2003 Jeep Liberty Powertrain & Transmission Problems

VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE IN ANY DIRECTION EXCEPT REVERSE. WE DROVE TO A STORE AND WHEN REVERSING OUT OF PARKING SPOT, THE VEHICLE SEIZED IN REVERSE AND WOULDN'T SHIFT TO DRIVE INITIALLY. WE MANAGED TO DRIVE HOME AND PULLED INTO DRIVEWAY. WHEN WE WENT INTO REVERSE TO ADJUST VEHICLE POSITION, IT WOULDN'T MOVE WHEN WE SHIFTED TO DRIVE. WE HAD TO DRIVE CAR IN REVERSE AROUND OUR LOOP IN ORDER TO PARK CAR. WE JUST HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP AND ARE NOW WAITING TO FIND OUT COST TO REPAIR. I AM READING ABOUT NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OVER THE COURSE OF YEARS WITH NO RECALLS ESTABLISHED OR OFFERS OF REPAIR. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A COMPANY TO BE AWARE OF AN ONGOING ISSUE AND NOT EXTEND REPAIR SOLUTIONS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOOK WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE AND HUBS; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE STILL FELT AS IF IT WOULD FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEMONTROND CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (888 I-45, CONROE, TX 77304) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000. *TT VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED.*JB

WHEN DECELERATING THROUGH 30 MPH, CLUMP SOUND AND SLIGHT JERK. ACCELERATES THROUGH 30 MPH SMOOTHLY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE UNTIL AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V673000 (AIR BAGS). A DAY AFTER THE REPAIR, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TOOK PICTURES OF THE DIFFERENTIAL AND THE CONTACT TOOK THE PART BACK TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO DETERMINE A REPAIR SOLUTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TAKATA RECALL I AM ON MY SECOND REAR GEAR IN MY FREEDOM EDITION WITH THE LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL. THEY SEEM TO START WHINNYING AROUND120,000 MILES THE DIFFERENTIAL BEARINGS START TO ABNORMALITY WEAR CAUSING THE RING AND PINION TO WEAR PREMATURELY WHICH CAUSE THE GEARING TO SLIP WEARING THE TEETH IT'S A VERY COSTLY FIX AT 1,000 JUST FOR THAT TYPE OF SPECIAL REAR END THE DANGER OF IT IS THE TEETH COULD PERMANENTLY SLIP ON TAKE OFF CAUSING THE FLOWING VEHICLE TO REAR YOU WHICH COULD ALLOW ANOTHER SERIOUS PROBLEM OF THE LIBERTYS NOT HAVING PROPER REAR PROTECTION ON LOW SPEED IMPACT WHICH COULD CAUSE FIRE

WHILE I WAS DRIVING WESTBOUND ON WASHINGTON AVENUE APPROACHING MAIN STREET THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING. UPON CLOSER EXAMINATION I DISCOVERED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING ALONG THE FRESH FALLEN SNOW BEHIND ME. *TR

MY VEHICLE HAS A RECALL ON THE AIR BAGS AND THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE CORRECTED. I WAS TOLD THE JEEP DEALERSHIPS DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO FIX IT. ALSO, THE PCM COMPONENT OF MY VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP HAS DISCONTINUED THE PART, AN AFTERMARKET PART CAN NOT BE FOUND AND NONE ARE ON BACK ORDER. MY VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THE WARRANTY DEPARTMENT IS SENDING THE PCM TO HAVE THE PART REFURBISHED BUT WILL NOT GUARANTEE THE PART. MY CONCERN IS THE CARS SAFETY IS NOT GUARANTEED DUE TO THE RECALL ON AIRBAGS AND THE PCM IS THE MAIN COMPUTER PART FOR THE CAR, IF IT CAN NOT BE GUARANTEED TO BE SAFE AND RUNNING WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS? *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 JEEP LIBERTY. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SPEEDOMETER BECAME INOPERABLE AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER AND REAR CENTER DIFFERENTIAL SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER SENSOR WAS REPLACED SIX TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,000.

APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP VEHICLE, PUT TRANSMISSION INTO PARK, TURNED KEY OFF, REMOVED KEY, OPENED DRIVER DOOR, TOOK FOOT OF BRAKE PEDAL, EXITED VEHICLE,STARTED TO WALK BEHIND VEHICLE, NOTICED VEHICLE DRIFTING TOWARDS ME, OPENED DRIVER DOOR, ATTEMPTED TO JUMP IN TO APPLY BRAKES, TUMBLED HALFWAY OUT OF VEHICLE (STRAINED NECK AND KNEE), PULLED MYSELF IN BY THE STEERING WHEEL, APPLIED BRAKE AS VEHICLE HIT PARKED PICKUP TRUCK, STARTED VEHICLE, MOVED BACK INTO PREVIOUS PARKING SPACE, APPLIED BRAKES, PUT TRANSMISSION INTO PARK, TURNED OFF KEY, TOOK FOOT OF BRAKE PEDAL, VEHICLE STARTED TO DRIFT (AGAIN), APPLIED FOOT BRAKE AND EMERGENCY BRAKE, VEHICLE STOPPED.

AFTER BUYING THE CAR AS JEEP LIBERTY RENEGADE 2003 USED AT ABOUT 40,000 MILES. THE SECOND TIME I DROVE THE CAR ON THE INTERSTATE THE CAR STARTED STALLING AND RUNNING VERY ROUGH. I LIMPED IN FOR ABOUT 15 MILES TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY CRANK SENSOR. THAT WAS REPLACED AND CAR RAN FINE FOR 4 YEARS. NOW WITH 66000 MILES THE CAR STALL WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED. RESTARTED AND TOOK CAR IN AND PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY CRANK SENSOR AGAIN, BUT PART HAD TO BE ORDERED AND CAR WAS RUNNING FINE. SO I DECIDED TO DRIVE CAR WHILE WAITING FOR THE PART AND NEXT DAY THE CAR WOULD NOT START. WHEN TOW TRUCK ARRIVED CAR STATED FINE BUT HAD CAR TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP. THE SENSOR WAS REPLACED BUT THE SHOP STILL WAS HAVING PERIODIC STALLING PROBLEM. IT WAS FINALLY DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY CAM SHAFT SENSOR WHICH WAS REPLACED AND NOW THE CAR IS RUNNING FINE. LOOKS LIKE JEEP HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SENSORS IN THE JEEP RENEGADE MODEL. *TR

I'VE REPLACED THREE FRONT DRIVE SHAFTS ON MY LIBERTY SPORT WITHIN A YEARS TIME. THIS JEEP ISN'T ABUSED AND IS DRIVEN IN THE CORRECT MODE FOR THE ROAD CONDITIONS. THE BELIEF IS THAT THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WILL NOT DISENGAGE PROPERLY BUT NO ONE SEEMS ABLE TO FIND THE ROOT CAUSE OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS. I BASICALLY HAVE NO "SHIFT ON THE FLY", AND MUST BE STOPPED WITH THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL WHEN ENGAGING OR DISENGAGING ANY FOUR WHEEL DRIVE MODE. SOMETIMES IT REQUIRES MANY ATTEMPTS TO FULLY DISENGAGE! IF UNABLE TO DISENGAGE THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE, EVEN FULL TIME MODE, THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT COMES "UNGLUED" WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE TRANSFER CASE AND BASICALLY MAKES THE VEHICLE UNSAFE AND UNABLE TO DRIVE UNTIL THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT IS REMOVED, WHICH IN TURN NULLIFIES THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE FEATURE. *TR

VEHICLE: 2003 LIBERTY LTD WITH 110,000 MILES. UPON ACCELERATION FROM A DEAD STOP, OR WHEN COASTING THEN ACCELERATING, OR SHIFTING UNDER LIGHT-TO-NEUTRAL THROTTLE, THERE IS A NOTICEABLE CLUNK FROM THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL, SIMILAR TO A WORN UNIVERSAL JOINTS. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND FOUND THAT THE SPIDER GEARS WERE EXTREMELY WORN CREATING ABNORMAL CLEARANCES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2003 MODEL (OTHERS?). THIS IS LIKELY DUE TO A POOR DESIGN OR MATERIALS. BROKEN OR DISLODGED SPIDER GEARS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SEIZE THE ROTATING ASSEMBLY AND SEND THE VEHICLE INTO AN UNCONTROLLED SKID. PARTS ORDERED AFTERMARKET TO BE INSTALLED ON A DATE TBD. *TR

GOING 60MPH, MY ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED THEN VEHICLE DIED. I WAS STUCK ON THE FREEWAY, AFTER A MINUTE WAS ABLE TO RESTART (THOUGH CAR SHAKING BADLY) AND GET TO THE SIDE. IT WAS IMMEDIATELY TOWED TO THE MECHANIC, AND THEY DIAGNOSED A BROKEN VALVE SPRING, AND SAID IT'S AN EXTREMELY RARE OCCURRENCE FOR A VEHICLE THIS AGE. IT?S A 2003 JEEP LIBERTY WITH 91000 MILES. OTHER THAN THE VALVE SPRING, THE ENGINE IS IN GREAT CONDITION. THERE'S CONCERN ABOUT REPLACING IT BECAUSE HE FEELS IT COULD BE A FACTORY DEFECT, AND THERE?S ANOTHER SPRING VALVE, SO WE'RE DECIDING WHETHER TO REPLACE BOTH, OR THE WHOLE ENGINE. IN RESEARCHING WE'VE FOUND THIS SEEMS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH LIBERTY'S 2002-2005, AND I ASSUME ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY WRITING ABOUT IT. THE MECHANICS TALKED TO SAY THEY'VE SEEN IT BEFORE IN THE LIBERTY'S TOO. A GOOD SITE FOR COMMENTS ABOUT THE LIBERTY'S IS HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/REVIEWS/JEEP/LIBERTY/R95082/COMMENTS/. ALSO FOUND; 1)REPLACEMENT PARTS LISTED ARE REFURBISHED, OR NEW. THERE'S NO REFURBISHED AVAILABLE, ONLY NEW. COULD MEAN THERE'S A FLAW SO THEY WOULDN'T WANT TO REFURBISH THE OLD ONES, BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, SO A NEW ONE, WITH BETTER COMPONENTS ARE THE ONLY ONES AVAILABLE. 2)I STATED THE FLAW SEEMS TO APPEAR 2002-2005, AND WHEN LOOKING AT THE VALVE SPRING 2003 PART# VS 2006 PART#, 2006 THE NUMBER CHANGED, WHICH MIGHT MEAN THEY FIGURED IT OUT, AND PUT THE UPDATED PART IN THE 2006 MODEL. IT SEEMS TO BE THE INTAKE VALVE, NOT EXHAUST VALVE WITH DEFECT, AND IN THE 2003/2006 PART NUMBERS THE INTAKE# IS DIFFERENT, BUT EXHAUST# IS THE SAME. I CALLED JEEPS NAT'L CUSTOMER COMPLAINT CENTER, FILED COMPLAINT, WAS GIVEN THE RUNAROUND, AND WAS TOLD BECAUSE MY MECHANIC WAS NOT CHRYSLER, THEY COULDN'T TRUST HIS FINDINGS. I WAS REPEATEDLY TOLD MY CAR WAS OLD, YET ALOT OF PEOPLE REPORTED THE SAME THING; THEIR MECHANICS SAY IT?S A VERY RARE OCCURRENCE THAT A VALVE SPRING BREAKS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE MILEAGES BEING REPORTED. *TR

I OWN A 2003 JEEP LIBERTY AND HAVE HAD IT FOR 2 YEARS NOW AND HAVE EVERY PROBLEM YOU CAN THINK OF. MY WARRANTY RECENTLY EXPIRED 6,000 MILES AGO. MY WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 75,000 MILES AND AT 78,000 MILES MY AIR CONDITIONER BROKE AND HAD TO REPLACE THAT IT COST ME $900.00. JUST YESTERDAY MAY CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT PASSED SECOND GEAR, I HAVE AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, I NOTICED IT WHEN I WAS GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY. LATELY I HAVE BEEN NOTICING THAT THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO BE SLIPPING BUT NEVER COULD FIND THE PROBLEM BECAUSE MY TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS ALWAYS FINE. SO YESTERDAY I WENT TO AAMCO TRANSMISSIONS AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE TCM SO THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST $440.00 TOTAL. SO THEY WENT TO ORDER THE PART BUT COME TO FIND OUT NO ONE HAS IT AND THE PLACE THAT HAS ALL THE TCM PARTS WONT SHIP THEM TILL THE 24TH OF SEPTEMBER. SO HERE IT IS SEPTEMBER 3RD AND I WONT HAVE MY CAR FIXED FOR THE WHOLE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WONT SHIP THEM NOW. ALSO, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE BEEN SELLING OUT OF TCM FAST BECAUSE EVERYONE IS ALWAYS NEEDING THEM. *TR

2003 JEEP LIBERTY (FREEDOM EDITION) POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE HAS FAILED TWICE FIRST TIME - JUNE 2007 IT WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER NOVEMBER 2008 IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. IT IS NOT COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY AND THE WARRANTY ON THE PART WAS UP JUNE 2008. SHOULD THIS HAVE TO BE REPLACED TWICE IN A YEAR AND A HALF? *TR

TRANSMISSION HESITATES / LURCHES RANDOMLY. CAR STALLS OUT, INCREASINGLY FREQUENTLY DESPITE REPAIRS. WHEN ENGINE CUTS OUT, LOSE ALL POWER STEERING BRAKES ETC - SO FAR ONLY AT LOW SPEEDS BUT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE - SEEMS VERY SIMILAR TO JEEP COMMANDER RECALL AT HIGHER SPEEDS. RPM NEEDLE GOES WILD AFTER ENGINE CUTS OUT. CAN RESTART AND LIMP A FEW MILES, THEN NEED TOW - 2X TOWED IN 1 WEEK, 3X TOWED IN 2 MONTHS, AND 4 TRIPS TO SHOP WITHOUT RESULTS. CAR CURRENTLY STUCK UPSTATE NY WHERE I WAS TRYING TO VACATION -AND CHRYSLER/JEEP NOT SO COOPERATIVE. THERE'S PLENTY EVIDENCE OF STALLING PROBLEMS ON INTERNET FOR 4-5 YEARS - SEE EDMUNDS. THEORIES: DECELERATION / RPMS BELOW 1000 MAKE ENGINE CUT OUT. SOLENOID IS PULLING BATTERY AMPS =12 AND CAUSING HAVOC IN IGNITION SYSTEM, SHORT-CIRCUITING SENSORS. THERMAL COMPUTER MODULE DAMAGE. COMPUTER SCANS FOR DIAGNOSTIC CODES DEFINITELY NOT RELIABLE. BY RELYING ONLY ON COMPUTER MODULE FOR DIAGNOSIS, DEALERS ARE ONLY MAKING THE PROBLEM WORSE BECAUSE THEY ARE SENDING CARS BACK OUT WITHOUT FIXING ROOT PROBLEM, CAUSING MORE DAMAGE. I HAD WHEEL SENSOR FOUND CORRODED 6/3, CRANK SENSOR FAIL 8/6 AND CAM SENSOR FAILED 8/10. SENSORS DON'T FAIL SEQUENTIALLY NOR SO FAST. SOMETHING IS CAUSING SENSORS TO FAIL. AND WHILE SENSORS NOT WORKING THEY ARE CAUSING DAMAGE OF THEIR OWN...COMPUTER, IGNITION COILS (ALL 6 NEEDED REPAIR IN 1 CASE WHERE BURNED OUT). WHO KNOWS IF THE SPARK PLUGS, FUEL PUMPS, INJECTION CLEANS, AND THROTTLE BODY CLEANS WORK OR NOT. (SOME SAY TB CLEANOUT IS IMPORTANT IF STALLS ARE AT LOWER SPEEDS - LESS AIR INFLOW). BATTERY SEEMED TO HAVE ISSUES TOO SOON - MAY BE RELATED. ONE CASE WHERE HARNESS WIRING RUBBED AGAINST REAR SOMETHING CAUSING PROBS. MY SPEEDOMETER BROKE AFTER 1 SENSOR REPAIR. SEPARATELY (UNLESS WATER AND CORROSION ARE THE REAL CULPRITS) BRAKES AND ROTORS WEARING OUT - REPLACED 2X IN 40K MILES. NOT RIGHT. SOME BLOG ON THAT, TOO. *TR

VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ERRATICALLY AND VIOLENTLY. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION ON OUR JEEP LIBERTY WENT ABOUT A MONTH AND HALF AGO. WE BROUGHT IT TO THE JEEP DEALERSHIP IN LINCOLN, RHODE ISLAND AND WERE TOLD IT WAS COVERED UNDER THE 7 YEAR/70,000 MILE WARRANTY; HOWEVER, THEY ALSO TOLD US WE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION, BUT A REBUILT ONE WOULD BE FASTER AND JUST AS GOOD. THEY HAD OUR VEHICLE FOR ABOUT A WEEK. WE TRIED TO BE PATIENT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS DIFFICULT TO NOT HAVE THE USE OF OUR VEHICLE FOR THIS AMOUNT OF TIME. WE GOT THE JEEP BACK AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION HAS GONE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS BUCKING AND SMELLED LIKE IT WAS ON FIRE. IT IS MY OPINION THAT IF HE HAD CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT THAT DAY, IT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. WE CALLED THE SAME DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO TAKE IT RIGHT AWAY. WHEN WE DID DROP IT OFF, IT SAT THERE BEFORE THEY COULD LOOK AT IT. THEY SAID IT WAS A FAULTY PART IN THE TRANSMISSION AND AGAIN THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT THREE WEEKS FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION, BUT THE PART COULD BE ORDERED AND SENT BY FEDERAL EXPRESS. WE CANNOT BE WITHOUT THIS VEHICLE AGAIN FOR THREE WEEKS SO WE CHOSE THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION. I CALLED TODAY, AND THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE PART AND HAVEN'T CALLED ME BACK WITH WHERE IT IS. I CALLED JEEP CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SAID MAYBE THEY COULD OFFER "GOODWILL ASSISTANCE" WITH A LOANER VEHICLE, BUT THEN SAID NO BECAUSE IT IS NOT COVERED IN OUR WARRANTY AND WE ARE OVER IN MILEAGE, EVEN THOUGH OUR JEEP IS NOT 7 YEARS OLD AND DOES NOT HAVE 70,000 MILES ON IT. *JB

I HAVE A 2003 JEEP LIBERTY, WITH 36,000 MILES. IN A SPAN OF NINE MONTHS, MY TRANSMISSION HAS WENT OUT 3 TIMES. I DON'T HAUL ANYTHING WITH MY JEEP, NOR DO I DRIVE UPHILL. THE JEEP SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS CHOSEN TO EITHER REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION OR USE A REBUILT TRANSMISSION, IN SPIT OF MY CONSISTENT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS CONSIST OF MY CAR NOT ABLE TO GO OVER 30 MPH, THE RPMS SHOOT UP TO 6 OR 7 AND WILL NOT COME DOWN, AND WHEN I TRY TO GO FASTER THAN 30 THE CAR JERKS AND SMELLS LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING. *NM

RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON MY 2003 JEEP LIBERTY ON 9/15/2006. RECALL PARTS WERE ORDERED THROUGH CARBONE IN YORKVILLE, NY. TO DATE THE PARTS HAVE NOT COME IN FROM CHRYSLER. CARBONE KEEPS TELLING ME I WILL GET A NOTICE NEXT WEEK WHEN THE PARTS COME IN. *NM