Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Jeep Liberty owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated the vehicle had a burning odor near the engine. The contact received a recall notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 15V046000 (air bags) and 13V252000 (fuel system, gasoline, structure) however the parts to do the repairs were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for recall repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
A year ago while highway driving for several miles, the engine wire harness from starter to battery caught fire. The harness was destroyed. A replacement from a salvage yard went about 100' and it also caught fire destroying itself. Another harness was installed and a year later the same fire on the same harness occurred yesterday.
My Jeep currently has 42,000 miles as of nov 1, 2015. It is 14 years old. However, the 3.7 l engine has a history (1 in 200 as best I can tell from the internet) of somehow coagulating oil into sludge around the 50,000 mile mark. This Jeep is part of the trailer hitch and airbag recall, but as you know dealerships never got parts to update. However, it also seems the engine was designed to fail on these models. Mechanics that work on these engines just shake their heads and tell you Chrysler updated the engine to fix this but that doesn't help anybody who has an originally designed engine. Again, these engines were designed to sludge. It usually starts with rocker arms cracking/breaking and even after replacement and cleansing the oil sludges up again. Of course, Chrysler dealerships act like every occurrence of this is isolated, but third party mechanics know better. …
My husband and I drove my 2002 Jeep Liberty to dinner and while driving back home, without any notice, the car started blowing heavy smoke from the exhaust pipes. Then it completely died, stopped! No check engine light, no check oil light and no warning whatsoever! I now have this vehicle sitting in my garage because it's going to cost us approximately $5000.00 to fix. While researching this issue on the internet, this issue with the engine just stopping, has happened to hundreds of other people that own this same vehicle. I have not found anyone that feels it's worth fixing. All internet reviews lead me to believe that if replaced, it will happen again. Why isn't Chrysler made accountable?? They know they got away with selling a lemon! This could potentially become a safety issue, if someone is driving on the expressway and the engine just stops as mine did! …
Upon making a slight lane correction at approx. 60 MPH, my daughter's 2002 Jeep libety began swerving uncontrollably. She felt no resistance to the steering wheel as she tried to stop the swerving. At no time did she apply the brakes. Witnesses said it appeared she had a flat tire. Eventually, the vehicle entered the grass median and rolled 2.5 or 3.5 times coming to rest on the roof facing on-coming traffic. The complete rear end(tires and differential) separated and ended up approx. 75 feet from the vehicle. The right front axle or cv joint was broken. Neither her passenger or her air bags deployed. The driver's seat belt was broken at the end of the motion of the rolling. Both occupants were bruised and cut. We believe the axle failed and caused this potentially fatal accident. This vehicle had approx. 3000 miles on it. …
On July 23, 2015, while driving on the interstate highway, at approximately 55 miles/hour, the odometer, speedometer and cruise control simultaneously stopped working for no apparently known reason. When arriving at my destination in another state, (approx. 60 miles), I researched the internet for potential problems. A number of other 2002 Jeep Liberty owners had experienced similar problems. Additionally, several owners had experienced engine stalling when braking at a stoplight or intersection. On July 28, 2015, when traveling on an interstate highway, I pulled off to the safety lane to take a telephone call. While I was slowly pushing on the brake pedal to move safely to curb lane, the engine stopped working, as did my steering. Quick thinking - having read prior owners' comments - told me to put the car in neutral and turn the ignition key on. That worked! …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Liberty. The contact heard an abnormal noise associated with the 3.7 liter engine. The contact noticed there was a strong hesitation without warning and the vehicle later stalled more than once. The vehicle was parked at the contact's residence due to the failure. The contact indicated that the number two cylinder May fail and cause the valves to drop onto the pistons, which could cause the motor and cylinder head to fail. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and suggested that the dealer perform diagnostic testing. The approximate failure mileage was 147,000. Updated 05/31/2016 the consumer stated two spark plugs were pulled and broke due to impact, inside the cylinder head. Updated 06/14/16.
The engine of this vehicle died without warning. It's computer never picked it up, or gave me a warning that anything was going bad. It was not making any bad sounds or loose sounds of anything. The vehicle simply died in me when I accelerated going up a hill, imagine the horror that was having vehicle also accelerating behind me. I've been hearing the same complaints from thousands of Jeep Liberty users and this is dangerous. I don't understand why they're refusing to address this issue, this is something that's life-threatening and could lead to a fatal crash. Please, for hundreds more of the similar complaint, please visit: http://www.carcomplaints.com/Jeep/Liberty/2002/engine/engine_failure-2.shtml.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Jeep Liberty. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the contact smelled a burning odor of coolant. The temperature gauge displayed a high temperature. The vehicle was driven onto the emergency lane and the vehicle was turned off. The contact allowed the vehicle to cool down for thirty minutes before restarting it. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the radiator, radiator fan, and cooling temperature sensor were replaced. The failure continued to occur after the vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was not repaired when the complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 195,000.
Engine complaints in other Liberty years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2002 Jeep Liberty?
NHTSA has 159 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2002 Jeep Liberty, 9% of the model year's 1,808 complaints. The component named most often is engine (28 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Jeep Liberty engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2002 Jeep Liberty, though it has 8 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2002 Jeep Liberty engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 106,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 5 fires and 2 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.