According to reports, Jeep is the newest victim of the worldwide semiconductor shortage, especially the Quadra-Lift air suspension system used on some new Grand Cherokee L vehicles. The height-adjustable suspension was formerly standard on the Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve trims, but only the basic suspension is currently available through the Grand Cherokee L online configurator.
According to the article, a Jeep representative stated that it was withdrawn owing to an ongoing chip scarcity and that the company will offer an update if new information becomes available.
The air-riding system has five settings that change the suspension stiffness and ride height. Clearance can vary by up to 4.2 inches, which is important for any car with off-road plans. As a result, removing the Quadra-Lift technology from the lineup will undoubtedly affect the maximum approach and departure angles of the Grand Cherokee L.
We may also assume that very few owners would be traveling their $60,000 Grand Cherokee L in an area requiring such competence. That is most likely why Jeep opted to eliminate the function rather than postpone total production.
This is the latest in a series of on-the-fly changes made by a number of manufacturers in order to keep manufacturing lines running. Earlier this year, GM also supplied Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks without cylinder deactivation on 5.3-liter V8 versions, while Volkswagen offered its tiny Fox in Brazil without infotainment systems.