2012 Jeep JK Wrangler Check Engine Light on RubiCAT - P0306

CarsonCindy

Administrator
Staff member
While on our Chasing the Sun Part 2 adventure, we had the check engine light come on our 2012 Jeep JK Rubicon, RubiCAT, which just had a little over 11,000 miles on the odometer. :naw:

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After doing some looking around, we found that this is actually a pretty common problem on early 2012's and that in a lot of cases, required the head to be replaced. So, at our next gas stop, we checked to see what code would come up and, as luck would have it, we got a P0306 - a cylinder 6 misfire.

Here is how to check the DTC codes:
Jeep JK Wrangler Diagnostic Trouble Codes - DTC How to Check Them


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After our drive out to the desert and back, the light did eventually go out but, we will still be taking it into the dealer to have it looked at. Being that so many other people with early 2012's have had similar problems and that it could be something major, we figure, better safe than sorry. Not holding our breath but, if it is something major, hopefully it'll be something they cover under warranty. Wish us luck.
 

Sharkey

Word Ninja
Bummer...just remember the "anonymous" survey after the visit to dealer isn't so anonymous. It would really suck to have to deal with the whole red flag fiasco again.
 

DA RUNT

New member
Do you get a nice ticking noise from the motor? Our 12 had it and kept getting louder, we took it into the dealer and they replaced the valve train without even blinking. Makes me wonder if that's something they're dealing with often. Perhaps your check engine light is somehow tied into the tick :idontknow: Best of luck, warranty should cover it :thumb:
 

ncbmx64

New member
I am one of the lucky ones:banghead: that is waiting for head replacement. I have a driver side engine tick the first time in they replaced lifters and phaser on left side head. Second time they said the tick was normal. Third time in they said they would replace the head. I am currently waiting for a head and head gasket to show up for them to do the replacement. I have been waiting since 5/15/12 and they still have no ETA on when parts will show up all they can tell me is that the parts have been ordered and they will call me when they come in. They did allow me to pick my jeep up and said it was ok to drive while we wait for the parts. Although I did not ever get a check engine light error I just heard the tick and took it in to the dealer. From what they have told me normally STAR will not allow them to replace/order a head until check engine light errors accur but after multiple talks and emails with STAR the dealer was able to convince them to let them replace the head due to a out of spec lifter bore measurement. If anyone has any questions about what I have gone through and have been told from the dealer send me a msg and I will be glad to help. Thanks to some helpful people on JK-Forum I was able to provide my dealer with some info and was given great advive on how to handle the situaton to get the problem resolved
 

SoCalDozer

New member
I got the tick as well. they told me they wouldnt do anything until a code popped and that it was normal. You can tell that it's ticking quite bad on one side. sounds like a tractor in a drive thru.
 

DA RUNT

New member
Been about 1500 miles since they fixed it and all seems well. There's still a tiny tap at cold start up, but it goes right away.
 

ichthus

New member
SoCalDozer said:
I got the tick as well. they told me they wouldnt do anything until a code popped and that it was normal. You can tell that it's ticking quite bad on one side. sounds like a tractor in a drive thru.

Should you not take pride in a Dozer Jeep that sounds like a tractor?
 

GCM 2

New member
I saw on your Facebook site that RubiCat is at the dealer for the diagnosis. I sure hope it turns out to be nothing major :(
 

MTG

Caught the Bug
Saw that the parts are on backorder. I am curious if they told you it was okay to drive (or if you know that it is) and what are the long term ramifications of driving it without a fix.
 

Nicholas

New member
SoCalDozer said:
I got the tick as well. they told me they wouldnt do anything until a code popped and that it was normal. You can tell that it's ticking quite bad on one side. sounds like a tractor in a drive thru.

What dealership did u go to in sd?
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
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i apologize for not posting up on this thread sooner.

as some of you have seen, we took rubicat down to bob baker down in carlsbad a couple of days ago to see if they would be willing to help us. as soon as i got out of the jeep, randy, a service tech that's helped me out in the past asked how i was doing and what seemed to be the problem. as luck would have it, all i needed to say was that we had a check engine light come on and that the code we got was a p0306. as soon as i said that, he rolled his eyes and started on a rant about all the trouble they've been having with the 3.6L engines and how he's already got 8 JK's waiting for a new head. needless to say, getting this problem fixed under warranty didn't seem like it was going to be a problem but, getting it fixed in a timely manner was. from what i was told, the only way i could get the ball rolling was to leave our jeep, allow them to tear things apart, verify the problem, send photos to chrysler to prove it and then, have a replacement head ordered up. unfortunately, the current wait on new heads is about 2 months right now and that's about how long we would be out of a jeep.

so, after all was said and done, we took rubicat back home and, unless things start to get worse, we'll just wait it out and try taking her back after we get back home from tahoe. maybe by then they will have caught up a bit and the wait won't be as long.

anyway, that's where we're at right now. :sigh:
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
That does suck. Hopefully Rubicat holds up just fine for you for the next month or so.

well, what really sucks is that we wanted to take her up to tahoe but now, we're second guessing that idea. it should be fine but, knowing that you have a problem like a bad head is hard to get out of your head if you know what i mean.
 

Sharkey

Word Ninja
I totally understand and, quite frankly, you don't want to have to have Rubicat worked on down here in Reno if something happens up in Tahoe.
 

Chairokey

New member
Boy that's just what I need.. Now I wonder if the waiting list depends on your location or if it's the same everywhere..
 
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