2012 Jeep Wrangler - 12,000 miles

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Aug 25, 2012
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30
Location
New Orleans
Just purchased a 2012 Wrangler with just over 12,000 miles. Original owner pulled it behind his motor home and kept it in his garage otherwise.
Last oil change was at a dealership 2 years / 1,000 miles ago.

Need to get oil changed, probably all other fluids as well. Looking for suggestions on oil. I see 5w30 is listed in manual, and dealership says 5w20.
I uses PUP in my other vehicles. Thanks!
 
Any good synthetic 5W30 would be fine. PUP is a good choice. I run my 2016 on ESP 0w30 or 5w30. I'd probably change the other fluids as well, although some will say it is not needed. In fact you might here 2 year old oil with 1K miles is fine too. You'll get lots of opinions.
 
Just purchased a 2012 Wrangler with just over 12,000 miles. Original owner pulled it behind his motor home and kept it in his garage otherwise.
Last oil change was at a dealership 2 years / 1,000 miles ago.

Need to get oil changed, probably all other fluids as well. Looking for suggestions on oil. I see 5w30 is listed in manual, and dealership says 5w20.
I uses PUP in my other vehicles. Thanks!
Nice find. I’d do the differentials right away - at least the rear. Pretty easy on a Wrangler anyway.
 
Any good synthetic 5W30 would be fine. PUP is a good choice. I run my 2016 on ESP 0w30 or 5w30. I'd probably change the other fluids as well, although some will say it is not needed. In fact you might here 2 year old oil with 1K miles is fine too. You'll get lots of opinions.
+1 on a good 5w30 synthetic. Make sure you use a Mopar filter, as it seems with the 3.6L some aftermarket filters don't quite fit inside the oil filter housing.

As far as the differentials, you can change them early but it's not necessarily needed if the Jeep hasn't been offroad. I did a 100k mile service on my dad's 2013 GC 5.7L and when I drained the differentials the fluid looked almost brand new, even though several of those 100k miles were towing.
 
2020 Wrangler rear gear oil with 3k

43FB1446-6800-488E-8057-AA3C369843B1.jpeg
 
Wow that looks really nasty. I wonder if the factory fill is different on the WK2? I'd change it out then OP.
Not sure … my Tahoe was worse, but it was the front on that one with limited 4WD use.
The Jeep does spend time in deep sand and moderate mud …
 
Jeep changed to 5W-20 in 2013, but I would stick with 5W-30 per the owner's manual. I just bought a 2012 with 76,000 miles from someone and the vehicle had pretty much sat for the last 14 months. I went ahead and had all the fluids changed (differentials, transfer case, oil, coolant, brake fluid, etc.) The 2012 uses HOAT coolant, and then they switched to OAT in 2013. Make sure you don't mix the two and whoever does the coolant change knows what they are doing.
 
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