Most common 2005 Jeep Liberty problems
Share of the 1,118 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Jeep Liberty complaints by model year
Best Liberty years: 2000, 2001, 2009. Years to avoid: 2006, 2002, 2005, 2003, 2004. Compare all years →
2005 Jeep Liberty recalls (5)
Suspension › Rear
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.
Remedy: 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.
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…
Suspension › Rear
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.
Remedy: 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,…
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
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.
Remedy: 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.
Power train › Automatic transmission
On certain pickup trucks, sport utility and passenger vehicles equipped with 42rle automatic transmissions, the cup plug that retains the park pawl anchor shaft May be improperly installed. If the shaft moves out of position, the vehicle May not be able to achieve 'park' position.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the transmissions and install a bracket to ensure the park pawl anchor shaft is retained in the proper position. The recall began on November 28, 2005.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 5 possible defects involving the 2005 Jeep Liberty:
Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure
During Preliminary Evaluation (PE11-013), the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) conducted an analysis of consumer field data from its Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) database and from complaint data submitted to ODI by Chrysler.
Diesel fuel leak
Overheating of the electrical connector at the fuel heater on the fuel filter / water separator assembly can cause a fuel leak through the electrical connection.operators report the smell of diesel fuel, smoke, difficulty starting and/or poor engine operation.the fuel leakage is reported by some operators as seepage, wetness, several drops, and an oz per minute.evidence of overheating of the connection was observed…
Crash Related Fuel Tank Fires
ODI has completed an extensive analysis of rear crash fuel tank system integrity data for the subject Jeep Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and Liberty vehicles (SVs).As of June 2013, ODI knew of 56 post-collision fatal fires, 28 non-fatal fires, and 6 fuel leak incidents (totaling 90 incidents, 75 fatalities and 58 injuries) involving the SVs.Based on this analysis, ODI issued a Recall Request Letter (RRL) on June 3, 2013…
Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure
In a letter dated March 2, 2012 Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) submitted a Defect Information Report (NHTSA recall No. 12V-085) to the NHTSA identifying a safety defect regarding rear suspension lower control arm corrosion in approximately 210,000 model year (MY) 2004 and 2005 Jeep Liberty vehicles, originally sold or currently registered in a Salt-belt state (Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky,…
Front suspension ball joint separation
On January 6, 2006, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation to investigate alleged front suspension lower ball joint separationin certain model year (my) 2004 Jeep liberty vehicles.odi sent a letter to the manufacturer on February 7, 2006 requesting information about these and other Jeep liberty vehicles.consequently, the investigation was upgraded to an engineering analysis on May…
What 2005 Jeep Liberty owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 403 →
Tl contact owns a 2005 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated that when attempting to not hit a deer, the vehicle flipped and crashed into a ditch. The contact stated that fuel began to leak out after the vehicle landed upside down. A police report was filed and there were minor injuries to the contact's foot and arm that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.
I have had numerous issues with this vehicle. I have had to replace the cooling fan, three window motors, the alternator, head gaskets, the fuel pump sensor is broken, the oil sensor is broken, when I pump gas it spills out, the radiator, the electrical system on both the left and right side. The tail lights don't work properly and I have replaced both the lights and fuses as well as the sockets numerous times. These are just the things I can think of off the top of my head. I've spent thousands of dollars, literally, on this car. I feel like it's a death trap waiting to happen and can't wait until I am able to purchase something else, it won't be a Jeep product. Jeep doesn't care if you have numerous issues with their product. When I first started having issues I called the dealership I purchased from to talk to my salesman and I was asked what my mileage was. …
Suspension all 262 →
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 diagnosed with transfer case and transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transfer case and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was in the process of being repaired. The contact researched NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V278000 (Suspension). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to submit the repair documents regarding the failure. In addition, the contact was informed that the replacement of the transfer case and the transmission replacement were not covered under the recall. …
The contact owns a 2005 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle swerved to the left across three lanes of traffic and the contact turned the steering wheel to the right to prevent the vehicle from veering to the left. The contact then stopped on the shoulder of the highway. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the Police were on scene and determined that the vehicle could not be driven. The contact stated the Police Officer picked up the ball joint that had detached from the driver's side front suspension of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle had not been taken to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 06V288000 (Suspension). …
Body & structure all 137 →
We received the notice about the gas/fuel tank potential to catch fire, we took our vehicle to the dealer. The dealer explained that we have too much corrosion on our vehicle to be repaired. The cost to repair exceeds the value of the vehicle, currently we are still driving with a vehicle that May catch fire. We contacted Chrysler as we still are paying off the vehicle, we where given the run around until finally one associate told us simply, they will not help you. Prior to this recall notice we have constantly had issues when filling up with gas and the gas would leak out in large quantities instead of shutting off. We replaced the oil pan recently after it rusted out, we are about to replace to transmission fluid pan as that is about to rust out, the transmission lines are also rusting and corroded. …
I have a 2005 Jeep liberty renegade, there was recall issued (N46 Trailer Hitch recall) I contacted Chrysler Customer Care. they sent me this, [redacted] Hello [redacted] Thank you for contacting Jeep Customer Care. We have received your email stating you are about to purchase this 2005 Jeep Liberty and understand your concern with a recall that has not been completed. We are happy to look into this for you. After review of the vehicle information we have found that the N46 Trailer Hitch recall has not been completed. Jeep attempts to perform recall repairs regardless of the vehicle age or the recall issue date. Any authorized dealership will be happy to repair the vehicle within the terms of the recall at no charge to you. Please contact us at [redacted] if you require additional assistance. …
2005 Jeep Liberty engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.8L 4-cyl turbo diesel | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 19 / 24 / 21 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 22 / 20 |
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 16 / 20 / 17 |
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 20 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Jeep Liberty a good car?
Based on 1,118 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Liberty rates use caution: 1.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the Liberty at the same age. It is one of the Liberty years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Jeep Liberty?
The fuel & propulsion system — 403 complaints, 36% of all complaints for this model year, most often about storage › tank assembly. Next are the suspension (262) and body & structure (137).
How many recalls does the 2005 Jeep Liberty have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2005 Jeep Liberty, the most recent from May 1, 2018 (rear). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Jeep Liberty?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2000, 2001 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2006, 2002, 2005, 2003 and 2004. See the full Jeep Liberty years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Jeep Liberty problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 37% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.