2002 JEEP LIBERTY Complaints

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, SOMETHING IN THE FRONT END DIFFERENTIAL BROKE. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. I'M ON MY 3RD SET OF TIRES. THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. IT'S IN THE SHOP MORE THAN IT IS OUT. *JB

SEAT BELT RELEASE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WILL NOT "POP" BACK OUT AFTER RELEASING THE SEAT BELT. WHICH WILL NOT ALLOW THE SEAT BELT TO LATCH BACK AFTER RELEASING. *NM

2002 JEEP LIBERTY LIMITED TRAVELING AT 50 MPH HEARD A LOUD BANG AND VEHICLE APPEARED TO HAVE A BLOW OUT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OFF ROAD. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO REPLACE WHEEL, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS BROKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A NEAR JEEP DEALER, THE FULL DAMAGE WAS IDENTIFIED INCLUDING NEW WHEEL, TIRE, SEALS AND MECHANICAL PARTS. TOTAL COST ESTIMATED AT $ 1400 THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE PREVIOUSLY REPLACED UNDER A FACTORY RECALL AUG 27, 2004, 20 MONTHS AND APPROXIMATELY 29000 MILES EARLIER THAN THIS INCIDENT JUDGING BY THE NUMBER OF SIMILAR REPEAT FAILURES POSTED WITH NHTSA, THIS APPEARS TO BE A GENERIC ISSUE WITH THE REPLACEMENT PARTS USED DURING THE RECALL OR THE DESIGN. THE DEALER, NOT OUR NORMAL SERVICE DEALER, WILL NOT REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH THE BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED DURING THE RECALL. ATTEMPTING TO GET DAIMLER CHRYSLER JEEP CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPEAT FAILURE AND REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY BUT NOT SUCCESSFUL YET. IN THE INTERIM, HAVE PERSONALLY APPROVED REPAIRS AS NEED VEHICLE. *JB

WHILE TURNING RIGHT INTO A PARKING LOT AT ABOUT 5 MILES PER HOUR IN MY 2002 JEEP LIBERTY, I EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE LOWER BALL JOINT ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THE BALL JOINT DROPPED AND THE BOLT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BALL JOINT STRUCK AND SEVERELY DUG INTO MY 5 MONTH OLD JEEP CHROME ALLOY WHEEL. THIS ALL TOOK PLACE AT TRAVELING ABOUT 5 MILES PER HOUR AND TRAVELING ONLY ABOUT 10 FEET. I JUST HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY FOR REPAIR. PLEASE NOTE THAT I DID HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT 20,005 MILES IN RESPONSE OF THE LOWER BALL JOINT RECALL, AT WHICH TIME THE BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED AND HEAT SHIELDS INSTALLED TO AVOID FUTURE FAILURE OF THE BALL JOINTS. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 38,600 MILES, WHICH MEANS THESE NEW BALL JOINTS ONLY LASTED 18,600 MILES, WITH ABSOLUTELY NO OFF ROAD DRIVING! I WILL BE CALLING THE JEEP DEALERSHIP THIS MONDAY MORNING FOR THEIR INPUT AND HOPEFULLY SUPPORT OF MAKING GOOD ON THIS SEVERE FAILURE. I THANK GOD THAT THIS FAILURE TOOK PLACE AT 5 MILES AN HOUR AND NOT WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY AS I KNOW THAT I MAY VERY WELL HAVE BEEN KILLED. *NM

A RECALL WAS ASSURED ON 2002 JEEP LIBERTY'S IN 2003, ON THE LOWER BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY. THE INFORMATION I HAVE, SHOWS MY JEEP LIBERTY TO HAVE THIS FIXED IN MARCH OF 2004. I DO NOT HAVE INFORMATION ON THE MILEAGE AT THAT TIME, BUT IN FEB. OF 2005 IT HAD 35341 MILES. I FOUND OUT TODAY THAT THE JEEP IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, WITH THE REPLACEMENT THEY USED FROM THE FIRST RECALL. THE JEEP HAS ONLY 46770 ON IT CURRENTLY. IT SEEMS UNREAL THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WOULD GO BAD TWICE UNDER 50000 MILES UNLESS THERE IS STILL IS A PROBLEM. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE 95 UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AS THE TIRE SHREDDED FROM THE FRACTURED LOWER BALL JOINT. THE VEHICLE MANAGED TO PULLOVER TO THE SHOULDER. AFTER NARROWLY AVOIDING A COLLISION WITH OTHER TRAFFIC. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT END SHREDDED THE TIRE AND WAS PRESSING ON THE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE LOWER BALL JOINT FRACTURED. NHTSA RECALL #03V460000 REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON THE LOWER BALL JOINTS HOWEVER, THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP OFFERED A SECOND REPAIR WITHOUT CHARGING THE CONTACT UNDER THE RECALL. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PULLING INTO THE BANK PARKING LOT IN A SHOPPING CENTER THE FRONT WHEEL POPPED COMPLETELY OFF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS SHAKEN UP, AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE. ALSO CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER ABOUT NHTSA RECALL, #03V460000 CONCERNING THE SUSPENSION FRONT CONTROL ARM LOWER BALL JOINT. THE DEALER ALLEGEDLY FIXED THE PROBLEM AND CONSUMED ALL COST RELATED TO THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER RECALL REPAIRS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN. ON APRIL 29, 2006 WHILE DRIVING TO WORK TURNED INTO THE PARKING LOT AND THE SAME WHEEL POPPED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AGAIN. THE CONTACT CONTACTED CHRYSLER ABOUT THE ONGOING PROBLEM. THEY TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THEY WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLE AGAIN BUT THEY WILL NOT GIVE THE CONTACT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FELT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH MAKING A TURN THE LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. A NHTSA RECALL, # 03V460000 WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE CONCERNING, THE LOWER BALL JOINT IN 2004 HOWEVER, THE RECALL DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. THIS OCCURRED ON THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT. THE DEALERSHIP WAS ALERTED AND CONFIRMED THE BALL JOINT SEPARATED FROM THE KNUCKLE CAUSING THE ACCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT OFFER A SECOND REPAIR WITHOUT CHARGE UNDER THE RECALL. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ORDERED THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS TO MAKE THE REPAIRS HOWEVER, ARE WAITING ON THE MANUFACTURER TO RETURN THEIR CALL. THE CONTACT ALERTED THE MANUFACTURER AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED. *NM

I PURCHASED MY 2002 JEEP LIBERTY IN DEC. 05. I NOTICED A SHIMMY WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES IMMEDIATELY AFTER BUYING IT. IT HAD 44000 MILES ON IT. I THOUGHT THIS WAS NORMAL SINCE THE DEALERSHIP HAD DONE A SAFETY INSPECTION ON IT BEFORE SELLING IT TO ME. I NOTICED IN MID APRIL THAT THE INSIDE DRIVER TIRE WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY WORN. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL GARAGE ONLY TO FIND THAT MY LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE BAD, ALONG WITH THE FRONT ROTORS BEING WARPED BEYOND REPAIR. THIS COST ME $1100 IN REPAIRS, INCLUDING THE 3 NEW TIRES I PURCHASED! MY EXTENDED WARRANTY I PURCHASED WOULD NOT COVER THE COST TO REPAIR. I WROTE DAIMLER CHRYSLER A COMPLAINT, IN WHICH THEY DECLINED. I AM FURIOUS AFTER READING ALL THE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ABOUT BALL JOINTS FAILING ON THE LIBERTIES - EVEN AFTER HAVING BEEN FIXED AFTER THE RECALL. A VEHICLE WITH THIS FEW MILES SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE PROBLEMS!!! *JB

MY 2002 JEEP LIBERTY HAD A RE CALL IN 2003 FOR BALL JOINTS, I HAD THEM REPLACED IN MARCH 2004. ON APRIL 2, 2006 AT 4:00 P.M. I WAS TRAVELING EAST BOUND ON I-465 DOING 55-60 MPH, WHEN A LOUD NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND THEN THE JEEP WAS STARTING TO LOOSE CONTROL AS I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN AND PROCEED TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE. I GOT OUT OF MY VEHICLE AND CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, DURING MY WAIT A GENTLEMAN STOPPED TO SEE IF I NEEDED HELP, AND I INFORMED HIM THAT I THOUGHT I HAD BLOWN A TIRE, HE LOOKED UNDER MY CAR TO NOTICE THAT MY BALL JOINT HAD BROKE ALONG WITH MY AXLE AND RIM, I HAD IT TOWED TO CROSSROADS LINCOLN/JEEP MERCURY, WHERE ON MONDAY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT EXAMINED THE CAR AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE BALL JOINT HAD BROKE ALONG WITH THE AXLE AND THE RIM OF THE TIRE. I HAD ALREADY CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY ALONG WITH FILING A COMPLAINT TO CHRYSLER, THEY SENT OUT AN "INSPECTOR" AND AFTER HIS REVIEW CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE BALL JOINTS SEPARATED "DUE TO IMPACT", THERE WAS NO IMPACT, I CONTROLLED THE VEHICLE TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY SO THAT THERE WOULD BE NO IMPACT, CAUSING INJURY. IT HAS BEEN 24 DAYS NOW WITHOUT MY VEHICLE AND I AM IN A RENTAL VEHICLE, AMERICAN FAMILY IS REFUSING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OF THE BALL JOINTS AND SO IS CHRYSLER. I DO NOT WANT TO FILE A LAW SUIT AGAINST CHRYSLER, BUT THEY ARE LEAVING ME NO CHOICE, AS THIS WAS A COSTLY REPAIR, WHAT CAN I DO???????????*JB