JEEP TJ FRAME SEPARATED AT THE TORSION BAR ON PASSENGER REAR WHEEL MAKING VEHICLE UNSTABLE AND UN- USABLE.
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.
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
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.
Suspension complaints
26 reportsI HAVE A 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. I'VE OWNED MY JEEP FOR 15 YEARS. IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT. WE WERE CHANGING THE SHOCKS A FEW WEEKS AGO AND NOTICED SEVERE RUST DAMAGE. THE FRAME IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. IT'S SEVERE. YEARS BEFORE I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A 2 LAND RD AND HAD TO PRESS MY BRAKES HARDER THAN I USUALLY WOULD DUE TO A CA…
Read full complaint
I HAVE A 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. I'VE OWNED MY JEEP FOR 15 YEARS. IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT. WE WERE CHANGING THE SHOCKS A FEW WEEKS AGO AND NOTICED SEVERE RUST DAMAGE. THE FRAME IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. IT'S SEVERE. YEARS BEFORE I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A 2 LAND RD AND HAD TO PRESS MY BRAKES HARDER THAN I USUALLY WOULD DUE TO A CAR PULLING OUT IN FRONT OF ME. AT THAT MOMENT I BLEW A BRAKE LINE. I COULD NOT GET MY VEHICLE STOPPED. LUCKILY IT'S A 5 SPEED. I GEARED DOWN AS FAST AS I COULD AND MANAGED TO PULL IT OFF THE MAIN ROAD ONTO A HILL TO GET IT STOPPED. AFTER INSPECTING MY VEHICLE I FOUND SEVERE DAMAGE. THE MOTORS MOUNTS ARE BARELY THERE. THE PART WHERE THE FRAME MOUNTS TO THE BODY IS ACTUALLY MISSING ONE DUE TO RUSTING COMPLETELY OUT. EVERY SINGLE BOLT AND NUT IS RUSTED. EVERY SINGLE SQUARE INCH OF THE FRAME IS RUSTED. THE PROBLEM IS THAT JEEP POORLY DESIGNED THE FRAME WITH SIDE HOLES FOR WATER AND DIRT TO ENTER BUT DID NOT DESIGN IT WITH DRAINAGE HOLES ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME. WATER AND DIRT ENTER AND NEVER LEAVE. IT'S EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I'VE READ THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM.
"TJ WRANGLER FRAME RUST" - SEVERE RUST OCCURRED IN THE FRAME OF MY 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER PASS PA STATE INSPECTION. RUST WAS DUE TO NO DRAINAGE HOLE AND FRAME RUSTED FROM INSIDE OUT. RUST OCCURRED ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR CONTROL ARMS AND EXTENDED FRONT TO THE TRANSFER …
Read full complaint
"TJ WRANGLER FRAME RUST" - SEVERE RUST OCCURRED IN THE FRAME OF MY 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER PASS PA STATE INSPECTION. RUST WAS DUE TO NO DRAINAGE HOLE AND FRAME RUSTED FROM INSIDE OUT. RUST OCCURRED ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR CONTROL ARMS AND EXTENDED FRONT TO THE TRANSFER CASE MOUNTING POINTS. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND IT IS VERY COMMON AND MANY POOR JEEP OWNERS ARE PARTING OUT PERFECTLY GOOD JEEPS DUE TO THEM NOT BEING ABLE TO PASS STATE INSPECTIONS - LUCKILY NO ONE HAS BEEN HARMED DUE TO THIS FRAME DAMAGE THAT I AM AWARE OF - SOME VIDEOS ON THE INTERNET SHOW THE ENTIRE FRAME RUSTED AWAY! THIS NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF JEEP AS THIS IS OBVIOUS A DESIGN FLAW AND OWNERS SHOULD BE COMPENSATED. IF THERE IS ANY DOUBT OF HOW SEVERE THIS IS SIMPLE DO A GOOGLE SEARCH! TOYOTA TOOK CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS!!!
THE RUST IS SO BAD ON THE JEEPS IT'S RIDICULOUS IT'S NOT SAFE YOUR GOING TO KILL SOMEONE WHEN THERE REAR AXLE SHOOTS OUT FROM UNDER THEM THIS IS A ISSUE YOU SHOULD FIX NOT THE CONSUMER I WILL NOT BE BUYING THIS PRODUCT AGAIN IF IT IS MY FIXED. 98 TJ JEEP WRANGLER
DUE TO EXCESSIVE ROT THAT IS COMMON ON THIS VEHICLE, WHILE TRAVELING I HIT A BUMP AND SNAPPED MY DRIVER SIDE CONTROL ARM. THIS CONSEQUENTLY MADE FOR A DANGEROUS RIDE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR IT I NOTICED HOW BAD THE FRAME WAS ROTTED, BUT UNLIKE NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE WOULD HAVE EQUAL CORROSION. T…
Read full complaint
DUE TO EXCESSIVE ROT THAT IS COMMON ON THIS VEHICLE, WHILE TRAVELING I HIT A BUMP AND SNAPPED MY DRIVER SIDE CONTROL ARM. THIS CONSEQUENTLY MADE FOR A DANGEROUS RIDE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR IT I NOTICED HOW BAD THE FRAME WAS ROTTED, BUT UNLIKE NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE WOULD HAVE EQUAL CORROSION. THE INSIDE WAS ROTTED MUCH WORSE, AND PARTS OF THE FRAME EASILY CRUMBLED. *TR
THE FRAME AROUND THE CONTROL ARMS ARE RUSTING, THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS ADDRESSED AND THERE ARE MORE 97-06 WRANGLERS WITH RUSTED FRAMES THAN NOT. *TR
NOTICED A NOISE WHILE DRIVING HOME THE OTHER DAY THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE BEEN MY EXHAUST RATTLING AROUND, SO I GOT UNDER VEHICLE TO INSPECT THE NOISE, AND WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT THE REAR PART OF THE FRAME HAS RUSTED AWAY AND THE BRACKETS FOR THE REAR TRAILING ARMS HAD DETACHED FROM THE FRAME ALLOWING THE ARMS TO DROP, AND ON THIS PAR…
Read full complaint
NOTICED A NOISE WHILE DRIVING HOME THE OTHER DAY THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE BEEN MY EXHAUST RATTLING AROUND, SO I GOT UNDER VEHICLE TO INSPECT THE NOISE, AND WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT THE REAR PART OF THE FRAME HAS RUSTED AWAY AND THE BRACKETS FOR THE REAR TRAILING ARMS HAD DETACHED FROM THE FRAME ALLOWING THE ARMS TO DROP, AND ON THIS PARTICULAR SIDE THE BRAKE LINES ARE ATTACHED TO THIS CONTROL ARM. I KNOW THAT TOYOTA HAD A SIMILAR RECALL ON THE TRUCK FRAMES FOR RUST PERFORATION, AND THAT JEEP HAD ONE ON THE LIBERTY FOR THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARMS RUSTING AND BREAKING. I AM AN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN AND MY PERSONAL JEEP IS NOT THE FIRST ONE I HAVE SEEN WITH THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION. I ALSO GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT ITS VERY COMMON IN THESE VEHICLES AS WELL. *TR
THE FRAME IS ROTTEN OUT, AND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE JEEP TJ'S. I HAVE A HOLE ON MY TAIL SECTION OF FRAME AND ON THE REAR CONTROL ARM AREA. *TR
DEATH WOBBLE, FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY AT HIGHER FREEWAY SPEEDS. VERY FEARFUL TO DRIVE ON OTHER THAN STREETS. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES THE LAST 2 YEARS. PURCHASED JEEP USED 5 YEARS AGO BUT ONLY STARTED TO HAVE WOBBLE LAST 2 YEARS SINCE IM RETIRED AND DON'T DRIVE LONG DISTANCES VERY OFTEN AND NOT DON'T WANT TO DRIVE ANYW…
Read full complaint
DEATH WOBBLE, FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY AT HIGHER FREEWAY SPEEDS. VERY FEARFUL TO DRIVE ON OTHER THAN STREETS. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES THE LAST 2 YEARS. PURCHASED JEEP USED 5 YEARS AGO BUT ONLY STARTED TO HAVE WOBBLE LAST 2 YEARS SINCE IM RETIRED AND DON'T DRIVE LONG DISTANCES VERY OFTEN AND NOT DON'T WANT TO DRIVE ANYWHERE THAT REQUIRES ME TO USE FREEWAYS. *TR
JEEP DEATH WOBBLE. SCARY! *TR
Official recalls
298V048000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
Illustration