repaired · 2017 Q3
Air bags: side/window
Risk. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
2003 Jeep LibertyProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 1,353 owner complaints about the 2003 Jeep Liberty, most often about the suspension. It is covered by 7 safety recalls, and for recall 15V-046 the manufacturer reports only 17% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 2, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Bull-Doser, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2003 Jeep Liberty has problems
1,353 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
437Suspension34 crash/fire/injury
393Air bags119 crash/fire/injury
111Structure5 crash/fire/injury
92Visibility
89Fuel system, gasoline
83Fuel/propulsion system
72Electrical system
64Power train
52Steering
27619 other systems58 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 437 | 34 |
| Air bags | 393 | 119 |
| Structure | 111 | 5 |
| Visibility | 92 | 1 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 89 | 4 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 83 | 3 |
| Electrical system | 72 | 3 |
| Power train | 64 | 4 |
| Steering | 52 | 16 |
| 19 other systems | 276 | 58 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
7 recalls
2003 Jeep Liberty recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2017 Q2
Air bags: frontal
Risk. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
repaired · 2015 Q4
Storage: tank assembly
Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
repaired · 2015 Q2
Air bags
Risk. Inadvertent deployment of the airbags may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
Show 3 more recalls
no report yet
Front: control arm
Risk. FAILURE OF THE BALL JOINT COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF STEERING CAPABILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Control arm: lower ball joint
Risk. WHEN THE DRIVER CONTINUES TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE WITH THIS CONDITION, THE CONTAMINATION CAN LEAD TO CORROSION, ACCELERATED WEAR AND POSSIBLY SEPARATION FROM…
no report yet
Control arm: lower ball joint
Risk. A BALL JOINT THATHAS SEPARATED FROM THE KNUCKLE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Jeep.
Mileage at failure
When do suspension problems start?
56kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 309 suspension complaints. 80% were reported before 100,000 miles.
51under 30k miles246under 100k miles63100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Visibility
21 owners mentioned a cost$350median
Middle half: $227 – $500
Suspension
9 owners mentioned a cost$597median
Middle half: $398 – $900
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2003 vs. every other Liberty year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Liberty median. How we score
'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2003 Jeep Liberty safety ratings
2003 Jeep Liberty 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 3 stars (0.0% risk)
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
8 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2003 Jeep Liberty, and the recalls they led to.
- FRONT SUSPENSION BALL JOINT SEPARATIONLed to recall 06V-288
- UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATIONLed to recall 09V-119
- Inadvertent Air Bag DeploymentLed to recall 13V-029
- Crash Related Fuel Tank FiresLed to recall 13V-252
- UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATIONNo recall
- Rear Suspension Control Arm FailureNo recall
- Inadvertent Air Bag DeploymentNo recall
- Jeep inadvertent air bag deploymentLed to recall 15V-673
In owners' words
What Liberty owners report
Recent suspension complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
I was backing up in a yard and the front passenger wheel folded up underneath the vehicle. I went to look and noticed that the ball joint had completely separated from the joint. This caused damage to my front passenger panel and fender.
The contact owns a 2003 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that while turning the steering wheel to the left or the right, the steering wheel was difficult to turn due to a loss of power steering assist. There was a grinding sound while turning the steering wheel. The sound was loud enough to hear…
The contact owns a 2003 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that moments after exiting the freeway, the front end of the vehicle began to shake and vibrate. While driving approximately 5 MPH, there was an abnormal banging sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The contact stated that suddenly the…
Own a 2003 Liberty?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.