Faulty airbags prompt Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee recall
A Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee recall has been announced for a faulty airbag module in the 2002 through 2004 model years. Image from Wikimedia Commons.
A recall of almost 920,000 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Liberty SUVs has been announced, for the 2002 through 2004 model years. The Liberty and Grand Cherokee recall is due to a faulty airbag control module, which could cause them to inadvertently inflate while being driven.
Liberty, Grand Cherokee recall affects almost 745,000 SUVs in U.S.
A defect in the airbag control module on older Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee has resulted in Chrysler announcing a recall for those models, according to Reuters. The Liberty and Grand Cherokee recall affects 919,545 vehicles in total. Of those, there are 744,822 in the United States alone. A further 49,430 in Canada, another 21,828 are located in Mexico and there are an additional 103,465 Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee vehicles in various countries that are affected as well.
The recall affects only the 2002 through 2004 model years for both vehicles, though the recall specifically affects the 2002 and 2003 Jeep Liberty, according to the Wall Street Journal, and the 2002 through 2004 model year Grand Cherokee.
Chrysler, according to Reuters, says the mix is about half-and-half Liberty and Grand Cherokee vehicles.
Faulty module
The issue in the Liberty and Grand Cherokee recall is with a faulty airbag control module. The module can cause the airbag to deploy inadvertently, at any moment while the car is in operation. Naturally, that does make it a bit of a danger.
The defect was first investigated when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched a preliminary investigation in Oct. 2011, after receiving complaints of random airbag deployment in Liberty SUVs. In Jan. 2012, it was upgraded to an engineering analysis, a more in-depth investigation and often the final step before a recall, and was augmented to include the Grand Cherokee.
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The NHTSA, according to Businessweek, pinpointed an electrical stress in one of the circuits in the control module. They also found that the seat belt pretensioner, which clamps down the belt in a crash, engaged during the events. All told, the NHTSA found 215 incidents, which resulted in 81 minor injuries but no crashes.
Fix is free
Affected Liberty vehicles were made between June 6, 2001 and March 19, 2003 and affected Grand Cherokee vehicles were made between Aug. 1, 2001 and May 16, 2003. Owners should check the VIN panel in the driver side door sill and check the manufacture date.
Naturally, the fix in the Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee recall is free. All owners have to do is take their vehicle to a dealer, say a dealer of Dodge Chrysler Jeep in Springfield, Pa., or wherever, and technicians will install an electric filter free of charge that will fix the issue. Owners will be notified beginning in January.
A tell-tale sign is if the dashboard warning lights come on for no apparent reason. Any owners of vehicles affected by the recall should keep an eye out, especially for the airbag warning light.