IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *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
Steering complaints
31 reportsCOLUMN SHAFT UPPER BEARING FELL OFF, CAUSING CAR TO WOBBLE ON THE FREEWAY. *AK
ALL THREE FAILURES HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS. THE LATEST BEING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER FAILURES REPORTED. *AK
POWER STEERING PUMP/PULLY FELL OFF TAKING OUT THE WATER PUMP AND SERPENTINE BELT. UNABLE TO DRIVE, WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. NEVER HEARD OF A POWER STEERING PUMP FALLING OFF. ESTIMATE TO REPAIR $767.00. HAD VEHICLE MAINTAINED AT DEALER A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN TAKEN OFF ROAD. *AK
VEHICLE SLID ON ICE/ LOST CONTROL, AND HIT A BOULDER HEAD-ON. THEN ROLLED OVER. DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. *AK
DEALER SAID NO WARRENTY COVERAGE FOR MANIFOLD DUE TO MILEAGE AND AGE. CALLED CHRYSLER HELP LINE AND TOLD MAYBE COLD WATER OR RAIN GOT ON IT AND AGREED I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT EXTENDED WARRENTY. WHY ISN'T THE MANIFOLD COVERED UNDER THE EMISSION CONTROL WARRENTY. WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT THEN GETTING THE EXHAUST GAS TO THE CONVERTER…
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DEALER SAID NO WARRENTY COVERAGE FOR MANIFOLD DUE TO MILEAGE AND AGE. CALLED CHRYSLER HELP LINE AND TOLD MAYBE COLD WATER OR RAIN GOT ON IT AND AGREED I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT EXTENDED WARRENTY. WHY ISN'T THE MANIFOLD COVERED UNDER THE EMISSION CONTROL WARRENTY. WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT THEN GETTING THE EXHAUST GAS TO THE CONVERTER? INSTEAD IT GOES TO THE AIR AND CREATES A SAFETY PROBLEM IF IT GETS IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. I SEE YOUR DATA BANK HAS OTHER MANIFOLD FAILURES ALREDY AND SERVICE NOTICES OF HEAD BOLT MAIFOLD ISSUES. LOOKS LIKE A MFG. DEFECT SINCE THESE VEHICLES ARE SO YOUNG. THE FUEL PUMP WAS FIXED UNDER WARRENTY, THE CAR WOULD'T START RIGHT. THE POWER STEERING UNIT CONTINUES TO LEAK SLOWLY AND THE DEALER SUGGEST A SEAL LEAKING BUT I HAVE TO PAY TO FIX. GREAT CAR!
SEAT BELT CATCHES ON DRIVER'S DOOR LATCH 9 OUT 0F 10 TIMES. SEAT BELT IS GETTING A HOLE IN IT. LEAK HAS BEEN FIXED 15 TIMES AND IT STILL LEAKS ON PASSENGER'S FEET. DAMAGE IS OCCURRING TO INTERIOR OF JEEP AND ANYTHING LEFT ON THE FLOOR GETS WET. I WAS TOLD( DOT NUMBER: ? TIRE SIZE: 22SS/75R15 )
VEHICLE EXHIBITS UNDAMPED SHIMMY OF FRONT SUSPENSION AFTER HITTING PAVEMENT IRREGULARITIES AT ~40-45 MPH. SHIMMY CONTINUES UNTIL SPPED IS REDUCED BELOW THAT RANGE. CONDITION APPEARS TO BE WORSENING. MILEAGE AT 37,000 NOW. DEALER REPLACED STERRING DAMPER AND PITMAN ARM SHAFT SEAL WHICH HAD LITTLE AFFECT.
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THIS VEHICLE SWERVED AND LOST CONTROL, WENT INTO A DITCH FRONT FIRST AND FLIPPED OVER. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DECLARED TOTALED. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
VEHICLE INVOLVED IN ROLLOVER ACCIDENT. REAR PASSENGER SEAT CAME LOOSE, STRUCK DRIVER IN HEAD, EJECTED FROM VEHICLE. SHOULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED? *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.