2012 Jeep Liberty Problems, Recalls & Reliability
552 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Jeep Liberty, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 6 defect investigations. It scores 23/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 45,567 miles.
Typical
Where 2012 sits among all Liberty years
What owners report
“Started the jeep one morning and the airbag light came on and has been on ever since.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Liberty
“The vehicles doors lock and unlock while the car is in motion. The lights have gone out while moving down the road. The wipers will intermittently go on and off . The lights on the dash and radio will dim while driving. The car shifts multiple times while moving.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Liberty
“Faulty tipm, front window washer not functioning, keyless entry issues, engine starting issues, etc.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Liberty
“Something with the starter and something with the back latch can't lock vechicle up do to the alarm will go off”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Liberty
“Transmission burnt out after only 128,000 miles. Got code 0869 and took to two auto shop and both saw d transmission needed replaced.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Liberty
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 414 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 50,361 miles. Half of those reports fall between 36,000 and 82,164 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2012 Jeep Liberty and 2012-2013 Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger vehicles. A component within the occupant restraint controller (ORC) may fail and prevent the active headrests from deploying in the event of a rear-end…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ORC as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 4, 2017. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's…
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Sebring and 200 vehicles manufactured June 28, 2011, through December 13, 2012; model year 2011-2013 Dodge Avenger vehicles manufactured June 25, 2011, through January 14, 2013; model year 2011-2012 Dodge…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will flash the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) or replace the occupant restraint control module, as needed, free of charge. The recall began on…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…
Led to recall campaign 20V024.
Led to recall campaign 17V640000.
Technical service bulletins
110 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and body & structure — are on file for the 2012 Jeep Liberty. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2012 Liberty TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2012 Jeep Liberty reliable?
The 2012 Jeep Liberty drew 552 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 23/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).
What are the most common 2012 Jeep Liberty problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Jeep Liberty are airbags (169 complaints), electrical (137), and engine (51).
At what mileage do 2012 Jeep Liberty problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Jeep Liberty problems around 50,361 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 36,000 and 82,164 miles.
Does the 2012 Jeep Liberty have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 Jeep Liberty. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.