2002 JEEP LIBERTY Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 25 MPH UP A HILL ON WET ROAD CONDITIONS WHEN THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL CRASHING INTO A RETAINING WALL. THE ACCIDENT RESULTED IN MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE'S BODY. THE CONTACT AND AN ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD PASSENGER WERE BOTH WEARING SEATBELTS AT THE TIME, HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL FOR THE MINOR INJURIES. THE POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO SENT TO A BODY SHOP FOR BODY WORK. AFTER RECEIVING THE VEHICLE BACK FROM THE BODY SHOP, THE DEALER INSPECTED AND DETERMINED THAT BOTH THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS AND REAR COIL SPRINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND WERE COMPLETELY DAMAGED. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT BUT INDENTIFIED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THESE COMPONENTS IN 2004. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED WHO SENT OUT AN INSPECTOR TO EXAMINED THE VEHICLE. THE INSPECTOR DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS RELATED TO A DEFECT.

JEEP, LIBERTY PURCHASED IN MARCH 2003. ON SATURDAY JULY 15, 2006 VEHICLE WAS BE DROVE HOME ON A COMMON ROUTE. WHILE NEGOTIATING AN S-TURN AT AN ESTIMATED 40 MPH, THE UPPER BALL JOINT FAILED CAUSING THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL TO FOLD UNDER THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. BEING A GOOD DRIVER WITH NO ACCIDENTS, I MANAGED THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL WHILE ALSO NOT HITTING THE BRAKES THUS LEAVING A 261 FT SKID MARK ( I DO HAVE A PICTURE). I HAVE A VERY GOOD MECHANICAL BACKGROUND AND AFTER FURTHER SURVEY HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE UPPER-BALL JOINT HAD FAILED DUE TO RUST INSIDE THE BALL-CUP AND DETERIORATION OF THE METAL AROUND IT( I HAVE A PICTURE). THIS FAILURE HAS CAUSED AN ESTIMATED $1200.00 IN DAMAGE WHICH INCLUDES REPLACEMENT OF ALL FOUR BALL JOINTS THE TWO UPPER AT MY REQUEST ( NEVER TRUST A PART ON THE VEHICLE THAT HAS FAILED ONCE AND HAS A TWIN BROTHER), PLUS-A TIRE AND RIM, ETC. *LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE ON A RECALL NOTICE BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY CHRYSLER BECAUSE OF NOT BEING IN THEIR COMPUTER SYSTEM AS A CUSTOMER. AFTER A WEB SEARCH I FOUND THE RECALL OF THE BALL JOINTS (NICE JOB BY CHRYSLER). AFTER EXCHANGING REPEATED PHONE CALLS WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND CHRYSLER, THE "EXPERTS" DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO "IMPACT". I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT THERE IS NO WAY THIS JOINT FAILED BY IMPACT BUT I CAN SAY IT FAILED DUE TO BAD ENGINEERING AND FATIGUE WHICH IS WAY TOO SOON CONSIDERING THE VEHICLES LIFE SPAN. IN MY OPINION, CHRYSLER HAS FAILED TO COME CLEAN WITH A PROBLEM THAT WILL SOON BECOME VERY APPARENT WITH ALL IT'S JEEP LIBERTY'S!! *NM

BALL JOINT FAILURE ON 2002 JEEP LIBERTY - RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORMED IN OCTOBER 2004 BY SZOTT JEEP DEALERSHIP. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD DOING 30 MPH WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT APPEARED TO SEIZE UP AND I STARTED TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT STOPPED AND PARKED SAFELY ON THE ROAD. UPON EXAMINATION, THE TIRE HAD BECOME COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM THE FRAME. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE A FAILURE OF THE BALL JOINT. THE FOLLOWING DAMAGE WAS INCURRED TO MY VEHICLE: ARM-LOWER CONTROL, KNUCKLE, TIRE, RIM, FRONT BUMPER AND QUARTER PANEL LOSE. OVERALL TOTALING 1500 DAMAGE. MY INSURANCE PICKED UP THE MAJORITY OF THE CLAIM AND I PAID THE DEDUCTIBLE OF 200.00 PLUS 36.10 FOR THE BALL JOINT. I AM VERY FORTUNATE THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN 15 MINUTES LATER. I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE AIRPORT. GIVEN THE IMPACT THIS HAD AT 30 MPH I CANNOT COMPREHEND WHAT WOULD HAVE INCURRED AT 70 MPH. MYSELF AND MY BABY WHERE IN THE CAR AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE OF THIS ACCIDENT. THE REP FROM BELLE TIRE, THE DEALERSHIP, AND DCX TOLD ME I WAS LUCKY BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *JB

THE LATCH ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT OF MY 2002 JEEP LIBERTY IS STUCK IN THE DEPRESSED POSITION AND WILL NOT RELEASE MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO WEAR THE SEAT BELT. I CONTACTED DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED BY ANY WARRANTY. ENDED UP PAYING $300 TO GET IT REPAIRED. I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY RECALLS IN PLACE, SO THAT I MAY BE REFUNDED THE MONEY SPENT TO REPAIR. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATING. THE DEALERS DETERMINED THAT THE FUSE FOR THE COOLING FAN BURNED OUT WHICH CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE . THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUSES. AS CONTACT WAS LEAVING THE DEALERS LOT, THE ENGINE LIGHT IMMEDIATELY ILLUMINATED. THE DEALERS DETERMINED THE PART USED FOR REPLACEMENT WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE COMPUTER MODULE OF THE YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERS REPLACED THE FUSES AND THE ENGINE COMPUTER MODULE. RECENTLY, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN DEALERS WHO DETERMINED THAT A COUPLER ON THE COMPUTER MODULE WAS PRESENTING PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERS BEING SERVICED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL REMEDY REPAIRS PERFORM ON THE VEHICLE TWO YEARS AGO FOR THE BALL JOINTS. THE REPLACEMENT BALL JOINT BECAME FRACTURED BLOWING OUT A TIRE AND DESTROYING THE RIM. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT THE REPLACEMENT BALL JOINT WER ALSO DEFECTIVE. THE DEALER FIXED THE LOWER BALL JOINT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HOWEVER THE CONTACT EXPRESSED REPLACEMENT OF THE OTHER BALL JOINT WAS ALSO NEEDED BECAUSE IT MAY BE DEFECTIVE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER DECLINED THE REQUEST; THE RECALL WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE FAILED AFTER A PREVIOUS RECALL WAS PERFORMED. WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT A STOP SIGN, THE RIGHT FRONT END DROPPED INTO THE WHEEL WELL CAUSING THE STEERING TO LOCK UP. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 5 MPH DURING CLEAR AND DRY ROAD CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP ON 07/9/06 WHO DETERMINED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 07/10/06 FOR REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE HAD A RECALL PERFORMED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM IN 04/04.

LOWER BALL JOINT FAILURE TO RIGHT FRONT OF 2002 JEEP LIBERTY RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE IN ADDITION TO LOWER FRONT BODY DAMAGE. *JB

DEFECTIVE LOWER FRONT BALL JOINT SEPARATED CAUSING DAMAGE TO WHEEL SHAFT, RIM, AND BALL JOINT. *JB

REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS LEAKING AND WAS FIXED. APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS LATER IT STARTED LEAKING AGAIN. DEALERSHIP STATES SECOND SET OF NEW GASKETS AND SEALS WERE PUT IN. ALL NUTS AND AROUND GASKETS APPEAR TO BE SEALED WITH SOME TYPE OF BLACK SHINY SEALANT. AGAIN, APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS LATER IT IS LEAKING AGAIN. *JB