9.3

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$3,500
Average Mileage:
130,050 miles
Total Complaints:
52 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. replace engine (37 reports)
  2. not sure (11 reports)
  3. repair engine parts (3 reports)
  4. new or used engine (1 reports)
2002 Jeep Liberty engine problems

engine problem

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2002 Jeep Liberty Owner Comments (Page 3 of 3)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #12

Aug 062012

Liberty Sport 3.7L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 173,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2002 Jeep Liberty Sport...3.7L / V6 P.O.S. (as of yesterday!).. No warning, No symptoms, Nothing - Not even a change in the engine temp gauge that was strategically placed right in front of my face!! Long story short (as I'm at the end of my rope here) Engine "clicking", Loss of power (to the point of stalling in drive), Blue exhaust (yay burning oil), Crack in the plastic radiator (top right exposed corner), ZERO OIL (checked frequently as I'm pretty meticulous with the regular maintenance) assumed to have burned off, "sucking" noise coming from the left side of the engine when I engage the throttle coupler (must be the sucking of money from my wallet warning), check engine light (finally) blinking at me and random 4-chime's from under the dash when I performed the temp fix on the radiator and started it back up. Needless to say I (like most of you) will be looking for a new engine in my VERY near future.. She's lasted this long and the body and frame are good to go for another 170,000 miles or so.. If i can get a good deal, maybe i can buy a buddy of mine some (by some I mean a lot) of beer and make this the weekend project... If not, maybe I'll just push the damn thing off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge! I think life is knocking, something about finally buying a truck..

- Jon W., Chesapeake, VA, US

problem #11

Jan 112012

Liberty Limited 3.7L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 126,769 miles

This will be the 4th engine in this jeep liberty; the original engine, 2 engines replaced under the extended warranty from Carmax, and now another engine not under warranty, paid for by me. My best friend has a 2002 Jeep Liberty as well, I bought mine, because I thought hers was nice, and her engine failed on Saturday. This is ridiculous and no help from the manufacturer.There are many complaints on the web and the people selling the replacement engines know there's a problem. I'm sure Jeep knows and just refuses to do a recall. I'LL NEVER BY ANOTHER CHRYSLER, JEEP, DODGE PRODUCT EVER.

- Edward F., Atlanta, GA, US

problem #10

Aug 302011

Liberty Limited 3.7L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 94,381 miles

I bought this Liberty new in 2002. Absolutely loved it except for the gas mileage. Even the sh*tty gas mileage was ok given the other qualities of my Liberty, I babied it and cared for it for 9 years almost to the day I bought it. Then without warning the engine crapped out. No warning or symptoms until it was too late. The engine just blew at 94381 miles. WTF? Now the Jeep dealer wants $5K to replace the engine with an unwarranteed used engine, I asked the dealer about other problems and complaints and he was unaware of any!

Thanks Chrysler.

- Randy T., Mustang, OK, US

problem #9

Apr 042011

Liberty Sport 3.7L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 82,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I keep great care of all my cars, and I always get atleast 10 to 12 years out of them before the exterior starts looking pretty beat up, and out dated enough to trade them in.

I loved driving my 2002 Jeep Liberty so much I'm totally heart broken by the fact that Jeep/Chysler put subpar parts in it. The entire internet is complaining about these problems around 80,000 miles. I've posted the other problems already, and now on to the blown headgasket.

I want to fix this car so bad, but I just don't trust the Jeep parts anymore. My father-in-law retired from Chrysler which entitles us to buy their cars "at cost" (what the dealerships pay), but now I don't even want to touch a Chrysler made vehicle discount or not. When I tell my father in law it's going to be like spitting in his face, and on his life's work. What a drag.

*quick side note: My bio-father bought a 300M the same year I got my Jeep, and it's plagued with faulty door locks, cheap dry rotting interior materials, and at 30K he had to replace the A/C compressor. WTF Chrysler? This old man literally drove the thing 2 miles to work, and back everyday. Why the hell does it look so beat up that I'm even embarassed to sit in it. The most action that car ever saw was maybe a fart! Geez...

I've talked to the dealership for a headgasket estimate, and I get a weird feeling when talking to them like they know something I don't, and they're ready to milk me dry. They're even a little cocky about it. They're estimating between 4k-15k depending on if the block is cracked, but won't know until they take it apart. Once they crack this puppy open I'm locked in for atleast 4k. It's not like I can put the old gasket back in.

I've also been looking around town for engine shops, and found that Jeep Liberty's are a major portion of their customer base. So much so there is not a single 3.7 Jeep engine on the entire island of Oahu. For Mom and Pop shops, these people are way too familiar with the problem. I got a really good, sharp, and fair priced shop willing to rebuild the entire engine with all new parts for about 4-5k. I'm tempted, but what other surprises does Chrysler have in store for me?

I've even seen other sights posting that even after fixing the headgasket there are issues with the radiators being made out of plastic, constantly replacing rear window regulators, engine coils, faulty gauges, and honestly the transmission has always been a little clunky.

If you asked me 2 years ago what I think about my Jeep and the Chysler company I'd say, "I'd buy another in a heartbeat". But that is before the vehicle got a chance to withstand the test of time. So yeah if you only think a car is supposed to last 6 years get a Jeep/Dodge, otherwise Ford (for the patriotic) and Toyota are the way to go.

Man I'm so pissed. I was all geared up to buy the new 2011 Grand Cherokee next year too, and I'm still riding a rollercoaster on whether or not to dish out the big bucks to rebuild this jeep engine on a vehicle that has barely been broken in. I mean the thing is "Trail Tested", and looks like it's got another 10 years in the body and chassis, but what good is that if thing won't drive.

I'm scared to hang on to this vehicle and find out what's going to fail next. I mean everytime I go outside and look in the driveway I just can't bring myself to admit I'm staring at basically a worthless vehicle, which I could never in good conscience sell to another hard working American.

Oh BTW did anyone see that brand new Dodge Durango's (a Chrysler Flag Ship) engine catch on fire during a parade? Priceless. Burn in hell Chrysler!!!

- Heath D., Honolulu, HI, US

problem #8

Oct 152010

Liberty Sport 3.7L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 87,502 miles

I brought My 02 Jeep Liberty INSTEAD of the 02 Ford Explorer from carmax with 33000 miles on it. I Wish now that I had got the explorer! It was really a great ride Until the day I was out on the Highway & for no apparent reason the Motor let go! First thing I checked was the oil (it was empty) that was strange since I used an oil service to get my oil changed every 3000 miles! Since I'm not wealthy nor did I have the money for a $5000 Jasper engine replacement. I had to go the backwoods way & purchase a junkyard motor with 65000 miles on it for 2000$ then pay a buddy 1300 to install it...! Needless to say it's been running great ever since..!

- Anthony B., Gaithersburg, MD, US

problem #7

Nov 012010

Liberty Sport 3.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 140,000 miles

I have a 2002 Jeep liberty sport 3.7 liter that I kept clean, changed the oil religiously, But without warning the engine failed. Now Chrysler claims they have never heard of the problem, but everyone I talk to about the problem tells me it is a known problem. If anyone else has this year vehicle please go to this web site and complain http://www.nhtsa.gov/

They will get Chrysler to fix the issue if enough people complain.

- Doug B., Lakeland, FL, US

problem #6

Feb 062011

Liberty Sport 3.7L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 138,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Saw this and trusted in jeep, now I have to replace a damn engine that everyone says are a problem. jeep doesn't want to honor the name jeep and i will never buy jeep anything or my family or friends. bailout yourselves next time. leave tax payers dollars alone, fix your crappy cars

- Pennie M., Meriden, CT, US

problem #5

Sep 112010

Liberty Sport 3.7L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 142,000 miles

Yeah I bought a 2002 Jeep Liberty, was a great vehicle until the engine blew mysteriously!!! No warning, no noise. When I call places to try to price a new or used engine they laugh at me!! WTF! Called chyrsler they said your SOL, even though we the tax payers helped them recover after bankruptcy, they wont even help the little people that buy their damn vehicles and keep them afloat. I will never buy a chrysler product again, and i wouldnt recommend a 3.7 V6 engine. THEY ARE JUNK

- Ashley M., Seymour, IN, US

problem #4

Jun 012009

Liberty V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles

i heard this is a common occurence with the 02 my jeep was out of warranty but luckly i had purchased the extended warranty, (against my husbands advice,he said it is a waste of money) i gave him a month of oh yea? is this enough bitching?

- Sandi M., St.Paul, MN, US

problem #3

Apr 092010

Liberty Limited 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 61,000 miles

I loved my Jeep Liberty until it died after 61,000 miles. I ALWAYS take meticulous care of my vehicles and have them maintained exactly as the manufacture tells me too. Now I am stuck with either a $6328.00 bill for a new engine or a piece of worthless junk. I was distressed to find out that others have had the same problem and find it interesting that it happens about the same mileage. The Jeep people have told me that they have no complaints about this but I don't believe it. That Jeep was the first non-Ford I ever bought and it will definitely be the last. From now on Ford gets all my business.

- kwitte6161, Camano Island, WA, US

problem #2

Feb 192010

Liberty Limited 3.7L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 153,400 miles

My Jeep Liberty has always had the oil changed on a regular basis, and I don't use cheap gasoline, but the engine lost most of it's power, my gas mileage dropped to less than 10 mpg and it sounds like someone threw the silverware drawer into the engine compartment. I check my oil every other fillup and it has NEVER been low, but when the engine started making this horrific noise, I checked the oil and it was EMPTY. I took it to my mechanic and he said that the "engine was done for". I have a friend with a 2002 Liberty that had the same thing happen to his, and he IS a mechanic. The Liberty is now parked in my driveway and I'm driving a 1989 Dodge Ram pickup. I have 153,000 miles on my Liberty and it's probably only worth about $5K, so I really don't want to have to put that much money into replacing an engine that may have the same thing happen again.

- attanasio, Morrison, CO, US

problem #1

Jun 112009

Liberty Sport 4x4 3.7L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 50,000 miles

Bought the vehicle used. Guess I should have done more research. It was covered under a limited warranty, but I still only had the vehicle for 14 days. The bad part is they don't know why it blew up. I can only hope that it doesn't happen again.

- Jeremy P., Pinellas Park, FL, US

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