On 7/10 I'm driving down the road towards the freeway. I hear a very loud pop that startles me. I pull over & discover lower ball joint has separated causing the lower control arm to slip out of socket into the wheel & than separate from wheel. I mean its still attached to the vehicle but vehicle is completely disabled. It caused significant damage to the right front wheel and somewhat minor damage to the right front fender. Theres literally metal shaving all over the road from it carving the metal out of my wheel. Get home and my boyfriend tells me that he's discovered 3 safety recalls. So we call FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) they said they would have it towed to the dealership no problem but they needed a $103 for the tow that they would reimburse later. They told us to pick any dealership. So FCA has it towed from my driveway on 7/13 at 8:45pm to Lithia Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Portland Dealership. Safety recall F23 was replaced by the dealership but the manufacturer (FCA) has not fixed the damage and is denying responsibility. FCA calls on 9/16 to finally tell us that a certified inspector has determined the damage to the wheel and fender is not from the recall. Which is a lie and I can take it to a mechanic and have that verified. They also go on to state they are not going to reimburse the $103 for the tow. So we go to the dealership to pick up the car the next day. I speak with Will in the service department and ask to see a copy of the inspection that the FCA is talking about. Will tells me that FCA never sent an inspector out and there is no inspection report stating that the damage is not from the recall. I have lots of photos of everything. Please contact me
2003 Jeep Liberty suspension complaints
Page 2 of 16: complaints 11 to 40 of 437, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 jeep liberty. The contact stated that the ball joint and control arm detached while driving. The vehicle was taken to martin swanty chrysler dodge jeep ram (2640 e. Andy devine ave, kingman, az 86401) to be diagnosed. The contact was unaware of the results from the diagnostic test. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was later taken to an independent mechanic where the tie rod, ball joint, upper control arms and cv axles were replaced however, the failure recurred a third time. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic. The vehicle was repaired again. The contact mentioned that the ball joint was replaced four times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000. The VIN was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 jeep liberty. The contact stated that while reversing out of a parking space, a loud booming sound was heard. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the front driver's side suspension had failed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front driver's side upper and lower ball joints had failed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer bob moore jeep located at 4627 s memorial dr, tulsa, ok 74145, and the manufacturer were notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact indicated that the vehicle was previously serviced under the federal safety agency campaign number: 06v288000 (suspension). The failure mileage was 200,000. *bf
The front lower ball joints on the vehicle has been recalled and replaced before. Both front lower ball joints are bad again. Will they be covered to be replaced again due to recall issues before and still are bad
Son was driving home when the driver side wheel came off, in mid turn-. On a public road, about to turn onto the interstate. Luckily, wasn't going 65. The car had to be towed. Our mechanic said the ball joint broke loose, bending the axle as well, damaging the wheel and tire. There has been a recall of this nature, but said it didn't apply to this VIN. I am totally convinced it must be defective as well. This could have been a deadly accident. I am begging for this to be investigated.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 jeep liberty. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the vehicle jerked with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the upper ball joint was defective and needed to be replaced. The contact was informed of the federal safety agency campaign number: 09v119000 (suspension) however, the VIN was not included. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
I am the second owner of this vehicle, when I acquired it, I had it serviced at the dealership and they preformed all recall work. It has been kept serviced and up to date on any recall work since. During the day on christmas eve 2019 I was returning home from a visit at my mother's home and suddenly lost control of the jeep. There was loud noise and things breaking off the vehicle as I fought to control it and pull over. Upon inspection, saw the passenger side front wheel had come loose from the suspension, tore off the fender wheel well and broke a piece off the right-side running board. Undriveable, I had it towed to my mechanic. Unfortunately, they were closed until after new years. In early january I found out the diagnosis was a sheared lower ball joint failure. I looked in my files and found that this was one of the recalls that had been preformed to the vehicle. Safety recall f23- lower ball joints was done on 8/1/2006. Obviously, you assume this problem is resolved and the vehicle is safe after the work is done. I luckily was traveling at 30mph, and not at highway speed, so I have only encountered a financial burden. (about $4k for rental, repair & bodywork) I am sure if I was going faster or in traffic, I would have been injured or killed. How do the thousands of jeep liberty owners still on the road who are up to date on recalls confidently drive their vehicles if the recall work fails in the exact manner described as the problem meant to be fixed by the recall? I've been driving for close to 40 years and have never had any vehicle suffer a catastrophic failure resulting in a crash before this.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 jeep liberty. While driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle made a popping noise whenever it was turned. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the upper and lower control arms and ball joints failed. The manufacturer was notified. The dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 170,000.
When driving this vehicle it sways all over the road and seems very unstable and dangerous. First thought was stabilizer bar links but those seem fine and we cannot find a cause for this issue but I'm scared to drive it.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 jeep liberty. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle veered to the left. The vehicle was driven to efird chrysler jeep dodge (1227 w lucas st, florence, sc 29501) where it was determined that the driver's side control arm, which was previously repaired by the former owner with an aftermarket part, failed and needed replacement. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 247,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 jeep liberty. The contact stated that the driver's side lower ball joint detached from the vehicle. The tie rod fractured and the vehicle dropped to the ground. In addition, the check engine indicator remained illuminated. The vehicle was towed to chrysler dodge walton beach (541 mary esther cut off nw, fort walton beach, fl 32548, (850) 244-7611), but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 178,000. The VIN was unknown.
2003 jeep liberty. Consumer writes in regards to airbag system occupant restraint control, fuel tank, front suspension upper control arm ball joints and lower ball joints safety recall. *ld the consumer was unaware of all the recalls before being sold the vehicle. The dealer would not assist with the repairs.
A recall was made for jeep liberty for the control arms upper and lower and the ball joints. I was told my VIN did not have the recall. However, others had the recall and jeep paid for the repairs. After the repairs the wheel hub went bad, and a recall was made for that but not my basic model. After replacing the wheel hub the driveshaft was damaged by all the issues. A recall for the same vehicle was made for a driveshaft and again the bass model was not included in the recall. This time jeep said they would fix the driveshaft and when it came time they denied it.
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 jeep liberty. While driving on a back road, the vehicle flipped and crashed after the contact over corrected the steering. The vehicle flipped three times. The contact was ejected from the vehicle and became trapped underneath. The air bags did not deploy. The contact was seriously injured and had to be transported to the hospital with injuries to the neck, back, eyes, face, and skull. The contact was hospitalized for two months and in a coma for three weeks. A police report was filed. The vehicle was totaled and towed. The manufacturer and the dealer were not contacted. The contact stated that the crash occurred due to an unknown recall pertaining to the axle being manufactured too short. The failure mileage and VIN were unknown.
I was backing out of a parking space in the quick chek parking lot after I came out of the store to go to work and I heard a big bang thump. I immediately put the vehicle in park and looked around thinking maybe someone was behind mebut there was not. I had a few guys push the vehicle slowly to another parking space about 200 ft away to stop the vehicle and put into park again. I immedialtely called roadside assistance to come to help me after I looked underneath the front right tire to see that the wheel was not attached to the front suspension under the vehicle. A flatbed came and told me that I needed a wrecker to lift and also dollies to get this vehicle to the closest automotive facility nearby. Once there the next day they inspected it and told that I needed a lower and upper ball joints and also control arm for this vehicle. I called fca chrysler jeep dodge about this matter and was told that if I was to tow it to one of there facilities that if the recall on it that was done in 2007 was the same problem that they would address this matter and fix it free of charge and it would be covered for the recall for the most part.
The "air bag" warning light will randomly stay on after a key on and start. It does not turn off for that duration of the vehicle being turned on. The suspension ball joints in front are failing again since the recall was performed only 20k miles ago. With only street driving involved.
This websiite is showing 0 recalls for my vehicle when entering in the VIN#, yet I know there were at least 3. So is this not a reliable resource or what? I found the recalls doing a car facts check, yet this government website says thete are none.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 jeep liberty. The contact stated that upon inspecting the under body and frame of the vehicle concerning the suspension, the contact noticed that the rear control arm bracket fractured from the driver's side of the frame. There had been extensive rust and corrosion on the frame, the lower control arm and the rockers pertaining to the rear axle. The vehicle was not diagnosed by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 jeep liberty. While driving out of a parking lot, the lower ball joint failed and the front passenger side wheel detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home. The dealer (phillips chrysler jeep dodge ram, 3440 s pine ave, ocala, fl 34471, (352) 732-7577) stated that an unknown recall repair for the lower ball joint had already been completed by the previous owner. The contact was originally informed by the manufacturer's recall center that the vehicle was covered under an unknown recall. The contact had the vehicle towed back to the dealer where it was pending a repair. The contact was referred to the manufacturer, the federal trade commission, and her state attorney general's office. The failure mileage was 160,000.
Took my liberty to my mechanic because it started making a horrible sound up front when ever I made a turn. Upon inspection my lower ball joints had disintegrated, crumbled into their hands. They could not believe how lucky I was that it did not break while driven. Nothing was holding it in or together. Come to find out there are recalls on both the upper and lower ball joints. I was never notified. I have had the lowers fixed and paid for with lifetime warranted parts. I need reimbursed for the lower $488.27. The upper ball joints also must be fixed on a separate recall that I was never notified of. Do these people have any idea how bloody and devastated an accident would be when your wheel shears off and there is no steering? It's called flipping the fringing jeep over!!! Not only is it unacceptable that I wasn't notified but I could have killed my father and others in an accident. My mechanic told me straight up if I had gone over a bump or turned I would have wreaked! I can not believe that there are other people that have had accidents with more damage or a full total of theirs and others are not being reimbursed for the entire damages. Thi fixed wrong the first time by the dealer, before their wreak. How is that not their responsibility? There is no excuse for any of those jeeps or mine not being fixed. These are straight up recalls something is wrong with this, really wrong.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 jeep liberty. The contact stated that the front wheel hubs detached from the vehicle due to the ball joints failing. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence by her husband. The vehicle was then towed to courtesy chrysler dodge jeep ram (1890 dogwood dr se, conyers, ga) where it was diagnosed that the repair for the federal safety agency campaign number: 06v288000 (suspension) was not performed properly and needed to be redone. The vehicle was repaired, but additional damages from the wheel hubs failing would be at the owner's expense. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and initially informed the contact that the recall was completed in 2010; therefore, no further action would be taken. Later, the manufacturer informed the contact that they would cover the recall repair cost, but additional damages would not be covered. Case number: 33684169 was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
2003 jeep liberty. Consumer writes in regards to front suspension ball corrodes into knuckle of joint, immobilizing turning within the knuckle - causes ball welded to bolt to break off and steering failure. *smd the consumer stated there were two recalls for the failure of ball joints, but the manufacturer one of the failures did not apply due the specifications of how the ball joint failed.
Good morning, I am trying to file a complaint about an accident my son had in his 2003 jeep liberty. While driving around a curve at a slow rate of speed the control arm on the front passenger broke causing my son to lose control of his vehicle and smash into a tree.resulting in major damage to the vehicle. And no being without a car for work. Please advise.
My mechanic got stumped on some suspension problems, and looked online for similar issues. What he came across was articles by consumer reports and auto trader about recalls with jeep libertys from 2003 to 2005 that will have rear suspension, specifically rear lower control arms problems, resulting in the tires loosening or even break away from the vehicle. I am not a mechanic, but what I have read fits the description of what my jeep is doing, and the area of concern expressed by my mechanic. Even when the jeep has not been recalled for this, "officially" I would like it looked into as the problem fits the recall description and model years. When I am driving it, it intermittently shakes from the backend, little fish tail motions. It happens at most speeds, but more noticeable when above maybe 25mph. (although it does it at slower speeds as well) it is nerve racking, and noticeable from passengers as well, as twice I've been asked by passengers, "whats wrong with your jeep?" below on this page it is asking me for a date of "when did this happen?". That I don't know, its not something that happened overnight, its been steadily creeping up, getting worse. My mechanic made mention of it a few months ago. I have had no luck having this listed as a recall, despite what I mentioned previously that the problem fits the description and whats happening. I decided to fill this out to see if anything else could be found or done with the recall. Thank you
Takata recall I am steadily burning through front drive shaft assemblies where it goes into the transfer case. The bearing head keeps failing by throwing the bearings through the assembly, I have owed the vehicle for 2 years and have replaced it twice with the same parts failing. The part seems to just go with no warning and when the assembly comes apart it would leave the front shaft spinning since the jeep has full time locked hubs which could cause it to go through the floorboard or send bullet type projectiles through the assembly metal which could damage other components
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 jeep liberty. While driving 5 MPH, the contact heard a loud noise coming from the front driver's area. The failure occurred without warning. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and noticed that the ball bearing snapped and the wheel bearing was approximately 90% detached. The vehicle was towed to the garage and was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 jeep liberty. The contact stated that there was an abnormal failure progressing with the upper and lower ball joints. The vehicle was not inspected and diagnosed by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
My front ball joints are about to fall apart, I was told I was lucky I haven't had a bad accident. I had to pay to replace front drivers side arm and ball joint. Right hasn't been done yet because I couldn't afford both, drivers side was $506. Then was told there are several recalls on this problem that I wasn't told about. I'm scared to keep driving and can't seem to get anyone to contact me.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 jeep liberty. While driving approximately 10 MPH in a parking lot, a loud noise was heard coming from the front of the vehicle and the front driver side dropped to the ground. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact exited the vehicle and discovered that the lower ball joint had pulled through the steering knuckle. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home. The contact mentioned that an independent mechanic drove the vehicle, but it was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was serviced per the federal safety agency campaign number: 06v288000 (suspension). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 183,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 jeep liberty. While driving 75 MPH, the front driver side tire blew out without warning. The contact was the front passenger in the vehicle. The driver stated that the vehicle felt as if the front driver side of the vehicle struck the ground. The vehicle fishtailed and collided with the median, rolled several times, spun out, and landed on its roof. The driver side air bag deployed, but the passenger side and other air bags failed to deploy. The driver sustained two broken fingers on the left hand, contusions, left body side muscle soreness, and a concussion. The rear passenger occupant sustained a cut to the right arm and left leg and bruising. The middle rear passenger sustained minor bruising, and the driver side rear passenger sustained back injuries. All occupants required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and deemed a total loss. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. Several months ago, the vehicle was serviced per a ball joint recall and a possible control arm recall. The VIN was invalid. The failure mileage was approximately 131,000. ..updated 05/09/17 *bf
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