2002 JEEP LIBERTY Complaints

I CURRENTLY OWN A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY. AS I WAS MAKING A TURN IN THE PARKING LOT MY CAR STOPPED AND I SAW MY TIRE BENT UNDER MY CAR THE BALL JOINTS IN MY JEEP LIBERTY WENT 2 TIMES ON ME. FIRST THE LOWER BALL JOINTS BEFORE THE RECALL AND THEN THE UPPER BALL JOINTS THE CONTROL ARM AND THE AXLE FAILED ON ME JUST YESTERDAY. THE UPPER BALL JOINT FAILURE ALSO CAUSED A LARGE PUNCTURE IN MY ROTOR AND IT BENT MY AXLE. I FEAR FOR THE OTHER JEEP LIBERTY OWNERS; FOR INSTANCE WHAT IF THIS HAPPENED ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE TOTAL CONTROL? SOMEONE COULD HAVE LOST THEIR LIFE. THIS UPPER BALL JOINT ISSUE SHOULD BE RESEARCHED AND RECALLED. *JB

FRONT END COLLISION ~35 TO 40 MPH NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT FRONT OR SIDE THIS WAS REPAIRED BY DEALER ~ 3 MONTHS AGO WHEN LIGHT CAME ON. ACTUAL RESULT DURING ACCIDENT WAS A FAILED AIR BAG SYSTEM. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE AT A STOP SIGN AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT FRACTURED AND THE WHEEL DISLODGED. BOTH FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED UNDER RECALL, #03V460000 TWO YEARS AGO. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THE BALL JOINT WAS REPLACED.

2002 JEEP LIBERTY FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE "BUTTON" STUCK. UNABLE TO USE SEAT BELT. *NM

AT APPROXIMATELY 1745 HOURS (MST) ON THE BELOW DATE I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 JEEP LIBERTY LIMITED AT 30 MPH ON A TWO LANE ASPHALT CITY STREET. THE PAVEMENT WAS DRY, THERE WERE NO POTHOLES OR ANY ROAD DEFECTS OR OBSTRUCTIONS. SUDDENLY I HEARD A LOUD, METALLIC "THUMP" FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY THE VEHICLE PULLING SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT WITH NO STEERING CONTROL. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP WITH MINIMAL BRAKING AND THE USE OF THE RIGHT STREET CURB. INSPECTION FIRST NOTED THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE TO BE FLAT (IT WAS DARK). AFTER RAISING THE VEHICLE ON THE JACK I REMOVED THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AND INSTALLED THE SPARE TIRE. I THEN ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FORWARD AND AGAIN, AFTER APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET OF DRIVING, I HEARD A SCRAPPING SOUND. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND INSPECTED THE SPARE WHEEL. I THEN NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT HAD FAILED AND WAS DIGGING INTO THE INSIDE OF THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL RIM. I THEN CALLED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST JEEP DEALER. SUBSEQUENTLY I WAS ADVISED THAT BOTH FRONT BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED AND THAT THE IMPACT WAS OF SUCH FORCE WHEN THE BALL JOINT FAILED THAT THE FRONT AXLE SEALS HAD BEEN DAMAGED AND WERE REPLACED. THE WHEEL WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE FORCE WAS SUCH THAT THE FAILED BALL JOINT GOUGED A HOLE IN THE WHEEL RIM. IT IS NOTEWORTHY THAT ON MAY 17, 2004 UNDER JOB ORDER 1034728 BOTH FRONT BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED ON THIS SAME VEHICLE AT THE UFTRING JEEP DEALERSHIP IN E. PEORIA, ILLINOIS (309) 694-0700 DUE TO A CAMPAIGN RECALL PREVIOUSLY ORDERED FROM JEEP CORPORATE. I NOW CONSIDERED THIS VEHICLE UNSAFE SINCE THE PREVIOUS RECALL DID NOT REMEDY THE SITUATION AND I HAVE NO GUARANTEE FROM JEEP THAT THE MOST RECENTLY INSTALLED SET OF BALL JOINTS WILL NOT FAIL IN THE FUTURE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED FLUID STARTED LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE POWER STEERING HOSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED IT PULSATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. UPON EXAMINATION, THE REPAIRS SHOP DISCOVERED THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE WHICH CAUSED THE LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE AND THE PEDAL TO PULSATE.*AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PULLING UP TO A GAS PUMP ISLAND AT 3 MPH THE FRONT CONTROL ARM LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THERE WAS A LOUD THUMP, AND THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO SIT DOWN ON THE FRONT TIRE. UPON INSPECTION THE CONTACT NOTICED THE CONTROL ARM HANGING DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION WHICH CONFIRMED THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT FAILED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY WERE WILLING TO MAKE REPAIRS UNDER THE PREVIOUS RECALL CAMPAIGN. AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE CONTACT WANTED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT GUARANTEE REIMBURSEMENT IF THE WORK WAS COMPLETED AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 03V460000 CONCERNING THE FRONT CONTROL ARM LOWER BALL JOINT IN 2003. THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE ORIGINAL PART, ONLY A FAILURE OF THE PART REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL. *AK

MY 2002 JEEP LIBERTY LIMITED IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN DEFECT INVESTIGATION #EA05022. MY DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE STICKS IN THE "DOWN" POSITION WHEN DEPRESSED FULLY, AND MUST BE PRIED UP USING A SCREWDRIVER OR SIMILAR DEVICE BEFORE BEING ABLE TO LATCH THE BELT AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE ABOUT JUNE OF 2005.JB

LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED. LUCKY THAT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE OR INJURY. CHRYSLER REPAIRED AT NO COST UNDER RECALL. *NM