NHTSA Complaint #10429290 — 2002 JEEP LIBERTY

CHRYSLER HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE 2002 JEEP LIBERTY REGARDING THE UPPER CONTROL ARM FAILURE. THIS FAILURE IS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE BALL JOINT SEAL ALLOWING CONTAMINANTS TO EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE BALL JOINT TO FAIL. THE RECALL NOTICE #J17 RECALL ID# 09V119000 ONLY INCLUDES VEHICLES SUBJECT TO CORROSION FROM ROAD SALTS IN THE NORTHEAST. I OWN A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY AND HAVE NOTICED THAT BOTH THE JOINTS ON THE UPPER BALL JOINT OF THE CONTROL ARM HAVE FAILED (SPLIT) AND AS RESULT HAVE ALLOWED CONTAMINANTS TO ENTER THE BALL JOINT RESULTING IN ITS REPLACEMENT. I FEEL THESE VEHICLES NEED TO BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL NOTICE #J17 FOR THE SAME REASON. IT IS A "SAFETY ISSUE" AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BEING WORN. THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS FOR IF THERE WASN'T THE RUBBER SEAL AROUND THE BALL JOINT WOULD NOT HAVE SPLIT. FOR THE SPLIT ON THE RUBBER BALL JOINT SEAL TO BE NOTICED, A PERSON HAS TO LOOK REALLY CLOSE AT IT. I NOTICED MINE BECAUSE I WAS CHANGING OUT MY FRONT BRAKE PADS AND DID A CLOSE UP INSPECTION. THIS IS OF CONCERN TO NOT ONLY ME, BUT I AM SURE A LOT OF THE OTHER JEEP LIBERTY OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THEIR VEHICLES FRONT END DROP OUT FROM UNDER THEM WHEN THEY WERE DRIVING. I LIVE IN GEORGIA AND DO TRAVEL TO THE NORTHEAST FROM TIME TO TIME AND ALSO TRAVEL SOUTH TO FLORIDA FROM TIME TO TIME. MY CONCERN IS THIS: BOTH SEALS FAILED ON THE BALL JOINTS. BOTH BALL JOINTS ARE SUBJECTED TO ELEMENTS SIMILAR TO THOSE OF THE VEHICLES IN THE NORTHEAST EVEN MORE SO WHILE ALONG THE COAST OF FLORIDA. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS BALL JOINT FAILURES ON JEEP LIBERTIES IN GEORGIA AND FLA FOR THE SAME REASON THERE HAVE BEEN BALL JOINT FAILURES ON JEEP LIBERTIES IN THE NORTHEAST. A RESPONSE REGARDING THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *KB