need some help with our Liberty

[Blue88Comanche]

Dad's Liberty has been acting up, so we took it to the Jeep Dealership for a diagnostic.. anyway Dad has a 2005 Jeep Liberty Limited 4x4, with the 242 TC.

 

according to dad here is what it is doing

When driving 40-45 mph and 1200-1500 RPM, I feel and hear a grumbling and it seems as though it is having difficulty deciding what gear to be in. If I accelerate or turn off the overdrive, the RPMs increase and the symptoms go away.... or it slides into recovery gear. When this happens, I pull over, turn it off, wait a minute, crank it back up and it resolves the problem.... until it happens again. Also, the four wheel drive indicator light appears to be one slot off every since I drive through some water about 2 months ago. When I am in 2wd the light for part-time is on.

 

By one slot off he means instead of normal position indicator light it goes like this:

2wd - Part time

4wd h part time - Full time

4wd Full time - no light

4wd l part time - I can't remember what light it had..

 

here is a cropped and re-sized report from the dealer

 

the dealer said the TC was messed up and needed to be rebuilt, but that does not make any sense to me why it would be causing the transmission to get stuck in 2nd or 3rd

 

Thanks

[Alexia]

It has the 42RLE transmission. It is a nightmare and should never have been put into vehicles. The 40-45mph issue at low RPM is notorious a bad spot for that transmission. I have the 42RLE in my LJ and want to replace it.

 

It sounds like the transmission fluid is contaminated with water. The entire pan will have to be pulled, since there is no drain plug, to clean it out with a new filter, put back together, and refilled. Unfortunately if this is the case and he has been driving it expect to save up for a replacement transmission in the future.

 

I am not entirely sure how the transfer case linkage works on the 2005 Liberty. If it is like other models then the adjuster screw could have slipped which is easy to readjust.

[Blue88Comanche]

thanks for the quick reply, the TC shifts into the different positions and the jeeps acts as it should in those settings. it's just the indicator light that's messing up. is there an adjustment for it as well? it uses a simmilar linkage system as our jeeps

[Alexia]

thanks for the quick reply, the TC shifts into the different positions and the jeeps acts as it should in those settings. it's just the indicator light that's messing up. is there an adjustment for it as well? it uses a simmilar linkage system as our jeeps

 

There is a sensor screwed into the top of the transfer case with a four wire connector.(Not to be confused with the speed sensor by the rear drive shaft.) Try cleaning the connector out first and reapply dielectric grease. If that does not work, then it may just need a new sensor. The ball bearing in the sensor will get stuck and some have successfully freed it.

 

If the transmission fluid is watery then the transfer case fluid is probably watery too.

[Blue88Comanche]

I will give it a check when I get home.

[Incommando]

42RLE... very problematic. It was originally a FWD transaxle in the Caravan that they converted for RWD use.

 

Your indicator light is a common issue. The sensor starts acting weird if dunked in water or corroded. The one in my 241 started lighting the 4wd indicator in 2-hi so I ignored it and it eventually started working right again.

 

Water seems to be a common denominator. Methinks this jeep may have been in some deep water ( it appears it was higher than the top of the tranny...a real no-no in any vehicle without relocated breathers) and sucked it through the breathers. If so I would check your diffs, too. Unless relocated the vents/breathers for them aren't any higher than the tranny breather. It may be too late for the more sensitive tranny but if the diff lubes have water in them you may be able to still save them.

[Alexia]

42RLE... very problematic. It was originally a FWD transaxle in the Caravan that they converted for RWD use.

 

Yep and they were never any good in the Caravan either! Mine decided to be a little pain today and wanted to give up going over the mountain. Pff, whatever, hit the overdrive off button!