KJ pet peeves

[Rednroll]

Here's my Pet Peves....although, I do like my Jeep.

1. Terrible Gas Mileage.
This is funny to me, because I also own a Toyota Rav-4. A month after I bought my Jeep, I read a consumer magazine gas rating review comparison for small SUV class vehicles. It just so happens my Rav-4 had the best gas mileage in the small SUV class, and my Jeep Liberty had the worst gas mileage in it's class. Go figure....I unknowingly bought the best and worst in class for gas mileage. I know by Jeep has a larger V-6 engine but we're talking a 10 MPG difference in vehicles that are pretty similar in size and function....and the 10 MPG difference is with the Jeep in 2 wheel drive, while the Rav-4 is in full-time 4WD.

2. Tough Steering with 4WD engaged.
I've got another post going, trying to figure out if this is normal or not....but it feels like the vehicle is going to jump and crash into the vehicle I'm parking next to, when I'm pulling into a parking space and having to make a sharp turn with 4WD engaged.

3. Center console window control only.
This seems like Chrysler is just trying to be cheap and save an extra few pennies by putting all the window control between the driver and passenger on the center console. I'm sure it's cheaper to use a single centrally located window controller than it is to make multiple ones that are located near the Window they control. Everyone who gets in my Jeep and tries to roll their passenger window down, reaches and presses the door lock. So let me get this straight??? They put the door lock control, next to "The Door" it locks.....but they DON'T put the Window control next to the "Window"? That is one of the dumbest things, I have ever seen. Most every vehicle puts the window controls next to the window, so everyone that gets in my vehicle presses the door locks, just due to expecting it to be in that location.

4. Rear Window unlatch on Remote
At 1st, I thought it was pretty cool that when I pressed a button on the remote, that I was able to release the back hatch window.....but now that I've owned the vehicle for awhile, I come to realize......what the heck do I need that feature for??? It's not like the door opens with it automatically, so when I have my hands full, I can load stuff in the back by just pressing a button....I still need to open up the rear door to put stuff in the back of the vehicle. But now, when I'm walking away from the vehicle and go to lock my doors and accidentally hit the window hatch release...I now realize this feature is more of a pain in the rear, than the benefit. Yeah....there's also been a couple times, where my wife forgot to lock the vehicle and we where in the house. So she points the remote out the house window to lock the vehicle and accidentally pushes that window hatch release button. So now it's not like you can press the button again and have it automatically close....but it's time to throw your shoes and coat on so you can go outside and close the window you accidentally opened.

The ONLY thing I found this feature useful for, is when I have my 2 Labs in the back. I can pop the rear hatch window, so they can hang their heads outside. Thanks for thinking about a great feature for my dogs Jeep....but useless for any practical human use.

 

[Searcher67]

I agree about the rear hatch button. Many times I have come out in the morning to find that my hatch had been open all night. I figured out that when I remove my keys from my pocket, I must hit that damn button.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I've never had an issue with the rear hatch.....

 

[Rednroll]

I agree about the rear hatch button. Many times I have come out in the morning to find that my hatch had been open all night. I figured out that when I remove my keys from my pocket, I must hit that damn button.

LOL!!! Yep.....been there....done that one.

 

[kj924]

Yeah me too....stupid hatch.

 

[ranger81]

I agree about the rear hatch button. Many times I have come out in the morning to find that my hatch had been open all night. I figured out that when I remove my keys from my pocket, I must hit that damn button.

and when the hatch is open it's difficult to reach over the spare and throw things in there. I've been tempted to throw the spare up on the roof and get it out of the way.

 

[Rednroll]

Here's another small Pet Peve I thought of.

5. Dual button press to remove the head rests.
I sometimes have to remove the head rests so I can fold the seats fully forward to put things like 2x4's in the back or load up my camping gear. So to remove the head rest you have to press a button on each side of the head rest to unlock it from the seat. Which requires 2 hands to perform that function. So I need a 3rd hand to pull the head rest out......unfortunately, I don't have a 3rd hand but it sure could be useful. So now just to remove the head rest, I find myself using my 2 hands to press in the buttons, and using my chin in an attempt to push the head rest up, to get it out of the seat. Luckily, no one has caught me on a video camera, because I'm sure it's something that could make "American's funniest home video". I'm an engineer and I work in the automotive industry.....this just seems like bad engineering to me....it shouldn't take 3 hands to remove a head rest. A single button that is able to unlock both locking mechanisms on the head rest would be more practical.....exactly what my Toyota Rav-4 has to remove a head rest.

 

[Mangate]

In no particular order:

3. Manual levers for seat reclining get stuck and locked, have to yank hard to release seat back.

Don't yank too ******* those levers, one of mine broke, and I mean the alloy shaft not the plastic lever. Cost me $130 for a new recliner. It's best to take your weight off the seat back or even pull it forward slightly with your other hand, then it frees up.

 

[Searcher67]

Sounds like he's binding on dry pavement....

 

[Rednroll]

What are you doing driving in 4wd in a parking lot?

Yeah....I've been through that discussion now and have been educated. Some of us live in areas where the parking lots are plowed out before the roads are plowed out. So just driving to the store after a snow storm. I guess, I have to remember to take my Liberty out of 4WD once I reach the store parking lot now. Or I could start looking for a new vehicle, where the 4WD is designed more for hazardous road conditions rather than just driving off road in the sand and mud. I drive my Jeep on hazardous roads more than I take it out to the sand dunes.

My question is this.....Why even have a 4WD-Hi "Part time"??? Where would I use this??? "Hi" is for higher speeds right?? So the only place I'm suppose to use this is if I'm racing my Jeep off road at 50 MPH in a mud swamp???? Let's see, I think I've done that ZERO times after owning the vehicle for about 2 years now.

 

[jnaut]

2. Tough Steering with 4WD engaged.
I've got another post going, trying to figure out if this is normal or not....but it feels like the vehicle is going to jump and crash into the vehicle I'm parking next to, when I'm pulling into a parking space and having to make a sharp turn with 4WD engaged.

It is. You may have already ruined your transfer case. See your other thread for the "stop that immediately responses".

 

[JeepJeepster]

My question is this.....Why even have a 4WD-Hi "Part time"??? Where would I use this??? "Hi" is for higher speeds right?? So the only place I'm suppose to use this is if I'm racing my Jeep off road at 50 MPH in a mud swamp???? Let's see, I think I've done that ZERO times after owning the vehicle for about 2 years now.

You couldnt be more wrong. 4wd part time is just like having a part time job, you use it 'part' of the time. Make sense?

And maybe you should of shopped around before buying a liberty with the 'part time' 4wd system since they also have an option which is called "Full time' 4wd. Which is what I have in my liberty.

All of this is explained in the owners manual.

4. Rear Window unlatch on Remote

There is an option in the owners manual which allows you to make it so you must hold the flip glass button 1-2 seconds before the glass actually opens. This way if you just tap the pad nothing happens.

Also, for those of use that have shelves in the back of our liberty it works out great. I hardly ever open the gate.

 

[CHUD]

3. Center console window control only.
This seems like Chrysler is just trying to be cheap and save an extra few pennies by putting all the window control between the driver and passenger on the center console. I'm sure it's cheaper to use a single centrally located window controller than it is to make multiple ones that are located near the Window they control. Everyone who gets in my Jeep and tries to roll their passenger window down, reaches and presses the door lock. So let me get this straight??? They put the door lock control, next to "The Door" it locks.....but they DON'T put the Window control next to the "Window"? That is one of the dumbest things, I have ever seen. Most every vehicle puts the window controls next to the window, so everyone that gets in my vehicle presses the door locks, just due to expecting it to be in that location.

I'm sure your friends will get over it. As humans, we have an incredible ability to adapt.

Window controls in the center are not bad and are safer than many door-located window switches. And yeah, Chrysler is cheap in that they don't want to pay millions of dollars in judgements in the event they are sued. SEE BELOW:

Power Windows Death Lawsuits

Steve Faulkner was calling to his friends from the window of his parent's car when he accidentally activated the power window switch with his knee causing the window to close on his neck. The window cut off his oxygen supply and he died in an Iowa hospital the same night. According to the watch dog group "Kids and Cars" at least 26 people have died in this way, though they say the number is likely much higher. Two-year-olds Zoie Gates of Kansas and Keymone Leggett of Florida were both strangled by power window in separate incidents in 2001. And less than four months ago 11 year old Mitchell Johnson of Indiana died of asphyxiation after a power window trapped his head against the door frame of his parents car.

Preliminary figures show that power windows are responsible for up to four deaths a year and a study conducted in 1997 estimates roughly 500 injuries, mostly to fingers, hands and arms. In response to pressure applied by "Kids and Cars" the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has begun a new study on power window related death and injury but what ever their findings the facts are incontrovertible: the power windows of some American cars can kill and auto manufacturers are responsible.

The U.S. car industry has long been aware of this problem. As early as 1968 Ralph Nader, the most famous car reform advocate, wrote a letter to the NHTSA in an attempt to make power windows safe. Nevertheless, despite European laws that have made European power windows safe, and aside from a half-hearted attempt in the mid 90's to make power windows less prone to accidental activation, the regulatory agency still has not responded in a meaningful way.

Certain power window designs are more dangerous than others. Three things characterize a dangerous power window 1) the operating switch can be activated accidentally 2) the window closes with unnecessary force (sometimes with more than 80 pounds of pressure) and 3) the window is not designed to auto reverse when it encounters resistance (a feature seen with most European power windows).

In nearly all the fatalities that have occurred the power switch was either a "toggle" or "rocker" type switch. A "toggle" switch works when pushed forward or pulled back. A "rocker" switch works when it is pressed down: when one end is pressed the window opens, when the other end is pressed, the window closes. Both designs are prone to accidental activation. "Kids and Cars", along with Public citizen another watch dog group concerned with power window deaths, are working to convince car manufacturers to replace "toggle" and "rocker" switches with "lever" switches. "Lever" switches require a person to grip and pull up in order to raise the window.

100% of all kids killed by power windows in recent years were killed in American-made cars. European and Asian countries require power windows to have "lever" switches. However, U.S. auto manufacturers: Ford Motor, General Motors and Chrysler still make their cars with a mix of safer switches and dangerous "rocker" or "toggle" switches. Even more astonishing: while they continue to sell cars with unsafe power windows to Americans, they sell the same models to Europeans and Asians with safer windows. i.e. ones equipped with "lever switches" and auto reverse windows.

If a car company is responsible for the death of your child because of a power window related accident, you are not alone. Please contact us for a free legal consultation.

Also - Many Land Rovers have center-mounted window switches

 

[LibertyOrDeath]

I like the center mounted idea. That way my passenger can control all of the windows too.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I like the center mounted idea. That way my passenger can control all of the windows too.

I don't have ANY gripes with them in the center.....x2 on what you said.

 

[RenegadeJay]

How do you know if you have pt 4x4 or ft 4x4? I know it seems like a dumb question, but I came from a ford that had choices of "auto, 4hi, 4lo" on my Explorer.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

How do you know if you have pt 4x4 or ft 4x4? I know it seems like a dumb question, but I came from a ford that had choices of "auto, 4hi, 4lo" on my Explorer.

The Selec Trac has 5 modes vs. Command Trac's 4.


Here's what my Full Time lever looks like:

 

[HoosierJeeper]

CHUD:

As awfull as I find what happened, that must have been in older cars. Here in Europe we have a system that automaticaly lowers the window when it 'feels' that there is something in the way. I suppose you guys get those systems too by now?

Want me to do a test????






just kidding!!!

 

[RenegadeJay]

How about this for stupid, I read the email I got from Chrysler on my build sheet and there in big letters "Command-Trac Part Time 4WD System".....again, I suck!

 

[ridenby]

know this is dated but where did you find rubber vinyl floor mat?