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1997 Jeep Wrangler

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Jeep Wrangler do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 265.

About this comparison →
401Owner complaints

Model-year median: 265

3Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
151
1994202
19952
1996401
1997265
1998213
1999251
2000
Compare all Wrangler years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
109Power Train
53Air Bags
46Fuel System, Gasoline
39Seat Belts
35
All reported categories
Steering
31Structure
29Suspension
27Service Brakes, Hydraulic
22Visibility
21Fuel System, Other
17Unknown Or Other
15Electrical System
14Latches/locks/linkages
9Vehicle Speed Control
9Tires
6Exterior Lighting
5Seats
5Equipment
4Fuel/propulsion System
4Wheels
4Engine
2Service Brakes
2Service Brakes, Air
2Electronic Stability Control (esc)
1Parking Brake
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 71 of 401 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 109 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

32 crash reports5 fire reports19 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

14 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Apr 2, 1999
Air BagsElectrical System

AT 9773 MILES AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND ALL GAUGES INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER SHOWED ZERO. WHEN VEHICLE HITS BUMP WHILE DRIVING, GAGUES COME BACK ONLY TO EVENTUALLY READ ZERO AGAIN. ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE JULY 1998 AND DEALER CANNOT FIX PROBLEM. BEEN TO DEALER 8 TIMES SINCE INITIAL PROBLEM, AND STILL HAVE SAME PROBLEM …

Read full complaint

AT 9773 MILES AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND ALL GAUGES INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER SHOWED ZERO. WHEN VEHICLE HITS BUMP WHILE DRIVING, GAGUES COME BACK ONLY TO EVENTUALLY READ ZERO AGAIN. ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE JULY 1998 AND DEALER CANNOT FIX PROBLEM. BEEN TO DEALER 8 TIMES SINCE INITIAL PROBLEM, AND STILL HAVE SAME PROBLEM AS OF APRIL 1999. NEED SOME ASSISTANCE FOR THIS PROBLEM SINCE DEALER IS NO HELP AT ALL. EVERYTIME THEY FIX PROBLEM, HAPPENS A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #705213

Mileage unknown · Feb 15, 1999
Electrical SystemPower Train

INSTRUMENT PANEL: ALL INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES ARE DRIVEN BY A MICROPROCESSOR, SUCH THAT IT TELLS THE PANEL WHAT THE GAUGES SHOULD READ. WHEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CPU FAILS, ALL GAUGES; FUEL/TEMP/OIL/VOLT AND TACHOMETER, SPEEDOMETER AN D ODOMETER) FAIL SIMULTANEOUSLY. THIS IS DISCONCERTING AT BEST, HIGHLY DANGEROUS (SAY IF ONE WE…

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INSTRUMENT PANEL: ALL INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES ARE DRIVEN BY A MICROPROCESSOR, SUCH THAT IT TELLS THE PANEL WHAT THE GAUGES SHOULD READ. WHEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CPU FAILS, ALL GAUGES; FUEL/TEMP/OIL/VOLT AND TACHOMETER, SPEEDOMETER AN D ODOMETER) FAIL SIMULTANEOUSLY. THIS IS DISCONCERTING AT BEST, HIGHLY DANGEROUS (SAY IF ONE WERE ON A FREEWAY) AT WORST. ALSO, TRANSMISSION: THE 5-SPEED TRANSMISSION USED WITH THE 4.0L HAS MAJOR PROBLEMS SHIFTING INTO SECOND WHEN COLD. JEEP'S ANSWER FOR YEARS HAS BEEN "THEY ALL DO THAT" YET THEY HAVE CONTINUED TO USE THE SAME TRANSMISSION AND HAVE NO FIXED FOR THE PROBLEM TO THIS DATE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #703320

Mileage unknown · Sep 21, 1998
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingSteering

FAULTY STEERING COLUMN.

NHTSA ODI #540927

Mileage unknown · Apr 17, 1998
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, HydraulicInjury

COMPUTER/FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND ENGINE OIL FILTER FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #534586

Official recalls

3

98V046000 · Air Bags:frontal

Mar 10, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG 'CLOCK SPRING' WIRING HARNESS CAN BREAK WHEN TURNED TO THE 'FULL LOCK' TURN POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY INCREASING THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CLOCK SPRING IN THESE AIR BAGS.

97V080000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

May 16, 1997

THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT DESIGN ALLOWS THE POTENTIAL FOR AN INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT UPON VEHICLE IGNITION SHUT DOWN.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED MODULE.

96V060000 · Air Bags

Apr 8, 1996

THE AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (AECM) SOFTWARE CONTAINS AN ERROR WHICH CAN DELAY THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IN CERTAIN CRASH SITUATIONS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DELAYED DEPLOYMENT CAN CAUSE INCREASED INJURY TO FRONT SEAT VEHICLE OCCUPANTS IN A COLLISION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE ON THESE VEHICLES.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Jeep Wrangler problems

Jeep Wrangler transmission problems →Jeep Wrangler electrical problems →