2004 Jeep Liberty Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 456 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 2004 Jeep Liberty, 41% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 52,903 miles. The words owners use most often: “lower ball” (45% of reports).
- 456suspension complaints
- 52,903median miles at failure
- 25mention a crash
- 14mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- $1,650typical repair cost reported by owners
- 18%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.
- Lower ball: mentioned in 203 of 456 complaints (45%)
- Control arm: mentioned in 93 of 456 complaints (20%)
- Suspension front: mentioned in 26 of 456 complaints (6%)
- Daimler chrysler: mentioned in 26 of 456 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical suspension repair on the 2004 Jeep Liberty at $1,650, and half of them between $800 and $2,700.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2005–2016), 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 suspension problems happen?
Based on 325 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 456 complaints, 25 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 14 an injury.
Jeep Liberty suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Liberty | 5 | 1% | 140,000 |
| 2011 Liberty | 6 | 3% | 18,405 |
| 2010 Liberty | 5 | 3% | 70,000 |
| 2009 Liberty | 7 | 6% | 74,375 |
| 2008 Liberty | 20 | 4% | 79,881 |
| 2007 Liberty | 79 | 11% | 108,000 |
| 2006 Liberty | 196 | 14% | 104,000 |
| 2005 Liberty | 262 | 23% | 86,949 |
| 2004 Liberty | 456 | 41% | 52,903 |
| 2003 Liberty | 437 | 32% | 55,000 |
| 2002 Liberty | 494 | 27% | 70,000 |
| 2001 Liberty | 1 | 10% | — |
| 2000 Liberty | 2 | 33% | 25,298 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Suspension:rear
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2004-2007 Jeep Liberty vehicles. The rear suspension lower control arms can fracture due to excessive corrosion, causing a loss of vehicle control.
Risk: A fractured control arm can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear lower control arms, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U38. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 12V-085. Vehicles included in that campaign are not included in this recall.
Suspension:rear
Problem: In june 2012, chrysler expanded this recall to include model year 2006 and 2007 jeep liberty vehicles, representing an additional 137,176 vehicles. This recall now concerns certain my 2004-2007 jeep liberty vehicles. The total number vehicles being recalled is now 346,900. These vehicles were manufactured from july 3, 2003 through june 29, 2007. The recall addresses those vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. Some vehicles may be equipped with rear lower control arms that can experience a rear suspension lower control arm fracture due to excessive corrosion due to application of road salts during winter weather conditions.
Risk: A fracture of the rear lower control arm may result in a loss of vehicle control and may lead to a vehicle crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear lower control arms on all affected vehicles originally sold in, or currently registered in, connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia, free of charge. The safety recall began on march 26, 2012. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: On certain trucks, the constant tension front lower ball joints may experience contamination. If the vehicle is operated for an extended period with this condition, the ball joint may eventually experience wear and looseness.
Risk: When the driver continues to operate the vehicle with this condition, the contamination can lead to corrosion, accelerated wear and possibly separation from the steering knuckle causing a loss of vehicle steering control increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front lower ball joints free of charge. The recall began on september 11, 2006. Owners 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.
Original right side lower ball joint broke at 59,000 miles.
Yes I checked for recall on my 04 jeep liberty suspension and there is a recall on it I was driving my jeep and it is pulling so much that it's scary to drive but it's the only vehicle I have to get back and fourth to work so I researched it and everything it's saying on the recall is what is going…
I was going around a corner when it felt like a cinder block was under it. I stopped and looked but it wouldn't go and the driver's wheel was slumped where you couldn't drive it. I called the tow truck and had it towed to get it fixed. The Lower Ball Joint and control arm had to be replaced on both…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2004 Jeep Libertys have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 456 owner complaints about suspension for the 2004 Jeep Liberty (41% of the 1,101 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 2004 Jeep Liberty suspension?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 52,903 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix suspension problems on the 2004 Jeep Liberty?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,650 (half paid between $800 and $2,700), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 2004 Jeep Liberty?
The most frequent phrase is “lower ball”, in 203 of 456 complaints, followed by “control arm” (93).
Other 2004 Jeep Liberty problems
See all 2004 Jeep Liberty problems or suspension problems across all Liberty years.