IllustrationPROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION STAYING IN GEAR---FINALLY THE JEEP JUST STOPPED---REPLACED TRANSMISSION
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
50–25K
1525–50K
1850–75K
1675–100K
17100–150K
5150K+
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
What owners actually said
265 reportsTHE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT ROLLED BACKWARDS AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *MR *JB
1998 JEEP WRANGLER. *PH *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**767939
THE MANNIFOLD HAS CRACKED TWICE. THE FIRST TIME, JEEP FIXED IT, STATING THERE WAS A "DESIGN FLAW". NOW, APPROX. TWO YEARS LATER, AND ANOTHER 32,000 MILES(ROUGHLY) THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME, THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT, DUE TO MILEAGE. HOWEVER, I FEEL AS IF THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW, AND THIS HAPPENS EVERY 30,000 MILES …
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THE MANNIFOLD HAS CRACKED TWICE. THE FIRST TIME, JEEP FIXED IT, STATING THERE WAS A "DESIGN FLAW". NOW, APPROX. TWO YEARS LATER, AND ANOTHER 32,000 MILES(ROUGHLY) THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME, THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT, DUE TO MILEAGE. HOWEVER, I FEEL AS IF THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW, AND THIS HAPPENS EVERY 30,000 MILES OR SO, SOMEONE SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND ATTEMPT TO CORRECT IT. I JUST HAD IT FIXED FOR THE SECOND TIME AND THE COST WAS $600.00. NLM
A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH EXHAUST LEAKS ON WRANGLERS. NLM
CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH CONSUMER HIT A METAL POLE TO AVOID A BYSTANDER. CONSUMER STATES NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB
AFTER APPLYING BRAKES ON RAINSLICK ROAD VEHICLE HYDROPLANED INTO THE REAREND OF A PICKUP. I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL TWICE BEFORE THE SEATBELT 'CAUGHT'.... 2 BROKEN TEETH, BRAIN TRAUMA & CONCUSSION, MANGLED SPINE/SURGERY PENDING. FIRST ACCIDENT. NO ONE WILL CLAIM LIABILITY FOR THE SEATBELT NOT WORKING AND THE AIRBAG HAS BEEN TREAT…
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AFTER APPLYING BRAKES ON RAINSLICK ROAD VEHICLE HYDROPLANED INTO THE REAREND OF A PICKUP. I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL TWICE BEFORE THE SEATBELT 'CAUGHT'.... 2 BROKEN TEETH, BRAIN TRAUMA & CONCUSSION, MANGLED SPINE/SURGERY PENDING. FIRST ACCIDENT. NO ONE WILL CLAIM LIABILITY FOR THE SEATBELT NOT WORKING AND THE AIRBAG HAS BEEN TREATED AS A NON-ISSUE. MY JEEP HAS BEEN 'REPAIRED' SANS SEATBELT.... DAIMLER-CHRYSLER INVESTIGATION PENDING. ALL I ASKED, IN THE BEGINNING, WAS FOR MY SEATBELT TO BE REPLACED... NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK.... NOW I WILL FIGHT AS MY QUALITY OF LIFE HAS BEEN COMPROMISED PERMANENTLY AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO ARGUE OVER A DEFECTIVE SEATBELT BEING REPLACED... AT THE VERY LEAST! I AM SEVERELY INJURED AND QUITE FRANKLY AM ANGRY, NOW, THAT I HAVE TO FIGHT FOR WHAT IS 'RIGHT'. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AT ANY TIME AS MY LIFE IS NOW HOMEBASED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NUMEROUS DOCTOR VISITS.*AK
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS EMERGENCY BRAKE WOULD DISENGAGE WHILE PARKED. CONSUMER ROLLED OVER ON ONE OCCASION. *AK *YH
EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED. $900 REPAIR. DATABASE SHOWS MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT KNOW SINCE 1997. SHOULD BE COVERED WARRANTY REPAIR.*AK
I WANT JEEP TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM, NOT CHARGE ME 400.00 TO FIX IT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
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.