The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has received seven complaints of front airbags deploying without a crash in 2002 and 2003 Jeep Liberty vehicles. Of the seven complaints, five reported injuries. A preliminary evaluation has been opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

The reported complaints include four owners alleging that the front driver airbags deployed without a crash, and three alleging that both the front driver and passenger airbags suddenly deployed without a crash.

Six of the seven owners said that at the time of the airbag malfunction the car was being driven on a residential road. Three alleged that they were traveling on a highway at speeds of 45 mph or greater when the airbag or airbags deployed unexpectedly.

Some owners noted that the airbag light had been illuminated, or had intermittently illuminated before the unexpected deployment.

The Office of Defects Investigation also received 32 early warning field reports involving 10 incidents of injury incidents. The field reports indicated that inspections of the vehicles did not reveal any evidence of exterior vehicle impacts or damage that could have reasonably caused the airbags to deploy.

Defect Investigations Results [NHTSA]