The engine consists of a cast-iron block and cylinder heads; a single, in-block camshaft; and eight overhead valves per cylinder. According to Ford, the new Power Stroke will improve fuel economy as much as 10 percent and reduce emissions as much as 20 percent. Noise levels and NVH should be better too.
To handle all of the Power Stroke's twisting forces, Ford has developed a new, heavy-duty, five-speed automatic to back it. The electronically controlled TorqShift has a tow-haul feature, new First and Second gear ratios "to launch a truck loaded with cargo more quickly and smoothly," says Ford, and a torque converter designed to get as many of those 550 lb-ft to the wheels as possible. There's a PTO in there too.
Jeep Lowers the LibertyJust how stable is the Liberty? According to the government, not very. In its measurement of rollover resistance, which compares a vehicle's center of gravity to its track width, the NHTSA granted the Jeep a two-star rating (on a one-to-five scale, with the lowest rated vehicles at least four times more likely to roll over than the highest rated).
Then we heard that our "buddies" over at AutoWeek had some trouble when track-testing a Jeep Liberty last year. They rolled one during their slalom test, the first rollover they've experienced since beginning their slalom testing in 1992. To verify what had happened, AutoWeek retested the Liberty a month later. Didn't roll this time, but it did go up on two wheels.
Now, it should be said that no 4x4 tested by the NHTSA scored higher than a 3. And Jeep has some issues with the weekly magazine's slalom methodology. Yet it was probably not a coincidence that the new Jeep Liberty Renegade, introduced at this year's Chicago Auto Show, arrived on a suspension that was nearly an inch lower than the original Liberty's. All Libertys, including the Renegade, will now be built with the revised suspension, which has shorter coil springs, revised shock damping, and less ground clearance at the front axle.
Jeep spokesman Rick Deneau, quoted in AutoWeek, said the changes were made primarily to address ride quality concerns voiced by Liberty buyers. But he did note that the alterations would address "ride quality and any perceived safety concerns" as they relate to published reports of the vehicle's stability.
According to Deneau, Jeep made the change after its research showed few Liberty owners needed, or were using, its off-road capability. They wanted a better on-road ride instead.
RecallsIf you own one of the following vehicles and haven't yet been notified by the maker that it is under recall, get yourself down to your dealer to find out if the recall affects you.
*'97-'98 Dodge Ram 2500/3500 diesels: A fitting in the engine compartment could corrode from the road salt used in winter. Dealers will install new fittings with improved corrosion resistance.
*'02 Dodge Ram 1500: A weld on a rear axle bracket on certain four-wheel-drive models may be weak. Dealers will install a reinforcement bracket.
*'99 Ford F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550 trucks: On certain trucks with manual transmissions, the failure of the front parking brake cable input button could result in failure of the parking brake system. Dealers will replace the cable and the controller and verify the performance of the parking brake system.
*2000-'02 Jeep Wranglers, 2000-'01 Jeep Cherokees, '99-'02 Jeep Grand Cherokees: Certain models with 4.0L engines could accumulate debris in the engine compartment, which may result in a fire. Dealers will attach a shield to the manifold area of the engine to prevent debris accumulation.
*'01-'02 Jeep Wrangler: Water and impurities can enter the ignition switch, causing a short that could lead to a fire. Dealers will replace the ignition switch with a redesigned model.