Well, twice today on a slight incline, there was a sensation almost as though I was driving over a rumble strip, but not quite as intense. This was not during a shift. It was subtle enough that I thought maybe I had just driven over something...while I thought the infamous shudder was REALLY obvious.

Then, parking pointed uphill in my fairly steep driveway, I put it in park and let off the brake, and there was a loud "clunk" and the whole vehicle shifted backward several inches before catching.

14k on the odometer, ATF fluid full, 2005 CRD but between the date ranges given in the first TSB. Is this the first symptom of some serious problems?

_________________
George Reiswig
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD
Suncoast, SEGR, lift, InMotion tune, homebrew B100
At 138k, new head & gasket, timing belt, rockers and swearing vocabulary

I wouldn't think this is the tranny shudder. Those that have it know it. It ranges from a slight shudder after acceleration and cruise in the 55 - 65 mph range, to an outright violent bucking and lurching in the powertrain. If you have it, you know it. Yours might be the drainback issue, which I would gladly trade for the tranny shudder problem. At least a couple of tranny filters will address drainback problem.

I'm still amazed that some CRD's have the tranny shudder and others don't - but there are so many mass produced components involved that I probably shouldn't be. But deep in my heart I suspect that a fix is probably known, but not cost effective.

_________________
2005 LTD CRD RB1 NAV/Htd Leather seats/Amsoil EA filters
SunCoast Mega Trans & Billet TC/PML pan/Aux cooler
Fuel cooler/Lift Pump/10um Pri/Racor R490 2um Sec Fuel Filters
IronMan Lift/Shocks/Provent/Moog ball joints/ V6 Airbox/Fan/Hayden
Cobalt Boost/EGT/Oil/Trans/Volt gauges/Aeroturbine 2525
Yeti Hot Tune/Odessey 65/Samco's/Michelin Defenders

Wild assumption, but are you trying to back uphill when this rumbling happens? There is an issue with this model of transmission and the way the tranny pan is designed. If you point the Jeep nose downhill, the tranny fluid drains away from the pick-up tube leaving the pump sucking air. I complained about the same problem when I met with the DC reps. Their solution was to maneuver so that I don't have to back uphill (ie... they can't fix it).

_________________
2005 Liberty Sport CRD, Lt Khaki, sunroof

Thankful to now be an EX-CRD owner.

Wild assumption, but are you trying to back uphill when this rumbling happens? There is an issue with this model of transmission and the way the tranny pan is designed. If you point the Jeep nose downhill, the tranny fluid drains away from the pick-up tube leaving the pump sucking air. I complained about the same problem when I met with the DC reps. Their solution was to maneuver so that I don't have to back uphill (ie... they can't fix it).[/quote]

Hee hee! Good solution. "Doctor, it hurts when I do that." "Then don't do that!"

Anyway, no, this was pointing uphill. If it happens any more, I'll post it here. But Ranger1 seems to be saying what I recollect: if you have it, there will be no mistaking the tranny shudder for anything else.

Thanks!

_________________
George Reiswig
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD
Suncoast, SEGR, lift, InMotion tune, homebrew B100
At 138k, new head & gasket, timing belt, rockers and swearing vocabulary