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Although Many Do Not Notice, The Problem With The Automatic Transmissions Of Jeep And Fiat Is More Common Than One Might Imagine. Discover The Details Of This Critical Failure That Can Affect Your Next Visit To The Workshop.
Jeep And Fiat Models With The T270 Engine Have Been Experiencing Recurring Failures Related To The Transmission Oil Cooler, Raising Concerns In Workshops And Among Drivers.
According To The Website O Mecânico, Vehicles Such As The Jeep Renegade, Compass, And The Fiat Toro Pickup, All Equipped With The Turbo Flex T270 Engine, Have Caused Concern Due To A Recurring Problem Involving The Automatic Transmission Oil Cooler.
According To Reports From Mechanics And Industry Professionals, The Failure Consists Of A Mix Between The Coolant And The Transmission Oil, Which Can Cause Serious Damage To The Transmission And, Consequently, High Repair Costs.
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Although The Component Is Essential For Cooling The Transmission System, It Has Become A Frequent “Villain” In Mechanics Across Brazil.
The Main Complaint Is Cross Contamination Between The Two Fluids, Something That Directly Compromises The Vehicle’s Performance And, If Not Addressed In Time, Can Lead To A Complete Transmission Replacement.
SUVs And Popular Pickups With Controversial Mechanical History
The Popularization Of SUVs In Brazil Has Made Models Such As The Jeep Renegade And Compass Constant Presences On The Streets And Also In Workshops.
Launched In 2015, The Renegade Surpassed 500,000 Units Sold And, Over The Years, Has Gone Through Several Updates, Including Mechanical Ones.
Currently, It Uses The 1.3 T270 Turbo Flex Engine, With 176 Hp And 27.5 Kgfm Of Torque.
The Compass, In Turn, Arrived In The Brazilian Market In 2016 And Has Also Been Equipped With The T270 Engine In More Recent Versions.
Among Its Previous Engines, The 2.0 Tigershark Flex And The 2.0 Multijet Turbodiesel Stand Out.
According To Data From Stellantis, The Compass Accumulated 481,767 Units Sold Until February 2025.
Another Highlight Is The Fiat Toro, Which Also Shares The T270 Engine With Jeep’s SUVs.
The Pickup Surpassed The Mark Of 500,000 Units In The Country And Has Received Several Updates Over Time, Including A New 2.2 Multijet Turbodiesel Engine Derived From The Ram Rampage.
Why Is The Heat Exchanger So Problematic?
The Heat Exchanger Acts In Cooling The Automatic Transmission Oil, Maintaining Its Temperature Stable And Within The Ideal Operating Range — Generally Between 86°C And 96°C, With A Limit Of Up To 107°C.
The System Works Through Thermal Exchange Between The Engine Coolant And The Transmission Oil.
However, When The System Experiences Failures, The Mixing Of These Two Liquids Occurs, Compromising Both The Performance Of The Transmission And The Engine.
According To Reports From Industry Professionals, The Situation Can Become Serious Especially When Coolant Floods The Transmission, Requiring Complex And Expensive Repairs.
Field Diagnoses Indicate Recurring Causes
The Revista O Mecânico Spoke With Four Professionals Who Identified, On Several Occasions, That The Problem Originated In The Heat Exchanger.
One Of The Interviewees, Mechanic Carlos Eduardo Vieira — Known As “China” — Highlights That The Failure Often Is Not In The Component Itself, But In The Quality Of The Fluids Used.
“The Big Villain Is The Quality Of The Composition Of The Coolant Fluid. When The Customer Does Not Use The Correct Mixture Of Additive And Demineralized Water, The System Starts To Fail,” Explains China.
The Replacement Of The Heat Exchanger As A Preventive Measure Has Also Become A Trend.
According To Ícaro Simões, Owner Of Casalub Com. Lubricants, Many Customers Have Been Seeking Workshops To Replace The Component Even Without Showing Failures, Fearing That The Problem Will Arise In The Future.
“We Received A 2024 Fiat Toro And Replaced The Original System With A Heat Exchanger With More Passages, 6 Or 8, Which Tends To Offer Greater Safety And Durability,” Reports Ícaro.
The Demand For This Type Of Service Occurs Even In Vehicles With Low Mileage, Such As 30,000 Km, Demonstrating The Insecurity Of Owners.
A Problem That Requires Technical Attention And Preventive Care
Mechanics Warn That Replacing The Heat Exchanger Is Not The Only Effective Preventive Measure.
Keeping Up With Maintenance, Using Quality Fluids, And Strictly Following The Manufacturer’s Recommendations Are Essential Actions To Preserve The Integrity Of The System.
Another Important Recommendation Is To Periodically Check The Condition Of The Coolant And Transmission Oil, Observing Any Signs Of Contamination.
Leaks, Changes In The Color Of The Fluids, Or Malfunction Of The Transmission Are Indications That Something May Be Wrong.
How To Avoid Greater Losses?
Experts Point Out That The Ideal Is To Act Before The Problem Causes Damage To The Transmission.
This Includes Performing Preventive Maintenance Using Appropriate Fluids And Avoiding Generic Additives Or Tap Water In The Radiator.
In Addition, Early Diagnosis By A Qualified Professional Can Prevent The Vehicle Owner From Having To Bear Repairs That Can Exceed R$ 15,000, Depending On The Model.
For Vehicles With The T270 Turbo Flex Engine — Such As The Mentioned Jeep And Fiat Models — Attention To The Cooling System And Heat Exchanger Must Be Redoubled, Especially In Models With More Than 60,000 Km Driven.
Manufacturer Does Not Officially Comment On The Issue
So Far, Stellantis, The Group Responsible For Jeep And Fiat Brands, Has Not Released Any Official Position Regarding Issues Related To The Heat Exchangers In Its Vehicles.
Although There Is No Recall Announced, The Recurrence Of Cases In Workshops Has Raised Questions About The Durability Of The Project And The Communication With Consumers.
Meanwhile, Owners Continue To Seek Alternatives To Increase The Reliability Of The System And Avoid Headaches With Unexpected Failures.
Have You Ever Had A Problem With The Automatic Transmission Of Your SUV Or Pickup? Do You Think There Should Be An Official Recall For These Models? Share Your Experience In The Comments!
O carro é sensacional, mais tem esse defeito crônico, tirei uma compass zera e tive meu cambio moído, onde foi feita na ocasião a troca total da transmissão, o maior erro da Stellantis são os engenheiros não reconhecer o erro do trocador de calor.
Sim. A montadora das marcas citadas tem q agilizar um recall para resolver a questão!
Pelo amor de Deus quem fez essa matéria absurda, as falhas com trocador de calor foram até o ano 2020 com motores aspirados 1.8 e 2.0 flex os turbos nao tem essa falha vao se informar ****!