Hose dangling underneath Jeep Grand Cherokee

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

Hello all. I’m looking for help with my 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee, ~130k miles, 6 cyl. engine. Returning from a trip this morning, I glanced below my car and saw a small (~3/16 inch diameter) rubber hose dragging on the ground. I traced it back and found one end connected to the top of the front differential. (Photo below). There’s at least 2 feet of hose before the break. Despite searching, I could not figure out where on earth the other end of this end connected to. It doesn’t help that what’s left of the hose is long enough to reach just about anything on the driver’s side of the block.

The hose doesn’t leak fluid, even with the engine running. I checked oil level, transmission fluid, coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, and windshield cleaner (I was getting desperate, OK?)-all levels were normal with no signs of contamination. The car drives fine-I possible drove up to 200 miles before I noticed it, and made the last 20 back home with no issues. (I was driving in RWD mode though). Any idea where this hose is supposed to run to? I’m assuming Chrysler meant it to connect somewhere.

2

@Cole’sLaw

That is a breather hose for the diff

There might be some kind of retainer to keep the hose from falling down, as it did

3

@db4690 So it doesn’t connect to anything else? I spent an hour looking for that phantom connection! Assuming the retainer is long gone, is it OK to just secure the thing to some high up and out of the way part under the hood, provided I don’t pinch off the line?

4

@Cole’sLaw

Make sure it doesn’t contact any hot or moving parts

5

Will do. I’ve got it temporarily secured up high-I’ll come up with a more permanent solution shortly.

Well, I learned something new today. Here I was wondering what tortured soul used a 3/16 in. line to move differential oil.