Recall regarding the lower ball joints on 2003 Jeep Liberty. The technician told the consumer that because of the recall that the vehicle would need a four wheel alignment. This would be an out of pocket expense for the consumer. Recall# 03V460000.

- Eldred, PA, USA

While making a right turn at a stop sign there was a popping noise, then a metal noise. Consumer pulled off the road, and noticed that the passenger side of front suspension was laying on the right front wheel. Vehicle was towed to a dealership, who indicated that the lower ball joint separated. Phone interview update (Oct 6, 05): The consumer received the recall notice after the vehicle was repaired. No problem since.

- Essex Junction, VT, USA

On Monday, April 5, 2004, I brought my Liberty renegade farrish Jeep in fairfax, va for my 18,000 mile service which included a tire rotation and other work. No one ever mentioned to me that my vehicle was under a safety recall and that work had not been completed. On Saturday, April 10, 2004 I was driving my Liberty when I heard a loud noise that sounded like a shot gun going off and my car skidded to the side of the road and came to a stop. My tire was flat but upon closer inspection, I discovered metal shavings all over the tire and down the street along my skid path. My car was towed to the nearest Jeep dealer which was heritage Chrysler Jeep in alexandria, va. Greg anderson, from heritage Jeep, called me on Monday, April 12, 2004 and informed me that my ball joints had separated while I was driving the vehicle and that was the cause of the breakdown. He said my vehicle is under a safety recall for this exact problem. I have grave concerns about the safety of this vehicle and the manner in which customers are notified about potentially life threatening defects in their vehicles. 1. I did not receive a recall notice in the mail indicating there was a potential serious defect with my vehicle that may cause me to lose control of the vehicle and crash. 2. it is my understanding that all vehicles coming into the farrish Jeep service department have a function 14 performed which would indicate any outstanding recalls on a vehicle. My vehiicle did not have a function 14 performed on it and not being notified that this work needed to be performed when it was just in for service 5 days prior to my ball joints separating is completely unacceptable. This Liberty is my family car that I take my 6 year old and 4 year old sons back and forth to school in every day on the I-495 beltway. I canT imagine what would have happened to me and my family, and other drivers around me, had my ball joints separated on the beltway at 60 miles an hour.

- Va, VA, USA

On tues. March 9th, I was driving straight going slowly in a parking garage when my car made a grinding noise and would barely drive. To make a long story short, when the tow truck driver from aaa arrived and tried to drive my 2003 limited Jeep Liberty the front left side of the car collapsed on the front left tire. Everything that holds the wheel to the car had seperated. The dealership said they had never heard of anything like this happening. However, I then checked out this site & saw the recall from Nov. 4 2003 on my Liberty. The recall I never received. When I called the service dept. Later that day to inquire about the status of my car I dropped off the night before, I mentioned the recall. The woman I spoke with said she just found out about the recall. When I asked why I hadn't received the recall she said "sometimes they may be mailed out in increments so not to inundate the dealers". well the recalls were sent out Dec. 15th, 2003, this event occured tues., March 9th 2004. After 2 days at the dealership my car was finally looked at. They said the lower ball joint had seperated. Phone call update: The consumer's phone number is no longer in service.

- Westminister, MD, USA

There was vibration in the front end when speed exceeded 40 mph. Dealership inspected vehicle, but couldn't locate the cause of the vibration. A week later, while driving on the highway front left wheel nut flew off and hit the grill. On another occasion the front left tire fell off while reversing. Vehicle was taken back to dealership, and dealership replaced the ball joints.

- Middleboro, MA, USA

I was driving down a 2 lane country road, within speed limit, road conditions excellent. I have a pristine driving record. I rounded a bend and was approaching the straightaway and although I steered to straighten the vehicle, my Jeep continued to go to the right. I turned the wheel harder to correct the direction and the Jeep veered to the left into the oncoming traffic lane. I managed to get the car back to the right side of the road, but the car hit the gully on the side of the road and crashed into a tree stump. Although I applied the brakes the car felt like it skidded to the right and the antilock brakes didn't engage. When I crashed into the side of the road I broke the front wheel and damaged the rear wheel, broke the lower control arm, damaged the suspension and steering knuckle, and did some body damage. When I queried the dealer about how this could happen, they said they knew of no defects on the 2003 Liberty. After finding the information on the internet about the lower control arm/ball joint recall, and calling the dealer again with this info, the dealer said, oh yeah, they knew about that, but "don't pay much attention to recalls." I had the car serviced by my dealership on 12/16/03, the day after the recall notices were supposedly sent to customers (I still haven't received one as of 2/3/03), but they never mentioned the recall or scheduled the replacement of the defective part. I am available for contact if there are others out there who have experienced similar failures.

- Albion, CA, USA

Dealership had the part to perform lower ball joint recall 03V46000 repairs since the beginning of January, but the manufacturer had not sent dealership the tools needed to install the part.

- Canton, GA, USA

I own a 2003 Jeep Liberty. I received a recall notice in the mail from Jeep and even contacted them since I was experiencing problems before the recall was issued. The problem I am experiencing is that when I brake I feel movement in the front end. Before the recall I brought it in and they said there were no reports of this problem which the service area called a bump stop. When I brought the vehicle in they said there were no open recalls on my Jeep even though I received the notice, and was experiencing problems. I feel unsafe knowing that a recall was issued and that the dealership has no record of the recall and that I driving a car with a potential for disaster. Can someone please help me with this issue? thank you in advance, sean siegel.

- Brooklyn, NY, USA

While making U-turn at an intersection front ball joints snapped, separating from the vehicle. Vehicle was towed to the dealer, who was repairing the problem. Phone interview update (Oct 5, 05): The consumer said that he had received a recall notice two months after he filed the complaint.

- Owings Mills, MD, USA

Front ball joints clunking on 5 month old (8,000 miles) Jeep Liberty renegade. Vehicle is stock (no lift kit or over sized tires) and hasn't been off road more than twice in light dirt trails. I've read that the Dodge durango and other Liberty's have similar ball joint failures and am looking for an improved design or fix from Jeep.

- Greenlawn, NY, USA