Howdy from a New KJ owner

[Radar]

Howdy from a new KJ owner.. parking break & flickering instrument panel

Hey all,

I just picked up a used '06 KJ Sport 4x4 w/77K on it and thought I would chime in and say hello. I have creeped this community for about 3 weeks an felt like I knew what I was getting into... until yesterday. I pulled the trigger and bought the KJ but 20 miles off the lot did I notice the following issues:

- Burnt clutch/break/oil smell coming from the front driver side after driving for 20min. I haven't had a chance to dig into it yet, but I did take it for another spin later in the evening and the smell was gone. I'm guessing (operative term) that it was the result of the pre-sale service that was preformed and perhaps the tech spilled oil, etc which has since burned off. I will be watching/sniffing like a drug dog for the next few trips but it's just too early to be sure what it was. Ideas?

- Parking break will not engage. I mean, at all. When the lever is pulled up and the KJ in drive, she rolls. When in neurtal on a very gradual grade.. she rolls. Seems like something I/they should have checked before the sale. FYI, unrelated to the above problem as the parking break was not set by the salesman when he delivered the car from service. I always set my parking break when exiting a vehicle and mentally noted/complained as to why salesmen don't. Regardless, will bring it to their attention.

- The instrument panel lamps flicker intermittently. Gascap + tone, trans temp, etc.. absolutely no pattern and for just a moment. This thread has given me some insight, but I still plan to take it back to the dealer to be sure TSB 08-016-07 has been performed.

I still have faith that the above can be remedied and am excited to finally get into a KJ of my own.

Cheers,
- J

 

[KeswickDave]

Let me be the first to say welcome!

Hopefully your dealer can sort out the issues for you. Parking brake is probably seized up from lack of use... a lot of people with automatics don't bother with it.

Up here though, you have to get a safety certification to register a vehicle, and a seized parking brake would not pass a properly done inspection, so you'd have a good case to get that fixed. Don't know how it works down there!

Hope you enjoy your Jeep!

 

[WesChapman]

There's a good write up in the how to section for adjusting the parking brake. However, the Liberty parking brake isn't great. When it does work, it will hold. I've adjusted mine at the wheels per the how to section and I've adjusted the handle in side the cab. I'd say it's 50/50 whether it works or not when I pull the handle. Sometimes I pull the handle and it clicks about 4 times, locks up tight and the Jeep doesn't move even when in gear with a little throttle. Other times, the handle come all the way up to the stop and the Jeep rolls away like the brake isn't on. I haven't discovered any rhyme or reason why it works sometimes and not others.

 

[Dave]

Welcome to the forum Radar.

Yeah, since you got it at the dealer let them fix the issues with it.

Dave

 

[Jo6pak]

Welcome.

Congrats on the new Libby. sorry to hear of the issues. I'm with the Daves and agree that the dealer should fix the problems.

If not, there are alot of members knowledgable in pretty much everything there is to know about the KJs and KKs........I'm not one of them, but I'll help when I can

 

[Radar]

Thanks for the welcome!

UPDATE: I took the KJ into the dealer who was more than apologetic and took her back for investigation immediately. They set me up with a loaner (an '04 Malibu.. ugh) until the issues are resolved. Hopefully all should be well by tomorrow morning but we'll see.

@KeswickDave: I think you hit the nail on head w/the inspection. NYS has the same standard and I would like to think they are jumping though hoops to fix my KJ because the are a 5-star dealer and not doing a CYA move. Either way, just happy to have it getting taken care of.

@WesChapman: Good to know. I have faith that they will repair it, but in all honesty I use it more as a habit more than an actual need. Plus it's a principal thing...

@Dave: Exactly my thoughts.

@Jo6pak: Yea there are quite a few "big brains" on the board. Tons of quality content and how-to info... exactly why I joined

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Welcome to Jeep KJ Counrty.

Bring your vehicle back to the place you bought it from and have them give it a once over.