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1998 Jeep Wrangler

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Jeep Wrangler do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 265.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

76 reports with mileage · 189 unknown

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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 58 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. 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.

22 crash reports9 fire reports12 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

46 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jan 18, 2000
Air BagsElectrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

THE VEHICLE HAS DEVELOPED AN ODOR ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING ANITFREEZE. 3 DIFFERENT TRIPS TO MAKE REPAIRS, NO ACTION ON FIRST TRIP, SECOND TRIP, DEALER REPLACED THERMOSTAT HOUSING, THIRD TRIP, DEALER REPLACED RADIATOR. VEHICLE STILL HAS ODOR AT DIFFERENT TIMES. SEAT BELTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES ON RIGHT HAND SIDE AND ONCE O…

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THE VEHICLE HAS DEVELOPED AN ODOR ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING ANITFREEZE. 3 DIFFERENT TRIPS TO MAKE REPAIRS, NO ACTION ON FIRST TRIP, SECOND TRIP, DEALER REPLACED THERMOSTAT HOUSING, THIRD TRIP, DEALER REPLACED RADIATOR. VEHICLE STILL HAS ODOR AT DIFFERENT TIMES. SEAT BELTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES ON RIGHT HAND SIDE AND ONCE ON LEFT HAND SIDE DUE TO BELTS GETTING PINCHED IN HARDTOP DOORS AND DAMAGING BELTS. BELT ON RIGHT HAND HAS HAD FAILURE OF SEAT BELT INERTIA LOCK DURING HARD STOP. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT VARIOUS TIMES, AND AT THE SAME TIME THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER FAILED MOMENTARILY. FIX WAS TO CLEAN AND GREASE CONNECTORS. SYSTEM IS STARTING TO REPEAT SAME PROBLEM, AND DEALER CANNOT FIND A PROBLEM. STEERING COLUMN LOWER BUSHING HAS DEVELOPED NOISE, AFTER RAIN OR ONSET OF COLD WEATHER. DEALER STATES FIX IS TO LUBE BUSHING, BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS AFTER 4 DEALER VISITS. REAR AXLE SEALS ON LEFT HAND AND RIGHT HAND WERE LEAKING, RESULTING IN REAR WHEEL LOCKUP WITH MODERATE BRAKE APPLICATION ON DAMP PAVEMENT OR SANDY ROAD SURFACES. DEALER REPLACED BOTH SEALS, BUT NOTHING WAS SAID ABOUT POSSIBLE BRAKE LINING CONTAMINATION OR CLEANING. VEHICLE HAS HAD REPEATED WATER LEAKAGE FROM AROUND WINDSHIELD ON LEFT AND RIGHT HAND SIDES, RIGHT HAND HARDTOP DOOR HINGE ATTACH BOLTS, THRU SEALS ON COWL AND AROUND DOORS. DEALER HAS REPLACED ALL SEALS, RTV'D GAPS, AND INSTALLED UPDATED DOOR SEALS, BUT VEHICLE STILL LEAKS. ALSO, CARPETS WERE WATER DAMAGED IN FRONT PASSENGER AREA DUE TO WATER LEAKAGE FROM VEHICLE BODY AND AIRCONDITIONING SYSTEM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN KEPT FOR UP TO TWO DAYS ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS FOR WATER LEAKS AND MULTIPLE REPAIR COMPLAINTS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #717525

Mileage unknown · Jun 1, 1999
Air BagsCrash

VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #838769

Mileage unknown · May 18, 1999
Air BagsCrash

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE IN REAR AND AIRBAG DIDN'T GO OFF. *AK

NHTSA ODI #838116

Mileage unknown · May 13, 1999
Air BagsStructure

FIRST INCIDENT WAS THE DRIVERS SIDE AREA UNDER THE DASHBOARD FILLING WITH AT LEAST TWO INCHES OF WATER THAT HAD TO BE DRAINED. ALL WINDOWS AND HOODS WERE UP AND SECURE IN BOTH INSTANCES. SECOND COMPLAINT WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND ALL GUAGES DROPPED TO ZERO WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH.

NHTSA ODI #706487

Mileage unknown · May 4, 1999
Air BagsVehicle Speed ControlCrash

CONSUMER HAD STARTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN THE ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK, CAUSING CONSUMER TO DRIVE THROUGH A WALL AND HIT A HOUSE . DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT THE TIME OF IMPACT WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #837449

Mileage unknown · May 1, 1999
Air BagsCrash

ON 03/26/99 I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO-AUTO COLLISION, IMPACTING FRONT RIGHT SIDE. OTHER AUTO WAS GOING 35+ MPH. NEITHER PASS. NOR DRIVER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I AM CONCERNED THAT MY AIRBAGS MAY BE DEFECTIVE. DEALER CONTACTED BUT HAS YET TO INVESTIGATE. MANUFACTURER (CHRYSLER CORP.) CONTACTED BUT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE GUAM IS …

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ON 03/26/99 I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO-AUTO COLLISION, IMPACTING FRONT RIGHT SIDE. OTHER AUTO WAS GOING 35+ MPH. NEITHER PASS. NOR DRIVER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I AM CONCERNED THAT MY AIRBAGS MAY BE DEFECTIVE. DEALER CONTACTED BUT HAS YET TO INVESTIGATE. MANUFACTURER (CHRYSLER CORP.) CONTACTED BUT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE GUAM IS NOT WITHIN CONTINENTAL US. I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF IN FACT THEY SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED OR NOT.

NHTSA ODI #706147

Mileage unknown · Feb 17, 1999
Air BagsPower TrainSeat Belts

WHEELS LOCKED UP WHILE IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE IN ICE CONDITIONS, RESULTING IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #543925

Mileage unknown · Jan 2, 1999
Air Bags

AIR BAG SENSOR LAMP ILLUMINATES AT ANY SPEED OF OPERATION PRECEEDED BY TICKING SOUND FROM UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. ONCE SENSOR ILLUMINATES TACHOMETER STOPS AND ODOMETER STOPS RECORDING MILES. THE PROBLEM CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME AND LAST ANYWHERE FROM 10 SECONDS TO 20 MINUTES. MANUFACTURERS LITERATURE STATES THAT AIRBAG …

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AIR BAG SENSOR LAMP ILLUMINATES AT ANY SPEED OF OPERATION PRECEEDED BY TICKING SOUND FROM UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. ONCE SENSOR ILLUMINATES TACHOMETER STOPS AND ODOMETER STOPS RECORDING MILES. THE PROBLEM CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME AND LAST ANYWHERE FROM 10 SECONDS TO 20 MINUTES. MANUFACTURERS LITERATURE STATES THAT AIRBAG CAN BE DEPLOYED WHILE SENSOR IS ILLUMINATED. TWO DEALERSHIP ATTEMPTS AT REPAIRING THE PROBLEM HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. THE MANUFACTURER CLAIMS IT MAY NEVER ACCURATELY IDENTIFY OR RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #701800

Mileage unknown · Dec 30, 1998
Air BagsUnknown Or Other

WHEN ALL THE GAUGES IN THE VEHICLE GO OUT WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON. HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED THEY KNOW ABOUT PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER IS SAID TO BE WORKING ON SOLUTION. OWNER IS POLICE OFFICER & IS IN VIOLATION BECAUSE OF THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #832877

Mileage unknown · Dec 30, 1998
Air BagsCrash

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT THE CONSUMER FROM THE BACK, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #832826

Official recalls

2

98V048000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage

Mar 12, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLE. THE FRONT SEAT BELT SHOULDER TURNING LOOP ANCHORS WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND ARE NOT PROPERLY HARDENED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SEAT SHOULDER BELT TURNING LOOP ON THESE VEHICLES.

98V023000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum

Feb 10, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM RESERVOIR DIAPHRAGM CAN SPLIT OR TEAR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE AN INCREASE IN ENGINE IDLE SPEED AND A LOSS OF POWER ASSIST DURING BRAKE APPLICATION WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE BOOSTER DATE CODE AND ANY BOOSTERS WITH THE SUSPECT MANUFACTURING DATE RANGE WILL BE REPLACED.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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