2002 Jeep Liberty Overview, Reviews, Ratings & Specs

2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002
Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
16 -19 City / 20 -23 HWY
Source FuelEconomy.gov
Horsepower
150 -210
Seats
5
Front angle view.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Kelli B
Jeep liberty is roomy, yet drives like a car.
I love my jeep liberty! It is so roomy that I have moved across the country in it, twice, yet it turns and parks on a dime. Has great acceleration, comfortable seats, lots of features, and has never let me down. I love that the back seats drop down easily for space. It is been my favorite car!
accountCircle Sarah D
Dependable weather friendly.
In the winter this car is a life save. Very good on snow and ice never have to worry about a different car for winter. Also very good going uphill. Heats up very fast although my driver seat window is now stuck I still love my car. Do not plan on buying another car anytime soon. Very reliable.
accountCircle Connie S
Liberty, a great little SUV.
Only under the hood problem I can think I had was the check engine light itself. Kept up with maintenance cannot think of any extra issues. Jeep people finally fixed the window issue so that is good now. Took some getting use to the seats as they seem short. Really love the hooks in the back, use them to keep groceries and other items in place. Has good pickup for mountain driving and passing. Would like the back seat to lay down flatter.
accountCircle Jessica A
The steering is very tight when you turn and the brakes are very touchy.
I love driving this car, the seat is very high up which I like. The only problems I have had is with the window motor, it went out and I had to replace it.
accountCircle Candy A
It is comfortable when driving.
It is decent size for a small family. It is fun to drive when traveling. It is safe to drive anywhere.
accountCircle Shirley K
Jeeps. Why you will not ever go back!
My Jeep liberty sport was used from a buy here pay here place. I haven't had any problems with this car at all. Yes things have needed to be replaced but it was up-keep. My Jeep has over 150,000 miles and it is still such a reliable car. I love the fact that I am so high up off the ground. Now I feel like if I get into something like a Camry, I can barely see over the window.
accountCircle Dixie V
Jeeps are wonderful vehicle.
Haven't had any problems except rear motor window went out and the rear sticks. Owned it for 10 years change oil once a year and spark plugs. Other than that been a very good vehicle. Driving is easy can see everything around you. Never have had problems starting in the winter.
accountCircle Carol W
Great acceleration - zero to 60 in under 5 seconds. Comfortable ride
I like the power and acceleration. I like the performance and gas mileage. I would like more room in the floor area on the driver side. I would like less body rust.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Bri N
It is expensive on gas , it needs a lot of care and TLC. It holds a lot of room which is a plus
It is always breaking, poorly made, and it is not crash proof.
accountCircle Haley H
The car itself not reliable.
The car falls apart after 100, 000 miles. I have had to replace almost everything except the engine on the car. I had to replace the front axle and steering wheel console. Recently my car has started flooding constantly due to the ac line being clogged. The liberty's are known for having that back windows stop working, the motor has died on both sides. Once the glass in the back window fell into the door and shattered. I would not recommend this car to my worst enemy.
accountCircle Latoya G
If you are a Jeep lover and you like small trucks this will be the perfect vehicle for you Jeep Liberty.
If you like a small truck it's wonderful for you. I actually want a truck a little bigger than that one. If you like Jeeps it's a reliable truck. If you know anything about Jeeps this'll be the perfect car for you.
accountCircle Windy D
It's a small vehicle in which fits in many places
Uses to much gasoline for such a small vehicle.And the electrical system continue to breakdown also the transmission
accountCircle Tammy H
Don't buy them the ball joints go bad quickly.
This model Jeep has problems with the front end. I have replaced ball joints in mine 3 or _ times since I have owned it and everyone I talk to has the same problems. The vehicle is nice other than those issues.
accountCircle Cameron C
Not the best purchase I have made.
Lots of engine problems for a 02 liberty. I have had to replace the engine already, the battery multiple times, and having to continuously spend money on something else that would break or start to affect the way my Jeep runs. Although it is comfortable it is not quite the most reliable vehicle for owning.
accountCircle Missy M
Avoid The 2002 Liberty: It's The Biggest Lemon on the Tree
I bought it used in 2015, so that has a lot to do with it. A month after purchasing, everything started to fall apart. I've had multiple O2 sensors replaced, it has perpetual fuel problems, the check engine light comes on every other week, the radiator has been replaced twice, the entire heating system, the oil leaks, the trans fluid leaks, the 4x4 doesn't work, exhaust smokes, I need new tires every 2 yrs even though I only drive it a few miles a day, now the body control module is dead. I've only put maybe 6,000 miles on it in the past 4 years and that's being generous. Bad year for the Liberty.
accountCircle Dana W
It gets me to and from the destinations I need to be at.
I like it because it is a jeep. It runs well but easily screws up. Minor issues add up and become a hassle.

Jeep Liberty Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
Sport
150-210 HP 18-20 MPG 5 Seats
car
Limited
210 HP 18-18 MPG 5 Seats
car
Renegade
210 HP 18-21 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2002 Jeep Liberty Owner Reviews

4.11
159 Reviews
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5 stars 44%
4 stars 31%
3 stars 19%
2 stars 4%
1 star 2%
accountCircle Brian on August 2, 2021
Solid Jeep = Fan For Lyfe
I have only had the Jeep for a few months. I bought it with 139k miles on the clock. Once I got it home, I changed the fluids, replaced the prop shocks under the hood and on the rear window. I also replaced the torn and faded spare tire cover. I had to replace the tires too as the old Toyo All-Terrains were too big and worn out. It got 11 mpg my first trip to the gas station before things were replaced. Now, nearly 3 months later, I am averaging nearly 17 mpg combined. The highest I've gotten is 22 mpg highway and I usually pull 15-16 mpg in town. Most of my driving is in town. The new tires have helped quiet the vehicle on the roads while also helping to smooth out the bumps. I replaced the Jeep stereo and speakers with a JVC head unit that has bluetooth and Alpine speakers. Now, I can stream Sirius, Spotify, iTunes, whatever thru the car stereo. My dog loves this Jeep as does my wife and I. It is cheap to fix, the transmission shifts smoothly, the engine has plenty of torque for city driving and holds hills pretty well here in Utah. Overall, this is a great Jeep. I highly recommend one.
accountCircle Billy lenihan on April 12, 2021
Regular maintenance
I have 600 thousand still in excellent shape works great
View All Reviews (159) chevronRightAlternative

Ranks #5 Compact SUV by Owners

The 2002 Jeep Liberty has an average owner rating of 4.11 out of 5 which ranks it #5 of 13 other Compact SUVs.

1
car
2002 Audi allroad
5
2
car
2002 Subaru Forester
4.46
5
car
2002 Jeep Liberty
4.14

Ranks #7 Compact SUV by Fuel Economy

The 2002 Jeep Liberty has a combined MPG of 23 which ranks it #7 of 13 other Compact SUVs.

1
car
2002 Toyota RAV4
31 MPG
2
car
2002 Subaru Forester
27 MPG
7
Tie
car
2002 Jeep Liberty
20 MPG

Is The 2002 Jeep Liberty A Good Car?

Yes it has had some repairs but is still good, it handles minor floods very well, and is great in winter snows, it's not great on highway travel BC it gets blown around by wind
Amanda R.
It is a very good vehicle that is maintained well ... it's got a lot of miles but still runs like it is a year old ...
Tom A.
My husband loves it and so far it has been very reliable. It drives well and even as old as it is everything still works. Get about 18 mpg highway.
Kaitlyn M.
For the most part, I like my Jeep. I think it has some nice features. The sunroof is nice, heated seats are wonderful in the winter and I like that I can control the volume and channel of the radio... Read More
Becky G.
Yes. It is safe and reliable. Just wish it was better on gas. It hasn't had a lot of bad repairs either so that’s great. But the dashboard doesn't work in it which is a little terrifying but you... Read More
Tamara B.

How Reliable Is The 2002 Jeep Liberty?

It has had recalls to install a trailer hitch BC there is possibility of rear end collisions causing gas tank explosions, it also has an airbag light that won't go off
Caroline W.
It's very reliable and doesn't have any problems long as you catch it on time... Only had to change breaks 2 times since I have gotten it... original motor and trans
Lauren N.
Very reliable keeps running well. The tires are the only thing we have to do and oil changes as regular maintenance. Have replaced the wiper blades but that also is routine repairs.
Greg B.
I've had a good deal of electrical issues out of my Jeep Liberty and have had to replace everything under the hood. The AC and heat quit working nearly yearly which has been troublesome with small... Read More
Kiara V.
It’s very reliable. Thankful I don't have to travel very far but it is great. And yes the dashboard ie gas tank, how fast you're going, heat, rpm doesn't work. It just stays all flatline which I guess... Read More
April M.

Is The 2002 Jeep Liberty A Good Value?

Yes I paid 5000 for it used and had it for 7 years, it is a good value but be sure to not let it overheat BC it will kill the engine for good, always check the oil and water levels, I had major... Read More
Marina P.
Bought jeep used from car dealer. Believe we haVe little over 3000.00 for it. We feel it was a good value as gets fairly good mpg even though its full size.
Anne T.
I gave about $5,000 for my Jeep Liberty used. I think it was a fair price for it at the time. I don't know that in 2019 I would pay that much unless it had amazingly low mileage.
Rhonda L.
My boyfriend bought it for 3000 and it had I believe 160k miles on it which isn't terrible but I feel like he could have got it cheaper.
Catherine A.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the 2002 Jeep Liberty coolant type?

Answer: The 5 year/100,000-mile formula Mopar Antifreeze/Coolant with HOAT (Hybrid Organic Additive Technology) is the only coolant recommended to be used in the 2002 Jeep Liberty. It's best to run A50% concentration,...

What's the 2002 Jeep Liberty blend door actuator location?

Answer: A clicking noise from behind the dash of a 2002 Jeep Liberty may indicate a problem with the car's climate control system and signal actuator or heating module failures. Most commonly, clicking noises are...

What's the 2002 Jeep Liberty biggest tire size?

Answer: The 2002 Jeep Liberty is able to fit a max tire size of 245 70R16. Larger tires might fit on the wheel, but wheel lead to sub-optimal and potentially dangerous driving conditions. There will most likely be...

What's the 2002 Jeep Liberty asd relay location?

Answer: The ASD relay in the 2002 Jeep Liberty is responsible for supplying 12 volts of power to the fuel injectors and ignition coils so they can provide fuel and spark and ultimately fire the engine. It's also powers...

What is the 2002 Jeep Liberty speedometer fuse location?

Answer: The 2002 Jeep Liberty speedometer fuse can be found in the fuse panel that is under the driver's side of the dash. This controls all the gauges in the dash so if they are all not working that is the most likely...
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Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Not Rated

Roof Strength

Not Rated

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety