NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Engineering Analysis EA11-013: Rear Suspension Control Arm Failure

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA11-013 on September 15, 2011, the day it closed Preliminary Evaluation PE11-013, whose summary cites it, and closed it on March 14, 2012. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2004–2005 Jeep Liberty for it and links recall 12V-085 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: EA11-013 (also written EA11013)
Investigation type: Engineering Analysis A more detailed stage of a defect investigation, opened when NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation decides an issue merits further review, often after a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query; it can include vehicle testing, surveys and further information requests.
Status: Closed March 14, 2012
Opened: September 15, 2011
Closed: March 14, 2012
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Components: Suspension; Suspension — Rear
Recall linked by NHTSA: 12V-085: REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM FRACTURE, reported March 5, 2012
Vehicles and equipment: 2004–2005 Jeep Liberty

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA11-013.

In a letter dated March 2, 2012 Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) submitted a Defect Information Report (NHTSA recall No. 12V-085) to the NHTSA identifying a safety defect regarding rear suspension lower control arm corrosion in approximately 210,000 model year (MY) 2004 and 2005 Jeep Liberty vehicles, originally sold or currently registered in a Salt-belt state (Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia).

According to Chrysler, excessive corrosion could result in fracture of a rear suspension lower control arm which may result in a loss vehicle control.

In analysis of both Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) data submitted to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) and consumer complaint data submitted to Chrysler, ODI identified 54 non-duplicative reports alleging failure of one or both rear lower control arms due to excessive corrosion.

Thirteen of these complaints allege that the failure resulted in some loss of vehicle control.

For purposes of this analysis, loss of control events involve alleged complete or partial departure from the intended lane of travel.

An additional 11 complaints reported difficulty maintaining control of the vehicle when the rear lower control arm failed.

All of the complainant vehicles were either originally sold or registered at the time of the incident in a Salt-belt state.

ODI did not identify any reports (complaints or warranty claims) related to rear lower control failure due to excessive corrosion in the approximately 138,000 MY 2004 and 2005 Liberty vehicles that are not included in this recall (i.e., not sold or currently registered in a Salt-belt state).

In Chrysler?s Defect Information Report, Chrysler stated that during the investigation a field survey of MY 2004 and 2005 Jeep Liberty vehicles was conducted.

In total, Chrysler is aware of 83 incidents alleging rear control arm fracture (including complaints and field study results).

Based on Chrysler?s decision to conduct a safety recall this investigation is closed. The associated VOQs are: 10449912, 10448981, 10448406, 10448119, 10447069,10446737, 10445029, 10443863, 10443222, 10441248, 10438681, 10437308, 10436416, 10436231, 10436024, 10434927, 10434157, 10433963, 10430852, 10429346, 10428006, 10427087, 10426644, 10426393, 10419094, 10417697, 10416623, 10410148, 10409668, 10402048, 10397413, 10392160, 10388448, 10365118, 10360057, 10360049, 10345985

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA11-013. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.

Jeep

Jeep Liberty
- 2004, 2005

All Jeep recalls

What an NHTSA investigation is

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.

An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Jeep VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for EA11-013

Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.