water. But assuming that I do find water inside it again, what is the solution? The taillight assembly itself did not seem to have any sort of obvious water seal or weather seal when I took it off last fall, which made me wonder if I am going to have to install some sort of weatherstripping on it myself. Or should I (dare I) take it to a dealer to have them do whatever they might do?

Do the taillight assemblies normally have a seal on them against water? Because mine sure did not seem to, nor apparently does the OP's.

 

The parts are usually glued/heat sealed together with the only gasket being that which seals the bulb socket to the plug.

 

I have a 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. I am having an issue and Jeep is leaving me hanging. The local Service Manager refuses to call me back after more than a week.

Here's the background. When I bought the Jeep I spent about $1500 for an "LED lighting upgrade". At about 39,000 miles (3,000 past the warranty) I have a simple tail light out.... The part (no labor, just the part)... is $900 !!!!! There is visible water inside the light assembly. No damage, just a bad seal. The Service Manager has zero intention of even talking with me about it. Their position... out of warranty... $900... not their problem,...

Let's do some math. $1,500 for the upgrade. about $900 every 40K miles (x2 since $900 is for one side and they are all going to fail). Reasonable life expectancy about 200K miles so you will replace both sides about 5 times. This Jeep apparently has $10,000 tail lights. Awesome... I am a lifetime Jeep owner and have owned numerous. This may be my last Jeep. Super unhappy. Neither the local Service Manager or Jeep Customer Service wants to talk with me about it.... I assume that means they are well aware this is a known defect.

Jeep, If you are going to charge $900 for a tail light then it better outlive the frame.

Wow, that's a sorry situation.

Jeep is owned by Stellantis. Stellantis is a conglomerate of several European automotive companies with a long history of poor quality and dreadful customer service. Take questionable quality, poor warranty support and customer service, then throw in ludicrous new vehicle pricing on Jeep products and the inevitable death spiral has begun.

Between late 2000 and 2021 our rafting & Jeep tour company purchased five Gladiators and a Ram dually from the local dealer, a total of about $300,000. We've patronized them for decades, and I personally have purchased three new Jeeps from them. We recently had a rear brake failure on one of the Gladiators based over in Moab, caused by binding caliper sliders that hadn't been lubricated at assembly. The dealer told my boss no warranty, period, "Get lost!" Then they couldn't provide parts. We do understand supply chain issues these days, but they had no sense of urgency, it was simply "get in line." We had to get calipers, pads and rotors from NAPA to get the Gladiator back in service. At this point we're done with Jeep, and probably Ram as well. New tour vehicles will probably be converted Toyotas. My next vehicle will not be a Jeep, that's certain.

 

That right there is a dealer issue. Not Jeep. Hope your local Toyota dealer is better or you will be in the same boat.


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Had this problem happen with my 19 Sahara....had water in the passenger LED talight 80K miles due to poor seal. The dealer wanted $809.99 for a factory LED replacement. Their new taillight assembly comes with a new blind spot sensor....sales told me they don't sell the assembly without the sensor, so I couldn't just re-use mine. So I just went online and ordered a pair of flush mount Oracle LEDs from Quadratec for $350 shipped. Super easy to re-insert the BSM sensors, and install and no codes or messages.

I believe the JL's that have the BSM package also have LED taillights with those sensors installed. If so, then if you're going aftermarket, make sure to get the ones for BSM system. They also sell the LED's for non-BSM JL's. And you won't be able to fit your sensors in them. I also know Quake and Oracle make ones to accomodate them.

 

Sorry, but that’s a distinction without a difference.

If most Jeep dealers are crap, then the ownership experience is very likely going to be crap.

I have owned Chryslers, Dodges and Jeeps for 30+ years: I’ve never seen such appalling dealer service as there is today. The indifference, arrogance and incompetence of Jeep dealers is beyond words.

It pains me to say this, but these are very likely the last vehicles I purchase from Chrysler/FCA/Stellantis. Don’t get me wrong, I love both my current vehicles, but Jeep pricing is totally out of whack with the product quality and the dealer service you get.

 

Right there with you.

 

I like how these OP gripe then never return.

 

I have a 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. I am having an issue and Jeep is leaving me hanging. The local Service Manager refuses to call me back after more than a week.

Here's the background. When I bought the Jeep I spent about $1500 for an "LED lighting upgrade". At about 39,000 miles (3,000 past the warranty) I have a simple tail light out.... The part (no labor, just the part)... is $900 !!!!! There is visible water inside the light assembly. No damage, just a bad seal. The Service Manager has zero intention of even talking with me about it. Their position... out of warranty... $900... not their problem,...

Let's do some math. $1,500 for the upgrade. about $900 every 40K miles (x2 since $900 is for one side and they are all going to fail). Reasonable life expectancy about 200K miles so you will replace both sides about 5 times. This Jeep apparently has $10,000 tail lights. Awesome... I am a lifetime Jeep owner and have owned numerous. This may be my last Jeep. Super unhappy. Neither the local Service Manager or Jeep Customer Service wants to talk with me about it.... I assume that means they are well aware this is a known defect.

Jeep, If you are going to charge $900 for a tail light then it better outlive the frame.

Dude, you should post an update for everybody. Maybe even tell a few of your more b*chy responders to f** off.

 

I have a 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. I am having an issue and Jeep is leaving me hanging. The local Service Manager refuses to call me back after more than a week.

Here's the background. When I bought the Jeep I spent about $1500 for an "LED lighting upgrade". At about 39,000 miles (3,000 past the warranty) I have a simple tail light out.... The part (no labor, just the part)... is $900 !!!!! There is visible water inside the light assembly. No damage, just a bad seal. The Service Manager has zero intention of even talking with me about it. Their position... out of warranty... $900... not their problem,...

Let's do some math. $1,500 for the upgrade. about $900 every 40K miles (x2 since $900 is for one side and they are all going to fail). Reasonable life expectancy about 200K miles so you will replace both sides about 5 times. This Jeep apparently has $10,000 tail lights. Awesome... I am a lifetime Jeep owner and have owned numerous. This may be my last Jeep. Super unhappy. Neither the local Service Manager or Jeep Customer Service wants to talk with me about it.... I assume that means they are well aware this is a known defect.

Jeep, If you are going to charge $900 for a tail light then it better outlive the frame.

It’s pretty simple you got a bad light and you are out of warranty. The service manager is telling you what he is told. You are out of warranty and they will not cover it. By the tone of this post I’m not surprised he won’t call you back.


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I have a 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. I am having an issue and Jeep is leaving me hanging. The local Service Manager refuses to call me back after more than a week. Here's the background. When I bought the Jeep I spent about $1500 for an "LED lighting upgrade". At about 39,000 miles (3,000 past the warranty) I have a simple tail light out.... The part (no labor, just the part)... is $900 !!!!! There is visible water inside the light assembly. No damage, just a bad seal. The Service Manager has zero intention of even talking with me about it. Their position... out of warranty... $900... not their problem,... Let's do some math. $1,500 for the upgrade. about $900 every 40K miles (x2 since $900 is for one side and they are all going to fail). Reasonable life expectancy about 200K miles so you will replace both sides about 5 times. This Jeep apparently has $10,000 tail lights. Awesome... I am a lifetime Jeep owner and have owned numerous. This may be my last Jeep. Super unhappy. Neither the local Service Manager or Jeep Customer Service wants to talk with me about it.... I assume that means they are well aware this is a known defect. Jeep, If you are going to charge $900 for a tail light then it better outlive the frame.

I have a 2022 Sahara showing 11,000 miles. LED tail light went out. I have the optional service plan. The local Jeep dealer says bulbs are not covered under the warranty!

 

Go back and tell the dealer that the LED tail lights do not have a bulb. They are a complete light assembly.

 

I have a 2022 Sahara showing 11,000 miles. LED tail light went out. I have the optional service plan. The local Jeep dealer says bulbs are not covered under the warranty!

Welcome to the Forum!
Yep, bulbs are maintenance items........

 

Hmm maybe he doesn’t have LED taillights if the dealer is telling him bulbs aren’t covered.

If they are indeed LEDs he should click on the thread link below. It explains in further detail why LEDs should not be excluded from warranty coverage.

Rear LED fail and dealer says not covered?

 

If they are indeed LEDs he should click on the thread link below. It explains in further detail why LEDs should not be excluded from warranty coverage.

Rear LED fail and dealer says not covered?

I agree if they are LED it should be covered, but if a dealer tech says its a bulb on would hope he knows.


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