1. I had driven the vehicle all day prior to the incident without any noticeable irregularities. On the morning of the failure, Monday, June 12th, 2006, I had just started the morning commute to the babysitters with my 1-year-old daughter and had been on the highway for about a mile driving between 55 and 65 mph when the failure occurred. 2. the failure was initially thought to be a flat tire (front driver side), although I had never experienced a flat tire that slowed a vehicle so fast and jerked the car so suddenly. I honestly feared that the vehicle might flip or roll over, and seeing other cars nearby in my rearview mirror, the safety of myself, my daughter, and other drivers was my initial concern. I can only imagine how bad this might have turned out in the winter on a snowy surface or even just a rain soaked surface. Once I got the vehicle slowed down and onto the shoulder, I attempted to change the destroyed tire. It wasn't until after getting all of the lug nuts off of the wheel that I realized there was a bigger problem. The wheel would not budge. 3. I called a tow truck and had the vehicle towed to the nearest local tire store (tires plus). That is when they diagnosed the broken left lower ball joint which had separated and became lodged into the wheel and destroyed the wheel. I had tires plus replace the ball joint, order a new (conditioned) wheel, and replace the tire. Later they discovered that the lower right ball joint was loose/had movement and advised me to have it replaced along with a second new tire as well. I am assuming this steering/suspension issue caused excessive wear to the two front tires. I authorized the repairs and am now out a little over $1200. Internet research today led me to many incidents involving Jeep Liberty lower ball joint failures and an ongoing investigation. No help/consolation/reimbursement was obtained on the phone with daimler Chrysler. They basically said "sorry, there's nothing we can do".

- Kansas City, MO, USA

: the contact stated while traveling 10 mph, the front passenger side fell to the ground. The vehicle was towed to the dealership, where the lower ball joint was replaced a second time under recall. A NHTSA recall, #03V460000 was performed on the vehicle concerning, the lower ball joint however, the recall did not remedy the problem.

- Oakland, NJ, USA

: the contact stated while driving 10 mph the front drivers side tire came off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who determined the lower ball joint fractured and needs to be replaced. A NHTSA recall, # 03V460000 was performed on the vehicle concerning, the front lower ball joint however, the recall did not remedy the problem. The dealership would not offer a second repair without charge under the recall.

- New Bedford, MA, USA

We were returning home to Canada from a holiday in California through the redwood forest and several other mountainous/cliff side highways. While driving on the highway in Washington state we heard a thump and then the left front tire blew out. The truck was very difficult to steer off the road. When we tried to jack up the truck, to change the tire, we realized it was something far more serious. The left ball joint stem was stuck through the aluminum rim. The control arm was also broken. There was over 200 feet of rubber laid while trying to stop and corkscrews of aluminum from the wheel all over the highway. This all happened with 22,377km driven. The ball joints were then replaced again with the recall in Nov/2003. On May 4/06 the ball joint separated again while pulling onto the street from a parking lot. This time we are out of warranty @145,534km. The repairs/towing amounted to approx. $700. The bills have been forwarded to daimler Chrysler Canada for reimbursement. This is an obvious manufacturing defect this truck has never been driven off road.

- Victoria, 00, USA

2002 Jeep Liberty limited traveling at 50 mph heard a loud bang and vehicle appeared to have a blow out on the front passenger side tire. Maintained control of the vehicle and pulled off road. When attempting to replace wheel, it was discovered that the lower ball joint was broken. The vehicle was towed to a near Jeep dealer, the full damage was identified including new wheel, tire, seals and mechanical parts. Total cost estimated at $ 1400 the lower ball joints were previously replaced under a factory recall Aug 27, 2004, 20 months and approximately 29000 miles earlier than this incident judging by the number of similar repeat failures posted with NHTSA, this appears to be a generic issue with the replacement parts used during the recall or the design. The dealer, not our normal service dealer, will not repair under warranty, even though the ball joints were replaced during the recall. Attempting to get daimler Chrysler Jeep customer assistance to accept responsibility for the repeat failure and repair under warranty but not successful yet. In the interim, have personally approved repairs as need vehicle.

- Long Valley, NJ, USA

While turning right into a parking lot at about 5 miles per hour in my 2002 Jeep Liberty, I experienced a catastrophic failure of the lower ball joint on the right side. The ball joint dropped and the bolt at the bottom of the ball joint struck and severely dug into my 5 month old Jeep chrome alloy wheel. This all took place at traveling about 5 miles per hour and traveling only about 10 feet. I just had the vehicle towed to a local repair facility for repair. Please note that I did have the vehicle serviced at 20,005 miles in response of the lower ball joint recall, at which time the ball joints were replaced and heat shields installed to avoid future failure of the ball joints. The vehicle now has 38,600 miles, which means these new ball joints only lasted 18,600 miles, with absolutely no off road driving! I will be calling the Jeep dealership this Monday morning for their input and hopefully support of making good on this severe failure. I thank god that this failure took place at 5 miles an hour and not while on the highway as I know that I may very well have been killed.

- Metuchen, NJ, USA

A recall was assured on 2002 Jeep Liberty's in 2003, on the lower ball joint assembly. The information I have, shows my Jeep Liberty to have this fixed in March of 2004. I do not have information on the mileage at that time, but in Feb. Of 2005 it had 35341 miles. I found out today that the Jeep is having the same problem, with the replacement they used from the first recall. The Jeep has only 46770 on it currently. It seems unreal that the lower ball joints would go bad twice under 50000 miles unless there is still is a problem.

- Lincoln, NE, USA

: the contact stated while driving 65 mph on the interstate 95 under normal driving conditions the contact lost control of the vehicle as the tire shredded from the fractured lower ball joint. The vehicle managed to pullover to the shoulder. After narrowly avoiding a collision with other traffic. Upon initial inspection the driver's side front end shredded the tire and was pressing on the wheel. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, who determined the lower ball joint fractured. NHTSA recall #03V460000 repair was performed on the lower ball joints however, the repair did not remedy the problem. The dealership offered a second repair without charging the contact under the recall.

- Bear, DE, USA

: the contact stated while pulling into the bank parking lot in a shopping center the front wheel popped completely off the vehicle. The contact was shaken up, and immediately called road side assistance. Also contacted the dealer, who advised the contact to have the vehicle towed to the dealer for service. Was told by the dealer about NHTSA recall, #03V460000 concerning the suspension front control arm lower ball joint. The dealer allegedly fixed the problem and consumed all cost related to the problem. However recall repairs did not correct the problem. The vehicle was having the same problems again. On April 29, 2006 while driving to work turned into the parking lot and the same wheel popped off. The vehicle was towed to the dealer again. The contact contacted Chrysler about the ongoing problem. They told the contact that they will repair the vehicle again but they will not give the contact another vehicle. The contact felt this vehicle was not safe to drive.

- Bear, DE, USA

: the contact stated while driving 10 mph making a turn the lower ball joint failed causing an accident. A NHTSA recall, # 03V460000 was performed on the vehicle concerning, the lower ball joint in 2004 however, the recall did not remedy the problem. There were no injuries sustained as a result of the accident. This occurred on the driver side front. The dealership was alerted and confirmed the ball joint separated from the knuckle causing the accident. The dealership would not offer a second repair without charge under the recall. The dealership has ordered the upper and lower ball joints to make the repairs however, are waiting on the manufacturer to return their call. The contact alerted the manufacturer and a complaint was filed.

- Franklinville, NJ, USA

I purchased my 2002 Jeep Liberty in Dec. 05. I noticed a shimmy when depressing the brakes immediately after buying it. It had 44000 miles on it. I thought this was normal since the dealership had done a safety inspection on it before selling it to me. I noticed in mid April that the inside driver tire was almost completely worn. I took it to a local garage only to find that my lower ball joints were bad, along with the front rotors being warped beyond repair. This cost me $1100 in repairs, including the 3 new tires I purchased! my extended warranty I purchased would not cover the cost to repair. I wrote daimler Chrysler a complaint, in which they declined. I am furious after reading all the consumer complaints about ball joints failing on the liberties - even after having been fixed after the recall. A vehicle with this few miles should not have these problems!!!

- Sherrodsville, OH, USA

My 2002 Jeep Liberty had a re call in 2003 for ball joints, I had them replaced in March 2004. On April 2, 2006 at 4:00 P.M. I was traveling East bound on I-465 doing 55-60 mph, when a loud noise was coming from the front of the vehicle and then the Jeep was starting to loose control as I tried to slow down and proceed to the side of the interstate. I got out of my vehicle and call roadside assistance, during my wait a gentleman stopped to see if I needed help, and I informed him that I thought I had blown a tire, he looked under my car to notice that my ball joint had broke along with my axle and rim, I had it towed to crossroads Lincoln/Jeep Mercury, where on Monday the service department examined the car and came to the conclusion that the ball joint had broke along with the axle and the rim of the tire. I had already contacted my insurance company along with filing a complaint to Chrysler, they sent out an "inspector" and after his review came to the conclusion that the ball joints separated "due to impact", there was no impact, I controlled the vehicle to the best of my ability so that there would be no impact, causing injury. It has been 24 days now without my vehicle and I am in a rental vehicle, american family is refusing to pay for the repair of the ball joints and so is Chrysler. I do not want to file a law suit against Chrysler, but they are leaving me no choice, as this was a costly repair, what can I do"?????????"

- Beech Grove, IN, USA

2002 Jeep Liberty @ 53,571 miles.[xxx]. 4/6/06 failure. The lower passenger side ball joint broke as my wife was waiting for the garage door to open. Fortunately, the Jeep was stationary at the time of failure. The dealer replaced both lower ball joints (under the formal recall). This is the second time both lower ball joints were replaced on this vehicle...the first time both lower ball joints were replaced was at 26,887 miles (also under the recall)! both upper ball joints were replaced @ 39,527 miles (I originally paid for this but Chrysler paid after multiple complaints)! it appears that replacement ball joints were not corrected and are failing also!!!! updated 07/16/2012 information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Valparasio, IN, USA

I was backing out of a parking spot and heard a loud cluck. I stopped the truck and found that the passenger side lower ball joint shaft had broken. This caused the lower control arm to separate from the steering knuckle and rest on the inside of the wheel. When it was towed to the dealership, the repair was covered under warranty because I had the lower ball joint recall done on my Jeep Liberty previously. The dealer replaced the lower ball joint, upper control arm, axle shaft, and a few seals. The old parts are not available.

- Bohemia, NY, USA

: the contact stated there is a recall, NHTSA # 03V460000 concerning the lower ball joints. However, the recall did not correct the problem. The vehicle is experiencing the same symptoms again.

- Detroit, MI, USA

: the contact stated while at a stop sign and attempting to make a left turn, the right lower ball joint fractured and the wheel dislodged. Both front lower ball joints were replaced under recall, #03V460000 two years ago. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the ball joint was replaced.

- Lomita, CA, USA

At approximately 1745 hours (mst) on the below date I was driving my 2002 Jeep Liberty limited at 30 mph on a two lane asphalt city street. The pavement was dry, there were no potholes or any road defects or obstructions. Suddenly I heard a loud, metallic "thump" followed immediately by the vehicle pulling sharply to the right with no steering control. The vehicle came to a stop with minimal braking and the use of the right street curb. Inspection first noted the right front tire to be flat (it was dark). After raising the vehicle on the jack I removed the right front wheel and installed the spare tire. I then attempted to drive the vehicle forward and again, after approximately 2 feet of driving, I heard a scrapping sound. I immediately stopped and inspected the spare wheel. I then noticed that the right front lower ball joint had failed and was digging into the inside of the right front wheel rim. I then called to have the vehicle towed to the nearest Jeep dealer. Subsequently I was advised that both front ball joints were replaced and that the impact was of such force when the ball joint failed that the front axle seals had been damaged and were replaced. The wheel was replaced because the force was such that the failed ball joint gouged a hole in the wheel rim. It is noteworthy that on May 17, 2004 under job order 1034728 both front ball joints were replaced on this same vehicle at the uftring Jeep dealership in E. peoria, Illinois (309) 694-0700 due to a campaign recall previously ordered from Jeep corporate. I now considered this vehicle unsafe since the previous recall did not remedy the situation and I have no guarantee from Jeep that the most recently installed set of ball joints will not fail in the future.

- Denver, CO, USA

: the contact stated while pulling up to a gas pump island at 3 mph the front control arm lower ball joints failed on the passenger's side. There was a loud thump, and the vehicle seemed to sit down on the front tire. Upon inspection the contact noticed the control arm hanging down. The vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop for inspection which confirmed the lower control arm ball joint failed. The contact called the manufacturer, and they were willing to make repairs under the previous recall campaign. At a local dealership. The contact wanted to have the vehicle repaired at the independent repair shop, but the manufacturer would not guarantee reimbursement if the work was completed at an independent repair shop. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA recall campaign 03V460000 concerning the front control arm lower ball joint in 2003. There was no problem with the original part, only a failure of the part replaced under the recall.

- Nanjemoy, MD, USA

Lower ball joints failed. Lucky that there was no damage or injury. Chrysler repaired at no cost under recall.

- Redlands, CA, USA

I have had to replace the front ball joints 2X with in 40,000 miles, even after a recall which replaced them in their entirety.

- Gardnerville, NV, USA