Newbie... 01 Cherokee Limited

Hey Fellas,
I'm a newbie to the board and to the seat of my 01 XJ Cherokee limited. Well, I just picked it up a week ago and it really brings a smile to my face....and those heated leather seats bring warmth to my arse :shocked: I'm in sales and will be driving quite a bit. I did so much reviewing and found these inline 6, 4.0L to be bullet proof. Now my questions regarding two things that I'm concerned about that I've recently noticed on this first long trip across my territory.

1.) When hitting some ruts/bumps, I get a chatter/knocking/thumping coming from what sounds like the front right suspension or something. Any idea what that could be? It does not do it at all when on smooth surfaces, but once you hit those ruts/bumps, well...you get the idea.

2.) Just started noticing that if driving for a good clip and then coming up to a stop sign and or traffic light and stop quickly, it's like a delay in the automatic transmission, because all of a sudden it will give a thump into neutral or something. And then sometimes if I don't get THAT initial thump, I'll get it after I take off from the stop. Any ideas what that is? Should I be worried?

2001 Cherokee Limited
80,000 miles
perfect--looks as if it has never been off-road

1) check the front shocks, may have never been replaced. Could be other things, but that's a good, simple place to start.
2) My 01 had the thump when coming to a stop and sometimes when releasing the brakes from a stop. Turns out the tranny had Chrysler ATF+III fluid it, and had since new (I'm the original owner). I installed Dexron III as per the manual and the thunk/clunking went away completely and has never returned. It only took me 50,000 miles to figure that out...but now I'm at 68k and no problems to report yet. The 4.0/AW4 is a bulletproof combination.

Good luck with your new ride.

2001XJeep said:

1) check the front shocks, may have never been replaced. Could be other things, but that's a good, simple place to start.
2) My 01 had the thump when coming to a stop and sometimes when releasing the brakes from a stop. Turns out the tranny had Chrysler ATF+III fluid it, and had since new (I'm the original owner). I installed Dexron III as per the manual and the thunk/clunking went away completely and has never returned. It only took me 50,000 miles to figure that out...but now I'm at 68k and no problems to report yet. The 4.0/AW4 is a bulletproof combination.

Good luck with your new ride.

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What is the best way to test the shocks? I'm thinking everything is still original--that could be it. Of course that leads me to think that the tranny fluid could be be original as well...Your Description of the thump is pretty identical to mine. I'll give this Dexron III a try---where can I pick that up at? So I'm not to worry about a lemon yet? :doh:

The traditonal method for testing shocks is to bounce each corner of the car up and down and then let go. If it keeps bouncing, or is very easy to bounce then you might need shocks. Also, the bushings on the upper and lower mounting points of the shocks can degrade and cause a clunk, even if the shock itself is still good. At only 80,000 miles and 5 years my money would be on the shocks first. I changed mine around 50,000. They're cheap and easy to change so you can't go wrong there.

DexIII is available at any auto parts store, or Walmart. The full name is Mercon Dexron III. If you have your owners manual you will see that is what is specified. A very common mistake is that Chrysler ATF+III is used in the XJ because Jeeps are made by Chrysler, BUT the XJ uses an Aisin AW-4 because the XJ (and the AW-4) are from the AMC (pre-Chryco) era. I don't have any evidence that ATF+III harms the tranny, but it definitely makes it clunk when coming to a stop and then again when releasing the brakes from a stop.

Ah, another runout-model owner - that's a Good Thing. Distributorless ignition rules

limited said:

1.) When hitting some ruts/bumps, I get a chatter/knocking/thumping coming from what sounds like the front right suspension or something. Any idea what that could be? It does not do it at all when on smooth surfaces, but once you hit those ruts/bumps, well...you get the idea.

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It's pretty hard to try to describe sounds in text, but if it's sort of a clicking clunk, I'd say check your lower control arm bushings first; if it also happens when braking to a full stop this suggests them as the likely culprit. My last XJ was a 2001, and they went at around 85,000 miles. They're about $9 apiece at the dealer last I checked (actually the cheapest price I found) and pretty easy to do. Failing that, you may have worn shock eye bushings, but if they're gone there's a good chance you need new shocks. Might also look into bar pin eliminators for them while you're at it.

2.) Just started noticing that if driving for a good clip and then coming up to a stop sign and or traffic light and stop quickly, it's like a delay in the automatic transmission, because all of a sudden it will give a thump into neutral or something. And then sometimes if I don't get THAT initial thump, I'll get it after I take off from the stop. Any ideas what that is? Should I be worried?

Click to expand...

U-joints would be my guess on this one (could be front or rear, but more likely rear), but there are a couple of other possibilities. Grab the driveshaft (do both) while parked and try to twist it back and forth. If you get play in it, the U-joints are probably shot.

2001 Cherokee Limited
80,000 miles
perfect--looks as if it has never been off-road

Click to expand...

It's a 2001, so you could only have the 4.0-litre engine (the only year with no 4-cylinder option); I'm guessing your transfer case is the NP242 which was standard on that spec - check the lever; if it has a 4HI Full-Time position it's the 242, if not, it's the 231. We'll need to figure out what your rear axle is, but that's an exercise for a later post

Oh, and welcome - used to own a 2001 Sport (flood-totalled); now have a 2000 Limited.

Interesting, I have been fighting this thumping too. I replaced the track arm which really helped drivability and some clunking, but I still have a clunk from the front. I have about 83K on my 01 Limited, and the shocks seem fine, but now I wonder about the shock bushings.

A clunk from the front could likely be a front u-joint.

It's a 2001, so you could only have the 4.0-litre engine (the only year with no 4-cylinder option); I'm guessing your transfer case is the NP242 which was standard on that spec - check the lever; if it has a 4HI Full-Time position it's the 242, if not, it's the 231. We'll need to figure out what your rear axle is, but that's an exercise for a later post


It does have the 4HI Full-Time

I almost forgot the other two things I've got going on:

1.) Rear left back door's power lock does not work. Every other one will switch when hitting lock or unlock from master but this one...and it won't work from it's own power source?????

2.) When under load...NOT in park or neutral...sitting at a light or stop sign... I get a wonderful rattling coming from underneath. It goes away when i do put it in park or neutral and when I take off???

that rattling sounds like it could be exhaust-related. get under it and look for loose stuff, but make sure the exhaust is cool when you go poking around.

Hey XJ's are great, I have a 96 stock that I love and i've also had a 94 lifted etc. One thing i've come to grips with is that although it is a really good design, it is 20 years old by now and it is american so build quality isn't perfect. Your going to have a sqeak here and a rattle there but overall their pretty bullitproof. Mine does that clunk thing when coming to a stop and if not getting away from one and I got that little rattle when sitting in D but it will go away if put in P or N. Mines got 170,000 on it now and It will prob still be doing those same things at 270,000...congrats on the new Jeep and happy trails