Which year to buy
Bar height: serious owner complaints to NHTSA for that year per car on the road, against this model's usual year.
2012GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.9× usual Extended coverage
301 serious complaints of 385, the most about air bags (169) and engine (44); per car on the road, 0.9× this model's usual year. 2 recalls. NHTSA investigation EA19001: electrical overstress. NHTSA investigation EA21002: desiccated air bag inflator rupture.
What owners report
“Tlthe contact owns a 2012 jeep liberty. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated. The recall notice for nhtsa campaign number: 13v282000 (air bags , electrical system) was received in october of 2014.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the air bags, Feb 2015
“The contact owns a 2012 jeep liberty. The contact stated while her daughter was driving about 30 mph the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the totally integrated power module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the engine, Feb 2020
Fixes and extended coverage
- Extended coverage Customers may comment on the following:The AHR is deployed on one or both front seats and will not reset. (23-028-20, Nov 2020)
From the manufacturer's bulletins filed with NHTSA. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.
385 owner complaints · 2 recalls (check a car's VIN for open recalls) · EPA combined: 17–18 mpg · NHTSA: 3 of 5 stars · 2012 trims and features
Every Liberty year's verdict →
Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. Cars on the road from New York State registrations. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.
Trims and features
Engines: 3.7L 6-cyl · Drive: 4WD, RWD
2012 Liberty trims
| Jet | Limited | Renegade | Sport |
|---|
base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Jeep reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Jeep aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Most-reported problem | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 3.7L 6-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 17–18 mpg | 3 of 5 | 2 | 385 | Air bags (169) | — |
| 2011 | 3.7L 6-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 17–18 mpg | Not rated | 3 | 181 | Electrical system (42) | — |
| 2010 | 3.7L 6-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 17–18 mpg | Not rated | 2 | 197 | Electrical system (41) | — |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Jeep Liberty SUV 4WD | 3 | No | No | 2 | 385 |
| 2012 | Jeep Liberty SUV 2WD | 3 | No | No | 2 | 385 |
| 2011 | Jeep Liberty SUV 4WD | Not Rated | No | No | 3 | 181 |
| 2011 | Jeep Liberty SUV RWD | Not Rated | No | No | 3 | 181 |
| 2010 | Jeep Liberty 4-DR. w/SAB | Not Rated | No | No | 2 | 197 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Liberty 2WD | Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.7 L | 18 |
| 2012 | Liberty 4WD | Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.7 L | 17 |
| 2011 | Liberty 2WD | Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.7 L | 18 |
| 2011 | Liberty 4WD | Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.7 L | 17 |
| 2010 | Liberty 2WD | Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.7 L | 18 |
| 2010 | Liberty 4WD | Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.7 L | 17 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.