This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
: the contact stated while driving at any speed, there was a creaking noise coming from the front driver side wheel area. The dealership determined both lower ball joints needed to be replaced. Updated 3/3/2006 -
Lower ball joints failed premature on 2004 Jeep Liberty renegade it was about 25, 000 miles they should last alot longer than that. I drive the car for a living, and if this is gonna be a problem, I will have to find a more reliable vehicle.
Front driver side ball joint snapped and the front drivers tire bent inwards hitting the inside of the fender. The actual breakage of the ball joint was preceded by a loud snapping and grinding noise. The vehicle could not be driven after the ball joint failed.
1. started to have issues with front end(alignment?) @1 1/2 weeks before incident. One day prior to incident, there was a grinding in the front while turning right into a restaurant parking lot. 2. prior to driving the day of the incident, I started the vehicle and turned the steering wheel back and forth at which time the lower ball joint(driver side) failed while in my driveway. While moving vehicle to get out my other car, the rim became gouged from the lower ball joint. 3. the vehicle was flatbed and taken to a garage to be repaired. The driver-side lower ball joint was replaced along with an alignment and the front driver's side tire being replaced w/ the spare.
This is an update to an earlier complaint that I filed, as there appears to be no mechanism to update a complaint. There have been many complaints prior to this one on suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint. This complaint is also for the same problem. I leased a Jeep Liberty 2004 with 37800 miles on it. While driving to a destination, I lost my way and had to turn into a car park. While in the car park, I suddenly noticed the passenger side of the car dip down with a loud noise. As I parked the car, the car fell further down, so I parked and got out of the car. Looking at the car it appeared to be leaning to the passenger side. Next day while the car was being put on the tow truck, I noticed that both the wheels were falling apart and the middle part of the axle (or whatever holds the two front wheels together) was broken and dragging on the ground. The car had no problem up until this point and it is only 18 months old. Thankfully this whole episode happened while I was in the car park. Had it happened on a highway, it would most likely have been fatal. The car was taken to a Jeep dealer (a week ago). It will be returned tomorrow with me having to pay the full cost of repair. I will argue this with the Jeep dealer tomorrow, as Jeep should take responsibility for the car falling apart and should not only absorb the cost of the repair, but also investigate what went wrong as this kind of failure is bound to be fatal. If the Jeep dealer is not accommodating, we will pursue this through the NHTSA as well as the better business bureau. Worst case we will have to higher a lawyer.
- Bellemead, NJ, USA
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After reading many complaints about lower ball joint failure on the 02-03 Liberty, I got concerned and check the lower ball joints on our Liberty. We have an 2004 Jeep Liberty with approx. 32,000 miles. Upon checking we discovered that driver side lower ball joint had approx 1/4 inch play in it. The passenger side had maybe a 1/16 inch play. Called the dealer and was instructed that it would not be covered under warranty as they blamed the lift on the failure. This is not caused by the lift it is a pre existing problem. Chrysler fix to this was to install a heat shield behind the rotor and in front of the ball joint. However, that is not the fix, it is a design flaw. The ball joint is actually installed upside down causing stress every time you hit a bump. I will be having it fixed by a non dealer shop. We will save all our receipts in case a recall is started for the 04-05.
I recently had the front lower ball joints replaced on my 2004 Jeep Liberty after it was discovered that they were severely worn out. The dealership replaced the part under warrant thankfully. At the time of the repair, my 2004 Jeep Liberty had approximately 32000 miles on the odometer. I first heard about the problem on the L.O.S.T internet chat board, then had them checked at the dealership where they told me the ball joints needed immediate replacement.
Lower ball joint failure. Phone interview update (Dec. 21, 05): Backup inside a gas station, the driver side front lower ball joint separated. The passenger side lower ball joint was worn. Replaced both ball joints myself. There was a little noise from the front suspension prior to the ball joint separation. I know of other 2004 & 2005 Jeep Liberty owners who also experienced ball joint failures.
While driving front lower ball joint came loose on my 2004 Jeep Liberty sport...did not know what happened...pulled into garage...vehicle would not drive any further...went to back vehicle out of garage next day...front lower ball joint became completely separated from whatever it is attached to...vehicle had to be towed to dealership to be fixed...had to have new wheel, lower ball joint, and front axle replaced...cost was roughly $2000 to fix.
(2004 Jeep Liberty 4X4) I went to have the front end aligned on my Jeep because of excessive tire wear. The service tech where I took it said that the ball joints were wore out and that they needed to be replaced before the front end could be aligned. The vehicle has 43,994 miles on it. I contacted the dealer and they said that the warranty covered 36,000 miles. The service center said it was a wonder that I could keep the vehicle on the road. He showed me a bulletin where some Dodge durango's ball joints had worn out at 14,000 miles.
On the morning of October 2, 2005, my son was driving our 2004 Jeep Liberty. Approximately 1 mile from our home, the passenger's side lower control arm ball joint separated from the steering knuckle and caused my son to lose control of the vehicle. This resulted in the front right tire pushing outward and dislodging the right front axle. While my son was not injured, there certainly was the potential for catastrophic events to occur. There is information available that states that 2002-2003 models were recalled for this very issue. I am wondering if this problem was not corrected on the 2004 models.
On September 23, 2005 I was going about two mph pulling into driveway when the lower ball joint broke on front driver's side and the wheel came off. The axle dropped and bent it. There was no prior warning when this happened. Had it towed to the dealer and they did repair it, and they did repair the passenger side because it was also worn. Contacted the manufacturer and they gave me a file number.
Jeep Liberty, 2004 model, front right lower control arm ball joint was loose and replaced. Steering was loose and vehicle pulls during braking. The ball joint boot was not damaged. The ball joint does not have a grease fitting.
Was making a turn then heard a crunch sound tin he passenger's side, front end of the vehicle collapsed. Towed vehicle to the mechanic, who said it was a default of the dealer. Contacted the dealer, they are going to send someone out but when they get around to it. There was a recall for lower ball joints for 2002 and 2003 models. This happened on August 15, 2005. The front end has to have new axle. It was dragged on the ground and there was all different kinds of fluid on the ground. There was also damage to body of the vehicle. The consumer stated the vehicle was fixed, however the lower ball was not replaced.
Noticed stiffness in the steering. Steering wheel would not return to straight after a turn without assistance. Checked power steering fluid level and scheduled service appointment. Next day, the lower control arm, driver's side, let go and the driver's side front wheel completely separated from the vehicle. Failure occured while pulling into a parking space. Advised they were replaing both front ball joints with new. Failure covered by warranty.
1. transmission downshifts hard when decelerating to a stop 2. steering gear replaced 3. after item 2, left (driver) side front lower ball joint broke.
- Belleville, IL, USA
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- Grafton, OH, USA