AT APPROXIMATELY 0520 A.M. ON JANUARY 23, 2012 I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON WEST VIRGINIA ROUTE 26 JUST OUTSIDE OF KINGWOOD, WEST VIRGINIA ON MY WAY TO WORK. I WAS DESCENDING A HILL AROUND SEVERAL SHARP TURNS AT A RATE OF SPEED APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ON DRY BUMPY PAVEMENT. WITHOUT WARNING I FELT A VIBRATION WHICH SEEMED TO ORIGINATE IN THE REAR OF MY 2005 JEEP LIBERTY. SEVERAL SECONDS LATER A HARD THUMP WAS FELT UNDERNEATH THE FLOOR BOARDS ACCOMPANIED BY A METAL SCRAPING NOISE. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN APPLYING THE BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR TO INVESTIGATE BUT BEFORE I COULD BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE HALT THE REAR OF THE CAR BEGAN TO COME AROUND TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE SUV FROM THE RIGHT. ONCE I GOT THE CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED I PUT IT INTO PARK, APPLIED MY EMERGENCY BRAKE, TURNED ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS AND THEN GOT OUT TO INVESTIGATE THE SITUATION. AS I EXAMINED THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE I NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT ALMOST TOUCHING THE BACK OF THE WHEEL WELL. I THEN SHINED MY FLASHLIGHT UNDERNEATH OF THE CAR AND SAW THE FRONT END OF THE DRIVE SHAFT LYING ON THE STREET. I COASTED MY CAR INTO A NEARBY DRIVEWAY TO GET IT OFF OF THE STREET. I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST JEEP DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. DIAGNOSIS: RIGHT HAND REAR CONTROL ARM FAILURE DUE TO EXCESSIVE EROSION/RUSTING. I HAD THE FAILED PART REPLACED AND AS A PRECAUTION I HAD THE LEFT HAND CONTROL ARM REPLACED AS WELL. BOTH OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. I PURCHASED MY JEEP NEW IN WISCONSIN IN 2005 AND I MOVED TO WEST VIRGINIA IN 2010. *TR
2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT CALLED CONCERNING RECALL NOTICE # 06V288000 REGARDING THE LOWER BALL JOINT. THE DEALER STATED THAT REPAIR WORK COULD START NO EARLIER THAN 4-6 MONTHS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 18000.*AK
