2012 Jeep LIBERTY problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
385 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
50,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 313 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 168 of 385 complaints (43.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 56 | 14.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 30 | 7.8% |
| Braking behavior | 26 | 6.8% |
| Engine operation | 13 | 3.4% |
| Steering behavior | 10 | 2.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 0.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 168 |
| Electrical System | 116 |
| Engine | 44 |
| Power Train | 33 |
| Unknown Or Other | 31 |
| Exterior Lighting | 20 |
| Structure:Body | 18 |
| Seats | 16 |
Air Bags: 168; Electrical System: 116; Engine: 44; Power Train: 33; Unknown Or Other: 31; Exterior Lighting: 20; Structure:Body: 18; Seats: 16
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 60 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 96 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 73 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 46 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 29 |
| 150,000 and above | 9 |
Under 25,000: 60; 25,000 to 49,999: 96; 50,000 to 74,999: 73; 75,000 to 99,999: 46; 100,000 to 149,999: 29; 150,000 and above: 9
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (96). 72 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 16 |
| 2013 | 23 |
| 2014 | 50 |
| 2015 | 56 |
| 2016 | 45 |
| 2017 | 62 |
| 2018 | 43 |
| 2019 | 37 |
| 2020 | 21 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 7 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2012: 16; 2013: 23; 2014: 50; 2015: 56; 2016: 45; 2017: 62; 2018: 43; 2019: 37; 2020: 21; 2021: 8; 2022: 6; 2023: 7; 2024: 5; 2025: 5; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 56 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 30 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10496226 · 2013-02-03 (February 3, 2013)
HAD VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP ABOUT 3 WEEKS PRIOR FOR A HEAVY BURNING SMELL INSIDE AND OUT SIDE OF VEHICLE.SMELLED LIKE BURNT WIRING. WAS TOLD BY DEALER IT WAS A STICKER ON THE EXHAUST PIPE. WAS TOLD IT WAS FINE AND MIGHT SMELL IT FOR A SHORT TIME..SMELL IS STILL THERE AND LAST NIGHT VEHICLE WAS ON SNOW COVERED ROAD WITH ON COMING TRAFFIC AND THE HEADLIGHTS AND ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE LOST.. HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS MOVED BACK AND FOURTH FROM AUTO, ON, AND OFF NUMEROUS TIMES TILL LIGHTS CAME BACK ON AND IT DID IT AGAIN ON THE WAY HOME IN THE MORNING. …
Owner-reported narrative. 2,339 miles reported. Look up ODI 10496226 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10548677 · 2013-10-21 (October 21, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT STATED REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 13V282000 (AIR BAGS , ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND STATED THAT THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE REMEDY PART WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THREE TO FOUR MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10548677 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10468120 · 2012-07-28 (July 28, 2012)
THE 2012 JEEP LIBERTY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION "CLUNKS" SEVERELY WHEN UPSHIFTING OR DOWNSHIFTING. A LOUD "CLUNK" IS NOTED AT EITHER THE TRANSMISSION OR DRIVESHAFT U-JOINT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE JEEP DEALERSHIP AND TECHNICIANS REPLICATED THE DISCREPANCY. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO TRIED ANOTHER VEHICLE (A DIFFERENT MODEL WITH THE SAME TYPE TRANSMISSION) THAT WAS ON THE LOT AND IT TOO, HAD THIS LOUD "CLUNK". THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED CHRYSLER, AND WERE TOLD BY CHRYSLER THAT CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT HAS NO "FIX" OR "REPAIR" FOR THIS PROBLE…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10468120 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10488081 · 2012-12-12 (December 12, 2012)
1) BACKED OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO ENGAGE THEN SLAMMED INTO GEAR, 2) STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION PRESSED ON THE THROTTLE VEHICLE PAUSED AND THEN SLAMMED INTO GEAR (HAS DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES)AND HAS CONTINUED THIS BEHAVIOR INTERMITTENTLY. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES. DEALER AND CHRYSLER STATE THAT THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLE BEING ON AN INCLINE AND IT HAS AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE AND TRANSMISSION STATE THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO FIX IT THE DEALERSHIP (ADVANTAGE CHRYSLER IN MOUNT DORA FLORI…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10488081 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10450605 · 2012-03-07 (March 7, 2012)
VEHICLE HAS A ECO-MODE TO RESERVE EXCESSIVE FUEL USAGE. WHEN TRAVELING AT A SPEED TO EXCEED 45 MPH THE VEHICLE REACTS WITH A BAD VIBRATION AND SHAKE AS IF THERE IS A FLAT TIRE OR SOMETHING. WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE SHAKES AS IF THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THE ROTORS OR BRAKES. WHEN TAKING OFF, THERE IS A KICK WHEN ATTEMPTING TO FIRST ACCELERATE ESPECIALLY AT A TRAFFIC STOP/INTERSECTION. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED AT THE SPORT DURST CHRYSLER JEEP IN DURHAM NC AND IT HAS BEEN DECLARED AS "DRONE MODE WHICH IS UNKNOWN CAUSE OF ISSUE- UN…
Owner-reported narrative. 115 miles reported. Look up ODI 10450605 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10598810 · 2014-06-17 (June 17, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 14V154000 (SERVICE BRAKE , SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10598810 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10515679 · 2013-06-07 (June 7, 2013)
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES MOMENTARY LOSS OF POWER DURING NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIVING. DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVE BOTH AGREE THERE IS A PROBLEM, BUT DO NOT KNOW HOW TO REPAIR AND REFUSE TO DO ANY REPAIRS. THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSES THE LOSS OF POWER. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10515679 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10615990 · 2014-07-24 (July 24, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND THEN IT RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 23,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10615990 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10458147 · 2012-05-11 (May 11, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE FROM THE ROADWAY AND HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK ON THE SEAL OF THE RACK AND PINION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10458147 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10587487 · 2014-05-09 (May 9, 2014)
IT HAPPENED A FEW TIMES BUT THE LAST TIME SHE WAS TURNING AT A LIGHT AND WHEN KEYS SWUNG THE IGNITION SHUT OFF CAUSING HER TO LOSE POWER STEERING AND SHE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE IGNITION IS VERY TOUCHY - JUST BY BARELY TOUCHING THE KEYS IT SHUTS OFF. I AM AFRAID FOR MY DAUGHTER'S SAFETY DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10587487 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10948802 · 2017-02-01 (February 1, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE WAS HESITATING AND FELT THE VEHICLE WAS BEING TUGGED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS MAKING AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHEN THE FUEL TANK WAS BEING OPENED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO CONSUME OVER FIVE DOLLARS WORTH OF FUEL. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIPM MODULE AND THE OCCUPANT RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE V…
Owner-reported narrative. 112,591 miles reported. Look up ODI 10948802 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11047450 · 2017-11-20 (November 20, 2017)
THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS GONE ON AND OFF WHEN DRIVING THEN WENT BACK ON AND HAS STAYED ON. THE CAR WAS MAKING A HUMMING NOISE AND HESITATED ON ACCELERATION. HAD TO REPLACE FUEL PUMP DUE TO BARRING LOSE, REPLACE SPARK PLUGS - COST $787.00
Owner-reported narrative. 69,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11047450 at NHTSA ↗