IllustrationMileage unknown · Mar 8, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentFuel System, Other
A/C FAILED. YH
NHTSA ODI #551261
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 reportsA/C FAILED. YH
CHRYSLER STATES THAT ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS WILL NOT ALLOW THEM TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER IN MY JEEP WHICH IS THE PROBLEM. DANGEROUS DRIVING INTO TRAFFIC AND I DON'T GET ANY GAS, JUST SPUTTERS. ALMOST BEEN REAR-ENDED COUNTLESS TIMES IN THE PAST 13 MONTHS. PLEASE HELP!
EXCESSIVE WEAR OF BRAKE PADS. THREE SETS OF PADS WERE REPLACED WITHIN FOUR MONTHS . DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PART WAS NOT UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. *AK
THERE IS A MALFUNCTION IN THE HEATER CORE THAT CAUSES WINDOWS TO FOG UP WHEN ENGINE IS HEATED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *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
THE FUEL SENDING UNIT LEAKED AND WAS REPLACED 03/1998, THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO START AND THE FUEL SENDING UNIT WAS REPLACED 5/98 THE FUEL SENDING UNIT WAS RECALLED AND REPLACED 8/98 FUEL LEAKED AFTER RECALL WORK AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. EVER SINCE THE FUEL GUAGE READS 1/4 LESS FUEL THAN IS ACTUALLY IN THE FUEL TANK
THE SKID PLATE IS POSITIONED SO THAT THE GAS TANKAND SKID PLATE TOUCH EACH OTHER. IF THE SKID PLATE IS IMPACTED IN ANY WAY THAT FORCE IS TRANSFERRED TO THE GAS TANK. IF THIS IMPACT CAUSES EVEN A SMALL DENT IN THE SKID PLATE, THE GAS TANK CAN BE DAMAGED. *AK
RADIATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO LEAKING OF COOLANT AT HORIZONTAL JOINT, ON TOP OF RADIATOR. *CJ
RADIATOR LEAKING AT TOP WHERE PLASTIC EXPANSION TANK & COPPER FINNED SECTION ARE JOINED. BONDING FAILURE DUE TO POOR OR DEFECTIVE SEALING METHOD BETWEEN DISSIMILAR MATERIALS. NEVER HAD RADIATOR REPLACED UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS ON 3 YR. OLD VEHICLE. *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.