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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.

About this comparison →

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

What owners actually said

265 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 19, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

MULTIPLE CRACKS IN HEADER(EXHAUST)PIPE COMING FROM ENGINE: MECHANIC SAID SERIOUS PROBLEM, BUT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN SO SOON IN LIFE OF VEHICLE. MULTIPLE MECHANICS HAD NEVER SEEN IT HAPPEN SO SOON IN THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE. 1998 MODEL, FAILURE HAPPENED SOMETIME IN AUGUST 2001. TOLD TO CHECK FOR RECALL INFO ON MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHIC…

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MULTIPLE CRACKS IN HEADER(EXHAUST)PIPE COMING FROM ENGINE: MECHANIC SAID SERIOUS PROBLEM, BUT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN SO SOON IN LIFE OF VEHICLE. MULTIPLE MECHANICS HAD NEVER SEEN IT HAPPEN SO SOON IN THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE. 1998 MODEL, FAILURE HAPPENED SOMETIME IN AUGUST 2001. TOLD TO CHECK FOR RECALL INFO ON MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE AND TO MUST GO TO A DEALER TO FIX.*AK

NHTSA ODI #752355

Mileage unknown · Sep 10, 2001
Air BagsElectrical System

AIRBAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY IS ILLUMINATED ON DASH, CAUSING ALL GAUGES TO RETURN TO ZERO WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK DEALER CAN NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM, THEY SAY THE FIX A GROUND WIRE, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM NEVER IS CORRECTED, THIS USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN STARTING UP AND USUALLY LASTS ABOUT 10-45 SECONDS. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #896088

Mileage unknown · Sep 7, 2001
Power Train

DEALER BUILT TRANSMISSION 2 TIMES AND IT'S GOING IN FORE THE 3RD TIME ON9/11/01 WHATS THE PROBLEM ( CHRYSLER ?). *AK

NHTSA ODI #751885

Mileage unknown · Sep 7, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

MANIFOLD CRACKED AT WELD BY FLANGE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #751877

Mileage unknown · Aug 25, 2001
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

AS I HAVE READ MENTIONED BY OTHERS AT THIS WEBSITE, ABOUT A YEAR AFTER I BOUGHT THE JEEP, MY DASH GAUGES WOULD GO DOWN TO ZERO AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD GO ON. THIS PROBLEM IS A WINTER AND WET-WHETHER RELATED PROBLEM. IF I POUND ON THE DASHBOARD WITH MY FIST, SOMETIMES THE GAUGES WILL RECOVER TEMPORARILY. IF THEY DO RECOVER,…

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AS I HAVE READ MENTIONED BY OTHERS AT THIS WEBSITE, ABOUT A YEAR AFTER I BOUGHT THE JEEP, MY DASH GAUGES WOULD GO DOWN TO ZERO AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD GO ON. THIS PROBLEM IS A WINTER AND WET-WHETHER RELATED PROBLEM. IF I POUND ON THE DASHBOARD WITH MY FIST, SOMETIMES THE GAUGES WILL RECOVER TEMPORARILY. IF THEY DO RECOVER, THEY ALMOST IMMEDIATELY GO BACK DOWN TO ZERO. I SPOKE WITH A DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY ACTED SURPRISED. I SEE FROM OTHER PEOPLES COMMENTS THAT THEIR ARE NUMEROUS OTHER OCCASIONS OF THIS PROBLEM. I THOUGHT I WAS ALONE WITH THIS PROBLEM UNTIL EARLIER TODAY WHEN A MECHANIC FRIEND OF A FRIEND MENTIONED SOMEONE ELSE WITH THE 1998 JEEP WRANGLER HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I NEED A RESPONSE FROM THE GOVERNMENT. HAS THERE BEEN A RECALL ISSUED ON THIS? I HAVE ALSO HAD MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER "CRUMBLE TO PIECES" ACCORDING TO A LOCAL GARAGE. HE SEEMD TO THINK THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. I AM AT A LOSS AS TO HOW TO FIND OUT IF THERE INDEED HAS BEEN A RECALL. PLEASE CONTACT ME.*AK

NHTSA ODI #751125

Mileage unknown · Aug 10, 2001
Air BagsElectrical System

SINCE DATE OF PURCHASE INSTRUMENT PANEL BECOMES INOPERABLE, AND AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #894013

Mileage unknown · Jul 18, 2001
Electrical System

FAILURE OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (DEALER SAYS DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN OF HARNESS. MANUFACTURER HAS NOTICED AND REDESIGNED FOR NEW VEHICLES, SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY MANUFACTURER. HOWEVER, SINCE MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRENTY (>3YRS OWNERSHIP) I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OF WIRING HARNESS (DESPITE FACT THAT MANUFACTURER HAS AD…

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FAILURE OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (DEALER SAYS DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN OF HARNESS. MANUFACTURER HAS NOTICED AND REDESIGNED FOR NEW VEHICLES, SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY MANUFACTURER. HOWEVER, SINCE MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRENTY (>3YRS OWNERSHIP) I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OF WIRING HARNESS (DESPITE FACT THAT MANUFACTURER HAS ADMITTED HARNESS FAILURE WAS DUE TO IMPROPER DESIGN) - I AM NOT VERY HAPPY ABOUT THIS AND INTEND TO FOLLOW-UP.*AK

NHTSA ODI #748667

Mileage unknown · Jul 13, 2001
Power Train

THE TRANSFER CASE IS BROKEN. NLM

NHTSA ODI #785525

Mileage unknown · Jul 4, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

OUT OF TOWN BUSINESS TRIP. STRANDED.....DRIVING AT 65MPH, LOUD METAL TO METAL THUD UNDER HOOD. OIL GAUGE DROPPED TO 0, ENGINE DIED, WOULDN'T START. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR GAUGE ACTIVITY PRIOR. TOWED TO OUT OF TOWN DEALER. STATED OIL PUMP FAILURE, CAUSED ROD TO GO THROUGH BLOCK. HAD TOWED BACK TO PURCHASE POINT DEALERSHIP, CONFIRME…

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OUT OF TOWN BUSINESS TRIP. STRANDED.....DRIVING AT 65MPH, LOUD METAL TO METAL THUD UNDER HOOD. OIL GAUGE DROPPED TO 0, ENGINE DIED, WOULDN'T START. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR GAUGE ACTIVITY PRIOR. TOWED TO OUT OF TOWN DEALER. STATED OIL PUMP FAILURE, CAUSED ROD TO GO THROUGH BLOCK. HAD TOWED BACK TO PURCHASE POINT DEALERSHIP, CONFIRMED OIL PUMP FAILURE. OIL CHANGED 1 WEEK PRIOR AS PART OF USUAL MAINTENANCE. ATTEMPTED TO HAVE CHRYSLER WARRANTY AS ENGINE WAS MORE THAN PROPERLY MAINTAINED. PRIOR PROBLEMS, DASH CLUSTER, EXHAUST SYSTEM REPLACED DO TO FAILURE. (EXHAUST REPLACED WEEK PRIOR TO ENGINE FAILURE) DEALERSHIP BELIEVES DIAMLER-CHRYSLER SHOULD WARRANTY ENGINE. DIAMLER-CHRYSLER DECLINES.*AK

NHTSA ODI #747789

Mileage unknown · Jun 27, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

CONSUMER STATES RADIATOR AND WATER PUMP FAILED.*JB

NHTSA ODI #561776

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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