05 liberty purchase

I am looking at a 2005 Liberty to purchase for a project. The seller tells me it will not shift into gear but the engine runs fine. I have not gone to look at it yet. Any suggestions on some quick checks I can do in his driveway before I decide if I want to tow it home?

If “not shifting into gear” simply means you can’t move the shift selector, then the problem might be as simple as removing and replacing the ignition/brake/shifter interlock in the steering column.

If so, that is not a difficult problem to fix and, in fact, can be quickly overridden by opening up the top ofthe shift console and removing the interlock cable from The side of the shifter mechanism.

That said, the current owner might not want you taking apart the car in his driveway and if you are unable to test s drive the car, you will not be able to determine what else might be wrong with it.

However, if you can ALSO tell from Carfax, other maintenance records and overall condition that the )eep is in otherwise decent shape , it MIGHT be a good deal with minimal risk to still buy it IF the shifting isssue is in fact only the interlock mechanism.

Just my .02

Bring an OBDII scanner and see if there are any stored transmission codes.

Flounder said:

I am looking at a 2005 Liberty to purchase for a project. The seller tells me it will not shift into gear but the engine runs fine. I have not gone to look at it yet. Any suggestions on some quick checks I can do in his driveway before I decide if I want to tow it home?

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Bid Low! It is broken. They can’t drive it like it is, and it might becoming an eyesore just sitting there unloved. If you do figure it out, don’t tell ‘em what it is.

I bought my 06 that way. Gal advertised for 1K - with known transmission ‘slipping’ problem, 4wd would not engage, and jeep didn’t like to run in the rain.

Transmission - lines rubbed thru and leaked out frequently, so it wouid slip.
4wd - was the transfer case switch. She never read correctly and it was ‘assumed’ it was non-operable.
Rain was real interesting. She had a ‘mechanic’ replace the enging for her. It was at his place a few months, and she was just done. Said ‘mechanic’ cut the harness to the Crank sensor and another item. Spliced back together with blue painters tape. And cut all the firewall ground straps when swapping the engine.

Hope you get a great deal!

Thanks for the information in the replies, I got a little more information that is raising red flags. This is actually being sold by a used car lot with a service and diagnostic center on site. The guy told me they took it in on trade and did not have any info about what is wrong. I suspect they rolled it in the garage, and decided it was more than they wanted to fix and just want to dump it. I will probably go take a look tot try to get more info today. The asking price is just over $500 it is just over an hours drive to go see.

Lol. It is too old for todays techs to diagnose by scanner alone. Brain power time. 250 is looking good.

Good luck.
There's an idle '05 on my dog walk and the bloke, while friendly, won't take advantage of my offer to fire her up for free.
I can't push the matter.
Seems it would be a good vehicle to "resurrect". I suggested he sell it. If it turned out to be a fine example, I'd buy and flip it.
The pine needles and leaf accumulation break my heart every day.

Well after taking a look, the shifter moves, when trying to put it in gear it makes very unnatural sounds that resemble a hammer mill crushing rocks. I think I will let this one go.

Flounder said:

…when trying to put it in gear it makes very unnatural sounds that resemble a hammer mill crushing rocks. I think I will let this one go.

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Good call

Transfer box??

Lol. - just thought - push in the clutch pedal 1st!