IllustrationBLOCK ASSEMBLY AND INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVES AT #4 CYLINDER FAILED. YH
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 reportsELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. NLM
WILL NEED TO RETURN TO DEALER FOR THE SECOND TIME REGARDING INSTRUMENTS/AIRBAG LIGHT PROBLEM, AND 3RD TIME FOR STEERING COLUMN PROBLEM
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.
2/10/98 - 1046 MILES: REAR WINDOW LEAKED, AND BOTH BRAKELIGHT HOUSINGS LEAKED. THE RADIO ALSO STOPPED WORKING. 7/30/98 8988 MILES: THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER, AND TACHOMETER STOPPED WORKING. 12/30/98 15,000 MILES - FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT STOPPED RETRACTING.
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
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
THE FRONT SEAT BELTS BUCKLE SIDE ARE FASTENED TO THE SEATS NOT THE FLOOR THE SEATS ARE MOVABLE CHRYSLER TOLD ME THIS IS SAFE I DISAGREE
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH A WATER LEAKAGE. WATER LEAKS FROM THE DASHBOARD ON TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK *ML
I HAVE RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW JEEP WRANGLER SAHARA. SINCE THE 8000 MILE MARK, MY AIRBAG LIGHT CONSTANTLY COMES ON AND ALL MY DASH GAUGES DROP TO 0. THIS HAPPENS WHEN I AM DRIVING ALL THE TIME. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN FOUR TIMES TO GET IT FIXED BUT JEEP HAS FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I ASKED THEM IF THIS MEANS THAT IF THERE IS A…
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I HAVE RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW JEEP WRANGLER SAHARA. SINCE THE 8000 MILE MARK, MY AIRBAG LIGHT CONSTANTLY COMES ON AND ALL MY DASH GAUGES DROP TO 0. THIS HAPPENS WHEN I AM DRIVING ALL THE TIME. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN FOUR TIMES TO GET IT FIXED BUT JEEP HAS FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I ASKED THEM IF THIS MEANS THAT IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT, THE AIRBAG WON'T DEPLOY BECAUSE THE COMPUTER ALREADY THINKS IT HAS. THEY WALK AROUND THE SUBJECT SAYING THAT THIS HAS BEEN A COMMONLY REPORTED FAILURE IN THE NEW JEEPS, YET I HAVE SEEN NO RECALL INFORMATION ON IT. THEY TOLD ME THEY RECEIVED A NUMBER OF BAD ELECTRICAL HARNESSES THAT CONTROL THE AIRBAG FROM THEIR MEXICO PLANT AND EVEN THE NEW REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE FAILING. I WORRY THAT MY AIRBAG WILL NOT WORK WHEN THE TIME COMES AND THEY REFUSE TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH IT IS UNDER WARRENTY AND IS BEING FIXED FOR THE FOURTH TIME FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE WRITTEN THE FACTORY AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE AND NOW THE DEALERSHIP AVOIDS ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS. CAN YOU HELP?
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.