Jeep sold hundreds of thousands of JK Wranglers from 2007 to 2018. The quintessential American off-roader is mostly considered fit for purpose, though the years have revealed more than a few foibles. A chief concern is a cheap part that fails and effectively makes the four-wheel-drive system inoperable.
Picture the scene: You’re crawling along a rocky trail, when suddenly things start getting a bit more intense. You want to shift into 4-Low. You grab the transfer case shifter, but instead of a crisp engagement, you’re met with slop. Is it in low range? Is it still in four-wheel-drive? Oh noāit’s stuck in neutral, and you’re not going anywhere.Ā
It all comes down to a cheap $3 part that you’d never expect to fail so easily. And yet, so many Wrangler owners have suffered this fate that it’s a routine gripe on any forum you care to browse. Let’s examine the disappointing tale of the JK’s bad bushing.
The culprit is specifically known as the transfer case linkage bushing. It’s a small plastic part that serves to connect the shift linkage on the transfer case to the cables coming from the shifter in the cabin. If it fails, the shift cable end tends to slide off the shift linkage. The result is a transfer case shifter that you can wobble all around to no effect, while your transfer case remains stuck in whatever position you left it in.
Failures are common amongst JK Wrangler owners. Whether you head to Reddit or the forums, you’ll find endless tales of owners complaining of this issue. Typically, all it takes is a regular shift for the bushing to pop loose, and you’re out of luck. In the most frustrating cases, it happens while the shift linkage is in an indeterminate position between gears, or when shifting into neutralāwhich can leave you stranded with no drive whatsoever.
There are a lot of repair tutorials on how to tackle this issue.
Most commonly, the bushing that fails is the one that connects the shift cable to the shifter linkage on the transfer case itself. Changing it is relatively simpleāthe new bushing can be popped into the cable end by hand, and then the combination is popped onto the shift linkage on the transfer case. It just requires getting under the vehicle to make the install.
“It’s a very simple fix, although it’s quite a prick to get to under the car,” says Ben Cad, a YouTuber who tangled with this very issue on his own JK Wrangler. The part is cheapāusually only a few dollarsāand pops into place quite easily.
The bigger problem generally comes down to where you are when it fails, and what position your transfer case gets stuck in. But once you’re in the garage, swapping it out generally only takes a few minutes without any real disassembly required.
However, sometimesĀ another bushing fails, too. The same bushing is used to connect the other end of the shift cable to the transfer case shifter in the center console. Despite being inside the vehicle, this can be a far more annoying part to change. Accessing the bottom of the shifter theoretically requires pulling out the whole center console. However, that’s a huge pain in the ass. Some take the shortcut of making a cutout in the side of the console so they can reach in or make the repair, while others semi-disassemble the console and force their hands up and underneath to do the job.
Putting a new bushing in under the shifter can be a real pain in the ass by comparison.Ā
Now, it’s true that bushings do sometimes wear out and fail over time. However, shifter bushings are one of those parts we rarely talk aboutĀ because they so rarely fail. I’ve driven many 30-year-old cars that still have their original shifter bushings, and they’re totally fine and fit for purpose.
In contrast, the oldest JK Wranglers were built for the 2007 model year, making them maybe eighteen years old at the very most. And yet, age isn’t even the issueāowners have been complaining about these bushings at least as far back as 2011, just a few years after the JK hit the market. It’s easy to see that there are multiple factors that could accelerate the failure of the part. The more often you use the transfer case shifter, the more it will wear, increasing the likelihood the shift cable end will slip off. Furthermore, age will embrittle the plastic part, as will repeated heat cycles. It all comes down to time and use, but fundamentally, the part just doesn’t do its job as long as owners expect it should.
Ultimately, the JK Wrangler’s shifter bushings just aren’t that great at holding the shift cable to the shifter linkage on the transfer case. They’re easy to fit, but they tend to fall off or otherwise fail pretty easily. Jeep could have engineered something with a more positive fit, perhaps with a pin or other hardware to make it less likely the shift cable end could slide off if the bushing wore out. However, that would cost more than the existing part, which likely costs Jeep just a few cents in quantities of 100,000.
The poor performance of the Jeep part has led some owners to explore alternative solutions. In place of the standard setup, creative Jeepers on Jeep Forum have tried to combine cut-down bushings or lengths of flexible hose with cotter pins to ensure the shift cable can’t slip off. Others, like 737mechanic on YouTube, have tapped a hole in the shifter linkage and used a bolt to hold the shift cable in place instead of a flimsy plastic bushing. If you go that route, you probably want to use a little Loctite to ensure the bolt doesn’t back itself out over time, causing the same problem.
This owner came up with a neat permanent fix by tapping the shifter linkage on the transfer case.
As for what to do if you’re stuck out on the trail? Well, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. The easiest solution might be to just keep some spare bushings in the glove box, since they’re cheap and fairly easy to change. Alternatively, you can try to manually shift the transfer case into the right gear just by using your hands or some locking pliers on the transfer case’s shift linkage. Just make sure your Jeep is stable and isn’t going to roll over you if you accidentally shift it into neutral. It might also take you some trial and error to figure out which position of the linkage corresponds to 2H, 4H, N, and 4L, so mind how you go.
You might be wondering if Jeep ever did anything about this. The answer is yesāwhen it introduced the JL Wrangler in 2018. The new-generation Wrangler rerouted the shifter cables, and used a different end connector to hook them up to the shifter linkage on the transfer case. It’s more akin to a ball joint, similar to those often used on the end of hood props. Thus far, there don’t appear to be a lot of reports in the wild of these parts failing.
This video shows a comparison between the JL and JK Wrangler transfer case shifter connections.
Funnily enough, older Wranglers didn’t appear to suffer this problem much, either. That’s because Jeep used to use forked end connectors on its transfer case shift cables in the earlier TJ Wrangler.
It’s kind of amusing that Jeep would make such a faux pas on what is its most iconic off-road vehicle. The JK Wranglerāperfectly rugged and capable, right up until a little plastic nubbin slips off, making the four-wheel-drive system completely unusable.
Overall, Jeep kind of got away with it, as far as the crummy bushing is concerned. The fix is quick and cheap and well within the abilities of most owners to fix, and it doesn’t tend to lead to crashes or any permanent damage to the vehicle. Still, it proved to be a pain point for many owners, and one that could easily ruin a good day of four-wheeling. Perhaps the most thankful thing to come out of this is that the problem was finally solved for the next generation. Sometimes, that’s as good as it gets.
Top graphic images: Jeep, via YouTube screenshot
Vintage automatic Mercedes have this issue, had bad shift bushing on an 86 560SL and the correlation between shifter position and the gear you were actually in was not good.
Also with being stuck in not 4×4, don’t get me started on the vacuum actuated central axle disconnect on my Jeep Comanche. Jeep went away from that design in 1993 and massively improved the reliability of their 4×4 systems.
Also, snickered at the forum post advising searching for āJeep shit bushingā
and the one below which called it a right of passage
-presumably you canāt pass unless you get it right.
ānot making fun of internet spellingāIā m mostly over thatābut some do evoke a wry grin or chuckles
82 Rabbit 4-speed had a similar end-couplingābut VW put a little bar that also folded across then clipped to hold the assembly on the ball.
>>same part on early K-car transmission as well, as one of my used ones got my buddyās Horizon shifting again
That happened to my sister 2000 Grand Cherokee Laredo when we were at a gas station. She didn’t have any zipties but we were near my apartment so I crawled under, put it manually into gear, drove to my apartment and manually put it in park, and proceeded to repair it temporarily permanently with zipties. Several years later she sold it and I realized it never got properly fixed.
While I was swapping the old radio back in (going down the interstate, of course because feckless youth), I remembered that we had never found a bolt to tension the alternator with after that fell off late one night. So, those vice grips I clamped on there were still holding it.
-We were heading to trade in the 280ZX belonging to my buddyās gf
I know we drove away in her new(er) car, so all went well š
82 Rabbit with 4-speed had (nylon?) linkage ends. At least those had a little gate that folded over to clip on holding it when the ball socket wore out well over 200k
-same part on some K-Car shifters, too, as I got a buddyās out of a field with a spare used-but-good I had in my glove compartment
Had that very part fail on me on a ~1984 GTI that I’d just bought from a friend in between Santa Cruz and Oakland ~ 20 years ago. Made it home in 3rd, it was an easy $7 fix and I wasn’t all that put out, I’d gotten the “friend” price on the GTI after all. They were just glad they hadn’t sold it to the neighbor instead as said neighbor wasn’t very car savvy.
I honestly did not know that it is possible to just have a bushing hold the linkage into place. All my manual cars have a nut or cotter pin to secure it.
Multiple Fords have recalls for the bushing popping off the transmission shifter linkage.
My LJ Wrangler had an auto and I carried chopsticks in the glovebox for when the transmission shifter did something similar to this linkage. Perfectly normal stuff.
I had basically the exact same part fail on my 2003 Chevy Trailblazer. It failed while I was launching my boat, on the boat ramp, and failed as I was shifting from drive to park, leaving the transmission in neutral.
Ended up being really fortunate for a number of reasons: It was a private boat ramp owned by my family, so I wasn’t preventing other people from being able to launch until I could get it fixed. The parking brake held long enough for me to get some wood to chock the wheels.
Ended up having to remove the drivers side running board to get enough access underneath to get to the shift lever on the transmission. A zip tie held it together long enough to get off the boat ramp and onto level land until I could get the part to replace it.
You did all that laying on a slimy wet boat ramp? No fun!
I was far enough up the ramp that I was well out of the slime, fortunately. The rough gravel was more of a problem, but I was able to grab a sheet of plywood to lay on while I worked.
Just want to note that these “here’s something important that mostly just forum nerds know” articles are a great public service.
There should be an online database of this for all vehicles, compiling the “best-of” from the forums.
Examples I can think of
Vehic-ipedia! Fixipedia! This should exist!
On the Subie steering thing, does that disable power steering or just improve feel a little?
Mine was a JDM 2001 Legacy GTB so i think it may have only been for the JDM GTB or B4 models which had very light steering. I don’t remember the specifics but I think it just disabled the variable boost to the power steering so it just had the baseline minimum hydraulic power steering. Almost no info online, I think i got the info from a local facebook owner’s group. The only scrap of evidence i found online is this
“The steering is light, but you can disconnect a plug under the steering wheel which removes the extra assistance. A few owners have done this, and it makes the steering much weightier”
Lots of people mistake heavy for “feel”.
Can assure you that my brat didn’t have PS, and was still fairly light.
BMW e38s with broken glove box handles can be easily opened by reaching under glovebox and pulling on the cable sheath between the handle and the latch. Opens up easier than if one had actually used the terribly designed handle. Also bypasses the lock so the glove box has zero actually security in those cars.
What about the front cupholders?
I can’t wait for DT’s apologist counter article explaining how this isn’t just blatant cost engineering
DT and I have a mutual friend that oversaw much of the engineering on the JK (and JL) Wranglers. I enjoy giving him shit whenever something like this comes up.
I’ve had a JK for 9 years and never heard of this issue, but you can damn well be sure I’m going to order some of these to keep on hand just in case.
Had this happen to me once! Luckily I was able to pop it back on and secure it with a zip tie. We were back in action in about a minute.
No company is immune to the siren song of “this will cost $0.018 less per unit”.
Given who the parent company is…it’s even less of a surprise.
It is just a good excuse to upgrade to an Atlas. lol
My old Taco had a similarly disappointing and cheap piece that commonly failed. The 5speed shift lever had a rubber and plastic seat that it pivoted on that was supposed to be a single piece but really was a plastic ring glued on top of a rubber ring and eventually those two would separate and then 2nd and 4th gear became difficult to engage. Mine would separate and break every 2 years or so, about $10 to buy the replacement and maybe 15-20 mins with a screwdriver to replace. You’d think Toyota could design a better one but I guess not.
https://parts.lakelandtoyota.com/p/__/Seat-SUB—Assembly–Shift-Seat–Lever/3959859/3350535020.html
Toyota cuts costs just like anyone else, just usually in a little more clever way.
Only semi related because it is a shifter bushing that most never think about.
I had a 5 spd ā03 Mustang GT I bought used. The shifter annoyed me because it seemed sloppy and loose for a sports car. It didnāt seem like a big improvement compared to the long throws of a TJ I had previously. I figured that was just how it was and researched after market options.
When I went to swap the shifter, I discovered a previous owner had installed a short throw shifter but neglected the bushing between the shifter and transmission. This didnāt prevent it from working, but added significant replay, resulting in the sloppy feeling. I ended up installing the shifter I bought anyways, and selling the existing aftermarket part to recoup most of my cost.
Long story short, bushings are important.
On my Mx3 I wanted tighter shifter feel but new bushings are hard to find so i just added washers on the linkages. $0.50 later and it shifts like a new car
Hey, at least it’s not a computer-actuated linkage, like how parking brakes and transmissions are now. You’re not carrying spares of those around.
Many a good car has been let down by a cheap part. We might shrug off the old timers complaining about 5 cent o ring failures grenading engines until a 5 cent o ring fails on your timing driven water pump and fills your oil pan with antifreeze.
Yes, the importance of O-rings is all too often seriously underestimated so it’s all too easy to cheap out on such components or not take them into full account; even NASA and the like are not immune to such thinking, as seen on January 28, 1986:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster
Obligatory its a jeep thing. Also not surprised by the cheap Chrysler quality.
And this is while i’ll wait for a new FJ Cruiser instead of buying a Jeep.
Yeah before I got my Miata for my nice weather DD I debated about selling/trading my FJ for newer bronco or wrangler and that just being my all around DD but the reliability of both just seems to questionable. So I will just hold onto my FJ longer hopefully Toyota has a shorter wheelbase off-road oriented SUV come out on the near future but seeing the prices on the new 4runner I wouldn’t look at buying a brand new FJ (if they made new ones) as I couldn’t justify paying 50k+ for something I want to offroad.
Imho, Toyota made it a better offroader than a Jeep, so I would definitely keep that.
Itās certainly not impossible but itās hard to see Toyota adding a fourth SUV body on top of their off-road frame. Part of what made the FJ special was being based on the LC Prado when we didnāt get the Prado in the US, now the Prado size is all we have. If they added an FJ body on top of their frame Iād bet itād still be the same wheelbase and drivetrain as the new LC. A LC 1958 seems about as close to a new FJ as you can get.
Loved my FJ trail teams though.
I believe it’s already been announced, perhaps even for the 2026 model year. There was definitely a concept fairly recently.
I’d do inappropriate things for a 2010 FJ 6 speed in Sun Fusion (aka first year of the dual VVTI motor, last year of the yellow, with a manual).