Table 1 shows two common suspension related problems of the 2003 Jeep Cherokee.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Front Suspension Lower Ball Joint problems | |
| Front Suspension Strut problems |
2003 Jeep liberty ball joints replaced approx. 30,000 miles under manufacturer recall, at that time vehicle was making significant road noise from the front end suspension. Dealer replaced lower ball joint assembly at that time. Approx. 66,000 miles vehicle was taken to dealer to find source of front end noise again, dealer could not duplicate and stated there was no problem. Approx. 71,000 miles vehicle taken back to dealer for same problem because it was getting worse. I had a factory authorized repair technician go on a test drive with me on September 23, 2005. Within about a minute of the test drive the technician stated that it was most likely the lower ball joint assembly and that he believed the recall had been extended to lifetime. I scheduled an appointment to bring the vehicle in for repair on September 27, 2005. The dealership had the vehicle the majority of the day and could find nothing wrong. They stated that the ball joints looked fine. On Sunday October 2nd, 2005 the lower ball joint on the driver's side failed. Fortunately it was a speed of under 5 mph as we were turning out of a parking lot. The front driver's side suspension had collapsed. Vehicle was towed to the dealership Sunday evening. Currently waiting on the dealership's response. This is a repeat failure and a major safety issue that to date the dealership has chosen to ignore.
Transmission making noise 1 week after purchase, took it in every 2 weeks to have it fixed for first 2 months. Vehicle had 40,000 km. Chrysler dealership answer was for us to do transmission fluid change (our expense), did not stop the noise, gave up after we took vehicle back 5 times, terrible service. Heater motor failed within 1 week of purchase, replace motor switch, heater fan making noise. Rear end was rebuilt 2 times within first 2 months of owning vehicle. Struts needed replacing within first month. Smoke comes from engine when stopped (intermittent), wheel alignment within first month (our expense again). This is our first and last Jeep/Chrysler product.