Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Jeep Liberty owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
On 7/10 I'm driving down the road towards the freeway. I hear a very loud pop that startles me. I pull over & discover lower ball joint has separated causing the lower control arm to slip out of socket into the wheel & than separate from wheel. I mean its still attached to the vehicle but vehicle is completely disabled. It caused significant damage to the right front wheel and somewhat minor damage to the right front fender. Theres literally metal shaving all over the road from it carving the metal out of my wheel. Get home and my boyfriend tells me that he's discovered 3 safety recalls. So we call FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) they said they would have it towed to the dealership no problem but they needed a $103 for the tow that they would reimburse later. They told us to pick any dealership. …
My boyfriends daughter was driver and my daughter (both minors) head busted on the front passenger windshield. Cars in front of them stopped abruptly and they were going 55 MPH and could not get stopped, hitting the car stopped in front of them. Neither driver nor passenger airbag deployed. My daughter is lucky!
Air bags did not deploy after making 2 impacts, totaling vehicle dear Chrysler/Jeep my name is [redacted] and I have been the proud owner of a 2003 Jeep Liberty renegade. On June 3, 2016 I was struck by another motorist on my home from work. I commute every day from the southwest suburbs of chicago to downtown chicago. I have taken the utmost pride in my Jeep, providing regular maintenance. In the past 6 months I have spent over $1500 in replacements. I recently purchased 4 brand new tires, a new alternator, a new muffler, oil pressure switch and an EVAP sensor. I have also made purchases to customize my Jeep, by adding neon lights in the inside, seat covers, and a new stereo system. Asides from all the love and attention I put into my Jeep, there was something about my accident that scared me the most. …
When attempting to switch lanes, it felt as if the steering wheel locked and the vehicle began to swerve between lanes. I had no control over the steering, therefore the vehicle continued to swerve and eventually slid off road into a median full of trees. Once in the median, the vehicle began to roll over. The vehicle rolled 3 or 4 times, eventually coming to a stop passenger-side down. There was damage all over the body of the vehicle, including the front and sides. Airbags did not deploy. Vehicle was taken in less than a year ago to get fixed due to a recall on the air bag system, but airbags did not deploy during crash. I was taken via ambulance to a local trauma unit. Vehicle was totaled.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Jeep wrangler. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V046000 (air bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 77,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available. Updated 04/04/16 the consumer stated the air bag recall, was rectified. However, he was never notified of recall # 13V252000. Updated 06/27/16.
I received a recall notice approximately 1/1/2014 for NHTSA 13v-252,and have been to the dealer three times to resolve but they never have the parts. The dealer claims that Chrysler is not sending adequate quantities for demand (Chrysler recall # n46). I have reached out to the Chrysler group recall assistance center twice, and have been sent back to the dealer both times with no resolution. It has been an unreasonable amount of time, and I am requesting assistance from the administrator of the NHTSA for assistance in resolving this matter. The vehicle was repaired.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that upon inspecting the under body and frame of the vehicle concerning the suspension, the contact noticed that the rear control arm bracket fractured from the driver's side of the frame. There had been extensive rust and corrosion on the frame, the lower control arm and the rockers pertaining to the rear axle. The vehicle was not diagnosed by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
Regarding recall n46/NHTSA 13v-252: I responded to a Jeep dealership (st. Clair, mi) to have the recall related repair made. I was told by dealership staff the repair could not be completed as the vehicle's frame was "too corroded." though my vehicle was covered in the recall, the dealership did not complete the repair. Instead, they asked I sign a form acknowledging the frame was too corroded. I refused to sign that form. I took my vehicle to a local repair shop, who advised they found no such corrosion.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Jeep Liberty. While the vehicle was stationary, the contact noticed that the rear frame was severely corroded. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA campaign number: 13V252000 (fuel system, gasoline, structure). Grava Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in medford, massachusetts could not repair the recall due to significant corrosion. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and provided the contact with case number: 32850667. The failure mileage was approximately 141,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that the frame of the vehicle was rusted. The vehicle was serviced under NHTSA campaign number: 06V288000 (suspension), but it failed to repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 09V119000 (suspension). The contact was concerned for their safety. The failure mileage was 48,000.
Related recalls
Structure
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 1993-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty vehicles. The fuel tanks in these vehicles are at risk of failure and leakage in certain rear impacts.
Remedy: Owners may take their vehicles to dealers and the dealers will perform a free inspection of the rear structure. On vehicles in the recall that are not equipped with a tow hitch, Chrysler will install a Chrysler designed…
Body complaints in other Liberty years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2003 Jeep Liberty?
NHTSA has 111 complaints about the body & structure of the 2003 Jeep Liberty, 8% of the model year's 1,352 complaints. The component named most often is body (43 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Jeep Liberty body problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 13V-252 (structure, Jun 19, 2013). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2003 Jeep Liberty body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 109,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 8 injuries to body & structure 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.