Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Jeep Liberty owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2004 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear windows failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the control module needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 164,000.
I have a 2004 Jeep Liberty and while DRIVING AND MAKING TURNS, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE. THE NOISE WAS ALSO HEARD WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. I got woke up this morning with the alarm going off.. no one was around the Jeep.. I know this because I have security cameras.. my husband check the fuse box and inside they were water in the fuse box..which it rain last night and I don't know how it is getting wet.. my lights are wanted to stay on. And when I turn the ignition off my Jeep off wants to continue running.. I have had it to several different mechanics and no one seems to know exactly what the problem is.. please help me fix this problem..
On Tuesday, August 25, 2015, I was on my way to a workshop for my job on route 73 in berlin, new jersey. I had stopped at a light. When the light turned green, I proceeded to go. The car stalled out all the lights on the dash board blinked on and off and the car shut completely off. Then white smoke came out from under the hood. So as I was sitting contemplating what to do next. I looked up and the driver in the car next to me started yelling that there was fire underneath the car. I immediately exited the car and crossed the street on a busy highway. When I reached the other side of the street. Pitch black smoke along with red flames billowed out from under the hood. Afire rescue truck arrive and immediately used a fire extinguisher to douse the fire. Then, the fire trucks and police came to follow up. The fireman lift the hood up and allowed me to view the damage. …
While driving to work my engine just quit as I was shifting from 4th to 5th gear. I coasted off to the side of the highway and saw smoke coming from under the hood. When I lifted the hood, there were flames shooting up from everywhere! The biggest flames were near the side of the battery, but not on the battery so I shut the hood and moved away from the vehicle. Within the 5 minutes it took the fire department to arrive, it was completely burned up, including the front panel inside the Jeep. Any part of the front of the vehicle that was not metal, was gone... Burnt!! As of this time, it is still unknown to me what caused the fire but Chrysler sent an investigator out to view the vehicle and sent me a letter stating they would not be doing anything about it. I believe it was a wiring problem and have never had anyone work on any of the wiring since I purchased the Jeep in 2010. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that various electrical functions operated independently in inclement weather. In addition, the headliner caught fire. There was no smoke visible. The contact stated that the failure only occured when the vehicle was wet. The contact disconnected the battery after seeing the flames. The check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the failure could not be diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 148,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 Jeep Liberty. While driving 55 MPH, flames emitted from the front end of the vehicle. The contact was able to coast over to the side of the highway. The contact was not injured and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the alternator harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.
While car was park .between the driver side and passenger side where window control is caught on fire burning car to a point where fire department officials were here to shut off.I have pictures to show u but file to big.I need someone to call me asap.
Jeep was shut off and in park in parking lot when flames were seen coming out from under the hood. By the time the fire dept. Arrived, the fire had started to breach the firewall in the front of the Jeep.
I returned home late on evening after an evening of shopping, dinner, & movie. I parked my car in the garage and ten minutes later heard a loud "whoosh" sound. I went to the garage to investigate and saw white smoke. After opening the garage door to dissipate the smoke I looked around the car. I did not see any problem with the tires or leaking fluids. I did see black singe marks along the edge of the hood and black dust over the hood. The fire department & sheriff were called. The firemen determined that a fire occurred under the hood of the car and, miraculously, put itself out. They also determined that a loose wire was arcing with the alternator and disconnected the battery. They ruled the cause of the fire as faulty electrical wiring. The car is 3.5 months old with just under 3000 miles on it. …
I was driving up the street heard something like a ran over something then Jeep cut off got out to see if I ran over something but nothing was there and Jeep would not start back up, what if I had been on the highway or busy traffic I could have been seriously hurt, which u am blessed that did not happen, the problem I have is Chrysler should notake anything that could cause you bodily harm. A computer should never go out that is dangerous. I had to have the Jeep towed to my home and then to a ship on two different times an one time back home from the shop because I did not have 900.00 to repair. So I'm stuck without having my Jeep repaired because I'm on a fixed income. Also having electrical problem where Chrysler did poor wiring., cigarette lighter keep going out, blinker and radio wiring is terrible and one of the front lights. …
Electrical complaints in other Liberty years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2004 Jeep Liberty?
NHTSA has 80 complaints about the electrical system of the 2004 Jeep Liberty, 7% of the model year's 1,101 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Jeep Liberty electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2004 Jeep Liberty, though it has 7 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 2004 Jeep Liberty electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 94,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 12 fires and 2 injuries to electrical system 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.