Poor Chrysler. The American half of DaimlerChrysler has issued a recall on all MY 2002-2006 Liberty SUVs, affecting more than 800,000 of the manufacturer's "Trail Rated" SUVs.
According to the automaker, a front suspension lower ball joint can separate under excessive use. The problem has already received over a 100 complaints with three injuries possibly attributed to the problem.
This is not the first time Chrysler has issued a recall on the Liberty or its ball joints. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an investigation this year on the 2004 Liberty after receiving complaints. And, in 2003, the automaker recalled over 300,000 Liberty SUVs with, you guessed it, problems with the ball joint. That issue, though, was attributed to shipping and installation problems and not the part itself.
Chrysler will repair the recalled part at no cost.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
DuckFat @ Aug 2nd 2006 11:18AM
Don't get the idea that the Liberty is unreliable overall though. We've got s 2002 and it's only been in the shop for two issues (one of them was probably my fault). It's never left us stranded and we do take it off-road several times a year and onto rough roads almost every weekend. I will say that every time I go to the dealer all I see is virtually every lift occupied by a Grand Cherokee.
Number Six @ Aug 2nd 2006 11:19AM
Wow, and it is NOT a Toyota recall. The anti-Toyota crowd on this website are going to be having a stroke.
Ed @ Aug 2nd 2006 11:25AM
It must be Toyota's fault, as in everything that goes wrong on this blog with American cars. Some how you guys will blame them.
Gardiner Westbound @ Aug 2nd 2006 11:27AM
Three recalls in three years for the same component!!! When will Chrysler realize it can't make components out of the flimsiest cheapest crap it can find?
Cly @ Aug 2nd 2006 11:38AM
I'm so glad we bought a CRV instead of a Liberty. The Liberty was a very attractive option but we went with the CRV because of concern for reliability. With recalls like these you can't blame shoppers for not even considering an American made crap.
Ryan @ Aug 2nd 2006 11:43AM
What do you expect from the makes of the NEON?
Ken @ Aug 2nd 2006 12:16PM
And here's Ryan.
Couldn't resist another opportunity to bag on American cars?
BTW, there were 5 recalls for the CRV in 2002. And one for 2005 as well involving the airbags. There are few more sprinkled between those years for good measure. So your CRV is not immune to recalls, so sorry.
Brenda @ Aug 2nd 2006 12:30PM
Wow, just reviewing some of the comments and wanted to add my two cents.
I just got my Liberty 31 days ago and love it!! This recall isn't going to change my mind after dealing with $17,000 in repairs that my Pontiac Grand Am had within the first 18 months of owning. I also seen a comment about Chrysler using cheap conponents, hold on with that pointing finger, several suppliers switch to cheaper components without Chrysler knowing - you can blame a lot of that on NAFTA. I would rather own American made CRAP, then plan on my move to Mexico for a job, where by the way they play by the rules much less than American suppliers.
Brandon @ Aug 2nd 2006 1:04PM
I'm glad they waited to issue this recall until after I got back from driving on numerous 4x4 trails in Colorado last month. I would have been a bit more hesitant to drive over what I did if I had known my suspension had a higher chance of breaking. It would have been a long walk back to civilization: http://web.mac.com/brandoncole
dakota @ Aug 2nd 2006 1:16PM
'What do you expect from the makes of the NEON?'
And what is exactly your point? Our 99 had 145K on it before we decided to pick up an 04.
And no-one said that 'This is Toyotas fault'. Pull your head out of your ass. It's a recall, the same applies to any automaker.
'With recalls like these you can't blame shoppers for not even considering an American made crap'
So how do you explain the 5 recalls on the CRV? Oh yea while your at it, tell Honda, Volvo wants their taillamps back.
I guess Gardiner can't read. That's 2 recalls not 3, with the first one applying to shipping and installation of the part, not the part itself.
Jake @ Aug 2nd 2006 1:46PM
Jeep shoulda never discontinued the base Cherokee for these hunk o junks.
Mal Fuller @ Aug 2nd 2006 3:12PM
"Chrysler will repair the recalled part at no cost."
No wonder the problem is reoccurring! I didn't even know that a ball joint could be repaired!
SpinDaddy @ Aug 2nd 2006 4:31PM
This is way overdue. When the ball joint lets go it results in catastrophic suspension failure. My wifes Liberty recently had this failure occur at a little over 30,000 miles!! Fortunately, hers seperated in a parking lot, rather than on the highway at speed. I actually got one mechanic at the dealership to admit that should such a failure occur on the highway it could very well be lethal.
This problem is especially disappointing to me because I am a huge Chrysler fan (I also have a 1969 Dodge truck) and really like the Liberty other than this very serious problem.
But as I got to looking around and inspecting the vehicle for myself, I realized that Chrysler obviously knew this could be an issue as they have put a band-aid-fix-heat-shield between the brake rotor and the ball joint.
My qulifications to make these observations BTW; I am a Class-A CDL driver (Freightliners also a DCX company), as a professional tractor trailer driver I must complete a very thorough pretrip inspection every time I take a trip. I should not have to go over my wifes Liberty like I do the Freightliner. I am also a Staright A student in A&P school. Airframe and Powerplant licenses are required to work as an aircraft mechanic which will be my next job after I complete school.
It appeared to me that heat from the brake rotor overheated the ball joint causing the grease to cook away then the joint now unlubricated, fails. When it let go it damaged several other components with it as well as pulling the drive axle from the differential housing. they knew this was a probable occurence; hence the heat shield, and they let it go anyway.
I have yet to convince my wife of the seriousness of this problem, as Chrysler very quickly and quietly went about replacing the failed components at no charge, but I remain unconvinced that replacing these parts is sufficient, as the ball joint for the lower control arm mount point is, in my opinion; way too close to the brake rotor and the heat generated by same.
The only correct fix is a suspension redesign to move the ball joint further away from the brake rotor. Also the dealership had initially told me that I could have the failed components but when we went to pick up the vehicle, I was then told that Chrysler would not allow this and the parts were returned to the corporation.
Hmmm.
I would very much like to hear from a Chrysler engineer (not some PR flack) that this problem is sufficiently resolved by replacing the ball joint(s) (I had to insist that the mechanic doing the repair replace the right one as well, it had not occurred to him that a failure on the right side could be just as deadly). If you own one of these vehicles get it serviced immediately!
I'll keep watching. Meantime, I will inspect these components every 10,000 miles or so myself until I can convince my wife to get something else.
I am not sour on Chrysler as I mentioned above, I am a big fan but I am very, very disappointed in this. I like the new Commanders very much and might look at a diesel version when it is available; but I am over the Liberty. Same goes for the upcoming Dodge Nitro, which is based on the same platform as the Liberty. This design is dangerous, and I am not surprised to read that others have been hurt by these failures.
I guess it's just not the same company that made my 1969 W-200 PowerWagon, and that's too bad. -SpinDaddy
PS I have pictures of the vehicle and the failed components too.
dakota @ Aug 2nd 2006 4:58PM
"Same goes for the upcoming Dodge Nitro, which is based on the same platform as the Liberty."
Nitro uses the same, modified, platform, but different suspension designs. Liberty geared for off-roading (Something a CRV, Escape, and Rav4 can't do), while the Nitro, on road.
Luis Longo @ Aug 2nd 2006 5:09PM
HAHAHA.
800,000 why stop there,
why not recall a million,
now that would make history,
i bet every jeep owner feels
stupid right now...
dakota @ Aug 2nd 2006 6:00PM
"HAHAHA.
800,000 why stop there,
why not recall a million,
now that would make history,
i bet every jeep owner feels
stupid right now...
"
Why? GM recalled over a million pickup trucks. I guess you can say when everyone else gets their car recalled, I bet they'll feel stupid too. I bet you felt stupid when flunking out of Junior High.
UK-KID @ Aug 2nd 2006 6:49PM
Question nobody is asking is why it took over 100 complaints, 3 injuries and an NHTSA Investigation to initiate this recall ?
GhostDoggy @ Aug 3rd 2006 5:35AM
It is Toyota's fault! See, if Chrysler wasn't trying to be more like Toyota, hahahaha, they would have ignored the bad results and lived with the delimited sales fdrom the forthcoming negative image projection.
See, I told you it was Toyota's fault. Everyone wants to be like Toyota.
laidoff worker @ Aug 3rd 2006 9:41AM
This recall doesn't surprise me in the least - Chrysler has closed it's in house parts manufacturing operations and outsourced them to companies like Metaldyne- they just get rid of the Chrysler employees and put up a new sign on the building.Then rehire new workers for $10-14/hr. In order to pay back Chrysler and make a profit these companies have to cut corners every way they can. This recall will cost Chrysler more than the money they saved by buying cheap parts from outsourced suppliers. It's all driven by the desire for top managers & Vp's to get a 100% salary bonus for cost cutting. Did you know the 3.7L engine block in your 2006 Liberty was outsourced to Brazil last year? 4.7L block,too. Could there be a reason that Chrysler dumped it's 7/70 powertrain warranty for 2006 and went to a 3/36 plan? Better watch for blue smoke people!
jjaxon @ Aug 3rd 2006 10:34AM
#4 gardiner westbound... hey fella... most likely that bad part is made in Japan... you know... the out source deal? just about the only thing that fails on american cars are imported parts...