2002 Jeep Liberty Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 546 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2002 Jeep Liberty, 30% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 116,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bag” (38% of reports).
- 546air bags complaints
- 116,000median miles at failure
- 106mention a crash
- 89mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- $430typical repair cost reported by owners
- 23%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bag: mentioned in 209 of 546 complaints (38%)
- Fuel gasoline structure: mentioned in 28 of 546 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical air bags repair on the 2002 Jeep Liberty at $430, and half of them between $280 and $690.
Based on 10 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2013–2017), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 258 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 546 complaints, 106 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 89 an injury.
Jeep Liberty air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Liberty | 169 | 44% | 45,067 |
| 2011 Liberty | 35 | 19% | 83,000 |
| 2010 Liberty | 15 | 8% | 75,000 |
| 2009 Liberty | 12 | 11% | 91,932 |
| 2008 Liberty | 43 | 8% | 100,000 |
| 2007 Liberty | 24 | 3% | 85,130 |
| 2006 Liberty | 31 | 2% | 74,000 |
| 2005 Liberty | 41 | 4% | 81,900 |
| 2004 Liberty | 39 | 4% | 72,000 |
| 2003 Liberty | 392 | 29% | 120,000 |
| 2002 Liberty | 546 | 30% | 116,000 |
| 2001 Liberty | 4 | 40% | 70,000 |
| 2000 Liberty | 1 | 17% | 9,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2002-2003 Jeep Liberty vehicles manufactured January 9, 2001, to March 28, 2003, 2002-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 13, 2001, to May 23 2003, and 2003-2004 Dodge Viper vehicles manufactured November 1, 2001, to June 30, 2004. Due to electrical noise beyond the tolerance of the air bag electronic control module (ECM), a component in the ECM may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.
Risk: Inadvertent deployment of the air bags may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Chrysler dealers will replace the air bag control module and side impact sensors as required, free of charge. This recall remedy was applied during earlier recall campaigns of these vehicles under safety recalls 12V527 and 13V040. All owners that have not had the recall repair performed under safety recalls 12V527 or 13V040 are strongly encouraged to have it performed and not wait for the final remedy to be deployed to the field. The recall began on December 29, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R06.
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2002 and 2003 Jeep Liberty vehicles manufactured January 9, 2001, through March 28, 2003, and 2002 through 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 13, 2001, through May 23, 2003. A component in the air bag control module may fail causing the front airbags, side curtain airbags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.
Risk: Inadvertent deployment of the airbags may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install a supplemental jumper harness to the airbag control module, free of charge. Owners were notified of the recall by interim letter in January 2013. The remedy for affected Liberty vehicles is expected to be available in April 2013. The remedy for affected Grand Cherokee vehicles is expected to be available later in the year. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. In the event of a severe frontal offset collision, sharp edges on the power steering pressure hose bracket could cut the front impact sensor wiring insulation causing a short circuit in the wiring.
Risk: This could delay the deployment of the air bag system, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant.
Fix: Dealers will wrap the front impact sensor wire harness with protective insulation to prevent the possibility of damage. Owner notification began february 18, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
A couple years ago I had the airbag light come on when you come to find out there was a recall on my jeep. I had it took to the dealership, they supposedly fixed it now my airbag light is back on.
I have a safety recall that cannot be fixed according to tunkhannock auto mart and scranton dodge. I'm experiencing all kind of malfunctions due to the sensor being bad i have no power, my shifting, fuel economy ,hard starts,everything. This is my only vehicle and i need a vehicle until this is…
My vehicle shows zero recalls so it had the airbag replacement but the airbag light now comes on which i think indicates that the new airbag has malfunctioned. It seems they still used another inferior airbag product or maybe didn't actually replace the old one. The airbag warning light comes on…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2002 Jeep Libertys have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 546 owner complaints about air bags for the 2002 Jeep Liberty (30% of the 1,808 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Jeep Liberty air bags?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 116,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the 2002 Jeep Liberty?
Owners report a typical cost of $430 (half paid between $280 and $690), from 10 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2002 Jeep Liberty?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 209 of 546 complaints, followed by “fuel gasoline structure” (28).
Other 2002 Jeep Liberty problems
See all 2002 Jeep Liberty problems or air bags problems across all Liberty years.