NHTSA Defect Investigation List for the 2005 Jeep Liberty
The Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) is an office within the NHTSA which investigates serious safety problems in the design, construction or performance of vehicles. The NHTSA is authorized to order manufacturers to recall and repair vehicles, if the ODI finds a safety issue. NHTSA investigations for the 2005 Jeep Liberty, both ongoing and closed, are listed below:
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DIESEL FUEL LEAK NHTSA Defect Investigation #PE07041
Component: Fuel System, Diesel*
Summary: Overheating of the electrical connector at the fuel heater on the fuel filter / water separator assembly can cause a fuel leak through the electrical connection. Operators report the smell of diesel fuel, smoke, difficulty starting and/or poor engine operation. The fuel leakage is reported by some operators as "seepage, "wetness," several drops," and "an oz per minute."evidence of overheating of the connection was observed by some operators and reported as burned or discolored electrical connection at the fuel heater. Seven operators report smelling or seeing smoke. One reported a vehicle engine compartment fire however the cause of the fire was not identified, and linkage of the fire cause to this issue is not likely to be established. The location of the fuel filter / water separator assembly is not near the location of the turbo charger which is located on the opposite side of the engine. The turbo charger would present a potentially hot surface however due to the layout of the engine compartment and its components, diesel fuel leakage from the electrical connection would not likely migrate to the turbo charger. At this time, a safety-related defect trend has not been identified and this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
NHTSA: For detailed information & supporting documents, see the official NHTSA page concerning investigation #PE07041 »
* This defect investigation is filed under 2 related vehicle components.
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FRONT SUSPENSION BALL JOINT SEPARATION NHTSA Defect Investigation #EA06008
Component: Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint
Summary: On January 6, 2006, the Office Of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a preliminary evaluation to investigate alleged front suspension lower ball joint separationin certain model year (MY) 2004 Jeep liberty vehicles. ODI sent a letter to the manufacturer on February 7, 2006 requesting information about these and other Jeep liberty vehicles. Consequently, the investigation was upgraded to an engineering analysis on May 31, 2006 and the range of subject vehicles under investigation was expanded to include all MY 2002-2006 Jeep liberty vehicles. ODI is aware of 566 non-duplicative complaints alleging involuntary front suspension lower ball joint separation in the subject vehicles. ODI is also aware of one non-injury crash and three alleged injury incidents (two crash incidents and one non-crash incident) related to the alleged defect resulting in minor injuries. The complaint counts reported above only include those MY 2002-03 liberty vehicles where the alleged ball joint separation occurred after prior recall repairs were performed (see below) or if the vehicle was not included in the prior recall. The manufacturer conducted a prior safety recall (03V-460) to address the subject issue in certain MY 2002-03 Jeep liberty vehicles. According to DaimlerChrysler's November 4, 2003, defect information report (submitted in accordance with 49 cfr part 573), ¿the constant tension lower control arm ball joints may experience a loss of lubrication which can lead to corrosion, accelerated wear and possibly separation from the steering knuckle. A constant tension ball joint which has separated from the knuckle may result in loss of vehicle directional control with minimal advanced warning.¿however, evidence indicates that some vehicles serviced under recall 03V-460 continued to experience involuntary ball joint separations. The manufacturer has made numerous changes in the design, material composition, manufacture, quality control, supply, and installation of the subject ball joints since the prior safety recall was initiated in an effort to improve performance with respect to sealing, lubrication, and joint retention capability. By letter dated August 1, 2006, DaimlerChrysler corporation has notified the Agency that it will conduct a safety recall to address potentially defective front suspension lower control arm ball joints in approximately 826,687 model year 2002-2006 Jeep liberty vehicles manufactured between January 2, 2001 and March 15, 2006, includingall vehicles subject to the prior recall. The NHTSA campaign number assigned to this recall is 06V-288 (DaimlerChrysler recall campaign F23). DaimlerChrysler will replace both left and right front suspension lower control arm ball joints with improved components free of charge. Accordingly, this investigation is closed.
NHTSA: For detailed information & supporting documents, see the official NHTSA page concerning investigation #EA06008 »
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Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure NHTSA Defect Investigation #EA11013
Component: Suspension:Rear*
Summary: During the preliminary evaluation (PE11-013), the Office Of Defects Investigation (ODI) conducted an analysis of consumer field data from its vehicle owner questionnaire (voq) database and from complaint data submitted to ODI by Chrysler. ODI's analysis of voq data identified 13 complaints alleging failure of either the right or left rear lower control arm due to excessive corrosion. All of these complaints were associated with vehicles originally sold or registered in a "salt belt" state (for the purposes of this investigation, 'salt belt' includes Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia). Also all of the complaints were associated with vehicles manufactured in model years (MY) 2004 or 2005. Three of these complaints also allege a loss of vehicle control due to the rear lower control arm failure. Similarly an analysis of Chrysler complaint data identified 11 complaints (2 of which are duplicative of voqs) alleging failure of a rear lower control arm due to excessive corrosion. All 11 of these complaints were from consumers operating vehicles in a "salt belt" state and vehicles manufactured in either MY 2004 or 2005. Three of these complaints (not duplicative of voqs) also allege a loss of vehicle control due to the rear lower control arm failure. The original scope of PE11-013 included MY 2002 through 2005 Jeep liberty vehicles as they were in the same generation. In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by ODI, Chrysler provided information and sample components identifying a substantial design change of the rear lower control arms after MY 2003 and beginning with MY 2004. Analysis of complaint data from both data sources (ODI and Chrysler) did not identified any applicable complaints (lower control arm failures due to excessive corrosion) from vehicles manufactured during MY 2002 or 2003. Similarly no complaints from either data source were found in states outside of those identified as "salt belt" states. Chrysler stated in its ir letter response that its investigation and analysis is continuing to determine the scope, possible root causes of the unusual lower control arm corrosion and define possible consequences to motor vehicle safety. Based on ODI's data analysis from both sources (ODI and Chrysler data), the scope of the engineering analysis is being focused on vehicles originally sold or registered in a "salt belt" state and produced during MY 2004 and 2005. This investigation is being upgraded to an engineering analysis so that ODI can further assess the scope and potential safety consequences of the alleged defect.
NHTSA: For detailed information & supporting documents, see the official NHTSA page concerning investigation #EA11013 »
* This defect investigation is filed under 2 related vehicle components.
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Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure NHTSA Defect Investigation #PE11013
Component: Suspension:Rear
Summary: During preliminary evaluation (PE11-013), the Office Of Defects Investigation (ODI) conducted an analysis of consumer field data from its vehicle owner questionnaire (voq) database and from complaint data submitted to ODI by Chrysler. ODI's analysis of voq data identified 13 complaints alleging failure of either the right or left rear lower control arm due to excessive corrosion. All of these complaints were associated with vehicles originally sold or registered in a "salt belt" state (for the purposes of this investigation, 'salt belt' includes Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia). All of the complaints were associated with vehicles manufactured in model years (MY) 2004 or 2005. Three of these complaints also allege a loss of vehicle control due to the rear lower control arm failure. No complaints related to the alleged defect were identified on vehicles manufactured during MYs 2002 or 2003. Similarly an analysis of Chrysler complaint data identified 11 complaints (2 of which are duplicative of voqs) alleging failure of a rear lower control arm due to excessive corrosion. All 11 of these complaints were from consumers operating vehicles in a "salt belt" state and vehicles manufactured in either MY 2004 or 2005. Three of these complaints (not duplicative of voqs) also allege a loss of vehicle control due to the rear lower control arm failure. The original scope of PE11-013 included MY 2002 through 2005 Jeep liberty vehicles as they were in the same generation. In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by ODI, Chrysler provided information and sample components identifying a substantial design change of the rear lower control arms after MY 2003 and beginning with MY 2004. Analysis of complaint data from both data sources (ODI and Chrysler) did not identify any applicable complaints (lower control arm failures due to excessive corrosion) from vehicles manufactured during MY 2002 or 2003. Similarly no complaints from either data source were found in states outside of those identified as "salt belt" states. Chrysler stated in its ir letter response that its investigation and analysis is ongoing to determine the scope, possible root causes of the unusual lower control arm corrosion, and define possible consequences to motor vehicle safety. Based on ODI's data analysis from both sources (ODI and Chrysler data), this investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (EA11-013) focused on vehicles originally sold or registered in a "salt belt" state and produced during MY 2004 and 2005, to further assess the scope and potential safety consequences of the alleged defect.
NHTSA: For detailed information & supporting documents, see the official NHTSA page concerning investigation #PE11013 »