10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 9 / 1
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 7 / 1
- Average Mileage:
- 56,546 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
The contact owns a 2002 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that while approaching a stop sign at an intersection, the contact depressed the accelerator pedal and the engine revved up and accelerated forward. The brake pedal was then depressed however, the engine remained revved up. The contact turned off the vehicle and functioned as designed after restarted without further failure. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
- Seymour, IN, USA
On 10/1/16 I was pulling into my driveway to park my 2002 Jeep Liberty when the vehicle suddenly accelerated at a high rate of speed, crashing through my garage door. With both feet on the brake pedal and the hand brake applied the Jeep would not stop. It smashed into my wife's car parked in the garage, slamming it into the garage refrigerator. With brakes still applied I attempted to shift to neutral to shut off engine when it slammed into reverse and at great speed careened out of the garage and down the street. At no time did I feel I had control of my vehicle. It finally stopped when it hit shrubbery and small boulders. When I start my Jeep when engine cold, the RPM's are high as though I pushed doen on accelerator. On 6-13-15 while at a traffic light waiting for the green light (foot on brake)the Jeep suddenly accelerated and smashed the car in front of us, causing extensive damage. The insurance co has totaled my wife's car, we have a damaged refrigerator, we need a new garage door and have a Jeep Liberty that we are now afraid to drive. I have read many, many identical complaints on this site regarding 2002-2008 Jeep Liberty-I could have written their stories-and I have little faith that I will ever drive my Jeep again. How many complaints and injuries before Chrysler admits they have a problem? didn't read about any deaths so I guess there's your answer.
- Ventura, CA, USA
The contact owns a 2002 Jeep Liberty. While depressing the accelerator pedal, the speedometer failed to operate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the input and output speed control sensors failed and needed to be replaced however, it was unknown if the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
- Marshville, WI, USA
When applying the brakes to stop the vehicle has spontaneously accelerated to a very high speed even though you are standing on the brake with both feet. The back wheels are spinning out of control, burning rubber, and you have to put the vehicle in neutral and turn off the engine. It happens intermittently and has happened several times (all on city streets). We have had two different modules replaced (don't remember what they were called) and it continues to happen.
- Hermosa Beach, CA, USA
The contact owns a 2002 Jeep Liberty. While depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle would not accelerate and the speedometer would not operate. The cause of the failures were not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 151,351.
- Orlando, FL, USA
The contact owns a 2002 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that while driving at 45 mph, the speedometer failed to read the vehicle proper speed as the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. In addition, the contact stated that the ABS sensor wires were fractured and rubbing against the emergency brake cable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 142,000. The VIN was not available.
- Virginia Beach, VA, USA
On July 23, 2015, while driving on the interstate highway, at approximately 55 miles/hour, the odometer, speedometer and cruise control simultaneously stopped working for no apparently known reason. When arriving at my destination in another state, (approx. 60 miles), I researched the internet for potential problems. A number of other 2002 Jeep Liberty owners had experienced similar problems. Additionally, several owners had experienced engine stalling when braking at a stoplight or intersection. On July 28, 2015, when traveling on an interstate highway, I pulled off to the safety lane to take a telephone call. While I was slowly pushing on the brake pedal to move safely to curb lane, the engine stopped working, as did my steering. Quick thinking - having read prior owners' comments - told me to put the car in neutral and turn the ignition key on. That worked! I got the car safely to the side lane. I am in the process of getting problems corrected; however, other owners have stated that the problem of stalling persists.
- Rockville, MD, USA
The contact owns a 2002 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle accelerated independently without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician informed that the vehicle was operating as designed but the failure recurred. The contact also mentioned that another vehicle crashed into the rear of the vehicle. As a result the contact crashed into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. There was a police report filed and no injuries sustained. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed. The front end was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 2,000.
- Southfield, MI, USA
2002 Jeep Liberty suddenly accelerated at 10 miles in small parking lot to full throttle at maximum speed rear brakes spinning, and smoke from rear, brakes failed lasted 2 seconds; violent sudden acceleration causing fatal accident. Driving with 20yrs of clean spotless driving record. Jeep totaled, no airbag deployed. 10/4/14. Severe injuries; critical injuries.
- Granada Hills, CA, USA
I was driving on the highway with cruise control on doing about 60 mph when suddenly the Jeep Liberty started jerking and the RPM needle arm and the speedometer arm started going crazy up and down. The Liberty started to slow down so I had to press on the gas pedal to maintain speed. The speedometer quit working and so did the cruise control, the auto door locks also quit working. The motor also started to die whenever I slowed down or come to a stop at a stop sign or red lights. Where its dangerous is when I am slowing down to make a turn and going in to it or half way in to it the motor dies and I lose the power steering. It takes alot of strength to complete the turn safely. I took the Liberty to a repair shop where they hooked it to a analyze machine. It said the speed sensor was bad, I had it replaced but it didn't fix anything. I took it to the dealer where I bought it, they told me it could be hundreds of dollars just to try to find out what is wrong with it. Recently I checked in the internet and saw that there are hundreds of other 2002 Jeep Liberty owners having the same problem. Speedometer quits working, motor died when you slowdown, and replacing the speed sensor doesn't fix anything. Its dangerous because you can crash when making a turn and the motor dies and you lose your steering. I know I have had some close calls. I hope you will check in to this problem. Just check in the internet and you will see alot of people have it with there 2002 Jeep Liberty. Thank you for your time.
- Chandler, AZ, USA
The contact owns a 2002 Jeep Liberty. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA campaign number: 14V252000 (electrical system, electronic stability control, exterior lighting, service brakes, hydraulic, vehicle speed control); however, the parts were not available. The dealer did not know when the parts would be available. The VIN was not available. The contact had not experienced a failure.
- Ionia, MI, USA
The Jeep all of sudden starts to accelerate and will not stop accelerating even when on the brake. My daughter first experience it and had to pull into a parking lot and pull the emergency brake and turn off Jeep. I then experience it after she told me about it I was stopping at a stop light when it started to accelerate.I had no cars in front of me I had to turn right the Jeep felt like someone had there foot on the gas pedal when I had my foot on the brake. I had to pull into ditch and put it in neutral and pull the emergency brake on and turn off Jeep. Every time I started the Jeep the engine would rev up like the pedal was stuck to floor please help my daughter drives this Jeep. I took it the shop and the diagnostic claims there is nothing wrong with it.
- Lubbock, TX, USA
Speedometer, cruise control, brake warning lamp and ABS light on, mileage counter not working, check engine light on as well, car dies or stall when slowing down even on hwy or when turning. We have replaced almost everything we can think of. Look online and hundred if not thousands of owners have exact same problems and no solution to problem. How are you supposed to have vehicle inspected if the emergency brake lights wont go off? we have replaced front and back brakes, master cylinder, wheel cylinders, speed sensors front driver and passenger and rear one. Fuel pump fuel filter have now been replaced. We have replaced more but I know we have spent well over 2 grand and nothing please help we are not the only ones having this issue.
- Cisco, TX, USA
While driving I activated the cruise control at 57 mph. The Jeep kept accelerating. The speedometer read 50 mph. I tapped the brake to disengage the cruise control and the speedometer jumped up to 70 mph. I did this a second time with the same results. I've had this vehicle a year and may have had this happen one other time. I got a ticket for going 68 mph when I thought I was going 50 mph. I got a $110 fine. I cannot recall if the cruise control was activated at that time. I owned the vehicle for a few weeks then.
- Coral, PA, USA
The contact owns a 2002 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that the speedometer failed and caused an unexpected acceleration. The contact was accelerating from a stop light when the vehicle surged forward and caused the contact to crash into the rear of another vehicle. No one was injured, but the contact had the vehicle inspected by two dealers and was told there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. The contact stated that when the vehicle was sitting at a stop light the speedometer would read 80 mph and the vehicle would rapidly accelerate when the brake was released. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included. The failure mileage was 133,000 and the current mileage was 136,000.
- Kingsport , TN, USA
The contact owns a 2002 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph, the vehicle began to surge forward when he attempted to slow down. The contact was able to stop the vehicle after shifting into neutral. The failure occurred intermittently. The vehicle had not been inspected or repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
- Toledo, OH, USA
The contact owns a 2002 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that while sitting at a red light with vehicles in front of her the vehicle began accelerating forward and the back wheels were spinning with smoke coming from the rear end. The contact put both feet on the brake pedal and the acceleration stopped. She drove the vehicle home and called Chrysler. They stated that since there were no recalls there was nothing they could do. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure and current mileages were 62,000.
- Saint Louis , MO, USA
The contact owns a 2002 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that while braking the vehicle will come to a complete stop and while having his foot on the brake the vehicle will surge forward. This has occurred several times since he purchased the vehicle. The dealer was contacted and the dealer stated that have never heard of this failure. The contacted stated he has previously reported the failure to the dealer. There have been no repairs to the vehicle. The vehicle was currently being diagnosed by the dealer. The failure mileage was 18000 and current mileage was 49000. Updated 4/7/2010 updated 06/04/10
- Simi Valley, CA, USA
2002 Jeep Liberty sport, speed sensor failure causes speedometer to stop working or fluctuate till it stops working. Check engine light comes on, engine will stall while driving with a result in loss of power steering, loss of power brakes and steering wheel locks up. 3rd time I've dealt with this issue in 5 years. The wiring in the harness constantly rubs and eventually becomes compromised to the elements, thus causing a short. I've managed to avoid any type of accident since I experienced this issue more than once!! Jeep has not acknowledged this is a safety issue and continually ignores the potential danger in a faulty design.
- Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Valparaiso, IN, USA