The 2004 model belongs to the third generation of the Cherokee and was sold in the States under the name Liberty. It was shown in Detroit and was produced from 2001 to 2008. Jeep Liberty 2004 was designated as KJ and took place in between Wrangler and Grand Cherokee. This was the first car of the brand with rack and pinion steering. In addition, the new truck was equipped with a diesel engine, which was last installed on Cherokee and Comanche back in ’87.
It was an experiment, which was to show the demand for diesel SUVs in the U.S.. And it turned out to be successful, in fact, only for the first year of sales, 10,000 copies were sold. And this despite the fact that from the beginning, the sale of diesel was banned in some states due to strict, environmental requirements. Initially, cars were sold in basic configurations: – Sport and Limited ( about their differences a bit below).
Jeep Liberty 2004 KJ was very different from the previous – XJ. The novelty has got independent front suspension. Which significantly exceeds dependent in terms of handling on asphalt. In order to bring the KJ’s independent suspension closer to the dependent’s stamina, the upper control arm was made of cast iron and the lower control arm was made of high-strength steel. In addition, both the suspension arms and the steering rods are covered by a sub-frame, which increases the machine’s off-road survivability.
The 2.8 diesel engines received a turbine with variable geometry blades, which had a positive impact on power and traction. But in 2007, just before the KJ was taken off the line, sales of diesel-powered Liberty trucks were banned in the U.S. due to the country’s stricter environmental standards.
The 2004 Jeep Liberty had two types of transmissions. The first was the Command – Trac transmission with four modes; – 2Hi, 4 – Hi, Neutral (for towing), and 4 – LO. The 2Hi mode was intended to drive in reverse on solid pavement. In this mode, the car is easier to accelerate and has the lowest fuel consumption. The 4WD-Hi mode is designed for slippery roads covered with snow or ice. This mode is very useful on sand, or in loose soil. This mode transmits torque equally to the front and rear wheels. The 4WD-Lo mode complements the 4WD-Hi with a lower gear. In this mode, the vehicle’s top speed is limited to 25 miles.
The Selec Trac has five modes. Where to the already described modes were added; – 4-Hi Part-Time and 4Hi Full-Time. The last mode implied a permanent four-wheel drive. When driving in 4-Hi Full-Time 52 percent of torque is transferred to the front wheels and 48 percent to the rear. Depending on road conditions, however, more or less power could be transferred to individual wheels.
2004 Jeep Liberty For Sale and Price.
Today, you can buy a used 2004 Liberty in the United States for between $3,000 and $6,000. Of course, the cost is determined primarily by the condition of the particular specimen. Some cars cost less than $1,000.
Appearance and photos.
In July 2004, a slight facelift has been made. The updated model is easily recognized by the fog lights, located a little lower than the main headlights. The Sport version is most easily recognized by the plastic, not painted bumpers and fender linings. The idea behind the unpainted elements is that if they are damaged, it will cost more to replace them than the painted ones on the Limited.
The KJ’s round headlights, after the XJ generation, look extremely unusual. The third-generation Cherokee from a front view perhaps looks more like a Wrangler than the previous generation of this model. Even in spite of the headlights, belonging to the brand Jeep gives out seven vertical slits on the radiator grille.
Off-Road package Up Country Suspension supplements the Liberty with plates covering the bottom, increased ground clearance, towbar, and even a system that allows you to level the body of the machine when towing a trailer, or trailer.
Ground clearance of standard, not raised Jeep Liberty 2004 is 244 mm. The lower points are under the front suspension arms and under the rear shock absorber supports.
There are four factory tire sizes available for the 2004 Jeep Liberty. They are 235/65 R17, 235/60 R18, and 245/50 R18. The largest non-factory, but acceptable tire size for the Liberty is 245/70 R16. Installing these tires, you can achieve an increase in ground clearance up to 300mm! To install big, off-road tires with 245/75 R16 size, you need to lift the body.
Probably, everybody knows, that Liberty 2004 has no frame. More precisely there is no frame in usual way when the metal frame through metal pads is connected to the body. There is integrated frame here. Roughly speaking, the frame is connected by welding to the body, or one can say that very thick longitudinal members are here. It will be useful for skeptics of such decision to know that in comparison with XJ, the rigidity of KJ body is the biggest in the history of Jeep brand, at the moment of release of the third Cherokee. The body of this car is 1.5 times stiffer than the Grand Cherokee of those years. This was achieved through the use of high-strength steels in the floor of the new car.
In the Renegade version, the 2004 Jeep Liberty was painted in colors; – Cactus Green, Mineral Grey, and Light Khaki. These trucks can be equipped with extra lights on the roof.
For the 2004 2004 Jeep Liberty 2004 V6 3.7, the recommended oil type is 5W30. Some owners have noted phase change failure after using 10W40 oil. According to these owners, in some cases the problem was solved by changing the oil to 5W30.
At first glance, the KJ appears to be a more compact machine than the XJ, but this impression is misleading. In fact, the third generation Cherokee is larger than the second. With a body length of 4440 mm, the wheelbase is 2650 mm. The car with a gasoline V6 has curb weight of 1822kg, and even the 2.5-liter diesel weighs 1866kg.
Interior and equipment.
As in other Jeeps, the transmission lever is to the left of the transmission lever. The on-board computer is located on the ceiling, a solution found in other Chrysler vehicles. The interior of the Limited has leather upholstery and is decorated with inserts of polished aluminum.
The basic equipment of the 2004 Jeep Liberty included a CD player. Previously, a cassette recorder took its place. An Infinity amp is listed as an option.
As on many American vehicles, the tailgate glass opens separately from the door. At the same time, the rear door is not lifted up (in fact it has a spare tire), but is tilted aside.
Engine and Specifications Jeep Liberty 2004.
From 2001 to 2004 the Liberty’s top of the line V6 3.7 gasoline engine developed 211 horsepower and 312Nm of torque at 3,800 rpm. After the 2004 model year power output dropped to 204 hp and torque to 307 hp. Perhaps the drop in power is due to tougher than before environmental standards. Only an automatic transmission can be used with this engine; 4 speed up to 2004 and 5 speed after. This SUV is able to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 8.8 seconds, the maximum speed – 190 km/h.
Junior inline four petrol engine with a capacity of 2.4L gave 144 horsepower and 215Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. With manual transmission, this Cherokee can accelerate to 100 miles in 10 seconds and reach a top speed of 180 miles per hour.
Diesel 2.8 was available in two versions; – 150 and 163 horsepower. And 360 and 400N.M of torque. In contrast to the petrol V6, with the diesel the more powerful car was produced after the 2004 update. In both cases, the maximum torque is reached already at 1,800 rpm.
For the European market the diesel engine has a capacity of 2.5 liters, power of 143 hp and 340Nm at 2000 rpm.
Parts for Jeep Liberty are not scarce, and you can buy them just on Ebay. For example, a set of Mahle valve seals for a gasoline V6 costs $20. You can buy an engine pan for $70, an oil pump sells for $50-$100, and an oil drain plug costs about $10.
By the way, when opened, the hood is held in place by two, gas shock absorbers rather than a metal stand.
Another feature of the third Cherokee was a spring suspension – in the back. It was supposed to increase comfort on the road. The brakes were disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. It was a real off-roader and therefore had long suspension travel. The rear differential could be self-locking, which greatly increased the car’s off-road capabilities.
At the time of its introduction, the Liberty 2004 seemed like a very unusual car. But it proved to be a real, sturdy and enduring Jeep. Such a car is relevant even today, it will appeal to fans of leisure outside the city. In addition, there is a lot of tuning for the Cherokee, which will greatly increase the off-road potential of the machine.
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