IllustrationEXHAUST HEADER CRACKED AT 4 LOCATIONS AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. JEEP DEALER SAID THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT AND STILL WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. DT
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Wrangler years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
109 reportsTHE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED CAUSING FUMES TO ENTER THE CAR. ALSO THE MANIFOLD SUPPORTS THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WHICH COULD FALL OFF IF CRACK WOULD BREAK COMPLETELY. THERE MUST BE AN ENGINEERING DESIGN DEFECT BECAUSE THE PART HAS BEEN REDESIGNED. I ALSO WAS TOLD THE USED JUNK YARD PARTS WERE CRACKED SO I COULDN'T BUY A USED MANIFOLD.…
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THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED CAUSING FUMES TO ENTER THE CAR. ALSO THE MANIFOLD SUPPORTS THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WHICH COULD FALL OFF IF CRACK WOULD BREAK COMPLETELY. THERE MUST BE AN ENGINEERING DESIGN DEFECT BECAUSE THE PART HAS BEEN REDESIGNED. I ALSO WAS TOLD THE USED JUNK YARD PARTS WERE CRACKED SO I COULDN'T BUY A USED MANIFOLD. NOT ONLY THE COST OF THE MANIFOLD BUT THE SAFETY ISSUES WITH A FAILED MANIFOLD HAVE ME VERY CONCERNED. NLM
TERRIBLE RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM CATALYTIC CONVERTER. SOUNDS LIKE PART OR PARTS HAVE SHAKEN LOOSE. NO PERFORMANCE LOSS NOTICED YET, BUT VERY ANNOYING.*AK
ENGINE MANIFOLD HAS GONE OUT TWICE WHILE CONSUMER HAS BEEN DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED THE PART, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. *AK
ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED JUST BEFORE WHERE WELD IS LOCATED CRACK IS OVER HALF THE DIAMETAR OF THE PIPE AFTER READING OVER 30 COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME OR SIMULAR PROBLEM I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS NOT A CALL BACK ON THIS PROBLEM THERE IS NO DOUGHT THAT IT CAN CAUSE IF NOT FOUND IN TIME A SEVER HARM TO THE VEHICLE AND …
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ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED JUST BEFORE WHERE WELD IS LOCATED CRACK IS OVER HALF THE DIAMETAR OF THE PIPE AFTER READING OVER 30 COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME OR SIMULAR PROBLEM I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS NOT A CALL BACK ON THIS PROBLEM THERE IS NO DOUGHT THAT IT CAN CAUSE IF NOT FOUND IN TIME A SEVER HARM TO THE VEHICLE AND POSSIBLEY TO ALL IN THE VEHICLE. *AK
MANIFOLD CRACKED IN TWO PLACES! I HAVE NEVER EVEN TAKEN IT 4-WHEELING. *AK
VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISE FROM MUFFLER. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC STATED THAT EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED, CAUSING EXHAUST LEAKAGE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK OVERTIME, EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED INTO THREE PIECES CAUSING HOT EXHAUST FUMES IN ENGINE COMPATMENTS AS WELL AS DRIVERS AREA. *YH
THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD DEVELOPE 3 CRACKS ALONG THE REDUCER JOINT WHICH REQUIRED REMOVAL AND REWELDED. THE CRACKS STARTED BEFORE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT, BUT I WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT UNTIL I NOTICED AN INCREASE IN ENGINE NOISE AND EXHAUST FUMES IN THE VEHICLE AT WHICH POINT THE WARRENTY JUST RAN OUT DUE TO MILEAGE. THIS COMP…
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THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD DEVELOPE 3 CRACKS ALONG THE REDUCER JOINT WHICH REQUIRED REMOVAL AND REWELDED. THE CRACKS STARTED BEFORE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT, BUT I WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT UNTIL I NOTICED AN INCREASE IN ENGINE NOISE AND EXHAUST FUMES IN THE VEHICLE AT WHICH POINT THE WARRENTY JUST RAN OUT DUE TO MILEAGE. THIS COMPONENT SHOULD NOT FAIL THIS FAST.*AK
THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE IN THE FRONT OF VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT A PIECE OF CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS FLOATING AROUND, AND COULD BLOCK THE EXHAUST. DRIVER STATED VEHICLE STALLED AT 65 AS A RESULT. CONSUMER WAS ALMOST HIT BY AN 18 WHEELER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
FREEZE PLUG CRACKED ON PERFECT DAY OF 70 DEGREES. ENGINE COOLANT LOST. THIS HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT - 02 MPH IN REVERSE. :) IF IT HAD HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY, PERMENENT ENGINE DAMAGE COULD HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO OVERHEATING AND LEADING TO SEIZING.
Official recalls
398V046000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.