Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Jeep Liberty submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 159 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 159, in the owner's own words
Manufacturing defect on EVAP canister, the nipple for the EVAP hose is too large for hose diameter, 3/8" hose cracks after a couple years when the rubber is not new, causing emissions test failure. Hose replaced several times.
MY VEHICLE IS A 6 YR OLD LOW MILEAGE CHEVY EQUINOX THE STABILITRAK LIGHT CAME UP AS WELL AS THE SERVICE POWER STREERING. IT HAS ALSO LOST POWER IN THE HIGHWAY AND STALLS OR WON'T ACCELERATE AT TIMES WHICH MAKES IS VERY DANGEROUS SINCE I COULD GET HIT BY SOMEONE IN THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE REPLACED O THEN SENSOR WHICH COST ME $400 BUT NOT FIXED I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND THEY REPLACED SOME FUSES AND SENSORS ANOTHER $500 STILL NOT FIXED. THE CAR IS NOW BACH AT THE DEALERSHIP AND IT HAS BEEN A FEW DAYS. THIS SEEMS TO BE. VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE EQUINOX AS I HAVE SPOKEN TO A FEW PEOPLE WHO OWN ONE AND THEY JUST ENDED UP TRADING THEIR CAR. I DON'T WANT ANOTHER CAR PAYMENT AND FOR A 6 YEAR OLD CAR WITH LOW MILEAGE THIS IS NOT NORMAL
MISFIRE IN CYLINDER 3. REPLACED COILS, PLUGS, AND COMPUTER. STILL THROWING THE CODE.
I WENT TO THE STORE AND PICKED UP CHIPS AND DRINKS AND KEEP RUNNING FINE. GOT BACK IN IT AND TOOK ME SEVERAL TRIES TO CRANK. KEPT GOING DEAD ON THE MILE DRIVE HOME. HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED BUT MECHANIC REPLACED COMPUTER SPARK PLUGS FUEL PUMP AND INJECTION SYSTEM. STILL WOULDN'T CRANK WELL. HAD NEW COMPUTER PROGRAMMED. NOTHING. TILL SAYS 3 CYLINDERS ARE NOT WORKING AND I NEED A NEW MOTOR.
WE REPLACED THE ENGINE AT 135,000 MILES AND THE NEXT ENGINE IS DOING THE SAME THING AT LESS THAN 20,000 MILES. MECHANICS HAVE SAID THESE ENGINES WERE DEFECTIVE. LOSES VALVE AND DESTROYS PISTON. I HAVE PAID OVER $10,000 IN PARTS ALONE, NOT COUNTING LABOR. HELP!!
ALTERNATOR FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL AT AN INTERSECTION WHILE DRIVING IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND ALTERNATOR REPLACED.
MY HUSBAND AND I DROVE MY 2002 JEEP LIBERTY TO DINNER AND WHILE DRIVING BACK HOME, WITHOUT ANY NOTICE, THE CAR STARTED BLOWING HEAVY SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST PIPES. THEN IT COMPLETELY DIED, STOPPED! NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO CHECK OIL LIGHT AND NO WARNING WHATSOEVER! I NOW HAVE THIS VEHICLE SITTING IN MY GARAGE BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO COST US APPROXIMATELY $5000.00 TO FIX. WHILE RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET, THIS ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE JUST STOPPING, HAS HAPPENED TO HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT OWN THIS SAME VEHICLE. I HAVE NOT FOUND ANYONE THAT FEELS IT'S WORTH FIXING. ALL INTERNET REVIEWS LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT IF REPLACED, IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. WHY ISN'T CHRYSLER MADE ACCOUNTABLE?? THEY KNOW THEY GOT AWAY WITH SELLING A LEMON! THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE, IF SOMEONE IS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND THE ENGINE JUST STOPS AS MINE DID! CHRYSLER SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THE ENGINE OR GIVE BACK SOME SORT OF COMPENSATION TO EVERYONE THAT HAS HAD THIS ISSUE. CAN'T BELIEVE, THAT AFTER SO MANY COMPLAINTS, THE GOVERNMENT OR BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, HAVE NOT GOTTEN INVOLVED IN FORCING A RECALL FOR THIS 3.7 ENGINE.
MOTOR WENT OUT WITH NO WARNING......REPLACED. AFTER 7K MILES.....MOTOR WENT OUT AGAIN. THE WARRANTY COMPANY FOR THE MOTOR ACTS AS IF THEY DID NOT KNOW THE MOTORS CONSTANTLY GO OUT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE AIR BAG AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V046000 (AIR BAGS) AROUND MARCH OF 2015. THE DEALER (MAJOR WORLD, 43-40 NORTHERN BLVD, LONG ISLAND CITY, NY, 11101) WAS CONTACTED AT 866-614-2884 AND STATED THAT THE EARLIEST THEY COULD ACCOMMODATE TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE AND SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WAS A MONTH AWAY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 157,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK FORWARD INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE SEALS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 173,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
MY ENGINE FAILED LIKE MOST PEOPLE WITH A 2002 ENGINE THAT I HAVE SPOKEN WITH. THIS WAS A BAD YEAR FOR THESE ENGINES SO I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WERE NOT RECALLED. EVERY MECHANIC KNOWS THESE ENGINES WOULD FAIL FOR NO REASON.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE MOVED DUE TO OVERHEATING. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN 25 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE DID NOT INDICATE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS GOING TO OVERHEAT AND THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO STEAM OR SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE WAS DEFECTIVE, THE COOLANT RESERVOIR WAS DAMAGED, AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT PROVIDED.
THE ENGINE OF THIS VEHICLE DIED WITHOUT WARNING. IT'S COMPUTER NEVER PICKED IT UP, OR GAVE ME A WARNING THAT ANYTHING WAS GOING BAD. IT WAS NOT MAKING ANY BAD SOUNDS OR LOOSE SOUNDS OF ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE SIMPLY DIED IN ME WHEN I ACCELERATED GOING UP A HILL, IMAGINE THE HORROR THAT WAS HAVING VEHICLE ALSO ACCELERATING BEHIND ME. I'VE BEEN HEARING THE SAME COMPLAINTS FROM THOUSANDS OF JEEP LIBERTY USERS AND THIS IS DANGEROUS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE REFUSING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S LIFE-THREATENING AND COULD LEAD TO A FATAL CRASH. PLEASE, FOR HUNDREDS MORE OF THE SIMILAR COMPLAINT, PLEASE VISIT: HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/JEEP/LIBERTY/2002/ENGINE/ENGINE_FAILURE-2.SHTML. *TR
A YEAR AGO WHILE HIGHWAY DRIVING FOR SEVERAL MILES, THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS FROM STARTER TO BATTERY CAUGHT FIRE. THE HARNESS WAS DESTROYED. A REPLACEMENT FROM A SALVAGE YARD WENT ABOUT 100' AND IT ALSO CAUGHT FIRE DESTROYING ITSELF. ANOTHER HARNESS WAS INSTALLED AND A YEAR LATER THE SAME FIRE ON THE SAME HARNESS OCCURRED YESTERDAY. *TR
WELL WHERE DO I START. SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN MAY OF 2016 I HAVE REPLACE MULTIPLE PARTS ,BUT THEY WEREN'T PART OF ANY RECALLS. BUT NOW MY CONCERN REVIEWING RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE AND TRYING TO ADDRESS THESE NUMEROUS DEFECTS . I'M ALMOST FED UP. MY MAIN COVER IS THE J17 RECALL FOR THE UPPER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT OF WHICH A CHRYSLER REPRESENTATIVE ADVIDEO MY MY VEHICLE WAS PART OF ,WHICH I CLUELESS ON HOW AS THE RECALL DOESN'T SPECIFY OTHER THAN 2002 TO 2003 LIBERTY VWHILES . NOW I SHOW THAT THEY WERE REPLACED IN THE PAST AND NOW THEY SINCE ARE WORN IN THE SAME DESCRIPTION THEY WERE RECALLED IN . AND CHRYSLER DENIES RESPONSIBILITY (?) .. ALSO OTHER CONCERNS WITH THE CATYLIC CONVERTER CAUSING A SULFUR SMELL WHEN THE VEHICLE IS GOING UP HILL ASO WELL AS TOWING . ONE MORE THING IS NUMEROUS ONLINE FORUM ABOUT THE ENGINE TICKING BEING NORMAL AND UNFIXABLE OTHER THEN TO REPLACE THE ENGINE . NOW ALL THIS PLUS THE MULTIPLE PARTS I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED A VEHICLE LESS THEN 15 YEARS ON THE MARKET NEEDED A IN OTHER WORDS FULLY RESTORATION IS UNACCEPTABLE. ESPECIALLY WHEN I HAVE STOCK 1948 JEEP THAT NEED LESS REPAIRS THAN THIS .
NUMBER 3 AND 6 CYLINDERS BLEW. FOUND BROKEN RODS AND BEARINGS IN THE OIL PAN. BEARINGS WERE TWISTED AROUND THE STUDS FOR THE CRANK COVER. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE IN THIS YEAR 3.7L ENGINE. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC ON A CITY STREET AND I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON I95 WHEN IT OCCURED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE ASSOCIATED WITH THE 3.7 LITER ENGINE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THERE WAS A STRONG HESITATION WITHOUT WARNING AND THE VEHICLE LATER STALLED MORE THAN ONCE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER MAY FAIL AND CAUSE THE VALVES TO DROP ONTO THE PISTONS, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE MOTOR AND CYLINDER HEAD TO FAIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND SUGGESTED THAT THE DEALER PERFORM DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000. UPDATED 05/31/2016*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED TWO SPARK PLUGS WERE PULLED AND BROKE DUE TO IMPACT, INSIDE THE CYLINDER HEAD. UPDATED 06/14/16.*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO READ THE VEHICLE PROPER SPEED AS THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS SENSOR WIRES WERE FRACTURED AND RUBBING AGAINST THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD A BURNING ODOR NEAR THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V046000 (AIR BAGS) AND 13V252000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, STRUCTURE) HOWEVER THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE NEAR THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. NO FURTHER DETAILS WERE AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000.
WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND QUIT. HAD TOWED TO SHOP AND THEY SAID THE ENGINE WAS SHOT.
MY JEEP CURRENTLY HAS 42,000 MILES AS OF NOV 1, 2015. IT IS 14 YEARS OLD. HOWEVER, THE 3.7 L ENGINE HAS A HISTORY (1 IN 200 AS BEST I CAN TELL FROM THE INTERNET) OF SOMEHOW COAGULATING OIL INTO SLUDGE AROUND THE 50,000 MILE MARK. THIS JEEP IS PART OF THE TRAILER HITCH AND AIRBAG RECALL, BUT AS YOU KNOW DEALERSHIPS NEVER GOT PARTS TO UPDATE. HOWEVER, IT ALSO SEEMS THE ENGINE WAS DESIGNED TO FAIL ON THESE MODELS. MECHANICS THAT WORK ON THESE ENGINES JUST SHAKE THEIR HEADS AND TELL YOU CHRYSLER UPDATED THE ENGINE TO FIX THIS BUT THAT DOESN'T HELP ANYBODY WHO HAS AN ORIGINALLY DESIGNED ENGINE. AGAIN, THESE ENGINES WERE DESIGNED TO SLUDGE. IT USUALLY STARTS WITH ROCKER ARMS CRACKING/BREAKING AND EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT AND CLEANSING THE OIL SLUDGES UP AGAIN. OF COURSE, CHRYSLER DEALERSHIPS ACT LIKE EVERY OCCURRENCE OF THIS IS ISOLATED, BUT THIRD PARTY MECHANICS KNOW BETTER. MINE HAS TWO JEEPS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE SLUDGED. BASICALLY THE SOCIAL SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT YOUR ENGINE CAN BREAK WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING. AND ALSO THAT CHRYSLER SOLD BATCHES OF THESE ENGINES THAT THEY KNEW WERE DEFECTIVE, IF NOT AT THE ORIGINAL DESIGN THEN SOON AFTER; WHEN THEY DECIDED THEY HAD TO CHANGE THE ORIGINAL DESIGN. I'M ONLY BEING AFFECTED BY IT NOW BECAUSE I HAVE SO FEW MILES ON MY JEEP. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, A FUEL ODOR EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT AFTER TURNING THE IGNITION KEY TO THE ON POSITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V527000 (AIR BAGS), 13V252000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE , STRUCTURE), AND 15V046000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE EMERGING FROM THE BOTTOM DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ALSO STARTED TO HESITATE AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT SLOWED DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH INTO A PARKING LOT. THE CONTACT PARKED AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS ALERTED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 12/29/15*LJ *CN
ON JULY 23, 2015, WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MILES/HOUR, THE ODOMETER, SPEEDOMETER AND CRUISE CONTROL SIMULTANEOUSLY STOPPED WORKING FOR NO APPARENTLY KNOWN REASON. WHEN ARRIVING AT MY DESTINATION IN ANOTHER STATE, (APPROX. 60 MILES), I RESEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR POTENTIAL PROBLEMS. A NUMBER OF OTHER 2002 JEEP LIBERTY OWNERS HAD EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS. ADDITIONALLY, SEVERAL OWNERS HAD EXPERIENCED ENGINE STALLING WHEN BRAKING AT A STOPLIGHT OR INTERSECTION. ON JULY 28, 2015, WHEN TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, I PULLED OFF TO THE SAFETY LANE TO TAKE A TELEPHONE CALL. WHILE I WAS SLOWLY PUSHING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MOVE SAFELY TO CURB LANE, THE ENGINE STOPPED WORKING, AS DID MY STEERING. QUICK THINKING - HAVING READ PRIOR OWNERS' COMMENTS - TOLD ME TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND TURN THE IGNITION KEY ON. THAT WORKED! I GOT THE CAR SAFELY TO THE SIDE LANE. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING PROBLEMS CORRECTED; HOWEVER, OTHER OWNERS HAVE STATED THAT THE PROBLEM OF STALLING PERSISTS.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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