IllustrationEXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED ABOUT 2 INCH WHICH MAY CAUSE MANIFOLD TO DROP WHILE DRIVING. THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *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 reportsA CRACK IN ENGINE MANIFOLD. MANUFACTURER REPLACED THE MANIFOLD AT NO COST TO CONSUMER. *SLC
EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED AT 42000 MILES JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK
CLUTCH AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER BOTH NEED REPLACED WITH ONLY 20,500 MILES . ALSO HAS HAD TWO DRIVESHAFTS REPLACED WITH ONLY 10,000 MILES. HAS SEEN VERY LITTLE 4-WHEEL DRIVE USE, AND HAS 20,500 AFTER 4 YEARS AS ORIGINAL OWNER.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE NOISE, CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED A CRACK IN MANIFOLD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER,AND THEY SAID IT WAS ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE 1994. CONSUMER FELT IT WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT.*AK
EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE OF ALUMIMUN BOLTS. MANUFACTURER HAS ALSO SENT OUT A TSB #110798 FOR SAME DEFECT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
ON 10/09/00, WHILE STARTING MY VEHICLE I HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED AT THE SERVICE STATION THAT HAS WORKED ON MY VEHICLE IN THE PAST. AT THAT TIME I WAS ADVISED THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD ON MY JEEP WAS MISSING SOME BOLTS. THE MECHANIC ADVISED ME TO CONTACT A JEEP DEALERSHIP BEC…
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ON 10/09/00, WHILE STARTING MY VEHICLE I HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED AT THE SERVICE STATION THAT HAS WORKED ON MY VEHICLE IN THE PAST. AT THAT TIME I WAS ADVISED THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD ON MY JEEP WAS MISSING SOME BOLTS. THE MECHANIC ADVISED ME TO CONTACT A JEEP DEALERSHIP BECAUSE HE HAD READ THAT THE BOLTS ON THE JEEP'S EXHAUST MANIFOLD BREAK. I THEN CALLED A LOCAL JEEP DEALERSHIP AND ADVISED THEM OF THE PROBLEM. THEY ASKED ME HOW MANY MILES MY JEEP HAD ON IT AND WHEN I TOLD HIM 83,000 MILES, HE TOLD ME THAT THEY ONLY COVER UNTIL 80,000 MILES. IF JEEP/CHRYSLER KNOW THIS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THEIR JEEPS, SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE FOR THE CONSUMER.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ON A LOGGING ROAD I HIT A POTHOLE,THE RESULTING JOLT DISLODGED THE RADIATOR OVERFLOW BOTTLE.THE OVERFLOW BOTTLE FELL STRAIGHT DOWN AND LODGED ON TOP OF THE STEERING ASSEMBLY CAUSING ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING.THIS HAPPENED TWICE ON THE SAME DAY . IN MY OPINION THE RESTRAINING MECHINISMS ARE INSUFFICENT AND…
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WHILE DRIVING ON A LOGGING ROAD I HIT A POTHOLE,THE RESULTING JOLT DISLODGED THE RADIATOR OVERFLOW BOTTLE.THE OVERFLOW BOTTLE FELL STRAIGHT DOWN AND LODGED ON TOP OF THE STEERING ASSEMBLY CAUSING ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING.THIS HAPPENED TWICE ON THE SAME DAY . IN MY OPINION THE RESTRAINING MECHINISMS ARE INSUFFICENT AND DANGEROUS. PLEASE CONTACT ME AT (360)273-3970 SO I CAN EXPLAIN IN GREATER DETAIL WHAT OCCURED.
WELD IN PIPE ON MANIFOLD CRACKED. I DON'T THINK AN EXHAUST MANIFOLD SHOULD FAIL AT 52,000 MILES. DEALER SAID THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON 4CY. MANIFOLDS THAT WERE CRACKING BUT NOT 6 CYL. DEALER MADE ME PAY $200.00 OF THE 750.00 REPAIR. I DON'T THINK I SHOULD AHVE TO PAY FOR CHRYSLERS BAD WELD.*AK
ROUGH IDLE; ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON; STALLING, BUCKING AT SPEED; NOISEY/CRACKED EXHAUST
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.