The Jeep Liberty succeeded one of America’s original compact SUVs, the Cherokee. True to the Jeep lineage, the Liberty proved itself worthy especially in matters off-road, thanks to exceptional suspension travel and articulation. While the Liberty was acclaimed for these, there were also loud cries about its lackluster performance in terms of the interior refinement and fuel economy. With the second generation of the Liberty being produced between 2008 and 2012, some of the first generation’s errors were rectified. Still, there were some things that appeared to have escaped the eyes of the engineers. One such is the airbag functionality.
It has been reported that the U.S government is undertaking investigations to get to the bottom of reports that air bag control computers in some Jeep Liberty SUVs can fail in the event of an accident, thus hindering the deployment of airbags and consequently leading to injuries. This investigation will cover 105,000 vehicles of the 2012 Liberty model.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
In documents posted on 5th June, 2017, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that it had received 44 complaints regarding the failure of the computer that controls the airbags, through detecting crashing and deploying the airbags when necessary. There were no reported injuries associated with these 44 complaints.
Responding to this reports, Jeep’s manufacturer, Fiat Chrysler said that they were cooperating with these investigations. They further added that the only safety device that is affected is a head rest that is supposed to move to prevent injuries in the event of a crash.
Software Failure
In the instances of failure of the computer, some drivers opted to have the computer replaced. It was reported that this replacement cost between $375 and $500, a cost that the drivers felt should be covered by the manufacturer seeing that it is a safety issue.
Model Complaints
NHTSA noted that the complaints in the models manufactured before 2012 were less frequent as compared to models manufactured in 2012. 2012 was the last year of production of the Jeep Liberty. The government is now expected to investigate and report on the frequency of the problem and the potential consequences of the same. It will thereafter determine if there is need for a recall. If it is determined that the cases are few and far between with no cause for alarm, the Jeep Liberty will continue to circulate unhindered.
Car Recall
While car recalls are not something that car manufacturers look forward to, they do happen. When they do, the manufacturer usually contacts the car buyers through various means, including through local car dealers that they have partnered with. Depending on the gravity of the safety issue that caused the recall, the manufacturer has several remedial steps that they can undertake. Usually, repairs and replacements are offered for free and the vehicle is thereafter reinstated to the owner.
If your car is affected by a recall, you should expect a recall letter containing:
- A description of the defect that caused the recall
- The risk posed by the problem, including possible injuries that can be caused by ignoring remediation
- Potential warning signs
- How the manufacturer plans to fix the problem (including when the repair will be available and how long it’ll take)
- Instructions regarding what you should do next