What's Wrong with the 2nd Generation (2008–2012) Liberty?

Liberty owners have made 393 complaints about the 2008–2012 model years. Using our PainRank™ system we've ranked it 15th out of 18 Jeep generations in overall reliability, with real electrical and windows concerns.

Compare With Other Liberty Generations

Common 2008-2012 Jeep Liberty Problems

Some of the worst issues 2nd generation Liberty owners have to deal with.

  2. Interior Water Leaks

    Jeeps are supposed to represent durability, off-road capability and great all-weather handling. Unfortunately for thousands of Jeep Compass and Patriot owners, they're afraid to drive their cars in the rain due to numerous reports of leaks …

    Continue reading article "Interior Water Leaks" A waterfall pouring in through the overhead light

  3. AHR Deploys

    The active head restraints in some Jeep vehicles are handing out free concussions. A mechanical breakdown inside the restraint means they could deploy randomly at any time.

    Continue reading article "AHR Deploys" A Jeep head restraint

  4. Jeep TIPM Electrical Problems

    If you've heard of a TIPM, chances are you own a vehicle from Fiat-Chrysler (FCA). Think of it like a command center for all the electrical functions of your car, and in FCA's case a very, very disfunctional one.

    Continue reading article "Jeep TIPM Electrical Problems" A TIPM pulled apart to show complicated electronics

  5. Wrangler Gas Overflow Complaints

    Jeep owners are up in gasoline-covered arms about how fuel overflows from their tank during the refueling process. The fuel system does not seem to respond to the shut-off mechanism, which means gas spills out onto the ground, the car and e…

    Continue reading article "Wrangler Gas Overflow Complaints" Fuel spraying out during a fill-up

What Owners Complain About

Sometimes it helps just to tally up the complaints and see where the biggest stacks are. Use this information to learn about troublespots or to run for the hills.

Worst Issues

What Breaks the Most

Years to Avoid

2nd Generation (2008–2012) Liberty Key Numbers

  1. 5 model years

    Grouping all models by their year can reveal some baddies.

  2. 393 complaints

    Running tally of owner grievances filed to CarComplaints.com.

  3. 15th in reliability

    Overall reliability rank out of 18 eligible generations.

Recent 2nd Generation (2008–2012) Liberty News

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters. We try to boil down it to the most important bits about things that actually help you with your car problem. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. Fiat-Chrysler (FCA) is recalling 470,000 cars with active head restraints after an internal investigation revealed there were problems with the occupant restraint control modules that can degrade.

    The investigation came after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) inquired about AHR complaints in the 2012 Jeep Liberty SUVs and 2012-2013 Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger cars.

    The Liberty was involved in another AHR recall back in 2013.

    keep reading article "2012 Liberty’s Active Head Restraint Recalled"

What Liberty Owners Say About This Generation

Ridiculous Water Leaks through the Dome Light

Bought the Jeep used and in beautiful condition, except for some stains on the inside of the ceiling by both front windows. Dealer said original owners probably left windows open ... Sure enough there was water coming through during the first rain. The dealer replaced the seal on sun roof and cleaned the drains. It helped only on the drivers side. The leak still exists and now is coming through the panel on roof in between the visors!

2008 Libery Owner in CT