2002 Jeep Liberty Engine Problems
Owners have filed 74 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2002 Jeep Liberty, 4% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 130,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “engine started” (8% of reports).
- 74engine complaints
- 130,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $7,000typical repair cost reported by owners
- 21%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.
- Engine started: mentioned in 6 of 74 complaints (8%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2002 Jeep Liberty at $7,000, and half of them between $6,650 and $8,050.
Based on 7 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2018), 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 engine problems happen?
Based on 61 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 74 complaints, 3 a fire.
Jeep Liberty engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Liberty | 44 | 11% | 65,700 |
| 2011 Liberty | 22 | 12% | 60,000 |
| 2010 Liberty | 20 | 10% | 72,673 |
| 2009 Liberty | 7 | 6% | 113,076 |
| 2008 Liberty | 31 | 6% | 100,000 |
| 2007 Liberty | 16 | 2% | 80,129 |
| 2006 Liberty | 30 | 2% | 100,000 |
| 2005 Liberty | 30 | 3% | 129,763 |
| 2004 Liberty | 32 | 3% | 132,500 |
| 2003 Liberty | 25 | 2% | 150,000 |
| 2002 Liberty | 74 | 4% | 130,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2002 Jeep Liberty. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Manufacturing defect on EVAP canister, the nipple for the EVAP hose is too large for hose diameter, 3/8" hose cracks after a couple years when the rubber is not new, causing emissions test failure. Hose replaced several times.
My vehicle is a 6 yr old low mileage chevy equinox the stabilitrak light came up as well as the service power streering. It has also lost power in the highway and stalls or won't accelerate at times which makes is very dangerous since i could get hit by someone in the highway. I have taken it to…
Misfire in cylinder 3. Replaced coils, plugs, and computer. Still throwing the code.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2002 Jeep Libertys have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 74 owner complaints about engine for the 2002 Jeep Liberty (4% 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 engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 130,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2002 Jeep Liberty?
Owners report a typical cost of $7,000 (half paid between $6,650 and $8,050), from 7 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2002 Jeep Liberty?
The most frequent phrase is “engine started”, in 6 of 74 complaints.
Other 2002 Jeep Liberty problems
See all 2002 Jeep Liberty problems or engine problems across all Liberty years.