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 the front end was pulling and swaying badly to the right and the left at various speeds. Twice the lower ball joints was replaced. The first time was in November 2004 under recall # 03V460000; suspension: Front: Control arm: Lower ball joint. The second time was in June 2005. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for a routine brake inspection and the mechanic determined the ball joints were so bad the vehicle could not be driven until the ball joints were replaced. The vehicle began pulling and swaying to the right and left at various speeds for the third time. The dealership directed the contact to bring the vehicle in for inspection.
: the contact stated that a recall letter was received in regards to the lower front ball joints. The dealer replaced the part with another defective part. The vehicle soon experienced the same problems when the ball joints failed causing damage to the axle while traveling 40 mph. The manufacturer was contacted and an investigator was sent to examine the vehicle. The investigator determined that the manufacturer would only cover the recall repairs for the ball joints but no damages that were caused by the defect.
As I made a right turn at 5 mph, I heard a loud bang and the driver side front wheel locked up. It was impossible to steer or drive the car. If I had been driving at highway speeds, I probably would have crashed. The lower ball joint had failed, digging into the wheel. The wheel actually separated from the car as we were removing the car from the tow truck. There was a recall for this problem 2 or 3 years ago, and I had the recall work done at that time. However, it still failed so the recall work was ineffective. The damage was repaired under warranty, but the dealer has been unable to assure me that the repair will prevent the problem from happening again. According to discussions at jeepsunlimited.com, others have had this same failure even after having the recall work done.
After purchasing the 03 Jeep Liberty 4X4. I was made aware of the lower ball joint failure. I just had mine checked because I purchased this vehicle used. With 27,000 miles on it, it had already had new ball joints added to it. This make me nervous driving this vehicle. I heard they go out easily and you must check these lower ball joints often. This is just poor engineering, and for my family, just makes for an uneasy, sort of a hostile driving environment, due to constant nervousness.
1. really nothing lead up to failure, it was a catastrophic failure of my lower ball joints. Thank god we were backing out of a parking spot when the incident happened and not at 70 mph. 2. basically my left front tire collapsed, causing me to call flatbed tow truck, front wheel fender damage and over $500 in repairs to just the lower ball joint. 3. Chrysler will not do an investigation, because repairs were done. I was stranded in the middle of N.D. they said they would cover the ball joint replacement. I have the old ball joints, one exhibits catastrophic failure and the other has the tell-tale lubricant loss described in the report. Note--I took the vehicle in for the recall and had work done. Evidently the ball joints were not replaced, but the heat shield was installed.
- Minot, ND, USA
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2003 Jeep Liberty ball joint broke and the wheel fell off while driving. Recall on the ball joints was issued and dealer refuses to help the consumer. The consumer stated she never received a recall notice. The vehicle was sold with unremedied lower ball joint recall 03V-460. The current owner was never notified of the recall but the letter was sent to the previous owner on 12/15/2003.
I have experienced the same problem with my 2003 Jeep Liberty as described in EA06008. The front right ball joint was repaired pursuant to the recall in 2004 (03V-460). Shortly after the recall I observed unusual noises and grinding sensations in the front suspension, so I returned the vehicle to the authorized dealer that had conducted the recall repair. They determined that a heat shield had been installed incorrectly, and adjusted it. Approximately 6 months later (August 2004) the noises returned more severely, and a different authorized Jeep dealer determined that the front right ball joint had to be replaced, at significant cost to me. Most recently, the right front ball joint completely failed just a couple weeks ago (June 2006). This time the right front wheel became completely detached from the steering control bar, resulting in over $3000 in repair costs. Luckily, my pregnant wife was driving only 3 mph in a small alley when this occurred. Had it occurred at higher speeds, there surely could have been far more tragic consequences.
I noticed a grinding noise in the front of my 2003 Jeep Liberty limited 4WD on Friday, July 7, 2006. I drove the next day to a friend's house, July 8. as I was back up to park the car stalled a little and began a grinding noise. As I pulled back the left wheel popped out.
Lower ball joint failed while I was in williamsburg. Broken ball joint also punctured the driver's side tire while resting up against it. Had to have my Jeep Liberty towed to the dealership and then had to pay to be transported to the richmond airport to rent a car since everything was closed in williamsburg at 3:30 on a Saturday afternoon. Jeep was repaired the following week with a suggestion to fix the upper ball joint soon since it also had some 'play' in it. While having the upper ball joint replaced locally, mechanic had to replace the upper ball joint on the passenger side as well since it looked just as bad. He suggested replacing the lower ball joint on the passenger side as well within the next month to avoid an accident. Both upper ball joints were left to me. The lower ball joint that had failed on the driver's side was retained by the Chrysler dealership in williamsburg, Virginia.
I only stopped to realize that there was a problem when I saw that there was an investigation going. We lost control of our 2003 Jeep Liberty in the winter of 2003. We did not report it as it was a hill that had ice. We had the car in 4WD low and never went beyond 2 miles an hour. The car continued to slide and slide and there was no control over it and we ended up hitting the mountain, the better of the 2 scenarios the other going off a cliff. Every hill I drive I have the same problem mostly when there is snow on the ground (even fresh non-ice) snow if there is any degree of angle to the hill, I can not drive it. I have slipped several times on angled dirt roads but not to the degree that I continue to have with snow covered hills....after reading the report I realized that this could be caused to the recall and issues that are taking place...I am not certain, but am giving this information should it help in any way....thanks!
At 20000 miles a recall replacement was performed on our 2003 Jeep Liberty. At 53000 miles we had the dealer inspect the front end of the Jeep and proclaim it was within specification. At 54000 miles, wile turning in to my drive at 5 mph. The lower left ball joint popped out and jammed into the back of the wheel. The dealer replaced the ball joints under the recall. In approximately 500 miles the joint went from sound to so bad it popped out! at higher speeds this failure could have been catastrophic.
2003 Jeep Liberty sport - lower ball joint separated from knuckle while driving on 6/24/06. Note: Recall notice on lower ball joints received June 2004 and repair/inspection in response to recall notice was completed 6/30/04 (lower ball joints replaced and heat shield installed) at cross Chrysler Jeep in louisville, ky. Failure still occurred after recall repair. New repairs completed on 6/30/06 at neil huffman Chrysler/Dodge Jeep in louisville, ky- lower ball joints replaced again. One (1) wheel and one (1) axle also replaced due to significant damage as a result of lower ball joint failure.
1, I had my 2003 Jeep Liberty inspected for steering tightness and noise on 05/24/06 and inquired about the lower ball joint and control arm recall. Mann chryser Dodge Jeep did the inspection and said the recall had been performed prior to me owning (I was 1st owner, demo vehicle) and couldn't find any problem with the steering. 2, I was pulling out of my driveway onto the street on 06/17/06 and the lower right ball joint broke and the wheel fell off the vehicle. 3, the Jeep was towed back to mann Chrysler that day and they acknowledged the failure was due to the recall. The lower ball "joints" where replaced along with the right front wheel (damaged when it came loose) and also repaired some minor damage to the right front fender molding at no charge.
Front end felt loose on the right side and when braking there was heavy clunking noise. Found a recall notice online and called my dealer. I was told to bring it in and have it checked. The dealer replaced the lower ball joints on both side stating that the right side was ready to break at any moment. The dealer also installed a heat shield between the front rotors and the ball joints. This was at approximately 32,000 miles. Steering felt tight again and the clunk noise was gone. Then at approximately 43,000 miles, the noise returned and again the steering felt loose on the right side. This time I bought an after market replacement part that is sold as a problem solver to replace the defective ball joint. These were installed by a non-dealer shop at approximately 45,000 miles. Noise and loose feeling in the steering has went away.
While turning right at an intersection at about 5 miles per hour in my 2003 Jeep Liberty, I experienced a catastrophic failure of the lower ball joint on the right side. The ball joint dropped and the bolt at the bottom of the ball joint struck and severely dug into the alloy wheel. This all took place at traveling about 5 miles per hour and traveling only about 20 feet. I just had the vehicle towed to a local repair facility for repair. No repairs have yet been made.
On 6/22/06 my 2003 Jeep Liberty renegade was diagnosed with lower ball joint failure on both sides. Dealer is replacing them under warranty. I have approximately 54,000 miles on the vehicle. These lower ball joints were replaced under a recall shortly after I purchased the vehicle new. This is an ongoing problem with Jeep Liberty's (see www.lostkjs.com for many failure reports).
2003 Jeep Liberty [xxx] manufacturer recalled lower ball joints (recall #03V46) replaced March 15th 2004 at 8900 miles on vehicle. June 17th 2006, 52,754 miles on vehicle same part is identified by Chrysler dealership service as needing to be replaced again. Currently at issue between myself, the dealership and Chrysler is whether this part will be replaced under the recall. I find having to replace this part every two years an excessive inconvenience and expense. $195 labor alone. Upon reviewing consumer complaints, a joint failure is likely to result in an auto accident and potential injuries and deaths. The initial recall did not "fix" this issue. Updated 07/16/2012
: the contact stated while getting new tires the tire dealer noticed the lower ball joints needed to be replaced. The dealer was alerted. There is a NHTSA recall, # 03V460000, regarding the front lower ball joint. The VIN was not included in the recall.
I've been having my dealership check the lower ball joints when it gets serviced. At my 60K service they let me know my lbj's will need to be replaced. After talking with them and Jeep through the 800 number, daimler-Chrysler will not cover it under warranty. It was built six days after the cut off for the recall and it's past it's 36K miles and not included under warranty. Seems like if older and newer kj's are still having the same part fail, they should be responsible and cover the repair. I believe they are not going to really correct this until someone gets killed and they are forced to for publicity and legal reasons.
On 5/5/06 I had a lower left ball joint separate from my 2003 Jeep Liberty renegade. Thankfully this happened while making a left turn into my parking lot at work after lunch. Had it happened anywhere else I would not be here today to write this complaint. I have been made aware of a recall for 2002 - 2003 liberties and I understand that the recall dates ended two weeks before my build date. I am getting no support what-so-ever from Chrysler even though it is perfectly obvious this is a major fault of theirs.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Duluth, MN, USA