Towing 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee

[El Blondie]

We recently upgraded our toad to a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I had the RV dealership rig up the new toad for towing, including adding supplemental brake system for air brakes. I was informed today that the toad is ready but that i had to take the toad to a Jeep dealership to have them add a “flat tow harness for the power steering”. I’ve tried finding information on this part, I assume it is a wiring harness. Does anyone have experience with this issue?

 

[Gizmo]

The Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Cherokee have what people call the death wobble while towing. The Jeep Cherokee has a towing harness that powers the electric steering that prevents wobble but there is no such harness for the Grand Cherokee. I have heard it was fixed but no knows for sure and I have not seen a report of 2021 getting the death wobble. I had a 2017 Grand Cherokee and have had it several times to the point that I won't tow it anymore.

 

[Gizmo]

Here is a lot of reading on the Grand Cherokee. You should at least know what it is when happens and what to do if it happens.

Jeep GRAND Cherokee death wobble! - iRV2 Forums

Well, it finally happened ... I experienced the dreaded "death wobble" towing our 2016 Grand Cherokee. Like the (only) other two incidents I've heard of involving GCs (as opposed to

www.irv2.com

 

[flyboy013]

My toad is a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. I’ve towed it about 30K miles in the past three years and have had no issues with the “death wobble”. I do not have a “flat tow harness for the power steering”. I’ve never heard of it before now. I’m planning on upgrading to the new Jeep GC when they come out. It was supposed to be 2021, but has been pushed to 2022 due to COVID.

 

[sheridany]

I was looking at the 2021 owners manual for the grand Cherokee this morning as I was considering one. I saw this in the owners manual. A flat tow electric power steering enable kit is available for increased flat tow performance, contact an authorized dealer for further details.

 

[Gizmo]

That could be because they didn't come out with electric steering till 2016 and that what causes the death wobble.

My toad is a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. I’ve towed it about 30K miles in the past three years and have had no issues with the “death wobble”. I don’t not have a “flat tow harness for the power steering”. I’ve never heard of it before now. I’m planning on upgrading to the new Jeep GC when they come out. It was supposed to be 2021, but has been pushed to 2022 due to COVID.

 

[Gizmo]

I was looking at the 2021 owners manual for the grand Cherokee this morning as I was considering one. I saw this in the owners manual. A flat tow electric power steering enable kit is available for increased flat tow performance, contact an authorized dealer for further details.

It sure does, that's new because I can't find it in the 2020 manual. I wonder if like the Cherokee harness that been around for a while. The Cherokee has a list of things you must do including installing a fuse under the hood which I don't see listed in the manual. If it operates the same as the Cherokee it powers the electric steering while being towed and needs a charge line from the coach to the toad to insure the that battery doesn't go dead. If it will fit my 2017 I would be interested if it doesn't cost as much as the one on the Cherokee.

 

[sheridany]

I have that wobble kit on my 2015 Jeep Cherokee. It does work but I had heard or read that the kit was no longer needed after I think 2018. Maybe that applied to Cherokees I don’t know.

 

[Rich-MLsRV]

I just checked the owner's manual for our 2020 Cherokee. I could not find mention of a "flat tow electric power steering enable kit".

 

[Joe Hogan]

From the online Jeep User Manual 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners manual.

Interesting wording on the dealer available Tow Kit for increased flat tow performance. Not mandatory or WARNING message but more a Jeep CYA warranty voiding Note.

 

[Rich-MLsRV]

@JoeHogan - I just re-looked at the 2020 Cherokee manual to see if the table you referenced has the power steering footnote. It does not. Certainly different vehicles so the hardware could be different.

 

[Gizmo]

@JoeHogan - I just re-looked at the 2020 Cherokee manual to see if the table you referenced has the power steering footnote. It does not. Certainly different vehicles so the hardware could be different.

I hope it will fix my 2017 but you are right could be just for the 2021 model year. I have the wobble three times and twice in the same day in 8,000 miles of towing. The last wobble was so bad that the guy behind stopped and said the wheels were almost come off the ground moving from side to side. Brought to the Jeep dealer and they contact Jeep and were told to put in my records to only tow the Jeep on a trailer with all four tires off the ground as a fix. I haven't towed since for liability reasons.

 

[Rich-MLsRV]

I hope it will fix my 2017 but you are right could be just for the 2021 model year. I have the wobble three times and twice in the same day in 8,000 miles of towing. The last wobble was so bad that the guy behind stopped and said the wheels were almost come off the ground moving from side to side. Brought to the Jeep dealer and they contact Jeep and were told to put in my records to only tow the Jeep on a trailer with all four tires off the good as a fix. I haven't towed since for liability reasons.

WOW - only tow on a trailer. Requiring a trailer would be showstopper for me.

 

["EZ"]

We have a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. It tows like a dream. Even missing a tire it never even wobbled. We didn't have to put an extra wiring harness in ours that I know of. I had everything swapped over from my Ram 1500 to the new Trailhawk when we bought it, by Trucks and Trailers USA in Chattanooga.

 

[RBG 2014 Discovery]

From the online Jeep User Manual 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners manual.

Interesting wording on the dealer available Tow Kit for increased flat tow performance. Not mandatory or WARNING message but more a Jeep CYA warranty voiding Note.

View attachment 4913

Talked to the mothership

From the online Jeep User Manual 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners manual.

Interesting wording on the dealer available Tow Kit for increased flat tow performance. Not mandatory or WARNING message but more a Jeep CYA warranty voiding Note.

View attachment 4913

I talked the Customer Care at Fiat Chrysler the other day and was told that the note about a power steering enable kit does not exist in the 2022 manual. I asked if that meant the problem was fixed and they did not know. I would have to contact Jeep engineering. Not sure how one does that.

 

[Gizmo]

Talked to the mothership
I talked the Customer Care at Fiat Chrysler the other day and was told that the note about a power steering enable kit does not exist in the 2022 manual. I asked if that meant the problem was fixed and they did not know. I would have to contact Jeep engineering. Not sure how one does that.

I don't know this as a fact but I was told the harness is not required on 2022 GC just like it not need on the Grand Cherokee "L". The Two and Three row GC are based off the same design.