10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
10 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
13 / 0
Average Mileage:
81,827 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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.

2003 Jeep Liberty suspension problems

suspension problem

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2003 Jeep Liberty Owner Comments (Page 1 of 6)

problem #105

May 022023

Liberty

  • 300,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2003 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated while her boyfriend was driving approximately 35 MPH, the front passenger-??s side wheel stopped while the front driver-??s, the rear driver-??s and passenger wheels continued turning. As a result, the vehicle stalled; however, the engine remained revving. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence and then towed to the dealer where the vehicle remained. The vehicle had not yet been diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed of the NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 03V460000 (Suspension), 09V119000 (Suspension) and 06V288000 (Suspension). The contact was then informed that the vehicle was not covered under recall or warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 300,000.

- Slaton, TX, USA

problem #104

Mar 222023

Liberty

  • 124,000 miles
The contact owns a owns 2003 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH there was an abnormal noise like squeaking or chirping coming from both front wheel wells. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the front lower ball joints needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact had stated that he related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 06V288000 (Suspension) completed in November 2006 on his vehicle. The contact felt that the repair parts for the recall were the same sourced OEM parts and that was why the ball joints failed. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.

- Coos Bay, OR, USA

problem #103

Jan 222023

Liberty

  • miles
The ball joint and cv axle broke making me wreck. I had no control of the steering.

- Vale, NC, USA

problem #102

Oct 152022

Liberty

  • 75,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact's husband owns a 2003 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the front driver's side suspension of the vehicle inadvertently lowered, and the tire became flat. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the front driver's side lower ball joint had fractured and needed to be replaced. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 06V288000 (Suspension). The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

- Moncks Corner, SC, USA

problem #101

Dec 102021

Liberty

  • miles
Lower passenger front ball joint corroded and broke in half. Luckily this happened backing out of a parking space. Somehow this vin does not show on the F23 RECALL"?"

- Marion, IA, USA

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problem #100

Dec 252020

Liberty

  • miles
Front lower control arm ball joints are worn on both sides an it's only the bottom ones. No Safety hazard yet but I'm sure if it fails it will be scary. Multiple other vehicles made prior to the moth this one was manufactured had a recall on the lower ball joints. I believe this vehicle is also affected by faulty front lower control arm ball joints. No warnings an I've had excessive play in the ball joints for about about as long as I have had the vehicle but as I said it's only the lower front all other joints remain intact an in working order

- Pittsgrove , NJ, USA

problem #99

Jul 102021

Liberty

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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

- Portland, OR, USA

problem #98

Apr 152020

Liberty

  • 200,000 miles
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.

- Kingman, AZ, USA

problem #97

Nov 022020

Liberty 6-cyl

  • 200,000 miles
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 NHTSA campaign number: 06V288000 (suspension). The failure mileage was 200,000.

- Sand Springs, OK, USA

problem #96

May 152020

Liberty

  • miles
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

- Milton, NC, USA

problem #95

Aug 282020

Liberty

  • 220,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Hampton, VA, USA

problem #94

Jun 122020

Liberty

  • miles
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 NHTSA 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.

- Amityville, NY, USA

problem #93

Dec 242019

Liberty

  • 182,000 miles
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.

- Stoughton, MA, USA

problem #92

Dec 112019

Liberty

  • 170,000 miles
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.

- West Portsmith, OH, USA

problem #91

Dec 012019

Liberty

  • 200,000 miles
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.

- Comstock, MI, USA

problem #90

Aug 162019

Liberty

  • 247,000 miles
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.

- Essingham, SC, USA

problem #89

May 162019

Liberty

  • 178,000 miles
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.

- Ft Walton Beach, FL, USA

problem #88

Dec 082018

Liberty

  • miles
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. The consumer was unaware of all the recalls before being sold the vehicle. The dealer would not assist with the repairs.

- Post Falls, ID, USA

problem #87

Sep 012018

Liberty

  • 190,000 miles
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.

- Conroe, TX, USA

problem #86

Sep 222018

Liberty

  • miles
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.

- Douglasville, GA, USA

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