IllustrationWINDOWS ON THE DOOR ARE CRACKING DUE TO THE PRESSURE AGAINST STRUCTURE OF JEEP.*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 reports3 OF 4 SEATBELTS COMPLETLEY TORN THROUGH. DEALERSHIP BLAMES ON DOG OR DESTRUCTIVE CHILDREN -- UNFOUNDED, DEALERSHIP AND CHRYSLER REFUSE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR -- MANY CONSUMERS WILL NOT SPEND THE MONEY TO REPAIR. BELTS ARE IN MY POSSESSION.*AK
I AM REPORTING THAT CHROME SIDE MIRRORS MADE BY STEELHORSE FOR JEEP WRANGLERS ARE DEFECTIVE. THIS IS MY SECOND PAIR AND AS SOON AS YOU REACH 35-40MPH OR DRIVE OFF IN A GOOD WIND THESE MIRRORS FLOP DOWN, RENDERING THEM USELESS. IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, REARVIEW MIRRORS ARE REQUIRED TO PASS INSPECTION. THIS COMPANY MAKES A DEFECTIVE…
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I AM REPORTING THAT CHROME SIDE MIRRORS MADE BY STEELHORSE FOR JEEP WRANGLERS ARE DEFECTIVE. THIS IS MY SECOND PAIR AND AS SOON AS YOU REACH 35-40MPH OR DRIVE OFF IN A GOOD WIND THESE MIRRORS FLOP DOWN, RENDERING THEM USELESS. IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, REARVIEW MIRRORS ARE REQUIRED TO PASS INSPECTION. THIS COMPANY MAKES A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND SHOULD STOP DOING SO. ALSO, THERE IS NO WAY TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THESE MIRRORS TO TIGHTEN THEM UP SO THE WIND WON'T BLOW THEM OVER. *AK
BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SWAY BAR LINKS POPPED OUT OF THEIR SOCKETS CAUSING REDUCED CONTROL OF SIDE TO SIDE STABELIZATION. THIS COULD BE A VERY SERIOUS STABILITY PROBLEM IF THE DRIVER DOES NOT KNOW THEIR BROKEN AND HAS TO MAKE A QUICK TURN. THIS PART IS NOT SAFE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. THANKS. *AK
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
COLUMN SHAFT UPPER BEARING FELL OFF, CAUSING CAR TO WOBBLE ON THE FREEWAY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING WINDOW ON DRIVER'S SIDE SPRUNG OPEN, ALTHOUGH WINDOW WAS LOCKED UP. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
THE SHIFT STICK POPPED OUT OF ITS FIXED LOCATION. I BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A HAZARDOUS PROBLEM, LUCKILY IT HAPPENED WHEN I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE TO A STOP. FOR FURTHER REFERENCE- THIS VEHICLE IS ADULT DRIVEN BY MYSELF ONLY AND IS NEVER TAKEN OFF ROAD. I PURCHASED IT WITH 31K MILES. AFTER REMOVING THE SHIFTER BOOT, WE NOTICED THA…
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THE SHIFT STICK POPPED OUT OF ITS FIXED LOCATION. I BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A HAZARDOUS PROBLEM, LUCKILY IT HAPPENED WHEN I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE TO A STOP. FOR FURTHER REFERENCE- THIS VEHICLE IS ADULT DRIVEN BY MYSELF ONLY AND IS NEVER TAKEN OFF ROAD. I PURCHASED IT WITH 31K MILES. AFTER REMOVING THE SHIFTER BOOT, WE NOTICED THAT THERE IS NO BOLT OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF FEATURE THAT ACTUALLY SECURES THE SHIFTER IN ITS LOCATION. I WOULD BE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS, TO PREVENT A SERIOUS ACCIDENTS TRANSPIRING FROM THIS DEFECT. THANK YOU.
ROUGH IDLE; ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON; STALLING, BUCKING AT SPEED; NOISEY/CRACKED EXHAUST
BLEW REAR DIFFERENTIAL AND HAVE NEVER TAKEN IT OFF ROAD OR DRIVEN HARD. VERY ANGRY AND DISGUSTED!!!! IT'S IN THE SHOP NOW. *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.