2002 Jeep Liberty recalls and problems

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an investigation based on consumer allegations of inadvertent air bag deployments (IABD) occurring after the recall remedy for NHTSA recall 12V-527 had been installed on recalled model year (MY ) 2002-2003 Jeep Liberty and MY 2002-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).The recall was in response to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) investigation EA12-001 during which data provided by FCA indicate that the air bag circuitry inside the Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) module can degrade. ORC degradation can result in an inadvertent air bag deployment, without a crash or impact, while the vehicle is being operated.An IABD may involve frontal, side and belt pretensioner devices, and may result in injuries consisting of burns, cuts and bruises to the upper body region, and or the potential for a loss of control and or crash.The remedy FCA developed for 12V-527 consisted of installing an in-line jumper harness with an integrated electrical filter for the circuits that connect to the air bag modules (squib circuits).This filter is intended to eliminate transient electrical spikes to the ORC which FCA asserted are responsible for the IABDs.ODI has identified a total of 9 NHTSA complaints across all affected vehicles indicating an IABD event occurring after the vehicle had previously been remedied under 12V-527.In addition, FCA reported 12 additional complaints of post-remedy IABD event…

ODI has completed an extensive analysis of rear crash fuel tank system integrity data for the subject Jeep Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and Liberty vehicles (SVs).As of June 2013, ODI knew of 56 post-collision fatal fires, 28 non-fatal fires, and 6 fuel leak incidents (totaling 90 incidents, 75 fatalities and 58 injuries) involving the SVs.Based on this analysis, ODI issued a Recall Request Letter (RRL) on June 3, 2013 requesting that Chrysler recall the Grand Cherokee and Liberty vehicles due to the rate of fatal, non-fatal fire, and fuel leak incidents when compared to peer vehicles (compact and medium SUVs) built during the same time period.In the RRL, ODI described how the location of the aft-mounted fuel tank made the SVs vulnerable to rear impact crash fuel tank failures.During the analysis, besides the high speed/high severity crashes present in both the SV and peer vehicles, ODI observed a significant number of low and moderate speed rear impact crash related fires and leaks, particularly in the Liberty.The data also demonstrated that SVs originally equipped with towing hitch receivers (trailer hitches) appeared to be under-represented in rear-impact related fuel tank failures.In the RRL, ODI requested that Chrysler provide its response by June 18, 2013, otherwise NHTSA might proceed to an Initial Decision that the SVs contain a safety-related defect.Chrysler responded to the RRL on June 4, 2013 and vigorously disputed the tentative findings of the RRL.Among other things,…

The investigation was opened based on reports of frontal air bag inadvertent deployments (ABIDs) on model year (MY) 2002-2003 Jeep Liberty vehicles.Data provided by Chrysler indicate that the air bag squib filter circuitry inside the Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) module can degrade and result in an inadvertent air bag deployment, without a crash or impact, while the vehicle is being operated on the roadway.As of Oct. 04, 2012, ODI is aware of 131 frontal ABIDs on the Jeep Liberty vehicles resulting in 62 injuries consisting of burns, cuts and bruises to the upper body region.There were no reports of loss of vehicle control or vehicle crashes.Some owners noted that the air bag warning light (ABL) and/or chime had activated just seconds prior to the air bag deployment, while others stated that they did not observe any prior ABL illumination.Chrysler's analysis found there were no reports of ABID on Liberty vehicles build after March 28, 2003, a date which coincides with a filter circuit design change in the ORC module.The Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Viper were identified as having the same basic circuit.ODI is aware of 61 frontal ABIDs with 31 injuries on the Grand Cherokee and none on the Dodge Viper.In its Nov. 07, 2012 letter (12V-527), Chrysler announced plans to recall 744,822 Jeep Vehicles (MY02-03 Liberty through 03/28/03 and MY02-04 Grand Cherokee through 5/23/03).The remedy consists of installing an in-line jumper harness with an integrated squib circuit electrica…

Based on analysis of Chrysler's response, and including ODI's consumer complaints, ODI has identified 87 reports of air bag inadvertent deployment incidents resulting in 50 alleged injuries.The injuries consists of burn/cuts and bruises to the upper body region.Forty-two (42) of the 87 incidents involved the driver frontal air bag, and the remaining 45 incidents involved both the driver and passenger frontal air bags inadvertently deploying without a crash.These incidents occurred both at vehicle startup or while the vehicle is being operated on the roadway.Some owners noted that the air bag warning light had illuminated, or had intermittently illuminated, and that this occurred just prior to the air bag deployment, while others stated they did not observe any illumination of the air bag light. Inspection of the Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) module conducted by Chrysler indicates that an internal electronic circuit (an ASIC chip) which controls air bag deployment fails due to an electrical over stress (EOS) condition possibly caused by a transient voltage spike.Chrysler is in the process of identifying potential root causes of the component failure and/or a source for the electrical over stress.In addition, Chrysler noted that there have been no reports of inadvertent air bag deployment in vehicles manufactured after a March 19, 2003 production date.However, Chrysler had not identified a component or other change that would explain why the inadvertent deployments ceased. A…

During Preliminary Evaluation (PE11-013), the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) conducted an analysis of consumer field data from its Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) database and from complaint data submitted to ODI by Chrysler. ODI's analysis of VOQ data identified 13 complaints alleging failure of either the right or left rear lower control arm due to excessive corrosion.All of these complaints were associated with vehicles originally sold or registered in a salt belt state (for the purposes of this investigation, 'salt belt' includes Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia).All of the complaints were associated with vehicles manufactured in model years (MY) 2004 or 2005. Three of these complaints also allege a loss of vehicle control due to the rear lower control arm failure. No complaints related to the alleged defect were identified on vehicles manufactured during MYs 2002 or 2003. Similarly an analysis of Chrysler complaint data identified 11 complaints (2 of which are duplicative of VOQs) alleging failure of a rear lower control arm due to excessive corrosion.All 11 of these complaints were from consumers operating vehicles in a salt belt state and vehicles manufactured in either MY 2004 or 2005. Three of these complaints (not duplicative of VOQs) also allege a …

ON APRIL 7, 2009, CHRYSLER LLC SUBMITTED TO ODI A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT INDICATING THAT IT WOULD RECALL APPROXIMATELY 42,469 MODEL YEAR 2002 THROUGH 2003 JEEP LIBERTY VEHICLES TO REMEDY A DEFECT THAT CAN RESULT IN UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING (09V-119).THE AFFECTED VEHICLES WERE BUILT FROM MAY 2002 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2002 AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, KENTUCKY, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA AND WISCONSIN.ACCORDING TO CHRYSLER, THE FRONT SUSPENSION UPPER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT MAY EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF LUBRICATION WHICH CAN LEAD TO CORROSION, ACCELERATED WEAR, AND POSSIBLE SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING. CHRYSLER'S RECALL PROCEDURE INSTRUCTS DEALERS TO REPLACE THE FRONT UPPER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. ALTHOUGH THE SPECIFIC CAUSE FOR THE DEFECT IN THE RECALLED PRODUCTION RANGE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED, ODI'S ANALYSIS OF UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATIONS BY VEHICLE BUILD DATE SHOWS A CLEARLY DEFINED AND SIGNIFICANT SPIKE IN THE RATE OF SEPARATION DURING THE FIVE MONTH PRODUCTION RANGE COVERED BY 09V-119, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR ONLY 11 PERCENT OF SUBJECT VEHICLE PRODUCTION BUT APPROXIMATELY 70 PERCENT OF SEPARATION INCIDENTS.SEVENTY-FOUR (74) OF THE UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATION INCIDENTS IDENTIFIED BY ODI OCCURRED IN VEHICLES PRODUCED IN T…

ODI HAS RECEIVED 22 COMPLAINTS OF UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATION ON MODEL YEAR 2002 AND 2003 JEEP LIBERTY 4X4 VEHICLES.THE SEPARATION OF AN UPPER BALL JOINT ON EITHER OF THE FRONT WHEELS CAN RESULT IN THE AFFECTED FRONT WHEEL COLLAPSING, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN VEHICLE DISABLEMENT AND CAUSING A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.THERE IS ONE COMPLAINT OF A FAILURE AT 75 MPH, 1 FAILURE AT 60 MPH, 3 FAILURES AT 40 MPH, 2 FAILURES AT 25 MPH, 7 FAILURES OCCURRING WHILE THE DRIVER WAS PULLING INTO THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AND 2 FAILURES THAT OCCURRED WHEN THE DRIVER WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ACROSS THE FLOW OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC.ONE COMPLAINANT ALLEGED ALMOST BEING HIT BY AN ONCOMING TRUCK AS A RESULT OF THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEING DISABLED IN THE FLOW OF CROSSING TRAFFIC.ANOTHER REPORTED THE COLLAPSE OF THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE TO THE RIGHT, AS A RESULT OF WHICH THE VEHICLE ENDED UP IN A DITCH JUST MISSING A COLLISION WITH A TELEPHONE POLE.CHRYSLER LLC., IS CONTINUING TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATIONS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODI HAS UPGRADED THE INVESTIGATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA08-008) TO CONTINUE TO ASSES THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY AND SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT.

ON JANUARY 6, 2006, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT SEPARATIONIN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2004 JEEP LIBERTY VEHICLES.ODI SENT A LETTER TO THE MANUFACTURER ON FEBRUARY 7, 2006 REQUESTING INFORMATION ABOUT THESE AND OTHER JEEP LIBERTY VEHICLES.CONSEQUENTLY, THE INVESTIGATION WAS UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS ON MAY 31, 2006 AND THE RANGE OF SUBJECT VEHICLES UNDER INVESTIGATION WAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ALL MY 2002-2006 JEEP LIBERTY VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 566 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING INVOLUNTARY FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT SEPARATION IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODI IS ALSO AWARE OF ONE NON-INJURY CRASH AND THREE ALLEGED INJURY INCIDENTS (TWO CRASH INCIDENTS AND ONE NON-CRASH INCIDENT) RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES.THE COMPLAINT COUNTS REPORTED ABOVE ONLY INCLUDE THOSE MY 2002-03 LIBERTY VEHICLES WHERE THE ALLEGED BALL JOINT SEPARATION OCCURRED AFTER PRIOR RECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED (SEE BELOW) OR IF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRIOR RECALL.THE MANUFACTURER CONDUCTED A PRIOR SAFETY RECALL (03V-460) TO ADDRESS THE SUBJECT ISSUE IN CERTAIN MY 2002-03 JEEP LIBERTY VEHICLES.ACCORDING TO DAIMLERCHRYSLER?S NOVEMBER 4, 2003, DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT (SUBMITTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 49 CFR PART 573), ?THE CONSTANT TENSION LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS MAY EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF LUBRICATION WHICH CAN LEAD TO CORROSION, ACCELERATED WEAR AND…

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) HAS CLOSED THE INVESTIGATION OF FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES IN MODEL YEAR 2002 JEEP LIBERTY VEHICLES.ON AUGUST 26, 2006, ODI OPENED PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE)05-046 TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINT REPORTS THAT ALLEGED PROBLEMS WITH LATCHING AND UNLATCHING THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE.SEVERAL OF THE COMPLAINTS REPORTED THAT SOMETHING WAS BROKEN INSIDE OF THE BUCKLE.THE INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT SOME BUCKLES MAY EXPERIENCE FAILURE AND SEPARATION OF ONE, OR BOTH, OF THE INTERNAL LATCH GUIDE LEAF SPRINGS.LACK OF LEAF SPRING FUNCTION DOES NOT APPEAR TO INHIBIT BUCKLE OPERATION BECAUSE THERE IS ANOTHER SPRING THAT RETURNS THE RELEASE BUTTON.HOWEVER, A SEPARATED LEAF SPRING MAY IMPEDE THE MOTION OF THE BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTON IF IT BECOMES ENGAGED WITH MOVING PARTS.ANALYSIS OF THE AVAILABLE DATA SHOW THAT VEHICLES EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BUCKLES WERE EARLY PRODUCTION VEHICLES PRODUCED PRIMARILY IN CALENDAR YEAR (CY) 2001.IN EARLY CY 2002, A CHANGE WAS MADE TO THE TOOLING USED TO PRODUCE THE BUCKLES. THIS CHANGE AFFECTED THE LEAF SPRINGS AND APPEARS TO HAVE HAD A POSITIVE EFFECT IN CORRECTING THE BUCKLE ISSUES THAT WERE EXPERIENCED IN THE EARLY PRODUCTION VEHICLES.THE COMPLAINT REPORT TREND IS DOWN AND THE FREQUENCY OF CONSUMER REPORTS IN CY 2006 HAS DECLINED TO THAT OF CY 2004.SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS RESUME.

THIS INVESTIGATION OF FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WAS OPENED ON AUGUST 26, 2005.THE BASIS FOR OPENING WAS SEVEN ODI REPORTS ALLEGING THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY.THE COMPLAINANTS ALLEGED THE BUCKLES WOULD NOT LATCH OR WERE DIFFICULT TO LATCH OR UNLATCH.SOME OF THE COMPLAINANTS ALLEGED SOMETHING WAS BROKEN INSIDE OF THE BUCKLE AND OTHERS ALLEGED THAT THE BUTTON WAS STUCK DOWN AND HAD TO BE PRIED UP IN ORDER TO LATCH THE BUCKLE.THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO EA05-022