Jeep Liberty: Problems & Solutions

tidester

(and I actually get paid to be one)

Aha! That explains a lot!

I think you know my "politely to point" was quite intentional! BTW - it's "to boldly go where no ONE has gone before!" ST/TNG became politically correct though TOS sounded quite acceptable at the time.

Back to topic - I almost bought a Jeep once (a Wrangler) but chickened out at the last minute because the family wasn't too enthusiastic and gave me cold looks.

tidester
Host
SUVs; Aftermarket & Accessories

john325

Perhaps a couple of aspirins before going on-line will help you fend off misspelled words. And so that no one gets the "wrong impression" of you, one could merely read your post #371 and btunder's #379.

Although you said, you "meant no offense", telling the poster "you may not take him/her seriously" because of a few misspelled words sounds kind of "OFFENSIVE". And exaggerating in your post by saying he/she "riddled his/her post with misspelled words" doesn't really sound very POLITE. It's a good thing you work with spelling and grammar and not in public relations. Anyone reading these posts can see that you've definitely stretched-the-truth.

You claim that a few misspelled words "slows comprehension". Please! If needed, maybe you can allow an extra 20 minutes when you go on-line in order for you to digest misspelled words; and if indigestion results, perhaps you can try some "R O L A I D S" for relief.

As Tidester so aptly stated earlier, "This forum is not a resume, report or professional publication. Some tolerance is recommended!" Now, Soulfinger, perhaps you can get-off your high-horse berating a poster for a few misspelled words and get back on topic, if that's at all possible.

lindag47

We have heard enough about spelling - please let it drop. Thanks.

cdkelly23

I've been away from Edmunds for a few weeks. I come back and find a Civil War being staged over spelling.

Let it go, already.

I will say, however, that I have to side with Soulfinger on this one. Typos are one thing. But a post chock full of misspellings does become irritating to read. And, spelling and grammar do reflect on the credibility of the poster.

Still, I don't grade posters on their spelling and grammar.

So, Perhaps we should all lighten up a bit, and work on getting Soulfinger and John to kiss and make up.

soulfinger

:-0

john325

cdkelly23: a few misspelled words is chock-full? I don't think so. I will say that I have to side w/ our moderator, Tidester, on this one: "A bit of tolerance is recommended!"

Soulfinger: I'm not a/c d/c but I'll throw out a smooch as well... We have official peace. ;-)

mad0865

What about a forum dedicated to spelling errors and others correcting their mistakes? LOL; enough of this already, it's getting old.

cdkelly23

Now John, don't drag me into this spelling civil war. I never said you wrote anything "chock full" of misspellings.

I was simply making a generic statement saying that any posting chock-full of misspellings tends to take away from the credibility of the writer. I didn't single you out.

Now, can we all just get along?

john325

When you said you "had to side with Soulfinger on this one" and that "Typos are one thing. But a post chock full of misspellings does become irritating to read.", one would assume that you were specifically refering to the post (#370) that originally caused soulfinger to vent about it being "riddled" with misspelled words. That post was not "riddled" nor "chock-full" of misspelled words. - I'm not sure how you could agree w/ soulfinger if you did not even read the original post that he spoke about. ???

And as for your belief that grammar errors and spelling errors take away from the credibility of the poster, I disagree. It just means that they communicate a bit differently than you and me. Does that make them wrong or less worthy to post here. Not for a minute. I believe, as Tidester said, we ought to cut those folks some slack.

Anyway, enuf said on this. Soulfinger and I are "at peace" on this, I believe...

stever

lol, we've been putting the spelling thread to rest for a few days now. Anyone got any Liberty problems or solutions?

Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

cdkelly23

I tried reading Post 370, but because of all the misspelled words, I couldn't make hide or hair from what you were trying to say.

(Sorry, Steve. Just trying to lighten up the thread a little.)

You wanted us to discuss Liberty problems. I've been driving my Liberty since January and haven't had the first problem. Love the vehicle.

john325

If you can't speak honestly on something as simple as a post on this forum, one would have to wonder about the credibility of your posts about your Liberty. Any "honest" person can read the post at #370 and see that you're being less than honest/genuine. And obviously, that post was not mine, nor was #379 (tbunder's).

I'd personally be more believing of any post replete w/ misspelled words and grammar errors over one such as yours which can be shown to be blatantly false. It's funny how you and I have different prejudices; your's, based on "spelling and grammar errors", and mine based on merely "telling the truth". Btw, welcome back from vacation.

paisan

To my friend who owns a Liberty and doesn't have internet access that he is definitely not getting old! Since it appears that the average age of the Liberty buyer is about 9-12yo thanks to the wonderful tangent on spelling we have seen here! I'm sure he'll be glad to know his co-liberty owners are quite young.

-mike

cdkelly23

Okay, John. You win. I admit you are the best speller I've ever had the pleasure of reading on Edmunds. Your grammar is always stellar, and we never have to worry about seeing any typos from you.

When it comes to spelling, You Da Man!!!!

There. Are you happy? We all concede that you are a wonderful speller. Now, let's talk about a great SUV, the Jeep Liberty.

Sorry if we hurt your feelings.

(Sorry, Steve. This will be my last word on the spelling, I hope)

jsstover

Well I was going to ask Liberty owners some questions, since I am thinking of trading up from a Cherokee, but I have stumbled into the wrong thread. I guess I will try somewhere else. God help me if I have spelled anything wrong here, my house will be spray painted with the proper spelling and grammatical use of the word.

MOD: Please get this under control.

soulfinger

Vanleighton: Your last sentence, BE CAREFUL, is the best advice anyone could ever give to another off-roader, regardless of vehicle.

If your Liberty is two months old, it's probably lower than the early models by about an inch, a "safety" modification by the brilliant minds at DaimlerChrysler. Even on the pre-lowered Liberty, ground clearance was barely adequate. Shaving nearly an inch off it was not the brightest move Jeep could have made.

Like you, I'm not a serious off-roader, but I've had no problems tackling some fairly rough tracks that go far beyond the graded gravel roads you mention. Mine's almost totally stock -- no lift, factory tires -- but I've never had a problem getting where I want to go. I was lucky enough to buy early; maybe that extra inch makes all the difference.

I'd strongly second your warning to use caution. Anybody who wants to do even moderate off-roading in a Liberty should at least have the optional transfer-case and fuel-tank skid plates, along with the tow hooks. And it would be wise to add the transmission skid plate that Jeep "forgot." Several off-road companies make good ones. I'm still saving up for those last two items myself. It's been my experience that even a stock Liberty (before the lowering, at least) can handle some scary-looking stuff. Once someone perfects a real lift kit so you can squeeze some bigger tires onto it, it should be able to handle almost anything.

vanleighton's original post:
>>I'm posting this message as a warning to anyone who may be considering the Liberty as a true offroad vehicle (beyond use on graded gravel roads). My Liberty is 2 months old- a replacement for our '85 CJ-7 because of family growth and not enough room in the CJ for everyone. I've had the Liberty on 2-track trails that any stock full-size pickup would have no trouble with, but I had significant problems with the Liberty bottoming out and hitting protruding rocks in the trail. There is no way the Liberty would be adequate for mountain 4WD trails here in the Rocky Mountain West or in the moderate trails in the Canyonlands area of southeast Utah, for examples. Keep in mind that I'm not a hard-core off-roader... I just like getting away from most of the crowds. I urge everyone to check the ground clearance of the Liberty (about 7.25" under the oil pan skid plate) and the low-slung muffler (likely to suffer damage or be outright ripped off). Compare these characteristics to other vehicles like the XTerra (12" clearance under the front axle and high clearance from front to rear) and the Cherokee (11.5" clearance under the front axle adjacent to the front differential) and the 4Runner (11"+ under the front axle). The Liberty is fun for driving around town, but falls short on trails. BE CAREFUL!

paisan

That since Jeep is known for their offroad abilities it's an OPTION to get hooks and skidplates...

All Isuzus come with em stock!

-mike

soulfinger

Hear, hear!

paisan

out that the hooks were an option the hard way...

We were down in the Pine Barrens of NJ with a friend who has a cherokee. He got stuck and we were trying to get him out. No hooks. We said jeez we didn't even think to inspect your truck cause it was a JEEP we incorrectly assumed it had hooks.

More pics from that day at http://isuzu-suvs.com/events/pb01-19-01/pics/index.htm

-mike

rsholland

This has long been a "hot button" for me, regarding Jeeps. The only Jeeps that come "standard" with tow hooks and skid plates are the top-of-the-line Grand Cherokee Overland, which comes with the "Up-Country Suspension" as standard; and the new Wrangler Rubicon. The Wrangler Sahara I think also comes with them as stock, as well as the new midnight cowboy edition of the Liberty—the Renegade.

On every other Jeep, tow hooks are an option. So, in the real world, that means probably 1 out of every 200 Jeeps will have tow hooks. Dumb! DUMB! DUMB!

Bob

paisan

In the top pic we had to use the leaf springs to attach the tow strap.

-mike

vin_weasel

The first thing I did when I got my Jeep was order a set for the front. I already had a Class III in the back. Pulling on the leaf shackle is relatively safe. Those bolts that hold it on are torqued to 120+ and have red lock-tite all over them.

ALL Jeeps should come standard with skid plates and tow hooks. It's a real oversight on the part of AMC/Jeep/DC. It's almost as bad as a slip yoke on the transfer case instead of a CV joint.

paisan

We figured that worst case he'd need to re-do the leaf springs, wheras leaving him in the water would not have been a good idea.

-mike

rsholland

<< ALL Jeeps should come standard with skid plates and tow hooks. It's a real oversight on the part of AMC/Jeep/DC. >>

Jeep knows this. They've been doing this from day one. It's just another classic (flagrant?) example of how they nickle-and-dime-you-to-death with options, rather than offering a fully-contented vehicle from scratch.

Bob

starreone

My story begins in NY and ends in south FL with a replaced transmission. We took a trip with our kids to FL in our brand new (3 months old, 2,300 miles)Jeep Liberty Limited. We had a great time in Florida and on the day we pack up and leave for home we experience transmission trouble. The engine light comes on, power loss, and two very upset people in the front seat! We get to the nearest dealer and they have a look at the car. At this point we have no reverse either. Thirty minutes later we learn that a new transmission needs to be installed in our brand new Liberty! A transmission "specialist" told us that a brand new one would be installed as soon as it arrives from New Jersey! He believed that the original transmission was defective. Because we were on vacation our car would be a priority. We got the car back one week later good as new....well almost, I guess. We received a rental car for the duration of the repair and we are supposed to receive up to $500 for expenses incurred for lodging and food. We were so happy with the purchase of our Liberty and simply loved this vehicle. We still do, but feel a little nervous about the whole thing. We are hoping that our situation is unique and that we will not experience any further repairs of this nature. We are curious to know if anyone else has had this type of problem. Thanks.

mysticliberty

"...we pack up and leave for home we experience transmission trouble."

Hey starreone,

I'm just curious if you had any warning signs that anything was up with the tranny before the full failure occurred.

My Liberty is brand spanking new (147 miles), so I'm trying to get an idea of what things to keep an eye on in the way of malfunctions, failures, etc.

Sorry about your tranny and hope the new one is doing you right.

Mike in Mystic

starreone

Hi Mike,

We had absolutely no warning that the transmission was going to give out. We were on Estero Island and traveling less than 30 mph. As we approached the bridge we hit the gas a bit and that was it. It wouldn't switch gears to allow us to go faster than 30 mph. We pulled over to try to figure out what was going on and realized that we had no reverse either. Less than 10 minutes before this we backed out of our parking space at the hotel...with no problem at all. It was as though someone had pulled the plug on us! Anyway, good luck with your new Liberty. I still love my Liberty. We drove home to NY with no problem. It has been running good. Next week I need an oil change and will have our own dealer look it over.

stevek18

Sorry to hear about your transmission issues, I really hope the fix will last. Just an FYI, post #307 also described some transmission problems.
Mines been rock solid, but only 5500 miles so far.

starreone

Thank you Stevek18 for putting me onto message 307. We are curious to see if there are other people with similar trouble. We are so happy that they installed a brand new transmission and not just fixed it! We would have insisted on it if they said they were going to repair it. We are hoping that the vehicle is better than new and that there are no other incidents. Other than this problem, we are very happy with the Liberty. Thanks again.

swak1224

Hi, I love my Liberty but am having too many problems too soon! I know its a new model but it's very frustrating running back and forth to the dealer every few months for problems. I have had my Liberty for one year and two months now (14,500) miles. I noticed yesterday that the air conditioning had leaked into my car on the passenger side. I called my dealer and they said that a lot of Liberty's are having that problem. I took it back a few months ago for two recalls (AIR BAG AND FRONT DASH PANEL) and for defective shocks! Anyone having the AC problem? My car stinks like mildew. It is soaked from the passenger side front to back on the floor.

Jaclyn

mad0865

There is a TSB regarding the leaky A/C hose. Apparently the hose isn't long enough and it can come loose. As for the recalls, they were the 20ms issue with the Airbag and the knee blocker panel. As for defective shocks, I haven't heard of that one. Got 19,300 trouble free miles .

Btw, have only been to the dealer once. For the two recalls, and for a defective stereo unit. I'll take that any day. Was in the shop more with my Taurus than this vehicle.

div2

mad0865 is right; the TSB involves attaching a small rubber hose elbow to the A/C evaporator drain tube. My 1999 Wrangler had the same problem. I ordered the hose from my local dealer-under $5-and installed it myself. End of problem. Still, I can't understand why DC doesn't fit the hose on the assembly line- especially since this has been a known defect on the TJs since their introduction in 1996.

klbrmb

I had the same problem (still do). They replaced the hose and were to clean the carpets (that never happened). It rained here in the cleveland area on monday and it was wet again. I'm not so sure it is the hose on mine. It goes into the dealership again this Tuesday. They said if they can't get the smell out they will replace the carpet this time. Good luck to you. I hope for you that it is only the hose.

tbunder1

i just picked up my brand new '02 liberty sport 4x4 friday. it is a non lowered example thank god. it is silver with dark interior. im getting some BFG all-terrains put on monday in the 235 size. i love it so far. the initial quality is the highest ive ever experienced out of all my new ford's and gm's. it is tight as a drum. it doesn't have cd or cruise, but i plan on getting a cd changer since the radio controls one. it drives very nice and is very roomy for my 3 yr old and one on the way. after the new five tires, im anxious to take it off-road. ive heard they are really capable off-road. i was also told the leaky a/c and other problems were on the earlier liberty's. mine was built in january '02. no leaks so far over the weekend. but it only has 100 miles on it. any one else have a new liberty? fuel mileage seems to be very good, and the 3.7 doesn't shake a bit at idle. you can't even tell it's running. i plan on switching to mobil 1 after break in. so far so good though.

paisan

If it's in the NE there are some Offroad places I can direct you to. The Isuzu/mitsu guys do a monthly run to the Pine Barrens in NJ. There is Paragon near Scranton, PA and down in NC there is Uwharrie National Forest.

-mike

tbunder1

im from iowa.

paisan

A good place to find trails in your area are at the 4x4wire.com they have a regional section that lists offroad events all over.

-mike

joponne

I bought my Jeep liberty in December of 2001. March,14th of 2002,speedomoter stopped working,no headlights lost functions of overhead consol, Alarm would go off and couldn't be shut down easly..BCM or computer had to be replaced..
March 20,2002 more electrical problems, remote locks not working back to the shop...Ok until July 3,2002 both brake lights would go on and off speed gauge dropped while accelerating...Dealer finding...(Tech inspected, drb tested no faults found in system perform actuation test checks ok
road tested no problem was found at the time..
July 24,2002 Abs&brake light now on consistently...(tech tested found fault code for rear sensor circut inspec found chafed wire at sensor,rubbing on brake cable...ordered rear abs speed sensor contact cust when part arrives)...Now August 13, No part yet!!!! Further more since July 24 and now, again I have no speedomoter the check engine light is on no overhead computer,auto door locks not working and God only knows what else....
I am very angry at the flip attitude of the service tech..As if Im annoying him with my problems!!!!!
If this is not enough, yesterday I was assured that my car was safe to drive.. Last night while on the on ramp of a major highway, Luckly I decided not to jump out in front of a on comming tractor trailer because my car just shut off while moving..
I called Chrysler this morning who then called the dealer,they say they will fix the problem.. Now the dealer in Delaware wants me to rent a car at my expense while in the shop!!!! I am a resident of N.J. where I bought the car. I just want this on record that I am going to drive this car back to N.J. to the original dealer because I refuse to pay for a rent a car for this problem. I am paying a car note every month why should I have to pay for a &^% rent a car on top of all this !!!!
From some of the post I have read I am not the only one with this problem!!!!!
Does someone have to die before these issues are resolved???????
I AM WITH ANYONE THAT WANTS TO START A CLASS ACTION SUIT...
I wanted to buy American this time but back to my BMW'S...I can't trade this car fast enough!!!!

ps. please excuse any errors in spelling or grammer, I am seeing red now!

paisan

I had a lot of bad american cars and saw the light. It's a shame that such a great country as ours yields such poor vehicles and then customer service smacks you in the face on top of it.

-mike

mad0865

Unfortunately, I haven't had any of the problems you've described. But you do have the lemon law option, don't you? Good luck.

soulfinger

Congrats on your new Liberty. Regarding the CD changer: Your options might be somewhat limited. Things might have changed since I bought my Liberty in October, but at that time I couldn't find anything other than the Mopar factory changer that would work with the factory radio controls. Aftermarket changers would have required their own controller. Since I also have the steering-wheel radio buttons, I really wanted my changer to work with the existing controls, so I went with the Mopar changer. I had a bit of trouble with it cutting out on occasion while driving (it would be fine again after restarting the engine). But that hasn't happened for quite a while now. Overall, I've been satisfied with it. But if you can find an aftermarket changer that will work with your controls, I'd sure go for it. You'd probably get 10-disc capacity for the same price you'd pay for the Mopar 6-disc unit.

joponne

The lemon law in N.J. states that you have to report the problem before you have 18,000 miles, I have 18,500. I called the New Jersey department of law and public safety yesterday....They told me that I could still try and they are sending me the paper work...The problem started at 8,000 miles.. Unfortunately, I didn't start the process sooner..Toooo trusting I guess....
I bought the new car so I would have "reliable" transportation. My mother is very ill and lives in Delaware so I make the 2hour trip several times a week and sometimes work from home by computer... I had a lot of other things on my mind. I would urge anyone that even thinks they have these problems to act quickly seek legal help!!!!
Because if it happens once It could happen again..In the words of the Terminator" I'll be back"..lol
Use the lemon law...Although Delaware has no lemon law !!!!
Thanks for letting me vent...
ps where else can I post this ??? I heard yahoo has a Jeep liberty form...
Jo

paisan

most lemon laws require the same problem to be attempted to be fixed 3x or 4x. It's kinda hard to collect but good luck.

-mike

tbunder1

i went to crutchfield's website, and they have a whole load of changers that will work with most factory decks. they each have a separate plug to plug into the back of the deck. i assume there is a plug sitting back there empty waiting for an input for the cd changer. i plan on just getting a 6-disc, it's hard enough to remember what cd's you have in with just 6. i found a clarion pro 6-disc at crutchfield for $169 that looks like it will do the trick. it will probably come with a special cord that matches the rear cd changer input on the factory radio. check it out. under the passenger seat looks like a perfect place to mount it. it is only 8 inches wide by 2 inches high.

soulfinger

Sweet. Lot more there than when I looked last year. Happy trails!

psu93

Hi! I've had my Jeep Libert Sport 4x4 since Christmas 2001 and I just turned 7,000 miles. I'm beginning to notice a creaking noise on the driver's side every time I turn left, hit a bump, or sometime when I shift into gear. I experienced a similar problem with my '97 Grand Cherokee Laredo, but I bought it used and thought it was just an isolated incident. Now that I'm having a similar situation with my brand new Jeep I'm starting to worry. My feeling is that a new vehicle shouldn't creak loudly after 7-1/2 months. Any suggestions or similar problems?

paisan

A bunch of WRXs are noticing this as well. The culprit was pebbles/dirt built up around the front coil springs. I also have creaking from my Trooper which doesn't use coil springs but uses torsion bars. The creaking was just that the lower control arm needed to be greased a bit.

So check those 2 things out, could be the cause of the problem.

-mike

ldfree3

Hi. Approximately two weeks ago I was involved in a very severe accident in my Jeep Liberty. A vehicle pulled in front of me and I t-boned them at approximately 50-55 mph. My airbags failed. The only thing that saved me was the seat belt, and believe me I am feeling it. I was very, very lucky! Because the airbags failed to deploy, my knees hit the knee plate. (That really hurt also). I loved my Jeep Liberty. It was my baby. Chrysler is investigating why the air bags didn't deploy and what they find out will determine whether I buy another (due to mine being totalled). But now when I see a Liberty on the road, I want to tell the driver to have their air bags checked. This is not something I want anyone else to have to go through!

Please be careful!

mad0865

Just curious, but did you get the airbag recall work done? That and the knee blocker plate were done on mine immediately after the recall notice came out.

ldfree3

Yep, got the Recall done one week after I received it in the mail.