2003 Jeep Liberty Airbags Problems

The contact owns a 2003 Jeep Liberty. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V046000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that while parked in a structure, the air bags inadvertently deployed. The vehicle was not occupied at the time. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

NHTSA ID

11585794

Incident

Apr 27, 2024

Mileage

58,000 mi

9/18/2023 I had an incident I thought something got behind brake pedal and kept me from pushing the brakes. When I drove it home. Going down the interstate I hit the gas get to speed limit. 3 times the vehicle kept speeding up hitting 80 and still wanting to climb.when I hit breaks hit was hard to press worse then hitting non power breaks and then I forced on the brakes and the vehicle started shaking. And took lot of effort to slow down. This vehicle doesn't have cruise control. Have had cliche with lights radio tac speed air while driving. Non of the air bags went off I checked recall was January to March this jeep was manufactured 12 2

NHTSA ID

11546091

Incident

Sep 18, 2023

The contact owns a 2003 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that while driving 30–35 MPH, the driver's and passenger's side air bags inadvertently deployed but then immediately deflated. No warning light was illuminated. There was no impact to the vehicle that could have caused the air bags to deploy. The air bags deployment caused damage to the dashboard. There was dust coming from the air bags which got into the contact and his passenger's eyes; however, no medical attention was received. The contact restarted the vehicle and drove to his residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance due to the age of the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.

NHTSA ID

11533322

Incident

Jul 18, 2023

Mileage

71,000 mi

The contact owned a 2003 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that his mother-in-law was exiting the highway when she struck a curb causing the front passenger side tire to blow out. The contact lost control, the vehicle was spinning, struck two utility poles where the vehicle came to a stop. The driver was declared deceased on the scene. The front passenger sustained minor injuries and was transported to the hospital for medical attention. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11506193

Incident

Jan 17, 2023

Air Bag Warning Light comes on from time to time. I wonder if the Air Bag System is working properly. Almost every other Jeep Liberty before and after my VIN number was recalled, just not a very small group of vehicles my Jeep is in.

NHTSA ID

11496516

Incident

Dec 1, 2022

The air bags didn't deploy at all. I slide on an icy bridge at 35 mph and slammed into the concrete bridge barrier. None of the airbags deployed. The Jeep was put on a scope 2 1/2 weeks before the accident with no codes read. I have severe whip lash and muscle strains in my back, neck, shoulders, and arms from the impact. I could have died. No, the problem wasn't reproduced or confirmed. The police have looked at and insurance company will be looking at the vehicle. There were no warnings at any kind prior to the failure.

NHTSA ID

11490841

Incident

Oct 24, 2022

The airbag deployed while driving down the road. Was unaware of the recall. Dealer said they can not fix because the airbag already deployed. Had minor physical injury to the left arm but definitely mental distress. Air bag light came on which it had before then 30-60 seconds later airbag deployed without warning.

NHTSA ID

11489758

Incident

Oct 13, 2022

The contact owns a 2003 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that while his girlfriend was driving at approximately 40 MPH, the driver's side air bag was deployed inadvertently without incident. The contact stated that the air bag warning light had been illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact's girlfriend was able to drive to her residence. The contact's girlfriend sustained pain in her left forearm and was transported to the hospital with the assistance of a friend. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. Upon investigation, the contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V046000(Air Bags), which he associated with the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired and remained in the contact's possession. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

NHTSA ID

11489115

Incident

Oct 13, 2022

Mileage

190,000 mi

The airbag deployed on my wife that was in her third trimester pregnancy while driving on the highway, which left the baby and my wife at risk. She was sent to the emergency for abdominal trauma. Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, or RAM dealer were unable to locate a recall number for the Jeep Airbag System Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) module. It was a very long process and Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, or Ram dealership located on I-10 kept giving us different responses about our airbag being at the dealership and then later finding out that they did not have the airbag in stock. The dealership offered $500 to keep the vehicle, but I refused and just wanted them to repair the airbag. The dealership kept calling us to pick up the vehicle and in order to do that, we would have to get it towed to where we lived. Luckily, a staff member at the dealership informed us that if we were to pick up the Jeep at that time then we would be fully responsible for it and could not hold the dealership accountable if something worse happened. Instead of following through with towing it, we did our own research and discovered that there were several similar testimonies about this issue for the same year make and model, (2003 Jeep Liberty). We called corporate several times and they were unable to locate the recall number nor give us a solution. After several months had passed, we finally received a recall number via text and email from Mopar.com. ( FCA Recall # R06). We then contacted the dealership with the recall number and confirmed that this was an issue that needed to be taken care of. They took several months to locate an airbag and finally repair the ORC module. Once the vehicle was ready for pick up, they did not exactly walk us through the vehicle and new parts installed. The Jeep was in poor condition; it was left outside, uncovered, and paint is now peeling. Seatbelts do not spring back, dash lights are dim and steering is screeching, engine light is on. This took a total of 8 months.

NHTSA ID

11465077

Incident

Jun 2, 2021

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WITH MY DAD, WHEN SUDDENLY THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. WE CHECKED THE SEATBELTS AND OTHER FACTORS, BUT IT DIDN'T TURN OFF

NHTSA ID

11403946

Incident

Mar 19, 2021

Mileage

180,000 mi

I WAS PUSHED OFF THE HWY AND ROLLED OVER MULTIPLE TIMES. I RECEIVED INJURIES AS WELL AS MY SON. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA ID

11395023

Incident

Jan 14, 2021

Mileage

153,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V046000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT AN INTERSECTION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO JEEP OF FT. WALTON (541 MARY ESTHER CUT OFF NW, FORT WALTON BEACH, FL 32548, (888) 717-7554) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ORC MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDRIVABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DUE TO THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 184,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. *LN*JB

NHTSA ID

11377709

Incident

Dec 1, 2020

Mileage

184,000 mi

WHILE TURNING FROM A GREEN LIGHT I WAS PROBABLY GOING MAYBE 5-10 MPH BOTH MY DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS BOTH WENT OFF AND MAN THOSE THINGS HURT BADLY BUT THERE WAS NO CAR COLLISION OR ANYTHING THEY JUST WENT OFF OUT OF THE BLUE AND THERE WAS A LOT OF SMOKE AND LEFT MY EARS RINGING AND PARTS OF THE DASH CAME APART

NHTSA ID

11373420

Incident

Nov 5, 2020

Mileage

173,000 mi

DRIVING 25 MPH ON MY WAY HOME AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT COLLISION JUT DEPLOYED WITH NO REASON!!

NHTSA ID

11360080

Incident

Sep 11, 2020

Mileage

160,000 mi

MY AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATING INTERMITTENTLY. IT THEN REMAINED ON. I AM AN ENGINEER AND CHECK THE CODES. A CODE 0066 WAS PRESENTED. I CHANGED THE LEFT FRONT IMPACT MODULE, BUT SAME CODE AND WARNING LIGHT WERE PRESENT. I DID OBSERVE A STRANGE THINGS WHILE DIAGNOSING. STARTING THE ENGINE WILL ALLOW THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, SYSTEM CHECK, THEN EXTINGUISH BUT A FEW SECONDS LATER, LIGHT RETURNS. THE CODE CANNOT BE ERASED. IF I STOP ENGINE AND IMMEDIATELY RESTART, THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL CYCLE AS NORMAL BUT THEN REMAIN OFF. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE CODE CAN BE CLEARED, BUT IF I STOP THE ENGINE, REMOVE THE KEY THEN REINSERT THE KEY AND START THE ENGINE THE AIRBAG LIGHT CYCLES THEN REMAINS ON WITH THE CODE PRESENT. IF I DO THE RESTART PROCEDURE, IT WILL AGAIN CYCLE AND REMAIN OFF. THE OCM WAS SUBJECT TO A RECALL, I DID BRING TO DEALER INITIALLY IN 2015, BUT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. I WAS CALLED MANY MONTHS LATER AND A REPAIR WAS MADE, BUT I WAS NOT GIVEN ANY PAPERWORK TO PROVE THIS. THE CAR IS PERFECT WITH ONLY 124,000 MILES ON IT. IT IS WELL MAINTAINED.

NHTSA ID

11339719

Incident

Jan 7, 2020

Mileage

123,000 mi

ON 12/05/15 I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE AIRBAGS. I HAVE CALLED BACK SEVERAL TIMES AND GOT NO RESPONSE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A WIDE SPRED CRISIS AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED RIGHT AWAY.MY NEIGHBOR RECENTLY HAD A CRASH AND LOST SEVERAL FRONT TEETH BECAUSE THE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY.

NHTSA ID

11302602

Incident

Dec 5, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 JEEP LIBERTY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH IN RAIN, SLEET, AND SNOW, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. THE VEHICLE SLID ACROSS THE INTERSTATE AND CRASHED INTO THE DIVIDER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED TOTALED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE MOUTH AREA, BACK, AND LEGS. THE PASSENGER OF THE VEHICLE RECEIVED SHOULDER INJURIES. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.*DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11286912

Incident

Dec 1, 2019

Mileage

115,000 mi

THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED BUT WE HAVE NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT

NHTSA ID

11282074

Incident

Nov 24, 2019

Mileage

138,757 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 JEEP LIBERTY. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SON WAS DRIVING 45 MPH OVER A POTHOLE, HE LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE WALL. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND CUTS TO THE LIP AND NOSE. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS CONTACTED AND CAME TO THE RESIDENCE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS. AFFORDABLE AUTO CREDIT INC (4568 GRAVOIS AVE, ST. LOUIS, MO 63116, (314) 353-6000) WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.*DT*JB*DT*DT*TP

NHTSA ID

11281571

Incident

Nov 5, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V673000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR AS THE RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED OVER A YEAR AGO. JIMMY BRITT CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (2054 US-441, DUBLIN, GA 31021, (478) 200-3780) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

11258185

Incident

Oct 15, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 JEEP LIBERTY. WHEN THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIS DRIVEWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG EXPLODED WITH A LOUD NOISE AND FILLED THE VEHICLE WITH SMOKE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING OR AN IMPACT OCCURRING. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND SUSTAINED SOME BURNS ON HIS LEFT ARM AND LEFT HAND. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO RAY BRANDT CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM FIAT (504-363-1999, LOCATED AT 1660 WESTBANK EXPY, HARVEY, LA 70058) WHERE A NHTSA INSPECTOR CAME TO THE FACILITY TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ASKED IF THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION AND THE CONTACT REPLIED WITH 'NO'. THE CONTACT WAS NOT PROVIDED A REPORT OF THE INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AFTER THE INSPECTION. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW WHETHER THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11255072

Incident

Sep 1, 2019

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN MANEUVERING ON ITS OWN AND THE VEHICLE ULTIMATELY CRASHED INTO A MEDIAN. THE VEHICLE'S AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE CONTACT SUFFERED SEVERE INJURIES INCLUDING A CONCUSSION AND BRUISING TO HIS RIB CAGE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION ON THE SCENE AND WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL. A POLICE WAS FILED AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT TOW YARD. THE DEALER WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 03V460000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000. VIN-(XXXX) REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID

11241764

Incident

Apr 4, 2019

Mileage

170,000 mi

AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO REASON. IT CAME ON AS SOON AS THE CAR STARTED AFTER BEING PARKED.

NHTSA ID

11218711

Incident

Jun 8, 2019

Mileage

154,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 JEEP LIBERTY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 4 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR AN IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT NO COLLISION OCCURRED TO CAUSE THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. ZELLAR JEEP (3021 N. SUMMIT ST, ARKANSAS CITY, KANSAS) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

NHTSA ID

11210422

Incident

May 26, 2019

Mileage

190,000 mi

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. *LD THE CONSUMER WAS UNAWARE OF ALL THE RECALLS BEFORE BEING SOLD THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIRS.*JS

NHTSA ID

11195190

Incident

Dec 8, 2018