2007 Jeep Liberty Clutch Failure

[crabhab]

My wife and I just bought our sixth Jeep. We bought a 2007 Jeep KJ sport with the 6spd manual. We live close to the beach and have enjoyed driving our Jeeps on the beach. Exactly one week after we purchased our Jeep we drove onto the beach and experienced a problem with our clutch after shifting from 4wd lo to 4wd high. We slowed down to a walk (1-3mph), put the transmission in neutral, and operated the transfer case. The pedal became very stiff and would not disengage the clutch. Driving without a working clutch was not fun. I could manage stop lights and signs by shifting the Jeep into neutral and turning the ignition off and waiting a couple of seconds. This allowed me the use of the clutch for about 10-20 seconds. By the time I drove to the dealership the clutch was functioning fine. They test drove it for a couple of days on the road with no malfunctions, and gave it back to us. We drove on the beach this weekend and had the same clutch failure. I am thinking that it could be a broken transmission mount or engine mount that misaligns the drive train when driven off road. I think that turning it off relieves some stress on the drive train and lets me shift a couple of times before it falls out of alignment again. Or could it be a broken master cylinder? I know that the current Wranglers were having master cylinder issues, and Liberties have a similar drive train to the Wranglers. I don't think it was my driving I have had six Jeeps, two of which with manual transmissions and NV 231 transfer cases like this Liberty. Any insight or help would be appreciated.

 

[tan's2002kjlimited]

How far away is the dealer from the beach? I'd have a tech or a service writer come with you to duplicate the conditions leading up to the failure.idea.gif
KJ's only a week or so old, they better do something.wtf.gif

 

[crabhab]

The dealership is about 30miles away. They told me that they have a sand pit they can use to trouble shoot 4wd issues. My question is why didnt they try that when they had it the first time?

 

[JeepJeepster]

stupid I guess.. Youve got to tell a dealship every move to make so they do not screw something up. Usually they still do so its a hit or miss thing.

Could the sand be building up around something causing this to happen? Is it soft loose sand? Are you bottoming out any?

 

[crabhab]

I am scrapping bottom. Very soft sand of Assateague Island National Seashore ORV area near Ocean City, MD. We live on the eastern shore and have been dragging stock height XJ, ZJ, and YJ/TJ's for years with no problems. The "roads" up and down the beach are a bit deep for a stock height Liberty although there are tons of them out there. I wish Jeep had put the Aisin Borg warner auto ****** in the KJ's I am scared of Chysler autos. I would have snapped up an auto Liberty if it had that ****** in it. I sure wish I had bought a 4wd F250! I like jeeps for their handysize and good power to weight ratio much nicer to manuver off-road than a full size truck.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I love message boards and post often on ford-trucks.com Thanks for having a great liberty board. Anybody know if MD's lemon laws apply to a problem that manifests itself off-road?

 

[JeepJeepster]

Idk how the stick works on the kj, but have you gotten under it to check and see if sand has built up anywhere when its doing it?

 

[crabhab]

Well the jeep dealer found sand in the bellhousing. There is a vent on the bottom of the Liberty 6spd manual transmission (6oclock position) that has no seal infact it looks like a little scoop is picks up alot of sand sent off of the crossmember. now keep in mind I am not jumping sand dunes or any crazy off-road antics jut driving down a sandy road at 10-15mph on Assateague that sometimes are deep enough to have the bottom of the Liberty lightly brush the center of the bell housing.

Jeep must have overlooked this or my liberty is flawed. I mean there are hundres of Jeeps on the beach Wrangers, Cherokees, Grand Cherokee, I even saw a compass on the beach. All of the new wranglers use this engine and transmission I cant imagine them having this stupid little scoop. Dealership thinks a skid plate would stop it. I bought this Jeep to go out on the BEACH!!!!! not rock climb or trail ride in PA!!!!

Sorry for the rant.

 

[JeepJeepster]

I figured it was something like that. Get a skid and see what that does. They are fairly cheap and they are good insurance anyway.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

Um, correction, no Wrangler uses the 3.7L V6.

 

[crabhab]

Ooops I forgot they got the minivan 3.8 tuned for torque long live the 4.0

 

[Dave]

Aggrivating problem. The only two things I can think of at the moment is to bring it back again and take the tech out in the sand pit you said they had and try to replicate the problem. Just keep running it in there until it does it.

I wonder if skids would do anything?? Even the OEM skids might help keep the sand out of there.

Dave

 

[crabhab]

Thanks for all of your help and ideas guys. I guess I will have to look into a Rusty's lift kit and bigger tires. Seems extreme to have to do just to run down our favorite beach. I was hopping to leave stock it gets good mileage with the 225's and the 6spd ******. Anyone here heard anything about the new 6spd wrangler transmissions having similar issues seems like water /mud could enter the transmission at that low point.

 

[crabhab]

update.

Dealer has agreed to buy skidplates (the front plate and the two transmission plates). Yesterday they were going to do nothing. I have remaind calm and tried to treat the dealership personnel with respect. I was mad last night, but then they called this morning and told me that they want me to be happy (and fill out a good chrylser survey form) I will let you know if this solves the problem. THanks for all of your help and suggestions.