IllustrationEXHAUST MANIFOLD HAS CRACKED TWICE IN 20,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP ADMITS A PROBLEM, CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE DOES NOT. I FOUND A BOATLOAD OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THE SAME "JEEP" PROBLEM BUT NO ONE WILL ADDRESS THE ISSUE. *PH
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 reportsWHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. *AK THE GAUGES MALFUNCTIONED (GAS READ EMPTY), THE VEHICLE JERKED UNCONTROLLABLY. DIFFERENT MECHANICS WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION LEAKED (THERE WAS PINK FLUID IN THE BATTERY AREA), THE BELT PULLEY HAD FALLEN OFF AND THE …
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WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. *AK THE GAUGES MALFUNCTIONED (GAS READ EMPTY), THE VEHICLE JERKED UNCONTROLLABLY. DIFFERENT MECHANICS WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION LEAKED (THERE WAS PINK FLUID IN THE BATTERY AREA), THE BELT PULLEY HAD FALLEN OFF AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED, AND THE BATTERY FAILED. *SCC *JB
MY 1997 JEEP WRANGLER SPORT THAT HAS 52000 MILES ON IT DEVELOPED CRACKS AND BREAKS IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. WITH THESE CRACKS AND BREAKS EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF EXHAUST FUMES LEAK INTO THE CAR. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET THIS PROBLEM APPARENTLY IS VERY COMMON. THERE ARE MANY PICTURES OF THE EXACT CRACKS AND BREAKS ON…
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MY 1997 JEEP WRANGLER SPORT THAT HAS 52000 MILES ON IT DEVELOPED CRACKS AND BREAKS IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. WITH THESE CRACKS AND BREAKS EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF EXHAUST FUMES LEAK INTO THE CAR. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET THIS PROBLEM APPARENTLY IS VERY COMMON. THERE ARE MANY PICTURES OF THE EXACT CRACKS AND BREAKS ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD FROM MANY DIFF PEOPLE. IT WAS SUGGESTED IN ONE FORUM THAT JEEP FIXED THIS ISSUE IN THE 2000 MODEL JEEP.*AK
EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED IN THREE PLACES. STRONG FUMES ENTERING VEHICLE, COULD CAUSE DRIVER TO PASS OUT BEHIND THE WHEEL. LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME DEFECT ON YOUR WEBSITE. *AK
DEPRESSING RED SEAT BELT RELEASE BUTTON DOES NOT RELEASE BELT. TWO HANDS ARE REQUIRED TO DISENGAGE CLIP FROM LATCH. PROCESS CANNOT BE DONE IN TIMELY MANNER.*AK
SEAT BELTS IN THE FRONT TO NOT RETRACT FULLY MOST TIMES. THIS CAUSES THE SEAT BELT TO GET CAUGHT BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE LATCH, THUS VISIBLY WEAKENING THE SEAT BELT. CONCERN IS THAT THIS WEAKENED SEAT BELT WILL NOT BE AS EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING MY GORGEOUS BODY FROM FLYING THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. *AK
I BOUGHT MY 1997 JEEP WRANGLER IN JUNE, 2002 FROM A USED CAR DEALER IN BALTIMORE, MD WITH AN AS-IS WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE HAD PASSED INSPECTION AND WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. IT HAD 64,000 MILES ON IT AND APPEARED TO BE GOOD. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS JEEP. FIRST THE WIRING HARNESS, THEN THE …
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I BOUGHT MY 1997 JEEP WRANGLER IN JUNE, 2002 FROM A USED CAR DEALER IN BALTIMORE, MD WITH AN AS-IS WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE HAD PASSED INSPECTION AND WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. IT HAD 64,000 MILES ON IT AND APPEARED TO BE GOOD. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS JEEP. FIRST THE WIRING HARNESS, THEN THE TRANSMISSION, NOW A DIAGNOSIS TO REPLACE THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD, REPLACED FUEL PUMP AND HAS A FAULTY FUEL GAUGE, AND POSSIBLY THE STABILIZER BAR OR STEERING COMPONENTS. THIS JEEP IS COSTING ME MORE IN REPAIRS THAN THE ACTUAL VALUE OF IT. I FEAR THAT IT IS UNSAFE AND THAT I M FACING MORE EXPENSES IF I KEEP IT, BUT I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON IT. DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE AS FAR AS LEMON LAW PROTECTION, RECALLS, HELP!!! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT. *JB
FRONT SEAT BELTS COME UNLATCHED RANDOMLY. SEAT BELTS ARE FASTENED, THE AUDIBLE "CLICK" IS HEARD, THEN RANDOMLY, WILL COME UNLATCHED WITHOUT PROVOCATION OR WARNING. *JB
THE REAR AXLE SNAPPED INSIDE THE CASING, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED THE WHEEL TO FALL OFF. *JB
MY 1997 JEEP WRANGLER SPUTTERS WHEN I TOUCH THE GAS FROM NEUTRAL TO FIRST TO SECOND...THE ENGINE DOESNT CUT OFF, I JUST LOSE ALL POWER AND THEN IT CATCHES...HAD FILTERS, PLUGS, AND WIRES ALL REPLACED..THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS..OTHER OWNERS HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS YET THE MANUFACTURER HAS MADE NO ATTEMPT TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. *JB
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.