JEEP LIBERTY 2006 KJ / 1.G Owners Manual

should be checked for fluid level at regular intervals. Fill
the reservoir with windshield washer solvent (not
antifreeze/coolant) and operate the system for a few
seconds to flush out the residual water.
WARNING!
Commercial windshield washer solvents are flam-
mable. They could ignite and burn you. Care must
be exercised when filling or working around the
washer solution.
Exhaust System
The best protection against carbon monoxide entry into
the vehicle body is a properly maintained engine exhaust
system.
If you notice a change in the sound of the exhaust system;
or if the exhaust fumes can be detected inside the vehicle;
or when the underside or rear of the vehicle is damaged;
have an authorized technician inspect the complete ex-
haust system and adjacent body areas for broken, dam-
aged, deteriorated, or mispositioned parts. Open seams
or loose connections could permit exhaust fumes to seep
into the passenger compartment. In addition, inspect the
exhaust system each time the vehicle is raised for lubri-
cation or oil change. Replace as required.
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7

Cooling System
WARNING!
You or others can be badly burned by hot antifreeze/
coolant or steam from your radiator. If you see or
hear steam coming from under the hood, don’t open
the hood until the radiator has had time to cool.
Never try to open a cooling system pressure cap
when the radiator or coolant bottle is hot.
Engine Coolant Checks
Check antifreeze/coolant protection every 12 months
(before the onset of freezing weather, where applicable).
If antifreeze/coolant is dirty or rusty in appearance, the
system should be drained, flushed and refilled with fresh
antifreeze/coolant. Check the front of the A/C condenser
(if equipped) or radiator for any accumulation of bugs, leaves, etc. If dirty, clean by gently spraying water from a
garden hose vertically down the face of the A/C con-
denser (if equipped) or the radiator core.
Check the engine cooling system hoses for brittle rubber,
cracking, tears, cuts, and tightness of connection at the
coolant recovery bottle and radiator. Inspect the entire
system for leaks.
Cooling System — Drain, Flush, And Refill
At the intervals shown on the appropriate “Maintenance
Schedule” the system should be drained, flushed, and
refilled.
If the coolant solution is dirty or contains a considerable
amount of sediment, clean and flush with a reliable
cooling system cleaner (see your authorized dealer for
recommendations). Follow with a thorough rinsing to
remove all deposits and chemicals. Properly dispose of
old antifreeze/coolant solution.
332 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Selection Of Engine Coolant
Use only the manufacturer’s recommended antifreeze/
coolant, refer to Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts for
correct antifreeze/coolant type.CAUTION!
•Mixing of antifreeze/coolant other than the speci-
fied HOAT antifreeze/coolant may result in de-
creased corrosion protection and engine damage.
If a non-HOAT antifreeze/coolant is introduced
into the cooling system in an emergency, it should
be replaced with the specified antifreeze/coolant
as soon as possible.
•Do not use plain water alone or alcohol base
antifreeze/coolant products. Do not use additional
rust inhibitors or antirust products, as they may
not be compatible with the antifreeze/coolant and
may plug the radiator.
•This vehicle has not been designed for use with
Propylene Glycol based antifreeze/coolant. Use of
Propylene Glycol base antifreeze/coolant is not
recommended.
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7

Adding Engine Coolant
Your vehicle has been built with an improved antifreeze/
coolant that allows extended maintenance intervals. This
antifreeze/coolant can be used up to 5 Years or 100,000
miles before replacement. To prevent reducing this ex-
tended maintenance period, it is important that you use
the same antifreeze/coolant throughout the life of your
vehicle. Please review these recommendations for using
Hybrid Organic Additive Technology (HOAT) coolant.
When adding antifreeze/coolant, a minimum solution of
50% recommended Mopar Antifreeze/Coolant 5 Year/
100,000 Mile Formula HOAT (Hybrid Organic Additive
Technology), or equivalent, in water should be used. Use
higher concentrations (not to exceed 70%) if temperatures
below -34°F (-37°C) are anticipated. Use only high purity water such as distilled or deionized
water when mixing the water/antifreeze (coolant) solu-
tion. The use of lower quality water will reduce the
amount of corrosion protection in the engine cooling
system.
Please note that it is the owner’s responsibility to main-
tain the proper level of protection against freezing ac-
cording to the temperatures occurring in the area where
the vehicle is operated.
NOTE:
Mixing antifreeze/coolant types will decrease
the life of the antifreeze/coolant and will require more
frequent antifreeze/coolant changes.
Cooling System Pressure Cap
The cap must be fully tightened to prevent loss of
antifreeze/coolant, and to insure that antifreeze/coolant
will return to the radiator from the coolant recovery
bottle.
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The cap should be inspected and cleaned if there is any
accumulation of foreign material on the sealing surfaces.
WARNING!
The warning words DO NOT OPEN HOT on the
cooling system pressure cap are a safety precaution.
Never add antifreeze/coolant when the engine is
overheated. Do not loosen or remove the cap to cool
an overheated engine. Heat causes pressure to build
up in the cooling system. To prevent scalding or
injury, do not remove the pressure cap while the
system is hot or under pressure.
Disposal of Used Engine Coolant
Used Hybrid Organic Additive Technology (HOAT)
antifreeze/coolant is a regulated substance requiring
proper disposal. Check with your local authorities to
determine the disposal rules for your community. To prevent ingestion by animals or children, do not store
HOAT antifreeze/coolant in open containers, or allow it
to remain in puddles on the ground. If ingested by a
child, contact a physician immediately. Clean up ground
spills immediately.
Engine Coolant Level
The coolant recovery bottle provides a quick visual
method for determining that the antifreeze/coolant level
is adequate. With the engine idling, and warm to normal
operating temperature, the level of the antifreeze/coolant
should be between the ranges indicated on the bottle.
The radiator normally remains completely full, so there is
no need to remove the radiator cap unless checking for
antifreeze/coolant freeze point or replacing coolant. Ad-
vise your service attendant of this. As long as the engine
operating temperature is satisfactory, the coolant bottle
need only be checked once a month.
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7

When additional antifreeze/coolant is needed to main-
tain the proper level, it should be added to the coolant
recovery bottle. Do not overfill.
Points To Remember
NOTE: When the vehicle is stopped after a few miles
(kilometers) of operation, you may observe vapor coming
from the front of the engine compartment. This is nor-
mally a result of moisture from rain, snow, or high
humidity accumulating on the radiator and being vapor-
ized when the thermostat opens, allowing hot water to
enter the radiator.
If an examination of your engine compartment shows no
evidence of radiator or hose leaks, the vehicle may be
safely driven. The vapor will soon dissipate.
•Do not overfill the coolant recovery bottle.
•Check antifreeze/coolant freeze point in the system.
•If frequent antifreeze/coolant additions are required,
or if the level in the recovery bottle does not drop
when the engine cools, the cooling system should be
pressure tested for leaks.
•Maintain engine coolant/anti-freeze concentration to
50% HOAT engine coolant/anti-freeze (minimum)
and distilled water for proper corrosion protection of
your engine which contains aluminum components.
•Make sure that the radiator and coolant recovery
bottle hoses are not kinked or obstructed.
•Keep the front of the radiator clean. Also, if your
vehicle is equipped with air conditioning, keep the
front of the condenser clean.
•Do not change the thermostat for summer or winter
operation. If replacement is ever necessary, install
336 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

ONLY the correct type thermostat. Other designs may
result in unsatisfactory cooling performance, poor gas
mileage, and increased emissions.
Hoses and Vacuum/Vapor Harnesses
Inspect surfaces of hoses and nylon tubing for evidence
of heat and mechanical damage. Hard or soft spots,
brittle rubber, cracking, tears, cuts, abrasions, and exces-
sive swelling indicate deterioration of the rubber.
Pay particular attention to the hoses nearest to high heat
sources such as the exhaust manifold. Inspect hose rout-
ing to be sure hoses do not touch any heat source or
moving component that may cause heat damage or
mechanical wear.
Insure nylon tubing in these areas has not melted or
collapsed. Inspect all hose connections such as clamps
and couplings to make sure they are secure and no leaks are present. Components should be replaced immedi-
ately if there is any evidence of degradation that could
cause failure.
Brake System
In order to assure brake system performance, all brake
system components should be inspected periodically.
Refer to the appropriate “Maintenance Schedule” in
Section 8 for suggested service intervals.
WARNING!
Riding the brakes can lead to brake failure and
possibly an accident. Driving with your foot resting
or riding on the brake pedal can result in abnormally
high brake temperatures, excessive lining wear, and
possible brake damage. You wouldn’t have your full
braking capacity in an emergency.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 337
7

Brake and Power Steering System Hoses
When servicing the vehicle for scheduled maintenance,
inspect surface of hoses for evidence of heat and me-
chanical damage. Hard and brittle rubber, cracking, tears,
cuts, abrasion, and excessive swelling suggest deteriora-
tion of the rubber. Particular attention should be made to
examining those hose surfaces nearest to high heat
sources, such as the exhaust manifold.
Inspect all hose clamps and couplings to make sure they
are secure and no leaks are present.
NOTE: Often fluids such as oil, power steering fluid,
and brake fluid are used during assembly plant opera-
tions to ease the assembly of hoses to couplings. There-
fore, oil wetness at the hose-coupling area is not neces-
sarily an indication of leakage. Actual dripping of hot
fluid when systems are under pressure (during vehicle
operation) should be noted before hose is replaced based
on leakage. NOTE:
Inspection of brake hoses should be done when-
ever the brake system is serviced and every engine oil
change.
WARNING!
Worn brake hoses can burst and cause brake failure.
You could have an accident. If you see any signs of
cracking, scuffing, or worn spots, have the brake
hoses replaced immediately.
Brake Master Cylinder
The fluid level in the master cylinder should be checked
when performing under hood services, or immediately if
the “Brake Warning Light” shows system failure.
338 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Be sure to clean the top of the master cylinder area before
removing the cap. If necessary, add fluid to bring the
fluid level up to the requirements described on the brake
fluid reservoir. With disc brakes, fluid level can be
expected to fall as the brake pads wear. However, low
fluid level may be caused by a leak and a checkup may be
needed. Use only manufacturer’s recommended brake fluid, refer
to Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts for correct fluid
type.
WARNING!
Use of a brake fluid that may have a lower initial
boiling point or unidentified as to specification, may
result in sudden brake failure during hard pro-
longed braking. You could have an accident.
WARNING!
Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir can result in
spilling brake fluid on hot engine parts and the
brake fluid catching fire.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 339
7

Use only brake fluid that has been in a tightly closed
container to avoid contamination from foreign matter. Do
not allow petroleum base fluid to contaminate the brake
fluid as seal damage will result.
Automatic Transmission
Selection of Lubricant
It is important that the proper lubricant is used in the
transmission to assure optimum transmission perfor-
mance. Use only manufacturer’s recommended transmis-
sion fluid, refer to Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts
for correct fluid type. It is important that the transmission
fluid be maintained at the prescribed level using the
recommended fluid.
CAUTION!
Using a transmission fluid other than the manufac-
turer’s recommended fluid may cause deterioration
in transmission shift quality and/or torque converter
shudder. Using a transmission fluid other than the
manufacturer’s recommended fluid will result in
more frequent fluid and filter changes. Refer to
Fluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Parts for correct
fluid type.
Fluid Level Check – 3.7L Gasoline Engine (42RLE)
and 2.8L Diesel Engine (545RFE)
This fluid level should be checked when the engine is
fully warmed up and the fluid in the transmission is
heated to its normal operating temperature. Operation of
the transmission with an improper fluid level will greatly
reduce the life of the transmission and of the fluid.
340 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE