NHTSA Complaint #10014418 — 2002 JEEP LIBERTY

THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE TO TOW A SMALL BOAT. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE NOT TOWING THE BOAT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, OTHERWISE WE WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. MY 2002 JEEP LIBERTY IS WELL WITHIN ITS ORIGINAL BUMPER-TO-BUMPER WARRANTY PERIOD. SUDDENLY IT SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR, LOST POWER, AND THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. IT STILL RUNS IN 1ST, 2ND, AND REVERSE GEARS, BUT SLIPS OUT AT EVERY STOP LIGHT AND HAS TO RE-ENGAGE. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WON'T HONOR THE WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY CLAIM THE TRANSMISSION WAS DRAINED BEFORE I DROVE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP - BUT THAT'S EXACTLY THE SYMPTOM THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED!! THEY ADMIT THE VEHICLE COULDN'T GO MORE THAN A COUPLE OF MILES WITH FLUID THAT LOW, BUT THE PROBLEM OCCURRED DURING A HIGHWAY TRIP AND NO ONE COULD HAVE DRAINED THE FLUID WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THERE ARE NO LEAKS OR DRIPS UNDER THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS NO WARNING OF ANY KIND. WHERE DID THE FLUID GO? OUR LIBERTY WAS ONE OF THE FIRST OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE. OTHER LIBERTY OWNERS WILL PROBABLY EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM AROUND 32000 MILES. PLEASE WARN THEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT.*JB