IllustrationCONSUMER IS CONCERNED WITH THE TYPE OF PUTTY USED ON THE PLASTIC DOOR FRAME. THIS PUTTY IS MEANT TO KEEP WATER FROM FLOWING THROUGH A JOINT IN THE DOOR FRAME. THIS FRAME IS ONE PIECE AND IS DESIGNED TO BE REMOVED. *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 reportsFUEL PUMP FAILED TWICE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL IN A RAIN STORM, ALMOST WAS HIT BY AN 18-WHEELER. *AK
ENGINE BUCKS, BACK FIRES AND ATTEMPTS TO STALL WHILE ACCELERATING RESULTING IN NEAR COLLISIONS.
GAS GAUGE FALSELY READS THE AMOUNT OF GAS IN THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY LOSE POWER. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK
FRONT SEAT SEAT BELTS WHEN RELEASED REST IN A POSITION THAT INTERFERES WITH DOOR LATCHES. IN FOUR OUT OF FIVE TIMES WHEN DRIVER GETS OUT THE SEA TBELT RECOILS TO ITS RESTING POSITION AND SITS HALFWAY OVER THE LATCH AND DOOR GETS SLAMMED ON IT. *AK
HEAD LIGHT DASH SWITCH FAILED.
FUEL PUMP FAILED.
THE ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING 50 TO 60MPH AND EVERYTHING QUITS. DEALER COULD NOT FIX. *AK
AIRBAG LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF.
HOOD LATCHES ARE MADE OF RUBBER ALLOWING THEM TO GIVE WHEN MEETING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. LATCHES FAILED TWICE ON WINDY DAYS WHEN MEETING LARGE VEHICLES ON ROADWAY.
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.