IllustrationCAR WAS PARKED AND IT JUMPED OUT OF GEAR INTO REVERSE AND HIT AIR PUMP AT THE GAS STATION. *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
What owners actually said
401 reportsWINDSHIELD IS ,CAUSING BUBBLES THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE ESPECIALLY IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT. *AK
WINDSHIELD IS DELAMINATING, CAUSING BUBBLES THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE ESPECIALLY IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT. *AK
NOTICED WHAT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXHAUST LEAK COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER WITH 27K MILES ON IT. THEY HEARD NOTHING. IN MAY 2000 MY MECHANIC MENTIONED A CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING. OCT. OF 2001 WITH 58K THE NOISE WAS UNBEARABLE AND THR…
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NOTICED WHAT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXHAUST LEAK COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER WITH 27K MILES ON IT. THEY HEARD NOTHING. IN MAY 2000 MY MECHANIC MENTIONED A CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING. OCT. OF 2001 WITH 58K THE NOISE WAS UNBEARABLE AND THREE CRACKS VISABLE. DEALER SAID TOO BAD OUT OF WARRANTY. IF SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WHY CAN'T SOMETHING BE DONE? BY THE WAY I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER JEEP AGAIN.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICL CLOCK SPRIING BROKE, AND HORN MALFUNCTIONED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
FUEL SENDING UNIT FOR RESERVE FUEL TANK IS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. FUEL UNIT DOES NOT SHOW PROPER AMOUNT OF FUEL IN TANK. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED BY RECALL 97V194003. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS. *AK
LEVER TO PUSH SEAT FORWARD/BACKWARDS HAS A BLACK CAP THAT CAME OFF. METAL PIECE HAD IMPALED OWNER'S LEG WHILE BACKING OUT OF VEHICLE. POINT OF LEVER IS SHAPED LIKE AN ARROW AND IS 1 1/2 INCHES TALL. THIS IS SECOND TIME PROBLEM LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED.*AK
EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED/STUDS FAILED/PARTS,LABOR NOT COVERED/3RD PARTY REPAIRED. *AK
VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN DIRECTLY INTO A SMALL CONCRETE POST. BUMBER WAS FORCED BACK CAUSING ENGINE AND FRAME DAMAGE. DRIVER HEAD STRUCK WINDSHIELD OF VEHICLE. DRIVER (COMPLAINANT) WAS OPERATING VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT AND HAD NOT PLACED SEAT BELT ON AT TIME OF CRASH. FACE WENT INTO WINDSHIELD BREAKING WINDSHIELD AND COMPL. NOSE.…
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VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN DIRECTLY INTO A SMALL CONCRETE POST. BUMBER WAS FORCED BACK CAUSING ENGINE AND FRAME DAMAGE. DRIVER HEAD STRUCK WINDSHIELD OF VEHICLE. DRIVER (COMPLAINANT) WAS OPERATING VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT AND HAD NOT PLACED SEAT BELT ON AT TIME OF CRASH. FACE WENT INTO WINDSHIELD BREAKING WINDSHIELD AND COMPL. NOSE. IT WAS OPINION OF POLICE, DEALERSHIP PERSONNEL, AND OTHERS THAT THE AIRBAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED WITH SUCH A SEVERE FRONT END CRASH. DAIMLERCHRYSLER WAS WRITTEN TO AND A SUBJECT MET COMP AT DEALERSHIP AND TOOK COMPUTER READINGS OF VEHICLE. NO ANALYSIS WAS GIVEN TO COMPL EXCEPT FOR WRITTEN CORRESPONDANCE FROM DAIMLER CHRYSLER (A.L. GILBERT -SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR) THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STRIKE THE APPROPRIATE "CRUSH" AND "CRUNCH" ZONES TO OPERATE AIRBAG. WE CANNOT BELIEVE THAT A FRONT END IMPACT INTO A POLE WITH 8000 DAMAGE AND THE DRIVERS FACE HITTING AND BREAKING THE WINDSHIELD IS NOT ENOUGH OF AN IMPACT TO CAUSE THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. WE HAVE WRITTEN DAIMLERCHRYSLER TWICE ASKING FOR THE READINGS FROM THE COMPUTER AND NO ONE WILL RESPOND. WE ALSO STILL DO NOT KNOW IF THE AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY IF ANOTHER ACCIDENT OCCURS WITH THE FRONT END. WE WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTED IN OTHER JEEP OWNERS WITH SIMILAR EXPERIENCES AS TO HOPE AND REMEDY A POSSIBLE FATAL ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING ON JEEP PRODUCTS. *AK
CONSUMER NOTICED A FUEL LEAK. MECHANIC REPLACED PLASTIC FUEL TANK, IT HAD CRACKED.*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.