For months, we’ve been bringing you rumors and spy shots about the upcoming JL Wrangler. Now, we give you the best look at the new Jeep yet, from a reportedly leaked copy of the 2018 JL owner’s manual.
The eagle-eyed sleuths over at JLWranglerForums have linked to a couple of fantastic documents; a Wrangler JL User’s Guide and a copy of the 2018 Owner’s Manual for the All-New Wrangler, all 608 pages of it. Off-Road.com has pored over the pages and parsed out the best parts.
There’s little reason to doubt the veracity of these documents, given their length and detail. The fonts, spacing, and layout are all in keeping with other FCA manuals of this type. If it is a ruse, well, someone has certainly gone through a lot of trouble to create this.
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Though the magic of screenshots, we’re able to share some of what we think are the juiciest parts in these books. We’ve annotated them with a few notes, so read through them and leave your comments below.
These shots from the manual show two different 4×4 systems, a four-position transfer case and a five-position transfer case. The first one is familiar but the five-spot has a setting for ‘4H Auto’, described as sending power to the front wheels when the “vehicle senses a loss of traction”. This option is no doubt a nod to folks who are using the Wrangler as a family vehicle and not as in tune with the limitations of a traditional 4×4 system as dedicated off-roaders.
The manual also shows a switch on the dash for front and rear axle lockers, surrounded by tasty red graphics, plus a button to disconnect the sway bar.
A bank of four auxiliary switches is a welcome sight, allowing for seamless integration of a light bar, winch, or any other power-hoovering accessory. There is also a 115 or 230 volt plug listed, appearing to be fit to the center console in the rear.
Engines are listed as the expected 2.0-liter turbo and 3.6-liter V6 units.
It is recommended that drivers feed the smaller-displacement mill gasoline with a 91 octane rating.
Diesel? Not mentioned. But check out the listing in the fuse panel diagram for positions F70 and F83. The first one is listed as INJ/IGN COIL (GAS) / GLO PPLUG MOD (DSL). Excellent. The F83 fuse is similarly reserved for glow plug demands. There’s also mention, further down the document, that one must shut off the ‘diesel fuel filter heater’ in the event of a crash.
Our first good shot of the interior is courtesy of Page 11.
Further along, we find all kinds of good details about the interior. There will be a push-button start option, along with three different infotainment systems and a USB-C port (yes, the new small one).
Two sets of gauge clusters will be offered. One is a base unit with basic gauges and a small 3.5-inch TFT screen. The other is a snazzy package with a 7.0-inch reconfigurable screen in the middle of the cluster between the tach and speedo.
Instructions are given on the folding windshield which, praise the pharaohs, we can now confirm is part of the new JL Wrangler.
Towing rating are listed as well, which are suspiciously similar for both engines. I attempted to calculate the JL’s curb weight given the GCWRs and towing capacities, but the math involved caused my brain to spin out of control even faster than it does after the aforementioned evening rum.
Also of note: it appears we will be able to take the end caps off the front bumper for extra clearance during gnarly wheeling, the door handles will lose their push buttons, and the fuel filler gains a hinged door.
What about that power top? Well, it seems like it will be some sort of sunrunner-type deal, described as ‘non-removable’ with rear quarter windows you can put in storage bags. We’re imagining a huge fabric sunroof. Not exactly what we were expecting but certainly new to Jeep.
All that’s left now is to see the thing in the metal, which presumably will happen at the L.A. Auto Show this Fall. We’ll be at the big reveal to tell you all about it.