Slide into traffic, tap the gas, and it’s locked in 3rd. No upshift, no warning; just limp mode. The 62TE was never built clean. Chrysler grafted a two-speed compounder onto the old 41TE, stuffed it under minivan hoods, and called it progress. It’s a compact six-speed with too much going on in too little space. … Read more
Hear a dry knock at idle. Pop the hood, and it ticks like it’s missing a valve cover. That’s the 5.4 Triton, Ford’s long-stroke Modular V8 built for low-end torque, fleet durability, and endless online complaint threads. From plug launches to timing collapse, it earned its scars across pickups, vans, and SUVs for over a … Read more
Tick. Misfire. Stall. The 3.6 Pentastar sends drivers chasing ghosts, until one of them wrecks the camshaft. First launched in the 2011 Grand Cherokee, this V6 was meant to do it all: tow in a Ram, cruise in a Charger, idle through daycare runs in a Pacifica. And for millions, it did. But deep in … Read more
Pop the hood, hear a snap, and spot a spark plug sitting loose on the valve cover. That’s the Ford 4.6 Modular V8 in a nutshell, respected for long-haul reliability, yet infamous for plastic manifolds that crack, threads that lose grip, and timing chains that slap cold. Built to replace the old-school Windsor V8, this … Read more
Snap loose at 75 mph. That gloss-black panel by the windshield doesn’t flutter; it launches. Hits the A-pillar, whips off, and becomes a projectile for the poor driver behind. Ford called it cosmetic. The NHTSA called it a safety hazard. This guide breaks down the real stakes of Safety Recall 24S02 / NHTSA 24V031000. It … Read more
Cold morning. Hit the starter. The 2.0 EcoBoost rattles hard, spits white smoke, then settles into a shiver. That’s coolant in the chamber. Ford’s turbo four was pitched as a V6 replacement. But the second-generation 2.0L, built from 2015 to 2019 with a slotted block deck, carries a design flaw cast into the metal. Under … Read more
Fire it up, hear the clatter; then the dash lights scream. DEF warning, low oil pressure, turbo codes. That’s the 6.7 Cummins story for thousands of Ram owners running anything from bone-stock 2012s to tuned 2024s. Behind the torque and tow ratings sits a powerplant loaded with high-pressure fuel, brittle emissions gear, fragile lifters, and … Read more
Punch the gas, the Compass hesitates, then flashes Service Transmission as traffic bears down. That message ties to a mess of real failures. From 2017 to 2025, Jeep Compass models racked up recalls over bad halfshafts, glitchy 9-speed harnesses, and limp-mode software bugs that removed power at speed. Some faults triggered NHTSA investigations. Others got … Read more
Start cranking and it barely fires. Cold, rough, and louder than it used to be. By 180,000 miles, the Ford 6.2L Boss doesn’t hide wear anymore. Valve springs sag, intake flaps tick, oil stains the driveway, and in newer models, a failed fuel pump can cut power mid-drive. Most failures creep in slowly, unless you’re … Read more
Drop the throttle, and it barely moves. MIL blinks. Power fades. Highway turns hostile. That failure comes from Hyundai’s Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS), a software update meant to intercept engine damage before it turns explosive. Once installed on millions of Theta II, Nu, and Gamma engines, KSDS listens for rod-bearing knock and slams the … Read more