Leak up by Radiator

[willabbott]

So, I'm scheduled to go into the dealer in the next week or so... When we bought our liberty I noticed a small leak up front, but wasn't sure what it was...

Wanted to verify from what I'm reading on the board, and what I originally suspected it might be.

it's an '05 CRD we do have the tow package. Leak is a red colored fluid.

I originally thought ******, brake, or power steering fluid (I'm not super knowledgeable on engines, etc but those were the things I thought or knew could be red, not coolant, nor refrigerant, nor oil)

So it sounds like the KJ with tow package did come with a trans cooler... I had disregarded that, since I couldn't see it in there, but having looked around here, looks like it's not exactly easily visible from the outside.

The hoses are on the lower drivers side, and run up right under the radiator and condenser for the A/C. If it wasn't for their color, I would suspect AC lines... but coolant for A/C isn't red to the best of my knowledge.

Is that what you guys would suspect it is? Hopefully they just spot it right away and just fix it... they said Sales has to authorize the repair... I suspect it can't be that big a job to replace a hose or two...

 

[nullptr]

The leak is up front on the driver's side? I'm going to lean towards power steering, since it's fluid is red and is located in that general area. AC coolant is a gas and won't be visible. I believe the trans cooler on the KJ is on the passenger side in front of the radiator.

 

[willabbott]

The leak is up front on the driver's side? I'm going to lean towards power steering, since it's fluid is red and is located in that general area. AC coolant is a gas and won't be visible. I believe the trans cooler on the KJ is on the passenger side in front of the radiator.

Ah. Ok. Yeah. I wouldn't have thought steering lines would be going up to the radiator area. Thanks

 

[nullptr]

Ah. Ok. Yeah. I wouldn't have thought steering lines would be going up to the radiator area. Thanks

Yeah, Tow Package KJs have power steering coolers.

 

[willabbott]

Yeah, Tow Package KJs have power steering coolers.

Wow! Factory trans and power steering coolers... crazy... I wouldn't have thought power steering would need it, but guess it could get a little heated on a downhill or something... Kind of cool. We were glad to get the CRD and tow package. Not likely we ever will having a 7.2L Ford Powerstroke F250 available as well... but nice to know we can tow the boat, and horse trailer with horses, etc... Most likely will probably use the Liberty occasionally (once I get a brake controller on it) for towing the tractor over for service and that sort of thing... maybe taking a trailer to work to pickup supplies with, etc.

Thanks for the info... it goes in next week to get looked at, and hopefully fixed... since I think it's just a line that needs replaced I'm hoping they repair it, shouldn't be that costly for them.

 

[willabbott]

Turns out it was the Trans lines to the Trans cooler... Dealer wanted me to split the $570 repair with them... service guy went back to sales manager for me, and they are taking care of it themselves... dang right they should!

 

[profdlp]

Glad the dealer saw the light. :favorites13:

 

[CalcityRenegade]

Glad the dealer saw the light. :favorites13:

Or the potential beating LOL!

 

[profdlp]

Or the potential beating LOL!

I got a dealer who should be as smart. I'm a nice guy, up to a certain point. Then... :icon_twisted:

 

[willabbott]

Yeah... I'm glad they worked with us on this... it's funny we tried to get them to give us an extended warranty and they wouldn't go for it... now I bet they wish they would have to some extent... would have made some of their money back...

So turns out the trans lines were damaged... top it off one of the lines had been hit by a rock or something right where it connects to the cooler... so they ended up having to put a new trans cooler in, which apparently meant unhooking AC and recharging the system, etc....

a $570 repair became a $1400 repair... so the $2000-2500 extended warranty would have 1/2 way paid them back if they would have bought it for us... LOL

But hey... I got a brand new trans cooler, and lines, and brand new coolant for the A/C now.

And our sales person came through on all weather floor mats... not only came through, got us weather techs... very cool, we got nice floor mats now... much happier now than we were when we got the Jeep. They still came out on top on the deal.