There was a design change (cost cut?) on 2004 Liberty models. Owners don't appear concerned. Thus far, only 921 Jeeps have been repaired.
Chrysler is expanding its Jeep corrosion recall on Liberty SUVs because a rear suspension control arm can corrode and fracture in salt-belt states and Canada. The corrosion recall that started in March now includes model year 2006 and 2007 Jeep Liberty vehicles, adding 137,176 to a recall that now includes all 2004-2007 Liberty SUVs manufactured from 3 July 2003 through 29 June 2007 for a total of 347,000 vehicles.
Jeep Liberty SUVs 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. Canadian Jeeps are also being recalled. Critics of such regional “salt belt” recalls say unsafe or potentially unsafe vehicles are being neglected in a cost cutting move.
The original Jeep corrosion recall started almost one year after the National Highway traffic Safety Administration opened a preliminary evaluation of the defect after receiving complaints from nine owners of Liberty models. The suspension failure investigation was upgraded by NHTSA to a more serious engineering analysis covering 2004 and 2005 models last September.
It appears from publicly available documents that Chrysler resisted the recall, doing so only after a meeting with safety regulators in February. The recall to replace all the suspension arms began in April. Chrysler said in the required NHTSA filing that it is unaware of any accidents.
Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403 about safety recall number L27. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Vehicle Safety Hotline At 1-888-327-4236.
