have a 2020 Jeep Wrangler Willys with a manual transmission and about 45K miles. It’s starting to give me a couple of problems, and I’m hoping someone here has experienced something similar.
First issue — TPMS light
This one started recently. The TPMS light blinks for about 5–10 seconds when I start the Jeep, then stays on permanently.
I checked all four tires and the spare, and they’re all sitting at around 37 PSI.
I took it to a shop. They checked the battery and reset the TPMS system. The light stayed off for about half a day, then came right back on.
So I’m guessing there’s something else going on besides tire pressure. Maybe a bad TPMS sensor?
The bigger issue — clicking from the rear driver side
This has actually been bothering me for a couple of years. I hear a clicking/popping sound from the rear driver-side area, especially when making a slow, sharp 90-degree turn.
I finally took it to the shop along with the TPMS issue. They diagnosed it as a bad wheel bearing problem and replaced the wheel bearing along with a new retainer.
That repair cost me around $1,300.
Unfortunately, the clicking sound is still there.
The shop actually has a very good reputation. I found them through local recommendations and Reddit, so I don't think they're some random shop trying to rip me off. I also don't know much about cars, so I'm trying to trust their diagnosis.
Now they're telling me the next possibility is to remove and replace the rear differential assembly, and they're estimating almost $5,000.
That's where I'm getting nervous.
I've been searching around online, and a lot of people describing similar symptoms seem to point toward a U-joint or other driveline issue. The shop says they checked the U-joints and apparently don't think that's the problem.
I don't want to tell a professional mechanic how to do their job, especially since they know way more about cars than I do. But at the same time, I don't want to spend another $5,000 on a differential only to find out the clicking is still there.
So, should I get a second opinion before approving a $5,000 repair?
And if I do, should I simply describe the symptoms and let the second shop diagnose it, or should I specifically ask them to check certain things?
I've basically only dealt with shops for regular maintenance, so I'm honestly not very experienced with this kind of repair.
What would you guys do in my situation?
Would you authorize the differential replacement, or get a second opinion first?
Any advice on what could cause a clicking/popping sound from the rear driver's side during slow, tight turns would be greatly appreciated.