Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Jeep Liberty, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags546
- Suspension494
- Electrical system118
- Seat belts110
- Structure108
- Fuel/propulsion system88
- Engine and engine cooling85
- Power train84
- Fuel system, gasoline82
- Steering78
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 183 injuries and 4 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 47 2002 Liberty vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 31 people died inside them, and 9 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2002 Jeep Liberty failed the safety check 2.20% of the time — 10% more often than the average 2002 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 145,468 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 14.9 L/100 km (about 16 mpg US), CO₂ 343 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty 4X4 · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 16.5 | 12.9 | 14.9 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
9 Transport Canada recalls for the 2002 Jeep Liberty.
| 2015040 28 Jan 2015 | Airbag On certain vehicles, a defect in the supplemental restraint system (SRS) could result in an inadvertent deployment of the front airbag, side curtain airbag and/… |
| 2013220 26 Jun 2013 | Structure Chrysler Canada has determined that an opportunity to incrementally improve performance in certain types of low-speed impacts may exist in certain vehicles. The… |
| 2012378 9 Nov 2012 | Airbag On certain vehicles, a defect in the supplemental restraint system could result in an inadvertent deployment of the front airbag, side curtain airbag and/or sea… |
| 2009110 14 Apr 2009 | Suspension On certain vehicles, the front upper ball joints may experience a loss of lubrication which can lead to corrosion, accelerated wear and possible separation. Ba… |
| 2006190 2 Aug 2006 | Steering On certain vehicles, the front lower ball joints may become contaminated. With continued operation, the contamination can lead to corrosion, accelerated wear, … |
| 2003270 7 Nov 2003 | Suspension On certain vehicles, the front lower control arm ball joints may be susceptible to a loss of lubrication which can lead to corrosion, accelerated wear and possi… |
| 2002005 11 Jan 2002 | Label Certain vehicles have the sun visor warning label in English only and as such do not comply with the bilingual requirement of C.M.V.S.S. 208-Occupant Crash Pro… |
| 2001287 10 Dec 2001 | Other Certain sport utility vehicles. In the event of a severe frontal offset collision, sharp edges on the power steering pressure hose bracket could cut the front i… |
| 2001246 15 Oct 2001 | Other Certain sport utility vehicles. Manufacture from early July 2001 to late September 2001. The driver's side knee blocker trim panel assembly can disengage, fall … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2002-2003 Jeep Liberty vehicles manufactured January 9, 2001, to March 28, 2003, 2002-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 13, 2001, to May 23 2003, and 2003-2004 Dodge Viper vehicles manufactured November 1, 2001, to June 30, 2004. Due to electrical noise beyond the tolerance of the air bag electronic control module (ECM), a component in the ECM may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 1993-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty vehicles. The fuel tanks in these vehicles are at risk of failure and leakage in certain rear impacts.
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2002 and 2003 Jeep Liberty vehicles manufactured January 9, 2001, through March 28, 2003, and 2002 through 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 13, 2001, through May 23, 2003. A component in the air bag control module may fail causing the front airbags, side curtain airbags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING 42,469 MY 2002-2003 JEEP LIBERTY VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN SALT BELT STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KENTUCKY, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA , WISCONSIN AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT SUSPENSION UPPER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT MAY EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF LUBRICATION WHICH COULD LEAD TO CORROSION, ACCELERATED WEAR, AND POSSIBLE SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING.
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, THE CONSTANT TENSION FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS MAY EXPERIENCE CONTAMINATION. IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD WITH THIS CONDITION, THE BALL JOINT MAY EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCE WEAR AND LOOSENESS.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS CAN EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF LUBRICATION THAT CAN LEAD TO CORROSION, ACCELERATED WEAR, AND POSSIBLE SEPARATION FROM THE STEERING KNUCKLE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. IN THE EVENT OF A SEVERE FRONTAL OFFSET COLLISION, SHARP EDGES ON THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE BRACKET COULD CUT THE FRONT IMPACT SENSOR WIRING INSULATION CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE WIRING.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE DRIVER'S SIDE KNEE BLOCKER TRIM PANEL ASSEMBLY CAN DISENGAGE, FALL, AND STARTLE THE OPERATOR.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Jeep told its dealers about the 2002 Jeep Liberty: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 634272 | FLASH PROGRAMMING FAILURE RECOVERY. *SLC |
| 634138 | SUBJECT REGARDING CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR SIGNAL, VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 3.7 L ENGINE, ALSO REFER TO 02003. *SLC |
| 634127 | SUBJECT REGARDING MANUAL TRANSMISSION MOUNT MAY BE INCORRECT FOR APPLICATION. *SLC |
| 634090 | SUBJECT REGARDING FUEL CAP DIFFICULT TO REMOVE. *SLC |
| 634087 | SUBJECT REGARDING REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *SLC |
| 634077 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *SLC |
| 633983 | SUBJECT REGARDING SQUEAK LIKE SOUND FROM FRONT BUMPER CROSSMEMBER. *SLC |
| 633955 | SUBJECT REGARDING MOPAR FRONT AIR DEFLECTOR (BUG GUARD) POSSIBLY INDUCING AIR TURBULENCE OR WHISTLE. *SLC |
| 633943 | SUBJECT REGARDING THE LEFT REAR SEAT BACK REQUIRING HIGHER CLOSING EFFORT TO LATCH. *SLC |
| 633495 | SUBJECT REGARDING A SQUEAK LIKE SOUND FROM PARKING BRAKE CABLES. *SLC |
| 631817 | INFORMATION REGARDING REAR FLIP-UP GLASS PAD REMOVAL, SILL FLARE EXTENSION COLOR CHANGE, AND ROOF RACK OPTION ON EARLY BASE MODELS. *SLC |
| 630817 | INFORMATION REGARDING CRANKSHAFT POSITON SENSOR SIGNAL. *YD |
| 630813 | SUBJECT REGARDING INCORRECT MONRONEY LABEL TIRE INFORMATION. *YD |
| 628328 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A FLICKERING TRIP COMPUTER AND/OR RADIO DISPLAY, INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATION, AND/OR OVERHEAD/DOME LIGHTS. *TT |
| 628315 | CONCERNS WITH REDUCED POWER STEERING ASSIST WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED QUICKLY TO THE RIGHT - RAPID RESPONSE TRANSMITTAL. *TT |
| 628307 | CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS OF WIND WHISTLE SOUND FROM MOPAR BRUSHGUARD OR MOPAR FRONT AIR DEFLECTOR. *TT |
| 628273 | CONCERNS WITH LONGER THAN NORMAL ENGINE CRANK TIME PRIOR TO START. *TT |
| 628241 | CUSTOMERS MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY WHEN INITIALLY ATTEMPTING TO REFUEL THE VEHICLE FUEL TANK. *TT |
| 628226 | A CONDITION MAY EXIST WITH ONE OR MORE PLASTIC END CAPS NOT FITTING SECURELY TO THE METAL SIDE RUNNING BOARD. *TT |
| 628206 | LOSS OF CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR SIGNAL. *TT |
| 625650 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 625620 | SUBJECT REGARDING SAFETY SYSTEMS - VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS / REPAIR. *TT |
| 625610 | SUBJECT REGARDING SOFTWARE IMPROVEMENT TO FLIP-UP GLASS UNLATCH STRATEGY. *TT |
| 625602 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A CRAK-LIKE SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE. *TT |
| 625592 | A CUSTOMER MAY COMPLAIN OF RUST COLOR STREAKS ON ONE OR MORE OF THE ALUMINUM WHEELS. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Jeep inadvertent air bag deployment
Crash Related Fuel Tank Fires
Inadvertent Air Bag Deployment
Inadvertent Air Bag Deployment
Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure
UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATION
UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATION
FRONT SUSPENSION BALL JOINT SEPARATION
FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE MALFUNCTION
FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE MALFUNCTION
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation