This procedure drains and refills the front and rear differential gear oil on a 2012-2018 Jeep Wrangler JK with the 3.6L V6 engine to maintain proper lubrication and extend component life.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Rear differential drain plug washer × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Front differential drain plug washer × 1 — Use OEM specification

Fluids

• Mopar 75W-140 Synthetic Gear Lubricant (rear differential) — 2 qt
• Mopar 75W-140 Synthetic Gear Lubricant (front differential) — 1.5 qt

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level surface and engage parking brake
2. Place wheel chocks behind front wheels
3. Allow differential to cool if recently driven (warm to touch is acceptable, hot is not)
4. Raise vehicle and support securely on jack stands at frame or axle points
5. Verify vehicle stability before proceeding underneath

Procedure

1. 1

   Locate rear differential drain and fill plugs
   Position drain pan under the rear differential. The drain plug is located at the bottom of the differential housing, and the fill plug is located on the passenger side of the differential housing approximately halfway up the case. Both use 10mm hex/Allen drives.
2. 2

   Remove rear differential fill plug first
   Using a 10mm hex socket, loosen and remove the fill plug before removing the drain plug. This ensures you can refill the differential after draining. If the fill plug is seized and cannot be removed, do not proceed with draining.
   ⚠Always remove fill plug first to verify you can refill the differential before draining.
3. 3

   Drain rear differential
   Position the drain pan directly under the drain plug. Remove the drain plug with a 10mm hex socket and allow the gear oil to drain completely. Remove and discard the old crush washer from the drain plug. Wipe the drain plug threads and magnetic tip clean with a shop rag.
4. 4

   Reinstall rear differential drain plug
   Install a new crush washer onto the drain plug. Thread the drain plug into the differential housing by hand, then torque to specification using a torque wrench.
   Torque spec

   Drain Plug47 Nm (35 lb-ft)
5. 5

   Refill rear differential
   Using a fluid transfer pump or squeeze bottle, inject Mopar 75W-140 Synthetic Gear Lubricant through the fill plug hole until fluid begins to drip out of the fill hole. The rear differential capacity is approximately 2.0 quarts. Allow excess to drain back until it stops dripping.
6. 6

   Install rear differential fill plug
   Clean the fill plug threads and install it by hand. Torque the fill plug to specification using a torque wrench. Wipe any excess fluid from the differential housing.
   Torque spec

   Fill Plug47 Nm (35 lb-ft)
7. 7

   Locate front differential drain and fill plugs
   Move the drain pan to the front differential. The drain plug is located at the bottom of the differential housing on the driver side, and the fill plug is located on the driver side of the differential housing approximately halfway up the case. Both use 10mm hex/Allen drives.
8. 8

   Remove front differential fill plug first
   Using a 10mm hex socket, loosen and remove the fill plug before removing the drain plug. Verify the fill plug can be removed before proceeding.
9. 9

   Drain front differential
   Position the drain pan directly under the drain plug. Remove the drain plug with a 10mm hex socket and allow the gear oil to drain completely. Remove and discard the old crush washer from the drain plug. Wipe the drain plug threads and magnetic tip clean.
10. 10

    Reinstall front differential drain plug
    Install a new crush washer onto the drain plug. Thread the drain plug into the differential housing by hand, then torque to specification using a torque wrench.
    Torque spec

    Drain Plug47 Nm (35 lb-ft)
11. 11

    Refill front differential
    Using a fluid transfer pump or squeeze bottle, inject Mopar 75W-140 Synthetic Gear Lubricant through the fill plug hole until fluid begins to drip out of the fill hole. The front differential capacity is approximately 1.5 quarts. Allow excess to drain back until it stops dripping.
12. 12

    Install front differential fill plug
    Clean the fill plug threads and install it by hand. Torque the fill plug to specification using a torque wrench. Wipe any excess fluid from the differential housing.
    Torque spec

    Fill Plug47 Nm (35 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Inspect both differentials for any signs of leaks around drain and fill plugs
2. Lower vehicle from jack stands to the ground
3. Remove wheel chocks and dispose of used gear oil at an appropriate recycling facility

Verification

• Start engine and drive vehicle forward and backward a short distance to circulate new gear oil
• Re-check both differentials for leaks around drain and fill plugs after initial test drive
• Monitor for any unusual noises from either differential during normal operation

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