2005 Jeep Liberty Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 262 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 2005 Jeep Liberty, 23% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 86,949 miles. The words owners use most often: “lower ball” (40% of reports).
- 262suspension complaints
- 86,949median miles at failure
- 19mention a crash
- 6mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- $1,050typical repair cost reported by owners
- 17%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 106 of 262 complaints (40%)
- Control arm: mentioned in 74 of 262 complaints (28%)
- Suspension front: mentioned in 21 of 262 complaints (8%)
- Daimler chrysler: mentioned in 14 of 262 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical suspension repair on the 2005 Jeep Liberty at $1,050, and half of them between $610 and $2,050.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2007–2021), 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 178 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 262 complaints, 19 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 6 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.
The ball joint broke while I was driving I lost all control of vehicle
The contact owns a 2005 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle, and the vehicle was shaking erratically. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was…
I was driving on a bridge and my ball joint broke. Blew a hole through my tire and my rim and the fender flare blew off. I had had that same ball joint replaced approximately two years prior maybe sooner. I got this Jeep in 2017 and I have replaced the driver side ball joint twice the passenger…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2005 Jeep Libertys have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 262 owner complaints about suspension for the 2005 Jeep Liberty (23% of the 1,118 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 2005 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 86,949 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix suspension problems on the 2005 Jeep Liberty?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,050 (half paid between $610 and $2,050), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 2005 Jeep Liberty?
The most frequent phrase is “lower ball”, in 106 of 262 complaints, followed by “control arm” (74).
Other 2005 Jeep Liberty problems
See all 2005 Jeep Liberty problems or suspension problems across all Liberty years.