Jeep introduced a new SUV into its lineup in 2002, the Liberty. This compact SUV gave customers a comfortable option between Jeep's rugged Wrangler and luxurious Grand Cherokee. From 2002 through 2005, the 210-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 was the optional engine on the Liberty. Starting from 2006 through 2011, the 3.7-liter became the standard engine on all Liberties. Jeep recommends changing the oil and oil filter in the Liberty's 3.7-liter every 3,000 to 6,000 miles, depending on driving habits.
Open the Liberty's hood and twist the oil filler cap counterclockwise to loosen it. Remove the cap from the top of the engine.
Raise the front of the Liberty off the ground, using a floor jack, and slide jack stands under the SUV's subframe. Lower the vehicle onto the jack stands.
Crawl beneath the vehicle and find the oil drain plug on the oil pan -- the large metal pan on the bottom of the engine. Position a drain pan under the drain plug and loosen the plug, using a combination wrench. Remove the drain plug by hand. Allow the oil to drain from the oil pan until only slow drips come from the pan.
Wipe the drain plug's threads off with a clean, lint-free cloth and hand-tighten the plug into the oil pan. Tighten the drain plug, using a combination wrench. Be careful not to over-tighten the drain plug, as it can strip the threads in the oil pan, resulting in major repairs.
Slide toward the front of the engine and locate the oil filter -- the roughly 4-inch-long metal cylinder -- on the driver's side front of the engine. Position the drain pan beneath the oil filter and loosen the filter with an oil filter wrench. Allow the oil to drain from the filter until it stops flowing. Remove the filter by hand once the oil stops flowing. Set the old filter in the drain pan.
Wipe the oil filter mounting stud -- on the engine -- and mounting base off with a clean, lint-free cloth. This removes any debris, helping to assure a good seal.
Place a small amount of new engine oil on your finger and coat the rubber O-ring on the bottom of the filter with this new oil. Hand-tighten the filter onto the oil filter stud until the O-ring contacts the oil filter-mounting base. Tighten the oil filter an additional three-quarters of a turn to seat the filter.
Raise the Liberty off the jack stands, using a floor jack, and remove the jack stands. Lower the vehicle to the ground.
Insert a funnel into the oil filler hole and pour 5 qts. of new API-certified 5W-20 engine oil through the funnel. Allow the oil to settle for approximately 2 minutes. Pull the engine oil dipstick from the dipstick tube and wipe the oil off it, using a clean, lint-free cloth. Reinsert the oil dipstick and remove it again. Verify that the oil level is within, or slightly above, the "Safe" range on the dipstick. Ad more oil as needed. Tighten the oil filler cap back onto the top of the engine.
Start the Liberty's engine and allow it to run for about 2 minutes -- check for oil leaks as it runs. Shut the engine down and allow the oil to settle for a minute or two.
Remove the oil dipstick, wipe it off with a clean, lint-free cloth and reinsert it into the engine. Remove the dipstick again and verify that the oil level on the dipstick is within the "Safe" range. Remove the oil filler cap, and add more oil, using a funnel, if needed. Tighten the oil filler cap onto the engine, if needed.
Insert a funnel into one of the empty oil bottles and fill the bottle with old oil from the drain pan. Once full, remove the funnel and tighten the cap onto the oil bottle. Repeat this step with each empty bottle until all of the old oil is inside the oil bottles.
Take the bottles of old oil and filter to a used automotive oil-recycling center for disposal. Many auto parts stores take old oil free of charge.
