Problems · by component

2002 Jeep Liberty exterior lighting problems

50 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Jeep Liberty cite exterior lighting, 3% of all 1,807 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 4 recalls on this component.

Complaints
50
3% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the exterior lighting

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I install an after market right side tail light assembly on my Jeep liberty, light is “plug and play” during check out I found the whole light assembly was improperly wired so I sent back to Amazon and ordered another from a different supplier when I received it, it was manufactured by the same company Eagle Eyes auto lamps. The safety issue that were experienced The tail light was on the bright element of the light bulb, the brake light was on the dim side of the same bulb The turn signal was the on the dim side of the bulb showing up not any brighter than a side marker light (very dim) Finally the reverse light was also wired on the dim side of the bulb and does not illuminate what’s behind the vehicle when backing up Both items have a Carparts.com inc label on them I called to talk to their technical department at 866-529-0412 to make them aware of the of the problem, however the customer service representative would not put my call through to the technical team. Both tail light I received acted the same and would have made my jeep dangerous to be on the road, my old tail light works properly just has a cosmetic crack and will be replaced with oem part already ordered”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 13, 2024Exterior lightingODI 11601807
“HEADLIGHTS WILL SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS WILL INTERMITTENTLY SHUT THEMSELVES OFF AND THEN TURN BACK ON APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 15 SECONDS LATER. I HAVE TRIED SWITCHING THE LIGHTS COMPLETELY OFF AND BACK ON TO SEE IF THE HEADLIGHTS BEGAN WORKING BUT THEY DID NOT. I HAVE SEARCHED THE WEB AND THIS SITE AND FOUND MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS WITH NO RESOLUTION OR RECALL. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THERE IS NO WAY TO IMMEDIATELY CORRECT THE ISSUE WHILE DRIVING OR PREDICT WHEN IT WILL OCCUR. THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION WHEN THIS OCCURS. THE LIGHTS WILL COME BACK ON AND STAY ON FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND THEN SHUT BACK OFF AGAIN. SOMETIMES THEY WILL FLASH FROM LOW BEAMS TO HIGH BEAMS AND THEN SHUT OFF WHICH MAKES IT DANGEROUS FOR THE CARS THAT ARE DRIVING TOWARDS ME. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SO FAR AND AT THIS POINT I AM SCARED TO DRIVE AT NIGHT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 3, 2019Exterior lightingODI 11173852
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V046000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE RELATED TO THE AIR BAGS. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE BURNED OUT AND THE WINDOWS FAILED TO CLOSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 27, 2015Exterior lighting, VisibilityODI 10786309
“THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OFF WHILE DRIVING, SO FAR THEY HAVE COME BACK ON WITHIN 5 SECONDS, HOWEVER, THAT IS A LONG TIME WITHOUT LIGHTS. I PURCHASED THE CAR USED ABOUT 5 MONTHS AGO SO I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER IT WAS HAPPENING TO THE PRIOR OWNER. IT HAS HAPPENED 6 TIMES SINCE THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER 2015. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED FOR MY DAUGHTER WHO IS TURNING 16Y/O IN OCTOBER. THE IS DANGEROUS FOR AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER LET ALONE A NEW DRIVER. THIS ISSUE IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET DATING BACK TO AT LEAST 2008. WHY HAS NOTHING BEEN DONE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 11, 2015Exterior lightingODI 10763234
“I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND THE CAR JUST SHUT COMPLETELY OFF AND I WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. ABOUT 10 MINS LATER, IT STARTED BACK UP AGAIN AND DROVE NORMALLY. THIS IS NOT SAFE AT ALL AND IF I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD, I COULD HAVE DIED. I'M SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR NOW AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO GO TO A MECHANIC AND PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. FROM LOOKING ONLINE, THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. SOMEONE CAN REALLY LOSE THEIR LIFE OVER THIS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 19, 2015Electrical system, Exterior lighting, EngineODI 10726249
“WHEN RETURNING HOME FROM WORK ONE EVENING, MY HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED ON AND OFF AND THEN COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. I HEARD A CLICKING SOUND DOWN IN THE DASHBOARD WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN A RELAY. AFTER PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I OPENED MY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND NOTICED MY DOME LIGHT WAS OUT AS WELL. MY DASHBOARD LIGHTS STAYED ON WHILE MY HEADLIGHTS AND DOME LIGHT WAS OFF. THIS SAME INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN 8-10 TIMES. THE FLICKERING OF HEADLIGHTS ANNOYS DRIVERS AHEAD OF ME AND I'M CONCERNED THEY WILL BECOME RAGED, NOT TO MENTION THE DANGER OF THE HEADLIGHTS GOING OFF WHILE DRIVING. I HAD A JEEP DEALERSHIP INVESTIGATE AND PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND NOTHING SURFACED. I HAD THEM REPLACE THE LOW BEAM RELAY SINCE I HAD READ SEVERAL REPORTS OF THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THE WEB AND SOME GUESSED IT MAY BE THE RELAY. WELL, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT RESOLVED AFTER REPLACING THE LOW BEAM RELAY AS THE HEADLIGHTS ARE STILL GOING OFF. NHTSA, PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 19, 2015Exterior lightingODI 10695377

Showing 6 of 50 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

4 recalls on this component

Exterior lighting

Free remedy

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Exterior lightingReported Apr 7, 2009NHTSA 09E012000

Exterior lighting

Free remedy

CERTAIN AJ MOTORSPORT COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

Exterior lightingReported Jul 17, 2006NHTSA 06E065000

Exterior lighting

Free remedy

CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

Exterior lightingReported May 24, 2006NHTSA 06E049000

Exterior lighting

Free remedy

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

Exterior lightingReported Mar 23, 2006NHTSA 06E026000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.