2003 Jeep Liberty Tires & wheels Problems

Tire blow out

NHTSA ID

11640563

Incident

Jun 16, 2024

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 JEEP LIBERTY EQUIPPED WITH CAPITOL TIRES, TIRE LINE: PRECISION TRAC II, AND TIRE SIZE: 235/70R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH FRONT TIRES WERE LOW ON AIR. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT BOTH TIRES WERE EXPERIENCING TREAD SEPARATION. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPLACED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14T013000 (TIRES). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE DOT NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000.

NHTSA ID

10667053

Incident

Dec 17, 2014

Mileage

97,000 mi

ALL FOUR GOODYEAR WRANGLER TIRES SIDEWALLS HAVE SEPARATED FROM TIRES AROUND WHITEWALL BAND. THUS RENDERING THE TIRES TO BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. ALL FOUR TIRES ARE BEING REPLACED. GREAT AMOUNT OF TREAD REMAINING ONLY DRIVEN 30K MILES ON THEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10436126

Incident

Nov 16, 2011

Mileage

30,240 mi

DRIVING ON US27 THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SEPARATED, CAUSING $2800 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT SIDE, MOLDINGS, BUMPER ABD TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. TIRES HAD ABOUT 14,000 MILES ON THEM, WERE PROPERLY INFLATED AND ABOUT 18 MONTHS OLD. AFTER INSPECTION ALL REMAINING TIRES HAD THE BEGINNINGS OF TREAD SEPARATION. I AM SUBMITTING A CLAIM WITH GENERAL TIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10210880

Incident

Nov 12, 2007

I AM ON MY 2ND REPAIR OF BALL JOINTS WITH MY 2003 JEEP LIBERTY, I HAVE ALSO HAD A REPAIR WHEN WATER GATHERED AND CAUSED MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE CARPET TO GET SOAKED WITH WATER. MY ISSUE IS RELATED TO MY TIRES, I HAVE HAD RUBBING AND VEERING TO THE RIGHT PROBLEMS SINCE I PURCHASED MY CAR A FEW YEARS AGO. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN QUESTIONING ALIGNMENT AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO ROTATE EVERY OIL CHANGE WHICH I DUE BUT THE PREMATURE WEAR ON MY TIRES IS BAD. I BELIEVE IT IS CAUSED FROM THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINT PROBLEMS AND FEEL MY TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED BY THE DEALER AT NO CHARGE TO ME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10203195

Incident

Sep 15, 2007

2003 JEEP LIBERTY PURCHASED IN 2002 HAS HAD PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASE. THE VEHICLE ACTS LIKE IT IS IN 4-W DRIVE WHEN IT ISN'T. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE EVEN GENTLE TURNS THERE ARE LOUD CRACKING SOUNDS AND GRINDING NOISES. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL OF THE TIME AND WILL GO MANY MONTHS WITHOUT THE PROBLEM. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE WITNESSES TO THE NOISE AND THE HOPPING OF THE CAR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE THE TURNS. HOPPING IS MOST EVIDENT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPOT EVEN WHEN MAKING A WIDE TURN TO AVOID A HARD/TIGHT TURN INTO THE SPACE. THE NOISE AND HOPPING AGAIN OCCUR WHEN TRYING TO PULL OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE. THIS HAPPENS IN 4-W DRIVE AS WELL AS WHEN OUT OF 4-W DRIVE. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER WHO DOES NOT RECORD MY COMPLAINT BUT ONLY STATES THAT I CAN PAY FOR A CHECK OF THE TRANSMISSION IF I WANT. THEY STATED THAT IT WAS COMMON FOR JEEP LIBERTY VEHICLES TO HOP AND MAKE THIS NOISE WHEN IN 4-W DRIVE. NOW THAT MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE AND THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. I LOST A SON LAST YEAR. I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION, TRANSFER CASE, ETC. REPAIRED BECAUSE I AM STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY. JUST RECENTLY THE LIGHT HAS STAYED ON STATING I AM IN PART-TIME 4-W EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT. THE PERFORM SERVICE LIGHT HAS STAYED ON EVER SINCE THE VERY FIRST SERVICE ON MY VEHICLE IN 2002. THE DEALER DOES NOT FIX ANYTHING. DURING ONE SERVICE THE VEHICLE BOLTS WERE LEFT OFF AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR DIDN'T REALLY NEED THOSE THEY WERE JUST TO PREVENT RATTLING. THEY ALSO CHARGED ME FOR A FUEL AND AIR FILTER DURING A SERVICE WHICH WAS NOT PUT ON MY CAR. WHEN TAKING MY CAR TO THE FIRESTONE DEALER THE VERY NEXT DAY TO HAVE TIRES PUT ON THEY SHOWED ME MY FILTERS (STILL ON THE CAR) AND TOLD ME TO REPORT IT. THE DEALER IS THE LITHIA CHRYSLER JEEP DEALER LOCATED AT 3223 MILL STREET IN RENO, NEVADA. THEY SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AS TO UNETHICAL PRACTICES.

NHTSA ID

10192857

Incident

Oct 15, 2002

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS PLACED INTO DRIVE, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND TURNED BACK ON 4 TIMES, BEFORE IT WAS ABLE TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AFTER PERFORMING A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT ALL 4 TIRES WERE WORN DOWN UNEVENLY AND THERE WERE PIECES OF METAL SHOWING ON THE INSIDES OF THE TIRES. ALSO, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKES AND REAR ROTORS WERE WORN, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH ALL 4 TIRES. A NHTSA RECALL LETTER, #06V288000 ON THE VEHICLE, REGARDING THE SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT WAS RECEIVED. THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT WAS PLACED ON A WAITLIST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO SUGGESTED THAT THE RECALL WORK SHOULD BE PERFORMED PRIOR TO GETTING ALL THE OTHER COMPONENTS REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

10173966

Incident

Nov 2, 2006

Mileage

42,050 mi

BALL JOINT FAILURE THREE TIMES. EMERGENCY BRAKE ON FIVE SPEED NEVER HAS WORKED PROPERLY. REPLACE ENGINE AT 70,000. NOW THE CARD END JOINT FOR THE FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE IS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. MY BIGGEST COMPLAINT IS THE BALL JOINT FAILURE FOR THE THIRD TIME. THIS ISSUE ALSO CAUSES CHAIN REACTIONS IN THE TIRES I HAVE HAD THREE SETS OF TIRES WEAR UNEVEN AND I WROTE THE COMPANY THE FIRST TIME TO COMPLAIN AND GOT NO RESPONSE. I USE MY JEEP TO MAKE MY INCOME AND DO NOT TRUST IT ANY MORE. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS VEHICLE TO ANY ONE AND WILL NOT PASS IT ON TO ANY FAMILY MEMBER. *NM

NHTSA ID

10173416

Incident

Jan 2, 2004

Mileage

74,000 mi

THE CAR WAS INSPECTED FOR BALL JOINT PROBLEMS (RECALL) @ 20,000 MILES, THE DEALER SAID ALL WAS GOOD AND THE WORK ORDER STATES THAT THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED. AT 56,000 MILES I WAS LEAVING TURNING AROUND IN MY NEIGHBORS DRIVEWAY WHEN THE LOWER BALL JOINT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BROKE, TOTALLY SEPARATED. THERE WAS NO LITTLE WARNING BEFORE THE JOINT BROKE. WHEN THE JOINT BROKE THE SUSPENSION GOUGED THE INSIDE OF THE RIM DEEPLY. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. I HAVE YET TO SPEAK TO THEM (THIS JUST HAPPENED AND THEY ARE CLOSED); HOWEVER, I ANTICIPATE COLLATERAL DAMAGE TO OTHER SUSPENSION/STEERING COMPONENTS AS WELL. *NM

NHTSA ID

10156660

Incident

May 2, 2006

Mileage

56,000 mi

AFTER A FLAT ON 9/30 OF THIS YEAR, I PURCHASED A NEW SET (4) OF GOODYEAR WRANGLER ST TIRES, SIZE P215/75/16, THROUGH MY JEEP DEALER. WITHIN A DAY OF LIGHT USE, MY 2003 LIBERTY SPORT STARTED TO EXHIBIT UNSETTLED HANDLING BEHAVIORS. THE VEHICLE PULLS STRONGLY TO THE RIGHT WHERE IT DID NOT BEFORE THE TIRE REPLACEMENT, THE VEHICLE FEELS MUSHY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS AND IS NOW VERY HARD TO KEEP GOING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE FEELING OF LACK OF CONTROL IS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE WHEN TRYING TO NEGOTIATE A LEFT TURN AT SPEED (THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO WANT TO CONTINUE TO GO STRAIGHT OR LEFT AND, VERY NOTICEABLE UNDER STEER IS PRESENT). THE JEEP FEELS VERY UNSETTLED EVERYTIME THE GRADE ON THE ROAD CROWN CHANGES ALONG TURNS ON BACK ROADS AND IS NOTICEABLE ENOUGH TO COMPEL ME TO SLOW DOWN FROM NORMAL SPEED LIMITS. WHEN TRAVELING 55 MPH AND ABOVE THE FEELING OF LOSS OF CONTROL COMES ON WITH VERY MINOR CHANGES ON STRAIGHT ROAD SURFACES. THERE IS ALSO VIBRATION AND NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT AREA OF THE SUSPENSION (COMES AND GOES IN PROPORTION TO LOSS OF CONTROL). THE VEHICLE HAS 70,000 MILES AND IS ON ITS' THIRD SET OF THESE TIRES (THE ONLY ONE THAT FITS THE ODDBALL STANDARD RIM) BUT, THIS IS THE FIRST SET OF THESE TIRES THAT HAVE LEFT ME NOT WANTING TO USE THE TRUCK FOR ANYTHING. I CHECKED TIRE PRESSURES AND WHEEL LUGS FOR TIGHTNESS BUT, FOUND NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. I HAD THE DEALER LOOK AT THE PROBLEM AND THEY KEPT IT FOR 4 DAYS (AND 100 MILES) SAYING AFTERWARDS THAT IT NEEDED ONLY A WHEEL ALIGNMENT (TOE-IN WAS OUT) AFTER STATING THAT IT WAS ALRIGHT WHEN THE SOLD ME THE TIRES 3 DAYS EARLIER; THEY ALSO CHECKED THEIR WHEEL BALANCING JOB AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. THEY WENT ON THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH ANY SUSPENSION COMPONENTS AND THAT MY TRUCK BEHAVED LIKE MANY OTHER LIBERTYS. THEIR WORK ABATED THE RIGHT PULLING A BIT BUT, THE BEHAVIOR STILL VARIES IN INTENSITY WITH ROAD CHANGES. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT FEEL SAFE EVEN ON DRY ROADS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10139228

Incident

Oct 3, 2005

DT: THE CALLER FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON BALL JOINTS. HE HAD IT CHECKED, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. ON THE WAY HOME THE PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE FELL OFF, AND THE LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED. CALLER WAS DRIVING 20 MPH. THE CALLER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. *AK

NHTSA ID

10133753

Incident

Aug 19, 2005

Mileage

44,000 mi

WHILE IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE CAUSE WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK FOR APPROX 1 YEAR THERE WERE 16 SEPARATE INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE. AT 25-45 MPH VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL. DRIVING ONE DIRECTION VEHICLE SPUN TO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. *BF *NM

NHTSA ID

10115122

Incident

Jan 3, 2005

THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPAIRED, FRONT AXLE REPLACED DUE TO VIBRATIONS, 5 NEW TIRES, RADIO, ETC... THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES FOR REPAIRS TO THE POINT WHERE THE DISTRICT MANAGER FOR CHRYSLER HAS BEEN INVOLVED. THE VEHICLE RAN A LITTLE BETTER FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME AND THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUES TO SHIFT INCORRECTLY THE VIBRATION IS BACK AND THE DISTRICT MANAGER (MR. BILL KEUHRMAN STATES "THAT THERE IS IMPROVEMENT", AND I STATED THAT IT IS FUNNY THE WORDS HE CHOSE INSTEAD OF THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING CORRECTLY. THE VEHICLE SCARES ME TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF THE HESITATION DURING SHIFTING. *NM

NHTSA ID

10093759

Incident

Nov 9, 2003

WHILE DRIVING ON ANY SURFACE, MY 4WD MANUAL TRANSMISSION 2003 JEEP LIBERTY PULLS STRONGLY TO THE RIGHT. IT EASILY GOES OFF THE EDGE OF THE ROAD, CREATING THE NEED FOR AN OFF ROAD RECOVERY. DEALER ROTATED THE TIRES, BUT SAID THAT THE WHEELS WERE ALIGNED PROPERLY AFTER AN ACCIDENT, AN ALL WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS COMPLETED BUT IT STILL PULLS SEVERELY TO THE RIGHT. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE IN THE RAIN OR ON A WET SURFACE, THE TIRES SKID AND DO NOT PROPERLY SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN, SO TRYING TO MANIPULATE THE VEHICLE TO NOT SKID OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD INTO THE DITCH IS DIFFICULT WITHOUT BEING IN AT LEAST PARTIAL 4WD--AND THAT DOESN'T EVEN HELP OCCASIONALLY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10082776

Incident

Nov 1, 2003

Mileage

53,000 mi

ON SATURDAY (3/13/2004) WHILE TRAVELING ON I40, THE GOODYEAR TIRE ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF MY CAR BEGAN TO SMOKE AND LESS THAN 10 SECONDS LATER COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED ALONG THE PERIMETER WHERE THE TREAD MEETS THE SIDE. I HAD MY CAR SERVICED BY A CHRYSLER DEALER ON 3/08/04 BEFORE DRIVING 130 MILES TO A CONFERENCE IN SPRUCE PINES, NC ON 3/10/04. IT WAS ON THE RETURN TRIP FROM SPRUCE PINES WHERE THE TIRE COLLAPSED. ALSO, AFTER THE TIRE WAS CHANGED I STOPPED (LESS THAN 10 MILES LATER) AND CHECKED THE AIR PRESSURE IN THE OTHER THREE TIRES AND THEY ALL SHOWED BETWEEN 35 AND 36 PSI OF PRESSURE. THIS INCIDENCE WAS NOT CAUSED BY UNDER-INFLATIOIN AS SUGGESTED BY A LOCAL GOODYEAR DEALER.

NHTSA ID

10062483

Incident

Mar 13, 2004

Mileage

19,970 mi

WRANGLER ST 215 75R 16 TIRE FAILURE. NO NAILS OR OTHER HAZARD DAMAGE APPARENT. SIDEWALL SPILT FROM BEAD TO TREAD. HIGHWAY SPEED TO 30 MPH WHEN BLOWOUT OCCURRED. TIRE WAS OEM ON 2003 JEEP LIBERTY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10056525

Incident

Feb 1, 2004

Mileage

6,800 mi