Jeep Liberty Diesel

jimhemi

I thought I remembered reading in the owners manual that some oil consumption is normal. I don't know if a qt. every 2k is normal though... I'd take it to the dealer so it can at least be on record if something happens down the line.

jimhemi

This is the site I mentioned earlier. Seems to be some pretty wild KJs running around. As soon as I start getting enough cash saved I'm buying some BFG Tires, skid plates from the above mentioned company then I'm going to start looking into some lifts that this company offers.

http://www.rocky-road.com/index2.html

Good luck hermit, let me know how it works out.

tired_old_dave

Fuel gauge: stays beyond full after fill up and doesn't register full until 3-5 gallons have been consumed. I always fuel up between 1/4 to 1/2 tank remaining. I think close to the 1/4 mark it might get accurate finally.

Viscous heater: your air cleaner breathes from the passenger side of the grill. disconnect the center portion of your inlet tube going into the airbox, stick your fingers in the plastic ftg at the rad brace and notice where your crd breathes. Someone posted a link to nippondenso/denso, the crd uses a viscous heater - top passenger side compressor with heater hoses - do you have a shop manual? - have a good dealer check its' operation. Temp controlled - the heat generated by a viscous coupling heats the water to provide passenger compartment warmth.
I would advise against the old timers trick of cardboard - didn't good trucks use thermocouple controlled louvers?-

I can't evaluate frozen windshields. By an RV fan?

Wouldn't changing the pulley change the heat produced by the silicon fluid? Might require an a/c clutch expert's help.

Tires: bfg all terrains k-o are used by many-off road 25yr winner - believe caribou1 uses them. Like winter2 and others I went with bridgestone hl alenza 225 75 16

tired_old_dave

Should've broken up the response. yes we have trac-loc - after slipping and sliding on our slick texas roads in our open diff ford conversion vans even with god's gift of michelin ltx m/s (to some) I swore no more rear drives without something.

The owners manual shows 14 qts 3.7, 13 qts 2.8
where is all this talk of extra cooling capacity coming from. I'm not getting out that shop cd again. Maybe gassers get more coolant with a tow package.

we've been over additives months ago. asphaltines, light and heavy naptha, no harsh chemicals(Power Service) - edund's requires you to do a search - not topic specific.

caribou1

1 quart every 2K is by far too much. Ask someone to stay behind you and look for oil fumes coming out of the exhaust. The inside of your tail pipe should always remain dry and leave a greyish brown color when you wipe it with a kleenex tissue. It's slightly darker than a clean gasser.

caribou1

I use BFG T/A, but to fool the ennemy I put the white letters towards the inside

jimhemi

Couldn't fool me, I'd know those beefy/ nubby suckers without the white letters out
You don't mistake good tires.

caribou1

People don't post much information about tire wear. Since these BFGs have a deep and wide profile, I've been logging tire wear at every 5,000 miles rotation (x5). It's funny to see that the rear left wheel always wears faster than the others. After 15,000 miles I could see that the profile got softer on the "cutting edges" of the spare tire.
My actual spare did 5K in the front-left, 5k rear-right, 5k front-right and is waiting to take the rear-left position.
For those who don't know, when looking at a tire from the side of a vehicle, observe a solid block of rubber that forms the profile of this tire. The first edge of this block that touches the road when the wheel turns is the highest part and the rest of the profile is lower by about 1/16" when shocks are ok.
My tires now have an even 'radius of wear' close to 1/8" instead of a sharp edge. This means I will have to change them next winter :sick:

winter2

I find it interesting that you include your spare tire as part of the rotation scheme. In the owners manual, it only shows a four tire rotation scheme. I asked the dealer about this and they stated that they follow the four tire rotation scheme.

As to all terrain tires such as you have, I considered something similar, Pirelli Scorpion AT. I had used them on my Dodge Dakota and liked them quite a bit. Their only drawback was a 1 mpg decrease in economy. I went with the Alenza tires because we do not have much snow here in the metro Washington DC area and that I also work from home. We had a pretty good snow storm this weekend and the tires and the Jeep performed quite well in 14 inches of snow. They only have 7300 miles on them so I would consider them nearly new.

boilermaker2

Take your right hand and turn/sweep your hand downward as if you were digging into snow or the tip of your fingers were digging into the snow, gravel, asphault that your tires do. This would be movement in the same direction if your vehicle were moving forward.

OK, if you got that down (hopefully your spouse isn't watching you make swipes at the monitor ). Now do this motion and extend your thumb (it should point to the left). If your vehicle was sitting still on a level surface and their was little or no traction, the rear end will follow the direction that thumb pointed towards (the left) which means that your vehicle is going to fishtail in this direction.

So, if you have a FWD vehicle and are sitting on solid ice and punch it, the vehicle will move to the left.

Legal notice: this is not a recommendation or gives the reader permission to go to your old HS or local Wal M parking lot and wrap you new CRD around a light pole due to your own negligence. Furthermore, the writer is held harmless from an other acts caused by the reader in the act of having too much fun... :shades:

Cheers,

Boiler

caribou1

I chose the BFGs because:
- They have excellent side grip
- I love picnics in the mountains where nice spots are never flat
- They have the "severe winter conditions" label
- I have a shepard dog for aliby with this one
- They have several lateral reinforcement layers
- I don't have to care about sidewalks anymore
- They last long and don't perforate like the original S4s did (1/4" hex bolt 1" long went through one of them)
- I live 50 miles from the Italian border, and they have the most beautiful scenic offroads one can dream of. The winter olympics are going on there right now and you may see a bit of the country on tv. That's also close to the VM plant.
- They got me :shades:

tired_old_dave

Post 4155 could've had one more thing for you to consider but since your posts are infrequent. You mentioned Maryland and the far north. I believe you are aware that on modern vehicles the a/c engages to dehumidify the heated air. I thought this has been well explained. Is this a problem above the artic circle. Should one disconnect the connector at the a/c clutch in sub zero temperatures.

cabaniss

Has anyone had fuel leak from the tank when topping off the tank? I suspect that I have a loose fuel filler tube, as it only leaks when I fill up until the nozzle cuts off.

I plan to climb under the vehicle and look for the source of the leak, but before I do, I thought I would post to the group to see if anyone else has this problem.

The puddle appears just to the drivers side of center, toward the back of the tank.

Big problem, no, I really like the vehicle but it is annoying.

Dale

thomasw

It seems hard to believe that the tank / fuel lines would leak like that. Modern fuel injection systems (and I suspect diesels) require a sealed system that maintains air pressure - which is why on vehicles with OBD II warning lights will trigger if the gas cap isn't shut tight.

Could it be that some overflow is coming out of the top of the filler and then draining out through a hole / tube inside the little compartment holding the filler neck?

tired_old_dave

Be careful if you have to tighten the hose clamp, the ftg is plastic. Determine if it is dripping down from the hose clamp or if the plastic ftg is not tight. The diesel tank uses a twin pump in the fuel filter assy. low pressure to suck fuel all the way from the back and hi pressure to feed the rail. Please post fix. No problem to see even with tank armor.

ewbk94

I have a CRD with the same transmission problems. At 1300 miles the trans locked up in second gear. That took two weeks at the dealership 1500 miles from home. Next the vehicle began stalling when coming to a stop, most likely the torque converter. That took six weeks to replace the trans. Now the car shudders as though it is missing at about 2200 rpm. Its been in the shop 2 more weeks for that. I paid 28500 for the car. I paid 1200 for the extended warranty. Chrysler wants to replace the car at .38 cents per mile. Thats another 6400 dollars and lose my 1200 for the warranty. I bought a diesel for longevity. By the way, the problem with the trans can't be diagnosed and no light activates. :lemon:

tired_old_dave

Is there a better schematic reader than me here. Post 3896 by kyjeeper ""...turn cruise control on it will clear up.."
Retmil46 stated he read in tdregister (haven't been there for a long time and never got the mag) that dodge 545's tranny problem might be in alternator/battery? fe/induction to tcm/tcm sensor lines? If kyjeeper is correct, is it possible that the cruise control circuit wires went around the problematic electrical lines?

gunshot50

Research the lemon law in your area, if this can not be fixed they have to buy it back at full purchase price, not at .38 cents per mile.

mdamick

Tell them to put a new transmission & transmission computer in it. This should solve the problem & save everyone a lot of $ and you headaches.
Mine runs great since they rebuilt the transmission, mileage was up about 10%.

winter2

If you have a decent dealer, get them to go to bat for you. Get the trans repaired/replaced. I had a software failure at 586 miles and a rupture turbocharger hose. That is why they have warranties.

The same could happen to a Toyota or Nissan or a Honda.

tired_old_dave

We don't know who/where you are or what "dealerships" ripped your vehicle apart. Don't know what you want from us. I believe your post might lead one to believe the tc was repaired/replaced as was the tranny itself. Find a better dealer or a recognized repair shop with a well known owner/mechanic to evaluate your claims. If you are in a metro area - find a sympathetic media ear and camera.
It won't hurt my resale - dc all ready did that. Front end starting to clunk - approaching mileage of PA driver who got top and bottom bj's - am I next.

For whom the bells tolls - some of us more so than others but all of us to some degree.

skiduck

Another web site that has some nice off-roader parts (some for Libertys) is www.4by4connection.com Hope this helps you out.

skiduck

Thanks for trying. Most of that was over my head. I knew I should of paid better attention in science class!

skiduck

I asked an competing dealer over the phone for a Jeep 5yr/100k mile $100 deductible plan (MAX CARE) and they gave me a price of $2100. I still have time to bail out of my current plan. But a service writter at a Chrysler dealership mentioned that the plan I have from an aftermarket service contract company was one of the better ones. I like your prices better. If you have any contact info. for the price you got I would be interested. Thanks.

skiduck

Thanks for the up-date. I was mistaken then. Today I tried the Southern States diesel that is on the South side of Frederick near Route 355 and Route 85 and my engine ran better and I was getting better mileage. I have had good luck before with this brand. The station manager said that they add extra cetane improvers and additives when the fuel is delivered. Their price is alittle higher but it runs better. Their address is 5831E Buckeystown Pike Frederick Maryland 21705 The price today was $2.569 a gallon.

skiduck

I believe the B-100 has alittle less BTU's per gallon. I try to support farmers and not BIG OIL that is why I go thru the trouble. I believe the gaskets that can withstand B-100 are ( I think ) Viton which is ceramic based. Supposedly the rubber gaskets in the fuel pump brakes down from B-100. I think the website is called biodiesel.org And the exhaust smells better too. Good luck

john81

Now, I live in Ohio, but I have to say that this is why Americans don't buy American. Here is a guy to chose Jeep, but instead of getting help, he's getting grief. I believe we have the poster child of America's lack of, not only compassion, but a total lack of business sense on Jeep's part. It's not how many people who have suddently changed their minds from choosing Jeep CRD because of this message on transmission problems, but also from the aftermath, the total lack of any help offered by each of the dealerships, mechanics, legal respectibilty of the extended warranty and any apparent standard between service departments from the various states.
Jeep has a classic opportunity to find what happened, take this information and share it with the various mechanics and engineers. Also share this experience with the sales peope and customer service to help this guy out. But Oh NO!
So, I have to wonder how many people will read this and ask their Jeep sales rep, What about the CRD transmission? Has it been fixed yet? What legal rights do I have when I purchase the extended warranty?
I am really curious if this guy got his Liberty fixed or . . What? If Jeep wants to keep its market share, they better take care of this immediately!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!- !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
John

tired_old_dave

Have you made the switch to amsoil 10w40. I just changed to mobil 1 5w40 truck/suv. I wish I had dumped the 0w40 a long time ago. I can't believe the difference. I hope my engine was built within all tolerances. (I looked down the filler tube and saw micro scratches on the cam lobe - never saw this with 150,000 miles on a toyota using mobil 1 10w30 - just polished surface) The sound of the motor went from hearing every moving part to the purr of a nice v-8. Is this what you experienced? Amsoil 5w40 around 01/01/2007?

winter2

I switched over to the Amsoil in November 2005. The engine ran and continues to run more quietly and smoothly. The turbo even spools up more quickly too. I am using an Amsoil filter also, so the oil has a cleaner feel than with the stock filter.

The scratches are troubling but may also part of how the cam is made so that it will hold oil better.

In early May, I will be changing the oil but will be using Amsoil 15W-40. I do not like Mobil for my own reasons and avoid buying their products whenever possible. The specs on the 15W-40 and the 5W-40 are so close, that the engine will probably not know the difference. Amsoil reformulated their 5W-40 to meet the VW spec. It is now a CF oil and not a CI-4 oil like it was before the change.

lightnin3

Now,now ...lets not jump to any conclusions.
Hopefully ewbk94 got some help from a hotshot Technician,and back on the road soon.
Please let us know what happened to the libby.

It does sound like a lemon,but then again we have no problems with our trannies.It sounds like an isolated incident.
Speak Soon...
Lightnin3...

jimhemi

If I have any problems I will take my CRD to a Diesel repair facility. Go to DetroitDiesel.com and find service centers. Detroit Diesel owns VM Motori and if the mechanics there can fix a big rig then ours should be no problem. If I am not mistaken, it should not cost anything because they can submit the warranty repair to DC for payment.

ewbk94

The reason I posted on this site was to make others aware of the transmission problems and also the problems with Chrysler. I purchased the CRD in Missoula Montana. I drove it directly to California on a trip and at 1300 miles it got stuck in second gear. The first dealership I went to was in Valencia, Ca. They didn't have a diesel mechanic so I took it to Lancaster, Ca. I called the dealership where I purchased the car and talked to the owner. He told me he didn't build the(bad word)thing and he just sells them. After months of having the car to the dealership for the trans problem, the trans was replaced. The computer was reprogramed. This did not fix the problem. The service manager is great but he cant find the problem. He told Chrysler the vehicle needed replaced. Now If some one out there wants to here how Chrysler treats there customers and their service managers just ask. You would not believe the lies from such a company. You could be the next unhappy customer.

mopper

The 545 transmission is by far the most durable & reliable transmission chrysler has ever made. I have a CRD, no problems, I also have a 2000 durango with a 4.7 and the 545 trans. & 150,000 miles of driving, abuse & plowing snow, not a day of trouble. I am exposed everyday to a fleet of 30 dodge pickups that all have that transmission & all have over 100,000 miles on them! One truck needed transmission speed sensors replaced but all others have only had fluid changes, NO PROBLEMS TO SPEAK OF!!! ARE WE PAYING ATTENTION?.....
You either have a Jeep with a hard to find wiring problem or you need to change dealers to find a competent tech! That trans going into limp home / 2nd. gear mode is almost always solenoid or sensor related, they don't break like the light duty 42 model in the gas liberty's & other small chrysler products. Oh, and you don't need a diesel tech to fix a transmission problem!

mdamick

I have a 2000 Durango with the 5.9 V8 and the CRD.
The Durango ate the transmission at 80000-all clutches totally fried. It did a little towing but was mainly just itself. The CRD lost the torque converter at 28800, loud bank & then coast.
Both transmissions have run much better since rebuilding/repairing. Mileage on the CRD is up ~10% and the
Durango was ~5%.
The basic design may be OK, but off the shelf neither one seemed right-kind of mushy but nothing that could be proven for a repair.
I would agree that since the transmission was replaced he has a wiring problem, sounds like a wire may have broken in the jacket. Intermittents are the worst thing to troubleshoot/repair.

sycamoredave

Say what you want - Chrysler does NOT have a great service reputation. If it were not for having an outstanding dealer, we would not have bought another Chrysler product. Our first van was terrible, and the company did nothing to assist in the problem. Our dealer paid out of his own funds to make it right, and we are now on our fourth Caravan because of that. I have been looking at a leftover '05 Jeep CRD LTD (bld. date of 3/05), but am pretty wary because of all of the issues. In the end, we may choose something else, not necessarily over price, but over questions about these issues, and about Chrysler's commitment to stand behind their product. The last thing anyone wants is to get stuck with a limited run, problematic bunch of engineering. Chrysler - can you say GM diesel? That should be sufficient to get any company enthused about supporting their product! :confuse:

anomious

Hey! Mine has a build date of 3-05! No problems yet but this forum does scare me.
Best of luck...LK

winter2

I feel that you are overlooking one thing, this not a GM diesel, even though they are part of Detroit Diesel. The engine itself is sound. The EGR problems are fuel related and that is no fault of Chrysler. Perhaps they should have waited until ULSD was in place. I have had two issues with my CRD, one software one hardware, both fixed in less than one day. Look at the Prius. It has a NHTSA recall on it's head for a serious software problem and this is the second generation for this car.

Not all Chrysler dealers are rotten and not all are great and that can be said for any manufacturer. Even Honda, Toyota, and the like have issues with their products. Toyota had problems for several years in the late 90's to the early '01-'02 model year with engine sludging. They denied a problem and treated customers with the same contempt that Chrysler has allegedly treated some people here. With the '02 MY, they had re-designed the engine ventilation system and so much for that issue. We have close friends who purchased a Toyota Highlander (new) in MY 2003. They had a significant drive train problem that Toyota refused to touch and told these people "tough bananas". When these friends got the state involved, then Toyota sang a different tune and reluctantly replaced the vehicle. It has no been without niggling issues.

No one makes a perfect vehicle. I could have selected a VW TDI, but they are not without their quirks and issues.

synlubes

mine has a buil date of 3-05 also ten thoushand miles and no problems at all

winter2

I understand you deal with/like Amsoil products. Are you using any additives in the fuel?

vtdog

Just to add my 2 cents to the cat fight:

I just turned over 18k on the CRD (build 2/05). Other than the EGR & reflash at 10k it has had no other service beyond oil change. I did junk the oem tires though.

I bought mine at a dodge/jeep dealer due to their experience with diesels. So far (knock on simulated wood plastic trim) I have not had a problem needing diesel techs. Only time will tell, but unless something comes up down the road I feel good about the car. I got the 70k warranty thrown in as part of the sale, so its DC's problem for a while, at least.

tired_old_dave

Thank you very much. Do you use a local distributor or order from people like lub. spec. working with old navy on the oil drain plug. Are you afraid of the 15 in the 15w40 next winter? I am tired old dave and the reference to micro in the micro scratches was not to have anyone think gouges. No, it is not polished like I thought it should be. Maybe I had an incident with the original oil and something before the filter caught it. I ask about where to buy amsoil because I believe the nano fiber air filter is coming.

tired_old_dave

Even though your not using the shorter maintenance interval, did you change out the diff grease to get the metal out of the rear diff (front aluminum dana was as good as new). We have the tow package but syn lube is not what came out of my rear diff at 12,500(but milky brown cheap fluid-never even saw a puddle for the first 12,500 drought you know).

tired_old_dave

Thank you for replying. Do you lurk with lost kj's. Even these old timers (old navy ? stated maybe the crd should've had the mb tranny from the e320D and dc lx's). I also remember something somewhere that our tc's are not the same as the big hemi's and maybe differences in the 545.
Have you asked here at edmunds transmission problems - ask "Dusty" he will get back to you. Search back here - months ago I asked him to help.

Some have given up and taken a hit - I asked months ago for dc to acknowledge us for our trust in them and keep crd'ers happy - no such luck - we are orphaned just like our crd's. and I hope heads did or will roll at dc.
All that and even with numerous build issues with mine and lousy texas diesel (17-19 mpg houston and bedford texas owners-they get a lot less than me) We do have a unique garageable vehicle. If you need 4x4 tow vehicle and you can park outside - then maybe a duramax is the way to go.
Another forum has a post of a crd liberator, banks engineering w/hood breathers, 32" ? tires, hid lights, no spare on back(obviously), 2 1/2" lift?

One response here mentioned - 2nd gear - limp in mode - maybe that is the answer. I hate The I word. One of my many occupations was a wire burner and intermittent sent shivers down ee's.

winter2

I have a local distributor I buy directly from. Am I afraid of the 15W for the winter? No. The pour point is
-51 F and I live just outside of D.C. so it does not get cold enough to justify 5W or 0W oils.

The nanofiber oil filter is available now for the CRD (EaO34). They are about $17. No nanofiber air for CRD yet.

lightnin3

Hi Guys...
Well it's sounds like to me ,he bought a lemon off a second hand car lot ?...
Who knows the Libby could have been abused as a lease then dicarded and traded off.The buyer wasn't aware of the repurcussions.

First off,I wouldn't trust what that used car dealer said they did to it.

I would take it to a DCX dealer and start off from ground zero,as if it just happened,and get it fixed with a commitment from the manager,as a prospective future customer.This method always works.

2nd/ I would find out who the original dealer is of the libby.There is usually a sticker somewhere advertising the dealership on her.
Then I would take her to the original dealer,who sold it new ,and deal with them.
They usually are more adament about fixing the vehicles they sold,rather than going to another dealer,

If this is not feasable then Plan "B"..

plan:
B/... go to a reliable dealer tech who is trained in 545's trannies.
The tranny is a common one ,and it wouldn't take rocket science to fix her.It's more than likely a selenoid/regulator problem...
like someone mention earlier.
That would take 4 hrs in a tranny shop and $150.00 to fix.
..but what, a good dealership would do is change it out totally and put a new one in it's place,without question,and charge the work done under "warranty work",no harm done.
That would be the sign of a good dealer who wants some buisiness.
Oh I agree with what was said earlier no ones perfect,these are dealers you are dealing with not the manufacturer.
Please let us know how you make out...
Speak Soon..
Lightnin3...

tired_old_dave

Please ignore my follow-up to the limp in mode. I just spent time reviewing the shop manual. Limp in mode:DRBIII will flash the red LED. Did they swap out your TCM with another CRD? The I word, the schematic for the TCM even has input from the rear tail lights. Any electrical mods? This could be the induction problem mentioned elsewhere. The shop manual states a communication BUS problem trouble code will not be accessible until problem fixed.(Reminds me of my only Chrysler-a lean burn with the bad ti chips)
The shop manual talks about line noise with regard to speed sensor. There was a problem with wiring rubbing raw on the speed sensor above the rear diff. Good Luck.

lightnin3

Hi Winter !,
I agree with Dave over this one.I would stick with the recomended grade of oil.
5W40 Synthetic is recomended/acceptable, because of the "flow-ability" of the oil while still producing an excellent lubricating quality.

This viscosity rating,"flow -ability" of this oil ,is important as it is used to draw heat away from the engine quicker than a "thicker oil" .

It is 2 schools of thought .
Is thicker oil better than thinner oil?
Thicker = better heat dissapation for extreme hot temperatures only.You don't need it.

Thinner = better heat dissapation in "hot temperatures"
+ less energy to pump it,therefore better mileage ,
..and better lubrication coverage over all even in the fine nooks and crannies of the engine which is soooo.. important.
Go with your gut feeling..

But something tells me it'll be easier startingher in mid of the winter with a thin grade than a thick grade of oil,plus less wear on the starter...

RRR..RRR....Hmmm could that be Winter2, trying to crank her over??
Speak Soon..
Lightnin3..

synlubes

i use cetane boost and diesel additive and 5-40 motor oil cetane to help the egr valve ten thousand miles and no problem yet new fuel in about three months you probably wont need it i will run it because i sell it would not look good not to use it i have sold amasoil products for twenty five years they wrote the book on synthetic oil i see they are the only north american oil now that meets the crd speck others will follow with low sulfer

ryounget

Does anyone that put the 2525 on their CRD yet have a report on fuel usage?

dzl_lou

After reading the transmission posts here, I am reminded of an old saying that was passed on to me. "If it's got wheels, it's going to give you problems."
I have a 2005 CRD with a May 05 build date and 12,500 miles logged with absolutley no problems.
I also agree with many posters on this transmission issue. The limp mode is a software default when the VSS (Velocity Speed Sensor) is out of spec. Chrysler transmissions have two VSS two sensors. An input sensor and an output sensor. If either of these are producing voltages out of spec, the transmission control module will throw a fault code to the engine control module.