2004 Jeep Liberty Transmission Problems

2004 JEEP LIBERTY SPORT. ON MARCH 20, 2009 WHILE DRIVING, THE AUTO TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR, WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR. ON MARCH 24TH, LIBERTY RETURNED TO US. DEALER CHARGED $500 TO REPLACE WIRING ATTACHED TO PCM, STATING THEY WERE WORN OUT AND NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. ON APRIL 24TH THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE IN CONNECTICUT, THE LIBERTY ABRUPTLY DOWNSHIFTED FROM 4TH TO 1ST GEAR NEARLY CAUSING US TO BE STRUCK BY TRAILING VEHICLES, AND WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY OTHER DRIVING GEAR. JEEP DEALER IN GREENWICH, CT SAID THEY SUSPECTED THE TRANNY WAS WORN BUT COULD NOT UNDERTAKE THE REPAIR. WE CANCELLED OUR TRIP AND BROUGHT IT TO A LOCAL DEALER ON APRIL 25TH, BAD PCM DIAGNOSED, REPLACED. WARRANTY COVERED. RECEIVED JEEP BACK ON 5/1/09. LATER THE SAME DAY THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. BROUGHT IT BACK TO SAME DEALER. PCM REPLACED AGAIN WE'RE TOLD. LIBERTY RETURNED TO US ON 5/6/09. ON 6/9/09 WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE JEEP SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY ONCE AGAIN AN ACCIDENT WAS NARROWLY AVOIDED. TOWED TO A DIFFERENT LOCAL DEALER. BAD PCM AGAIN DIAGNOSED. PART HAD TO BE ORDERED. LIBERTY FINALLY RETURNED TO US ON 7/2/09. ON 7/9/09 WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL ROAD, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AGAIN AND WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR. WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHO DID LAST REPAIR. AS OF TODAY IT REMAINS THERE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN EACH INSTANCE AT THE EXACT MOMENT THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10276299

Incident

Mar 20, 2009

Mileage

82,000 mi

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING MY JEEP LIBERTY 4X4 WITH 6 CYL. ENGINE AND 4-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NEW, IT WOULD OCCASIONALLY EXHIBIT AN ABRUPT THUNK WHEN DOWNSHIFTING INTO FIRST GEAR AS IN COMING TO A STOP. THE LOCAL JEEP DEALER SAID IT WAS COMMON TO THE VEHICLE AND A "QUIRK." IT CONTINUED TO DO THIS OFF AND ON UNTIL I REACHED APPROXIMATELY 43,000 MILES AT WHICH TIME THE CONDITION WORSENED. NOW, IT WILL ALSO DISPLAY A LOUD THUNK AND JERK IN THE REAR FEELING AS IF YOU HAVE BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND WHEN STARTING TO MOVE FORWARD FROM A STOP IN 1ST GEAR. I KNOW I WAS NOT HIT AS THERE WAS NO ONE BEHIND ME ONE TIME AND I PULLED OVER TO CHECK ON A SECOND TIME TO BE SURE THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF BEING HIT. THIS HAPPENS APPROXIMATELY 2 TIMES PER WEEK, DEPENDING ON HOW OFTEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. THE FEELING IS VERY ALARMING. I CALLED ONE JEEP DEALER WHO SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO UNLESS THEY CAN REPRODUCE THE SYMPTOM OR IF A WARNING LIGHT WAS ON TO READ THE ERROR CODES (NO WARNING LIGHT HAS EVER GONE ON). THE SECOND DEALER SAID THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT FOR $100, BUT COULD NOT GUARANTEE ANYTHING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10240129

Incident

Oct 7, 2004

Mileage

2,100 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JEEP LIBERTY. WHILE IDLING AT A STOP LIGHT IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE, APPROXIMATELY 6 FEET BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE DRAMATICALLY JERKED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE OTHER VEHICLE. SHE HAD TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN PARK TO PREVENT MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT WHEN SWITCHING FROM 4 WHEEL TO TWO WHEEL DRIVE, THE VEHICLE OPERATED AWKWARDLY AS IF IT WAS NOT IN THE PROPER GEAR. THE VEHICLE STALLED ONCE WHILE DRIVING AND THEN RESTARTED ITSELF MOMENTS LATER. THE CONTACT FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 60,000.

NHTSA ID

10213690

Incident

Dec 28, 2007

Mileage

60,000 mi

TRANSMISSION HAD LONG DELAY BETWEEN REVERSE AND DRIVE. EVENTUALLY GOT WORSE AND WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. DEALER SAID TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO TRANSFER CASE BROKEN AND JAMMED, NOT ALLOWING VEHICLE TO MOVE. HAD LIBERTY INTO SEE DEALER WEEK PRIOR TO CASE FAILING. DEALER SAID NOTHING WRONG AFTER I STATED TO THEM THE LIBERTY FELT LIKE IT WAS STUCK IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE. COST WAS $ 4200.00 FOR REPLACEMENT OF TRANS AND TRANSFER CASE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10211210

Incident

Nov 6, 2007

Mileage

98,000 mi

I BOUGHT A 2004 JEEP LIBERTY IN AUGUST 2006 WITH 19,000 MILES ON IT, FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT IT I COMPLAINED OF BAD SHIFTING. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 6 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM, WITH THE LAST TIME ON APRIL 2, 2007 WHEN THEY FINALLY PULLED THE PAN AND FOUND BRASS SHAVINGS! THEY CLAIMED THAT ONE SIDE OF CLUTCHES WERE COMPLETELY BURNT. I EXPLAINED TO THEM OVER AND OVER THAT IT HESITATED AND WOULD NOT ALWAYS WANT TO TAKE OFF. - *AK

NHTSA ID

10188096

Incident

Apr 2, 2007

Mileage

19,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE TRANSMISSION FROZE AND DID NOT CATCH ANY GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

10175797

Incident

Dec 8, 2006

Mileage

39,000 mi

2004 JEEP LIBERTY, VEHICLE SEEMS TO UPSHIFT TOO EARLY AND WHEN TRAVELING IN THE 45-60 MPH RANGE FOR A MINUTE OR SO, I CAN STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL ALMOST TO THE FLOOR BEFORE IT DOWN SHIFTS VERY ABRUPTLY AND THEN WHINES OUT RPMS. IT DOES THIS GOING UP INCLINED ROADS ALSO, BUT NOT DOWNSHIFTING PROPERLY UNTIL I STEP ON THE GAS VERY HARD. (THE INCIDENT DATE HERE IS DECEIVING, IT'S BEEN DOING IT FOR 2 YRS NOW AND THE DEALER CAN'T GET IT TO DO IT, OR FIGURE IT OUT AND I'M CONCERNED THAT MY TRANS/DRIVE TERRAIN WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER THIS IF SOMETHING FAILS AS A RESULT). *NM

NHTSA ID

10174611

Incident

Nov 28, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, THE DRIVER WALKED 15 FEET AWAY, AND THEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARD DOWN A HILL INTO A POND. THE VEHICLE GAINED SPEED WHILE ROLLING DOWN THE HILL AND THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED. THE CONTACT'S INFANT WAS STILL INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHEN IT ROLLED INTO THE WATER. BOTH THE CONTACT AND THE FATHER-IN-LAW SWAM 40 FEET FROM SHORE TO THE VEHICLE AND RETRIEVED THE BABY. ONCE THE CHILD WAS OUT OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT BEGAN TO SWIM TO SHORE, THE BABY AND CONTACT MADE IT SAFELY TO SHORE. THE FATHER-IN-LAW HAD A HEART ATTACK IN THE WATER AND PASSED AWAY ON THE SCENE. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE CONTACT AND BABY WERE ADMITTED TO INTENSIVE CARE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVES WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE SAME PROBLEM EXISTED THAT WAS ADDRESSED IN NHTSA RECALL #05V460000 ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *AK

NHTSA ID

10171624

Incident

Jan 2, 2005

Mileage

30,000 mi

I HAVE A JEEP LIBERTY 2004 SPORT EDITION WITH 10,000 MILES ON IT. AFTER OWNING IT ONLY A WEEK, I NOTICED THAT WHEN DRIVING AND GOING UP GRADE , MAYBE 10 DEGREES ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEEDS OF AROUND 40-50 MPH THE VEHICLE WOULD BEGIN TO SLOW DOWN OR LOSE SPEED. I WOULD GIVE IT MORE GAS, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO SLOW DOWN-HESITATE. THE VEHICLE DOESN'T IMMEDIATELY TAKE OFF, OR ACCELERATE, IT 'HESITATES'. I WOULD GIVE IT JUST A HAIR MORE GAS, STILL NO ACCELERATION- VEHICLE CONTINUES TO SLOW DOWN. THIS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ONE DAY AS I WAS TRYING TO ACCELERATE TO THE EXPRESSWAY, WHEN THE CAR HESITATED, I EVEN PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR WHICH I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE GONE TO MY DEALERSHIP, WHERE I HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THEY TOLD ME THERE A DESIGN CHANGE ON THE 2004 FOR THE TRANSMISSION THAT DOES THIS. I CAN NOT TELL YOU HOW FRUSTRATING IT IS DRIVING A CAR WHICH HESITATES, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT HITS 40 MPH. IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR IS ABOUT TO SHUT DOWN. A TECH DROVE THE CAR WITH ME AND HE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM, THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. SO I SPEND 20,000 DOLLARS ON A CAR THAT I REALLY CAN DRIVE OVER 40 MPH. CHRYSLER IS NOT WILLING TO HELP OUT. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINK FOR MANY OTHER LIBERTY OWNERS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. HERE IS THE LINK THIS, THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY THAT I FOUND. HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/WEBX?ED_SEARCHRESULTS@@.EF01B1B!KEYWORDS=ALLIN%3AMSGTEXT%20LIMIT%3A.EF01B1B%202004%20LIBERTY%20HESITATION&COUNT=20. *NM

NHTSA ID

10155803

Incident

Apr 21, 2006

Mileage

10 mi

1. TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS HARD WHEN DECELERATING TO A STOP 2. STEERING GEAR REPLACED 3. AFTER ITEM 2 , LEFT (DRIVER) SIDE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE.

NHTSA ID

10129979

Incident

Jul 23, 2005

Mileage

29,000 mi

WHILE IN DRIVE ON AN INCLINE VEHICLE WILL ROLL BACK AND NEED TO APPLY BRAKES TO HOLD POSITION! DEALER HAS LOOKED AT TRANSMISSION AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. *AK

NHTSA ID

10114226

Incident

Feb 4, 2004

VEHICLE LOST POWER WHEN DRIVING AT 40 MPH. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS IN GEAR IT BEGAN TO COAST BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS NOT GETTING ANY POWER. CONSUMERTOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. DEALER CONTACTED AN ENGINEER, WHO TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE 10 MILES BUT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK THE CONSUMER ALSO INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE DOES NOT OPERATE IN 4WD HIGH IN REVERSE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10102037

Incident

Nov 16, 2004

Mileage

56 mi

TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS HARD WHEN DECELERTAING TO A STOP. AHARSH JOLT IS FELT FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AS IT COMES TO A STOP. VEHICLE DRIVES NORMAL MOST OF THE TIME. AND THIS IS A VERY INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. CHRYSLER TECHNICIAN AT ( POTAMKIN CHRYSLER IN MIAMI) COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM MENTIONED.A COPILOT IS BEING INSTALLED TO RECORD THE TRANSMISSON PROBLEM.THIS JEEP WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN JUNE OF 2004 AND HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 2,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

10091021

Incident

Jul 9, 2004

Mileage

1,000 mi

HARD SHIFTS, NO POWER IN PULLING INCLINES, HAVE TO PRESS ACCELERATOR TO FLOOR, AND THERE IS A WHINING NOISE FROM REAR END ESPECIALLY LOUD WITH ACCEL/DECEL AND GETS PROGRESSIVELY WORSE, HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIR BUT WITHIN 1 WEEK IT WAS THE SAME..(REAR GEAR BEARINGS).

NHTSA ID

10088159

Incident

Aug 10, 2004

Mileage

3,000 mi

WHILE RELEASING THE BRAKE IN AN INCLINE, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACK. THE DRIVER APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO MOVE THE VEHICLE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *LA

NHTSA ID

10083447

Incident

Jun 29, 2004

TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS HARD WHEN DECELERATING TO A STOP. A LOUD BANG IS HEARD AND A HARSH JOLT IS FELT FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AS IT COMES TO A STOP. NO DAMAGE IS VISIBLE UNDER THE VEHICLE AND VEHICLE DRIVES NORMAL MOST OF THE TIME. THIS IS A VERY INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. DEALER (MACK MASSEY OF EL PASO) COULD NOT REPLICATE, BUT STATED HE (SERVICE MANAGER) KNOWS OF THE ISSUE AND CALLED IT "A CHARACTERISTIC" OF THE JEEP LIBERTY. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASE, APRIL 2004. INCIDENT OCCURS AT LEAST 10-15 TIMES PER WEEK. *LA

NHTSA ID

10082308

Incident

Jul 19, 2004

Mileage

1,500 mi

VEHICLE UP-SHIFTS PREMATURELY WHILE ASCENDING UPHILL. SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THIS IS NORMAL ON ALL VEHICLE TYPES OF THIS YEAR AND MODEL. CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER THEY HAVE NOT DEVELOPED A FIX TO THE COMPUTERIZED TRANSMISSION CHIP. *AK

NHTSA ID

10081050

Incident

Jul 13, 2004

Mileage

100 mi

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK.*AK

NHTSA ID

10056496

Incident

Jan 2, 2004

Mileage

25 mi