I Almost Like My Liberty

JohnnyCash · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 6:45 pm

For 2 weeks now I've had almost zero new Jeep sounds,
and I've figured out, to my satisfaction, the sounds I do have.
I'm the one that started out with a Manual Liberty and ended up trading it in for an Automatic.

I've had the Auto for a little over a month now,
but after the experience with the Manual I've been a little paranoid ever since.
Every new noise freaks me out, so I'm glad I'm not hearing any more.

Anyone else have trust issues with their new Jeep? How long until my brain will stop stressing?
I have a lot of trouble trusting an automatic transmission, and really wish the manual would have worked out, but anyway I have what I have. I may need to go to marriage counseling to work on this.

scoobybri · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 7:08 pm

I've had mine for over 4 months now. I've driven it lots off-road and I'm very satisfied with the capabilities. No performance weirdness or odd noises to speak of.

JohnnyCash · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 7:19 pm

scoobybri wrote:

I've had mine for over 4 months now. I've driven it lots off-road and I'm very satisfied with the capabilities. No performance weirdness or odd noises to speak of.

I had a squeaky noise everytime I went over a speed bump.
Then brake noise every morning.
Then a really ugly brake noise after I washed it and got something wet.
Then I think the engine was lugging at times going uphill because I was driving too gently or something.
Then I had the really disturbing vibrating transmission when backing up a hill really slow.
And a squeaky brake pedal, and the minor noise from the vent along the windshield.

Some noises went away and the others were explained on this forum, so for now all is well. I just have a distrust of automatic's, so I can't quite get comfortable with my new Jeep. It's starting to wear off though, so hopefully I'll just sit back and enjoy the ride soon.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 7:27 pm

Push the button on the side of the gear shift when going up hills at low speeds(under 55 or so) and it will help with the lugging engine.

Ive had mine for 3yrs now and it makes a new noise every time I drive it. Get use to it.

The brake noise is normal. Mine makes it alot after I wash it, after it rains, and if its really humid out. :wink:

JohnnyCash · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 8:08 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

Push the button on the side of the gear shift when going up hills at low speeds(under 55 or so) and it will help with the lugging engine.

Ive had mine for 3yrs now and it makes a new noise every time I drive it. Get use to it.

The brake noise is normal. Mine makes it alot after I wash it, after it rains, and if its really humid out. :wink:

Thanks for the info. I'll try pushing that button next time I'm in that situation. I found if I'm more aggressive when I see a hill coming it'll downshift like it should. If I'm real gentle on a hill or when approaching a hill it will sometimes lug. The brake noise has mostly gone away, but if and when it comes back I won't be worried about it. I've read a bunch of threads on it now.

I just thought of a question though: When going to work there is a long stretch of road which is slightly uphill and full of traffic, so you're stuck about 40-50 mph. The tranny shifts back & forth and sometimes you have to give it hell to get it to downshift to 3rd to pass someone.
Should I just turn overdrive off until that stretch of road is over?

renegadekj · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 8:45 pm

Yes that will elimate nuisance shifting, I do it on a regular basis, My thought is that it is easier on the transmission, espically if you encounter that same hill everyday.The jeep will love you for doing it, no more gruting and boging up the hill.To bad DC couldn't have made the shift points on the kj better/ smoother or have made it a 5 speed!

JohnnyCash · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 8:50 pm

renegadekj wrote:

Yes that will elimate nuisance shifting, I do it on a regular basis, My thought is that it is easier on the transmission, espically if you encounter that same hill everyday.The jeep will love you for doing it, no more gruting and boging up the hill.To bad DC couldn't have made the shift points on the kj better/ smoother or have made it a 5 speed!

If you drive around all day every day with overdrive off would it hurt anything?
I know your mpg would be terrible, but does it have any other negative effects?
I don't plan on doing this...........just curious.

renegadekj · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 8:57 pm

Honestly if iam driving around the city and doing alot of stoping and going i sometimes turn OD off, but the only reason is to elimate nusiance shifting, Iam not sure if it would harm anything if you had it off all the time over a long period. I know that in my auto honda civic i use to own my manunal told me to turn it off during city driving to cut down on shifting and also less shifting back and forth should save a bit of gas also.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 9:03 pm

Yes, it is much easier on the tranny to keep O/D locked out when it starts shifting in and out of 4th. It is also alot easier to shift the tranny into 3rd gear before you start up a hill if you know its going to shift into 3rd. I can get up almost all the hills around here without dropping it into 3rd though. It will stay in 4th gear and unlock the torque which lets the rpms go up some. You may think its going into 3rd but its only unlocking the torque.

If you know you are getting ready to pass someone, let off the gas alittle then push that button. When the tranny is under less torque, it doesnt need to slip as much which prolongs the life of the tranny and keeps down heat.

jason thompson · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 10:22 pm

JohnnyCash wrote:

For 2 weeks now I've had almost zero new Jeep sounds,
and I've figured out, to my satisfaction, the sounds I do have.
I'm the one that started out with a Manual Liberty and ended up trading it in for an Automatic.

I've had the Auto for a little over a month now,
but after the experience with the Manual I've been a little paranoid ever since.
Every new noise freaks me out, so I'm glad I'm not hearing any more.

Anyone else have trust issues with their new Jeep? How long until my brain will stop stressing?
I have a lot of trouble trusting an automatic transmission, and really wish the manual would have worked out, but anyway I have what I have. I may need to go to marriage counseling to work on this.

Trut the auto
Our KJ has an auto with 45K and some good offroading on it and not any problems
Our TJ also has an auto with 42k of wich the past 12k it has seen some of the best wheelin from Gilmer TX to Hotsprings AR to Telico NC
as well as probably 5000 miles of local trails and has been riden very hard and it runs like a champ ,still pulls very hard

For me when it comes to Offroading I prefer the auto I can stop and start on any hill and never worry about rolling back
and in some cases rolling back could mean a flip or flop and that would be very bad
I had a YJ and a Ford Ranger both with 5 speed and the auto is just better IMO

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 10:34 pm

jason thompson wrote:

JohnnyCash wrote:

For 2 weeks now I've had almost zero new Jeep sounds,
and I've figured out, to my satisfaction, the sounds I do have.
I'm the one that started out with a Manual Liberty and ended up trading it in for an Automatic.

I've had the Auto for a little over a month now,
but after the experience with the Manual I've been a little paranoid ever since.
Every new noise freaks me out, so I'm glad I'm not hearing any more.

Anyone else have trust issues with their new Jeep? How long until my brain will stop stressing?
I have a lot of trouble trusting an automatic transmission, and really wish the manual would have worked out, but anyway I have what I have. I may need to go to marriage counseling to work on this.

Trut the auto
Our KJ has an auto with 45K and some good offroading on it and not any problems
Our TJ also has an auto with 42k of wich the past 12k it has seen some of the best wheelin from Gilmer TX to Hotsprings AR to Telico NC
as well as probably 5000 miles of local trails and has been riden very hard and it runs like a champ ,still pulls very hard

For me when it comes to Offroading I prefer the auto I can stop and start on any hill and never worry about rolling back
and in some cases rolling back could mean a flip or flop and that would be very bad
I had a YJ and a Ford Ranger both with 5 speed and the auto is just better IMO

Yeah, auto all the way for offraoding,manual for towing.

Kniggit · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 10:40 pm

i have a 5 speed :twisted:

MP Jeeper · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2007 11:11 pm

Get a performance exhaust & you wont hear the noises! :twisted:

FastTRX · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2007 11:25 pm

Ah I love my 45rfe....

poor poor 42rle owners... :lol:

Johnny...I think you're just guna have to accept your KJ and get used to all the wierd noises. You have to like the vehicle you drive, or else it would be pointless to have purchased it in the first place IMO. There was apparently something that caught your eye in the KJ, whether the Jeep name or the small, but convenient size and cargo space as well as price. I knew I wanted a Liberty right away, and I was very happy with mine after driving it for a few weeks after I got it. It's just that feeling you need to acquire to adapt to the new vehicle. And like others said, the auto tranny is very nice. No experience with the manual version, but I assure you I've had no problems at all with my auto. So go drive your Jeep and like the thing...

JohnnyCash · **Posted:** Thu May 10, 2007 12:24 am

FastTRX wrote:

Ah I love my 45rfe....

poor poor 42rle owners... :lol:

Johnny...I think you're just guna have to accept your KJ and get used to all the wierd noises. You have to like the vehicle you drive, or else it would be pointless to have purchased it in the first place IMO. There was apparently something that caught your eye in the KJ, whether the Jeep name or the small, but convenient size and cargo space as well as price. I knew I wanted a Liberty right away, and I was very happy with mine after driving it for a few weeks after I got it. It's just that feeling you need to acquire to adapt to the new vehicle. And like others said, the auto tranny is very nice. No experience with the manual version, but I assure you I've had no problems at all with my auto. So go drive your Jeep and like the thing...

I'm getting there. I turned up the radio this morning, but now it's making a strange noise too.
But anyway I'm trying to stop worrying about it. I try to pretend it's a rental sometimes and think, who cares what happens, it's a rental. I do like it though. I got it because there is no other vehicle that compares at it's price. I think it's the perfect mix of highway and offroad, and I like it's looks (which is strange because I hated it's looks when it first came out). Everything is great except for the clearance. I'm sure once the newness wears off I'll stop worrying about stuff.

Guest · **Posted:** Thu May 10, 2007 1:24 am

We bought a 2001 Grand Cherokee brand new, We got a great deal on it but it was still $25,000. Every weird noise or smell freaked us out, but when we took it to the dealer, they almost always said it was normal. Every flaw in quality control sent me into orbit, but that's a Jeep. So my solution is never buy one new! Buy it used several years later at <$10,000, & the noises, smells & general Jeepiness all seem acceptable!!!

In fact, If you had bought a used KJ from mid 2003 or earlier, you'd have a 45RFE & those down shifts would not be a problem. All the other noises, well what do you expect from a car that cost less than $10,000?!?!

corwyyn · **Posted:** Thu May 10, 2007 3:43 am

KJpilot wrote:

In fact, If you had bought a used KJ from mid 2003 or earlier, you'd have a 45RFE & those down shifts would not be a problem.

Actually, mine was built in March of '03 and has the 42RLE. Purchased it with 10K on the clock - it now has 73K and no problems with the tranny. As far as OD goes I turn it off when I first start the Jeep and don't touch it again until I get up to 50mph or better. I also agree on turning it off when hill climbing and even on descent - I can turn off the OD coming down off the rim and stay right around 55 with minimal braking.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Thu May 10, 2007 7:20 am

We have a 2007 Liberty, and we love it. The 42RLE is a good transmission from what I’ve heard. We had a Transgo Shift Kit installed soon after we had it. I’ve also been experimenting with a custom air intake. We are very much happy with our Jeep and have no intentions to ever sell, trade, or get rid of it.

pokefan · **Posted:** Thu May 10, 2007 10:59 am

My back glass rattles like crazy and has ever since we got it. It's gone in under warranty 4 times and it comes back after a couple of days. I finally gave up and just turned up the radio

FastTRX · **Posted:** Thu May 10, 2007 11:29 am

KJpilot wrote:

In fact, If you had bought a used KJ from mid 2003 or earlier, you'd have a 45RFE & those down shifts would not be a problem. All the other noises, well what do you expect from a car that cost less than $10,000?!?!

My 45 can be pudgy at times (may just be the engine

), but it shifts nicely on long drives that involve slight hills and elevation changes. I haven't really taken it out of state yet...but its gone on some decent trips.

The 42rle is a good tranny, it just needs the help of a shift kit like many have said. KY Liberty talks alot about the shift kit availiable in the 4X2 discussion forum. Check out some of his threads, his liberty is setup for onroad only and it's a pretty sweet Jeep.

I Almost Like My Liberty

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