10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
100,265 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2003 Jeep Liberty brakes problems

brakes problem

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2003 Jeep Liberty Owner Comments

problem #12

Apr 062024

Liberty

  • miles

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

I purchased this Jeep 2 yrs ago. Didn't know about issues with the emergency brakes. I used the emergency brake the other day and the Jeep kept rolling and I was parked on a low incline hill and it would not stop. I went online and saw this was a major issue. Contacted chrylser they said they only work on 2010 models. This is a major problem and I'm sure they are other older models with same issue. How can a so called reputable company not take care of their issue no matter how old model is. They claim brakes are self-adjusting no so.

- String:North Augusta, SC, USA

problem #11

Jun 022021

Liberty

  • miles
The airbag deployed on my wife that was in her third trimester pregnancy while driving on the highway, which left the baby and my wife at risk. She was sent to the emergency for abdominal trauma. Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, or RAM dealer were unable to locate a recall number for the Jeep Airbag System Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) module. It was a very long process and Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, or Ram dealership located on I-10 kept giving us different responses about our airbag being at the dealership and then later finding out that they did not have the airbag in stock. The dealership offered $500 to keep the vehicle, but I refused and just wanted them to repair the airbag. The dealership kept calling us to pick up the vehicle and in order to do that, we would have to get it towed to where we lived. Luckily, a staff member at the dealership informed us that if we were to pick up the Jeep at that time then we would be fully responsible for it and could not hold the dealership accountable if something worse happened. Instead of following through with towing it, we did our own research and discovered that there were several similar testimonies about this issue for the same year make and model, (2003 Jeep Liberty). We called corporate several times and they were unable to locate the recall number nor give us a solution. After several months had passed, we finally received a recall number via text and email from Mopar.com. ( FCA Recall # R06). We then contacted the dealership with the recall number and confirmed that this was an issue that needed to be taken care of. They took several months to locate an airbag and finally repair the ORC module. Once the vehicle was ready for pick up, they did not exactly walk us through the vehicle and new parts installed. The Jeep was in poor condition; it was left outside, uncovered, and paint is now peeling. Seatbelts do not spring back, dash lights are dim and steering is screeching, engine light is on. This took a total of 8 months.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #10

Dec 012019

Liberty 6-cyl

  • 115,000 miles
The contact owned a 2003 Jeep Liberty. While driving approximately 30 mph in rain, sleet, and snow, the vehicle suddenly accelerated to approximately 70 mph. The contact attempted to depress the brake pedal, but the vehicle did not stop. The vehicle slid across the interstate and crashed into the divider in the middle of the road. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and deemed totaled. The contact sustained injuries to the mouth area, back, and legs. The passenger of the vehicle received shoulder injuries. Medical attention was received. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.

- New Haven, CT, USA

problem #9

Aug 142018

Liberty

  • 148,000 miles

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

On 8-15-2018, I (driver/owner of a 2003 Jeep Liberty sport) was leaving my parking spot at a convenience store. When I put the vehicle in reverse, it immediately started speeding backwards. When I applied the brakes with all the force I could muster, it failed to stop the vehicle. The tires were squealing & black tire marks were left on the pavement. My vehicle stopped when I slammed into the front end of a parked car which was next to a gas pump with the driver inside. Fortunately nobody was hurt. No police report was filed but my insurance company was called immediately to report it. "takata recall" I went to the local Jeep dealership (bluebonnet Jeep in new braunfels, tx.) with the recall notice in hand. The employee in the drive-up service lane called the office to verify if part was in stock. It was not. She made an appointment for 2 weeks from that date. I returned with my vehicle on my scheduled appointment date & was notified by a different employee that part(s) were still not available & was told that an individual needed to inspect my vehicle first but he didn't know when the inspector would be available to do it. I told that employee that they weren't serious about replacing the part(s) needed. So I got back in my car & drove home.

- New Braunfels, TX, USA

problem #8

Mar 042016

Liberty

  • 168,993 miles
The contact owned a 2003 Jeep Liberty. While driving approximately 25 mph in snowy weather, the vehicle failed to stop when the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle crashed into a bridge abutment. The frontal air bags did not deploy. The contact suffered a concussion and chest bruises that required medical attention. The contact was treated and released. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 168,993.

- Green Lane, PW, USA

problem #7

Jan 172014

Liberty

  • 140,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal to come to a complete stop, the vehicle would lunge forward. The brake pedal required being depressed several times in order to stop the vehicle from lunging forward. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.

- Henrietta, NY, USA

problem #6

Jan 062016

Liberty

  • 145,142 miles

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

Inspecting customers Jeep Liberty for no brake complaint, vehicle would not stop, upon inspection found P/S front brake hose rusted off at steel crimp at hose attachment point, inspected D/S hose found severe rust under foam pad around crimp.seems like a bad design and very dangerous in my opinion.

- Flora, IN, USA

problem #5

Mar 032015

Liberty

  • 149,000 miles
On March 3, 2015 I was driving down my street and it has a semi-steep decline and my brakes locked up going down. I pumped my brakes and had my brake pedal to the floor board. My Jeep Liberty failed to stop sending me through an intersection through a small open field and over a small embankment landing on the roof of my Jeep. I had to be transported to the hospital to be checked out. But, from the damage to the Jeep it is most likely totaled.

- Winchester, VA, USA

problem #4

Feb 102015

Liberty 6-cyl

  • 114,047 miles
Turned left out of the doctors office, drove approximately 50 yards and attempted to stop at the stop sign (making a right). The vehicle's engine, however, began accelerating and despite applying extreme pressure to the brake, continued to move forward while the engine accelerated faster. I ultimately ended up throwing it into park and then turning off the ignition to kill the accelerating engine. I have no idea what the RPM was, but it was loud! this also happened 2 weeks ago (first time - very cold morning) and I ended up throwing it into park and turning off the key like today. Todays temperature was around 40 degrees. Fyi - I was in the process of making a right hand turn when this happened and had slightly turned the wheel. After the first incident, I began doubting that this had even happened. In hindsight, despite several blogs on the internet, I am absolutely positive that I did not push down on both the accelerator and brake at the same time. After todays incident, I immediately called our local car dealership to schedule an appointment and then attempted to recreate what happened. Under various scenarios I bumped the steering wheel cruise control buttons (while stopped, while stopping, while accelerating) but could not cause the runaway acceleration to repeat itself. We have an appointment at our local dealership this Friday, or as soon as we can drop it off. Candidly, I'm scared to drive this vehicle at this point!

- Marbleton, WY, USA

problem #3

Jan 282015

Liberty

  • 103,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that brake fluid was leaking on the passenger's side of the vehicle and the brake warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 103,000.

- Newark, NJ, USA

problem #2

Aug 262014

Liberty 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
The contact owns a 2003 Jeep Liberty. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number 13V252000 (fuel system, gasoline, structure ) and attempted to have the recall repair performed however, the parts were not available. The contact had been waiting for over one year and the parts had still not become available. The contact had not experienced a failure in the vehicle. The consumer syayed the parts had not become available. The vehicle has been rearended twice due to failure. Updated 2/26/2015

- Dunedin, FL, USA

problem #1

Mar 282013

Liberty 6-cyl

  • 120,000 miles
I was leaving from work going about 45 mph, I smelled electrical components burning, before I could pull the Jeep over to the side of the road it shut off unexpectedly leaving me with no power steering and no power brakes, I nearly lost control of the Jeep, by the time I got to the side of the road the smoke had filled the cabin, the smoke was coming from front drivers side dash. Now I have no headlights, wipers, door locks, radio, alarm, int lights, speedometer, engine light is now on. Mechanic investigated and found that the BCM has a large burn hole in it the size of a silver dollar, I was very glad that my daughter was not in the Jeep with me that day, ,

- Interlachen, FL, USA

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