IllustrationHAD HEARD A NOISE WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED, SOUNDED LIKE A HOLE IN MUFFLER. EXHAUST WAS COMING OFF ENGINE. PROBLEM GOT WORSE. 2 PIECES OF HOSES BECAME ONE AND JOINED, THEY CRACKED AND NEARLY SEPARATED. THEY WERE TOO CLOSE TO ENGINE. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND INFORMED OVER WARRANTY AND WILL NOT REPAIR.*AK
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 reportsCRACK IN EXHAUST MANIFOLD @ PIPE UNION ALLOWS EXHAUST FUMES TO ENTER VEHICLE. ALSO, POWER STEERING FLUID LEEKAGE FROM STEERING GEAR BOX REQUIRES COMPLETE STEERING GEARBOX REPLACEMENT @ COST OF $1350 ON CAR W/ 49,000 MILES.
EXHAUST MANIFOLD WELD CRACKED, CARBON CHEMICALS CAME INSIDE OF CAR.*AK
THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED NAD WITH END A WEEK WAS BROKEN IN SEVERAL PLACES. I CONTACT JEEP AND SEVERAL DEALERS ABLOUT THE PROBLEM. ALL SAID THAT THIS HAS NOT BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM AND HAVENT EVEN HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING. AFTER LOOKING THE PROBLEM UP ON THE INTERNET I FOUND WELL OVER 300 DOCUMENTED CASES. JEEP STRAIT OUT LI…
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THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED NAD WITH END A WEEK WAS BROKEN IN SEVERAL PLACES. I CONTACT JEEP AND SEVERAL DEALERS ABLOUT THE PROBLEM. ALL SAID THAT THIS HAS NOT BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM AND HAVENT EVEN HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING. AFTER LOOKING THE PROBLEM UP ON THE INTERNET I FOUND WELL OVER 300 DOCUMENTED CASES. JEEP STRAIT OUT LIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND HAS REFUSED TO HELP RESOLVE IT. *AK
EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED 1/8" HORIZONTALLY, VEHICLE NOT SHOWING SIGNS OF OVERHEATING, DEALERSHIP AND TWO MUFFLER SHOPS CONTACTED--ALL INDICATED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE '1997S STARTING AROUND 60K MILES. *AK
THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED AND BROKE OFF.*AK
WELD ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAILED DUE TO NORMAL HEATING AND COOLING.*AK
EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS CRACKED IN 4 PLACES. DEALERSHIP INDICATED IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. CONTACTED CHRYSLER CORP, BUT DID NOT SEEM CONCERNED. I HAVE DONE ENOUGH RESEARCH TO KNOW THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TOO FREQUENTLY. WHY WON'T THEY ISSUE A RECALL???*AK
VEHICLE WOULD LOSE PRESSURE AND WOULD HESITATE. EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED. THIS CAUSED A LEAKAGE. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND INFORMED CONSUMER HE COULD HEAR/ SEE CRACK. HAD THROTTLE SENSOR REPLACED. CONTACTED DISTRICT MANAGER, MARK HIGHLAND, AND WAS INFORMED THAT EXHAUST MANIFOLD WOULD BE REPLACED IF OWNER PAYED FOR MAINTENANCE…
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VEHICLE WOULD LOSE PRESSURE AND WOULD HESITATE. EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED. THIS CAUSED A LEAKAGE. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND INFORMED CONSUMER HE COULD HEAR/ SEE CRACK. HAD THROTTLE SENSOR REPLACED. CONTACTED DISTRICT MANAGER, MARK HIGHLAND, AND WAS INFORMED THAT EXHAUST MANIFOLD WOULD BE REPLACED IF OWNER PAYED FOR MAINTENANCE. IT WAS AN ALTERNATIVE. *AK
EXHAUST HEADER DEVELOPED A CRACK EXTENDING MORE THAN 80% OF THE DIAMETER OF THE PIPE. CRACK OCCURRED ADJACENT TO THE WELD WHICH HOLDS THE CONNECTION FLANGE TO THE EXHAUST HEADER. THIS PIECE HAS SINCE BEEN REDESIGNED TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. BECAUSE THE MILES ON THE CAR (A LITTLE OVER 42,000) EXCEEDED THE WARRANTY (BY 6,000), IT IS…
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EXHAUST HEADER DEVELOPED A CRACK EXTENDING MORE THAN 80% OF THE DIAMETER OF THE PIPE. CRACK OCCURRED ADJACENT TO THE WELD WHICH HOLDS THE CONNECTION FLANGE TO THE EXHAUST HEADER. THIS PIECE HAS SINCE BEEN REDESIGNED TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. BECAUSE THE MILES ON THE CAR (A LITTLE OVER 42,000) EXCEEDED THE WARRANTY (BY 6,000), IT IS MY RESPONSIBLITY FOR THE COSTS OF PARTS AND LABOR. IF JEEP HAS REDESIGNED THE PART TO KEEP THE PIPE FROM BREAKING SHOULDN'T THEY RE-IMBURSE OR FIX THOSE THAT HAD THE ORIGINAL DESIGN FLAW?*AK
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.