Jeep Cherokee, not to be confused with Jeep Grand Cherokee, had a long-lasting heritage – over a period of 18 years over 2 millions of them were produced. It was an amazing off-roader loved by all: men, women, rich and poor. Everyone liked the reliability, capacity, and ability to move on any surface (except for  shifting sands and swamps in this probably first ever ‘SUV’.

But in time Cherokee started loosing ground – looking quite archaic comparing to other modern SUVs that were newer or had undergone more than a single round of ‘cosmetic surgery’. Thus, Chrysler made a wise move – coming up with the new model to replace the seasoned veteran – to be sold under a name of Jeep Liberty in the North America and under traditional name of Jeep Cherokee in Europe.

So what things are different, and are we talking about a brand new vehicle or a slightly modernized Cherokee? Well, first of all, the new SUV looks totally different, more over; it does not look a 100% American, as if the designers were more concerned to please the European buyers, than traditional American customers.

At a first look it seems to be shorter than the old Cherokee, but this is an optical illusion – in reality it is 9.8 inches longer. At the same time this Jeep looks very modern, with its powerful wheel arches, roof luggage rails, and a full-size spare tire on the rear door. Now for the first time in the history of Jeep Cherokee it has independent front suspension utilizing transversal swinging arms suspension and struts.

Comparing the interior of the new Liberty/Cherokee to its predecessor, you feel as if being transferred from an Indian reservation to a mansion in Beverly Hills. High ceilings, large windows, and everything is in light beige and white colors. The materials boast soft upholstery, and when they are not soft they continue to look soft. All the controls are comfortable, the pedals and the steering wheel do not permit you to let them go.

The only complaints would be the inconvenient timer of the windshield wiper and the fact that the keys for the power windows are located in the “blind” zone between the front seats, just like on a Discovery.

There are two “family heirlooms” inherited from the trusted Cherokee. First, there is the wide central tunnel, getting in the way of the feet of the back seat riders. And secondly, we see the same two-stage Selec-Trac transfer case with locking central differential.

But the six-cylinder 3.7 V6 engine is all new. It shares many of the same components used on Grand Cherokee’s 4.7 V8. Certainly, six cylinders will not produce the same power output as V8, but 211 hp is more than adequate for the Liberty. Four step automatic transmission comes from Grand Cherokee as well. European market will see also Cherokee coming equipped with a 2.4L 4-cylinder power train or a 2.5L turbo diesel.

The Liberty/Cherokee rides very well on the road, showing its fine asphalt manners – it is also a passable off-roader although, I wouldn’t exactly ‘jamboree’ in this one!

For some reason Chrysler Group decided to change its looks once again for the 2008 model. So what we have now, is the same model with the same technical aspects, but looking like a Jeep Commander. It is not a minor uplift, but a major design reversal, where the soft and organic round looks are transformed into the more squared-off and chunky design. And certainly the most visible change is in the front grille equipped with square headlights.

Which model looked better is largely a matter for you to decide. But, with all the drastic exterior design transformations Jeep Cherokee/Liberty continues to stand out from the competition by offering a classic Jeep design, refined on-road ride and handling, two four-wheel-drive systems, as well as features typically found on much more expensive vehicles.

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon! The long awaited answer from the Chrysler Corporation to all those who do not have too high of an opinion of Wrangler’s off-road capabilities.  This is a true soldier that can pass over Land Rover Defender – another uncompromising off-roader. With its massive ‘take-no-prisoners’ bumpers, fog lights moved towards the center, heavy-duty undershield and 225/75 R17 tires it is destined to turn heads.

The name Rubicon that is used now to denote the most extreme version of Wrangler, originates from the name of a river in northern Italy, “crossing the Rubicon” means passing a point of no return. It debuted in 2007 at the North American International Auto Show and got much media coverage.

It is a serious off-road statement corroborated by the increased ground clearance, enforced Dana front and rear solid axles, and an all new 3.8 L V6 engine producing 205 hp and 240 lb.-ft. of torque. And yet on the other side it comes with all the pleasant stuff you wouldn’t normally see on an uncompromising rover, such as 368-watt Alpine stereo, power windows and door locks, iPod integration, and a full-screen navigation system. In line with the long tradition of all Wranglers to have the possibility of roof removal – so the new modular roof is not an exception.

The power train makes a perfect match for this vehicle. The first two gears shoot this fairly light vehicle into stratosphere, and it keeps accelerating using other gears, making it such an emotional process. 

Being the most extreme version of the trusted Wrangler, it is not surprising that it comes equipped with all the proper tools. First of all, it boasts the 2-step Off-Road Rock-Trac NV241 transfer case making 4:1 gear ratio possible. Secondly, there is the Active Sway Bar System which can be engaged to increase the travel of wheels on difficult terrains. And plus to all that you have the traditional differential blockings to combat wheel sleeping.

This makes it very clear why people pay money to buy this exceptional, but not overly practical vehicle. Even if not for the off-road capabilities, than at least for the cheer and increased pulse beat rate. For the ability to take off the roof and go for a ride on the beach with a nosy crew of friends. Or may be to even participate in the traditional Jeep Jamboree off-road campaign, held regularly on Rubicon Trail.

Many of us remember full well the high critical acclaim the Grand Cherokee got from the numerous car reviewers in the 90’s. In the 1998 the original model was replaced with a new Cherokee with impeccable styling and all the sweet upgrades. Now, we see the third generation of the Grand Cherokee being sold in dealerships, debuted for the 2005 model year. This time it has a new four wheel–drive transmission Quadra Drive II, boasts a DVD-player and the powerful 5.7 liter V8. Also, a 3.7 V6 took place of the revered 4.0 straight 6 engine.

Some of the criticism that the new model receives is that it follows the recent trend in SUV’s, namely better on-road performance, but decreased off-road capability – quite a few folks that took it off road did not like its new axle articulation, especially during low-speed maneuvers. Some were not too sure about its performance over the uneven terrain. The new design is also not liked by some who see it as overly harsh and brutal, lacking the clean silhouette of the previous model.

2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee

So is it worth considering the pervious Grand (WJ) which can be found well under $15.000?

Well let’s look at some of the pros and cons of buying the second generation model, which was in production 1999 – 2004.

“Pros”

You get a really nice looking SUV for a fraction of the price, which with proper care will serve you many years to come. With this model the spare tire is relocated under the floor to great relief of owners. It has the new clean sheet V8 power train, which is now lighter, and gets much better fuel economy and the updated straight 6 engine with 10 horsepower added.

These engines have always been reliable and even allowed for moderate overheating. The automatic transmission has also proved to be very reliable, serving as much as the vehicle itself.

Another notable feature is the realization of its off-road potential via a use of the Quadra-Drive transfer case, which can be set to ‘4-All Time’, ‘Neutral’, and ‘4-Lo’. Achieving the powerful 2.72 reduction gear ratio for 4-Lo position can take one to some of the harder places to reach.

The interior has plenty of space for the passengers and the frame was strengthened with the help of Porsche experts. Moreover, over 70 % of the underbody is made of high-strength steel.

“Cons”

It is wise not to consider a Grand Cherokee under $6000, as the chances are that this one was ‘ridden hard and put away wet’.

Cherokees over 100,000 miles will more than likely require tune up for the cylinder head, after which the engine will regain its powers. The V8 with high mileage may consume quite a bit of oil.

The suspension would need a good check-up, as the previous owner might have been an active driver and it could have suffered quite a few serious blows. Special attention is to be taken with the bushings and the axle beams. Other things would vary from car to car.

To sum it all up – it’s not a bad deal at all to find a good used Grand Cherokee, but as with anything else – proper care must be exercised to find a sold specimen. Do your homework and use a trusted mechanic, and you may find a true gem!

During the last several years we have seen a series of interesting concept-cars that played around with the traditional military image of Jeep Wrangler. And now… the trusted soldier gets some new cool updates.

It may not be evident from the first sight at this looker that it is in many ways different from the previous model. But the careful study will reveal that it is 4 inches wider, and its wheel base increased by an inch and a half. The wheels have also got to be a bit larger, and the new bumpers gave it a modern look, more in line with our time.

There are changes on the inside as well. The place of the standard 4 liter in-line six is taken by a 3.8 liter V6 producing 205 raw horse powers. And the manual gearbox now has 6 steps. From the safety stand point there are improvements also – the vehicle cab equipped with lateral airbags, not counting the standard frontal bags. For the first time in the history of Wrangler, its detachable plastic top can be taken down by parts, so that the proud owner could decide on how much air he wants in.

To sum it all up, the new Wrangler has all the modern updates. Some of the conservative admirers of this outstanding off-road vehicle may turn out to be not overly happy that the new Jeep became larger, heavier and requires more sophisticated maintenance than its predecessor. But it is premature to judge the new Jeep. One of the things we know for sure is that the uncompromising version of Wrangler – Jeep Wrangler Rubicon continues to be part of the line – and it doesn’t back off in case of the extreme adverse conditions. And in the same time even the base model comes equipped with possibility of engaging the front steer drive axle, and two-step transfer case. Meet the new Jeep Wrangler!

Well, here are a few more wiring diagrams for Jeep Wrangler – this time for the Jeep YJ series years 1987 to 1994. The PDF includes ‘body’ electrical diagrams and Jeep YJ electrical diagrams for specific areas like: air conditioning units, typical jeep charging unit wiring diagrams, typical emission maintenance reminder wiring diagrams, front end lighting wiring diagrams and switches, heaters and ignition wiring diagrams.

Jeep YJ Wiring Diagram