Showing the 2008 Liberty Limited Edition. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
17–19 mpgcombined; city 15–16, highway 21–22; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$17,100–$19,110U.S. average; Ohio $15,280–$17,070 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2008 Liberty. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 541 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Liberty. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Electrical system
124
3
1
7
Fuel system, gasoline
95
0
0
1
Structure
85
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
61
0
1
0
Unknown or other
54
1
1
1
Visibility
47
0
0
0
Air bags
43
6
0
11
Visibility/wiper
41
0
1
0
Engine
31
0
2
0
Power train
30
3
1
2
Exterior lighting
22
0
0
0
Suspension
20
0
1
0
17 more parts
Service brakes
18
1
1
0
Vehicle speed control
16
1
0
3
Electronic stability control (ESC)
12
1
0
1
Steering
12
1
0
1
Engine and engine cooling
10
1
0
0
Tires
8
0
0
0
Seats
6
0
1
1
Wheels
6
0
0
0
Seat belts
4
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
4
0
0
3
Equipment
2
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
2
0
0
0
Parking brake
2
0
0
0
Back over prevention
1
1
0
0
Equipment adaptive/mobility
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, other
1
0
0
0
Interior lighting
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2008 Liberty over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Dodge Nitro 4X2 vehicles manufactured March 21, 2006, through March 1, 2008; and 2008 Jeep Liberty 4X2 vehicles manufactured February 15, 2007, through March 1, 2008. The transfer case heat shield may drop down and rub on the drive shaft, weakening it and potentially causing the drive shaft to break.
Risk: If the drive shaft breaks, a section of it can strike the transfer case tunnel with enough force that the airbag computer will believe the vehicle is in a crash and thus deploy the airbags. Additionally, the drive shaft failure will result in a loss of motive power. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will add a bracket to support the rear of the heat shield, free of charge. An interim letter was mailed to owners on May 29, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N10.
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 JEEP LIBERTY VEHICLES. THE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTORS THAT CONTAIN EXCESS ADHESIVE THAT MAY ALLOW FOR WATER INTRUSION, WHICH COULD RESULT IN INTERMITTENT AND EVENTUALLY INOPERATIVE WINDSHIELD WIPER OPERATION.
Risk: A FAILING OR INOPERATIVE WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM WILL REDUCE A DRIVER'S VISIBILITY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 1, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING 3,663 MY 2007-2008 DODGE NITRO AND MY 2008 JEEP LIBERTY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. THE PARK BRAKE LEVER CLUTCH DRUM MAY DISTORT AND REDUCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PARK BRAKE SYSTEM.
Risk: THIS COULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO MOVE INADVERTENTLY AND CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PARK BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 27, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING 494 MY 2008 JEEP LIBERTY VEHICLES. THE WINDSHIELD AND/OR FIXED REAR QUARTER GLASS MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED USING INCORRECT URETHANE ADHESIVE. THIS COULD AFFECT GLASS RETENTION.
Risk: IF THE GLASS SEPARATES WHILE DRIVING, IT COULD STRIKE ANOTHER VEHICLE OR INJURE A PEDESTRIAN.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD AND/OR FIXED REAR QUARTER GLASS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 13, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 49 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2008 Liberty, the latest on Sep 18, 2025. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (15), electrical system (9), engine and engine cooling (9), power train (9), structure (9).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Defect petition DP14004 Totally Integrated Power Module Failure · covers 4 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2008 Liberty.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: sport utility vehicle. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Liberty Rear-Wheel Drive
3.7 L, 6 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
16 / 22 / 19
Liberty Rear-Wheel Drive
3.7 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 4-spd
Regular Gasoline
16 / 22 / 18
Liberty 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
3.7 L, 6 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
16 / 22 / 18
Liberty 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
3.7 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 4-spd
Regular Gasoline
15 / 21 / 17
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data