Chrysler LLC and Jeep will be issuing a voluntary recall on certain Liberty SUVs for an area specific issue. The rear suspension system on trucks located in the northeastern and coastal United States (otherwise known as the “salt belt”) could be especially susceptible to rust, so much so that the pieces could separate. When the lower control arms are tormented with salt, they can corrode to the point where the part fractures. If this occurs, the Liberty could prove rather difficult to control.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Jeep and Chrysler are looking into approximately 209,724 vehicles. The recall will cover 2004 and 2005 model year Liberty models manufactured from July 3, 2003 through July 14, 2005. Affected SUVs may reside in “CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA”. There could also be an issue if the Liberty was originally built-in one of the salt belt states. To remedy the problem, certified Jeep dealers will replace the rear lower control arm on all affected vehicles in those areas. This fix will take place at no extra cost to owners and the recall is on or around the end of April of this year.
Source: NHTSA
