2007 JEEP LIBERTY Steering Problems

Subject: Inquiry Regarding Ball Joint and Control Arm Issues on My 2007 Jeep Liberty Dear support tech, I am writing to express my concerns regarding recurring issues with my 2007 Jeep Liberty, specifically with the driver-side ball joint and control arm. In 2019, I had the driver-side ball joint replaced at Firestone. However, on [XXX], I experienced a serious issue when the wheel became stuck while reversing out of a parking space. Fortunately, it occurred at low speed, and the vehicle was towed through my insurance. A family member was able to fix it temporarily. More recently, on February 25, 2025, I had new wheels installed at Firestone, where I was informed that there is an issue with both the front control arm and the left and right ball joints. Given that I don’t drive at high speeds and use the vehicle less frequently now, this seems unusual and concerning....

12/8/2020: MY DAUGHTER HAD JUST RETURNED HOME FROM COLLEGE LITERALLY THAT MORNING DRIVING THROUGH NYC TO DE. THAT AFTERNOON SHE WENT OUT TO SEE A FRIEND AND THOUGHT SHE HAD A FLAT TIRE WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 50 MPH AND STRUGGLED TO PULL OVER. IT WAS AT NIGHT SO WE COULDN'T SEE THE DAMAGE. WE CALLED AAA TO COME CHANGE THE TIRE. HE EXAMINED THE FLUID UNDER THE TIRE AND THEN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT TIRE ROD FELL AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE. WE COULD ALSO SEE A LONG BLACK TRAIL WHERE THE TIRE ROD DRAGGED ON THE ROAD BEFORE SHE COULD STOP. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID IF SHE DIDN'T STOP WHEN SHE DID SHE WOULD HAVE FELL INTO THE DEEP DITCH NEXT TO IT AND IT WOULD HAVE FLIPPED OVER. CONSIDERING IT WAS DARK SHE WAS LUCKY AND EVEN LUCKIER THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY IN NYC ONLY...

I HAD A RECALL REPAIR AFTER I RECEIVED THE LETTER IN THE MAIL SO I WENT AND HAD IT SERVICED AFTER I WAITED FOR THE BACKORDER. I HAD THE REAR LOWER SUSPENSION ARMS DONE AS IN THE RECALL AT SECRET CITY DODGE IN OAK RIDGE TN. I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED A WEIRD CREAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR AND I TOOK IT BACK AND EXPLAINED TO THEM AND THEY SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING. I BROUGHT IT TO ANOTHER SHOP AND HAD THEM INSPECT AND THEY SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T TORQUE THEM RIGHT AND THE NOISE WAS FROM FAULTY PARTS. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY AGAIN SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THEY SPRAYED SOME LUBRICANT ON THE BUSHINGS TO QUIET THE NOISE. IT DIDN'T DO ANYTHING AND MADE ME QUESTION WHY THEY HAD TO DO THAT IF THE PARTS WERE NEW. I TOOK IT IN AGAIN AND...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 JEEP LIBERTY. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE BALL JOINT FRACTURED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE FRONT TWO TIRES SLID WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT NEW CONTROL ARMS, AND THE BALL JOINTS ON BOTH SIDES NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WAS ALSO REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 146,588. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

BOUGHT FROM DEALER SAID FRONT AXLE WAS REPLACED BEFORE PURCHASING BUT I BELIEVE NOT TERRIABLE NOISE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 JEEP LIBERTY. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 JEEP LIBERTY. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND FAILED TO STEER PROPERLY. THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL AND TRACTION CONTROL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER (DARCARS CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM OF NEW CARROLLTON, 8100 ANNAPOLIS RD, NEW CARROLLTON, MD 20784, (301) 459-6800) STATED THAT IT WOULD COST $180 TO DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,261.

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN PARKING LOT AND WOULD NOT START WHEN TURNING KEY. NO SOUND OR MOVEMENT. MECHANIC NOTED BROKEN ROD IN STEERING COLUMN. JEEP WOULD NOT REPLACE INEXPENSIVE ROD AND ONLY SOLD ENTIRE $700 STEERING COLUMN.

I HAVE BEEN WAITING OVER 3 MONTHS FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO GET THIS PART. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. WHAT IF I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT? PLEASE, PLEASE GET ME AN ANSWER ON THIS . I CALLED CHRYSLER DIRECTLY AND THEY DO NOT KNOW WHEN THESE PARTS WILL BE IN. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR, BUT MUST GET TO WORK. THANK YOU CLOCK SPRING 68271255AA *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 JEEP LIBERTY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE MADE A VIBRATING MOTION. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A KNOCKING SOUND FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE WINDOWS REGULATORS WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, GAS OVER FLOWS, WHEN PUMPING GAS. UPDATED 07/20/15. *JB

I KEEP HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING COLUMN. I HAVE FIXED THIS SAME PROBLEM 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. THE LAST TIME I FIXED THE PART SEEMS TO HAVE CHANGED AND THE PART WAS HIGHER THE LAST TIME. THE PART CHANGED SUPPOSEDLY TO BE BETTER THAN THE PREVIOUS PART BUT IT SEEMS TO GO OUT EVERY YEAR. *TR

WHILE DRIVING TO MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL ON 08/08, I HEARD A LOUD POP WHILE TURNING ONTO A MAJOR SECONDARY ROAD. THE FRONT END ON PASSENGER SIDE DROPPED ON THE TIRE AND I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE (THE STEERING WHEEL GOT SHAKY AND WOBBLY) AND I WAS FIGHTING TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHICH ALMOST COST ME TO FLIP OVER. I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP IN THE MEDIUM. IN ACCESSING THE DAMAGE, MY FRONT TIRE IS PARTIALLY FLAT, MY FRONT END BUMPER IS LAYING HEAVILY ON THE WHEEL ON THE RIGHT SIDE WHICH IS CAUSING THE TRUCK TO LEAN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MY HOME WHERE THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER ASSESS THE BALL JOINT ON THE RIGHT SIDE HAD DISMANTLED. I'M AWARE THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS YEAR BUT FROM THE PREVIOUS YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN RECALLS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM EXPERIENCED...

AUTO WOULD NOT START. STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A KIT MADE TO FIX BUT WAS UNRELIABLE. OTHER YEARS OFFICIAL RECALL WAS 2011. PEOPLE WITH 2002, 2005, 2007 HAD SAME PROBLEM. CHRYSLER ASSUMED NO RESPONSIBLY, WOULD NOT RE IMBURSE ME FOR THE FIX. NEED HELP IN HAVING CHRYSLER ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE 101 (A MAJOR L.A. FREEWAY) AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN FELT MY CAR COLLAPSE ONTO THE PASSENGER TIRE. I STRUGGLED TO REMAIN IN MY LINE, AND HAD TREMENDOUS DIFFICULTY STEERING AND WASN'T ABLE TO BRAKE AS EASILY. I FLEW ACROSS THREE LANES OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND ALMOST HIT A WALL. WHEN I EXITED MY VEHICLE I FOUND THAT MY LOWER BALL JOINT HAD BROKEN, CAUSING MY TIRE TO EXPLODE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT WAS ENTERING A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE FUEL PUMP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED A REIMBURSEMENT. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING A TURN, THE STEERING WOULD BECOME HARD TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE RACK AND PINION AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE PUMP ALONE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 38,000. UPDATED 06/16/11 *BF UPDATED 2/03/2012 *LN *TR