NHTSA Complaint #10384443 — 2002 JEEP LIBERTY

WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 JEEP LIBERTY AT AN ESTIMATED 45-50 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED AND THEN SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE ROARED AS IF ACCELERATING AND RPMS FLUCTUATED FROM HIGH TO LOW WITHOUT INCREASING ACTUAL VEHICLE SPEED AND LOST CONTROL OF STEERING AND COASTED UNTIL CAR STOPPED. THE DASHBOARD LIT UP FOR BATTERY, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND OIL AND ALL OTHER POWER STAYED ON, INCLUDING RADIO AND HEADLIGHTS AND EMERGENCY LIGHTS. WHEN CAR CAME TO A STOP, I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF AND RESTARTED IT. DASHBOARD INDICATORS TURNED OFF AND CAR STARTED NORMALLY TO ONLY REPEAT THE SAME ENGINE STALL LESS THAN A MILE AWAY AT A SLOWER SPEED. CAR THEN REQUIRED SEVERAL MORE ATTEMPTS TO START ENGINE. AT THIS TIME, THE CAR HAD A 1/2 TANK OF GAS. THE NEXT DAY I CHANGED ALL FLUIDS INCLUDING OIL, ANTIFREEZE, COOLANT AND ADDED A FUEL INJECTION CLEANER AND FILLED CAR TO A FULL TANK AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE BACK HOME WITHOUT ISSUE. NEXT TIME CAR WAS USED SAME ENGINE STALL HAPPENED AS CAR WAS IN REVERSE AND WITHOUT THE RPM FLUCTUATION OR DASHBOARD INDICATORS LIGHTING UP. NEW BATTERY INSTALLED AND HOOKED UP TO COMPUTER FOR DATA CODES WHICH REVEALED NO ERROR CODES. CAR CURRENTLY IN SHOP FOR 7 DAYS WITH OVER $500 IN COSTS THAT DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. CAR MAINTENANCE IN GREAT SHAPE AT 103700 MILES AND FULL CAR TUNEUP DONE JUST LAST YEAR BY JEEP DEALERSHIP. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE MECHANIC OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT PROBLEMS IT COULD BE OR NOT BE, AND INVEST MONEY IN REPAIRS THAT MAY NOT EVEN SOLVE THE PROBLEM. TOTAL ENGINES FAILURES/STALLS IN ONE WEEK AVERAGED 2 TIMES EACH TIME THE CAR WAS DRIVEN. GIVEN THE TRAFFIC AND TRAVELING SPEED OF THE CAR, I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE AVOIDED COLLISION BUT DO NOT FEEL SAFE OR TRUST TO USE MY CAR ESPECIALLY AFTER READING COMPLAINTS OF OTHERS EXPERIENCING SAME ENGINE FAILURE WITHOUT A SOLUTION PROVIDED THAT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. *TR