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2003 Jeep Wrangler

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2003 Jeep Wrangler are lower than the model-year median of 265.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

78 reports with mileage · 20 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports3 fire reports4 injury reports

What owners actually said

98 reports
26,895 miles · Mar 15, 2005
Power Train

THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL ON MY 2003 JEEP WRANGLER IS GETTING WATER IN IT FROM JUST DRIVING IN THE RAIN. THE DEALER FIXED THE WORN RING AND PINION AND BEARINGS FROM THE WATER DAMAGE BUT THEY DID NOT FIX THE MAIN PROBLEM, WHICH IS THE WATER GETTING IN THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. ABOUT A MONTH LATER THE SAME BEARING PROBLEM STARTED OCCURRI…

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THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL ON MY 2003 JEEP WRANGLER IS GETTING WATER IN IT FROM JUST DRIVING IN THE RAIN. THE DEALER FIXED THE WORN RING AND PINION AND BEARINGS FROM THE WATER DAMAGE BUT THEY DID NOT FIX THE MAIN PROBLEM, WHICH IS THE WATER GETTING IN THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. ABOUT A MONTH LATER THE SAME BEARING PROBLEM STARTED OCCURRING. DAIMLERCHRYSLER IS REFUSING TO FIX THE PROBLEM AGAIN BECAUSE THEY SAY IT IS CUSTOMER ABUSE. I HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT DRIVE THE JEEP ON THE ROAD. THIS IS NOT CUSTOMER ABUSE. DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL FIND ANY EXCUSE NOT TO HONOR THEIR WARRANTY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10114112

10,000 miles · Feb 8, 2005
Seat BeltsCrash

GEN III BUCKLE ON 2003 JEEP WRANGLER RELEASED DURING ROLLOVER ACCIDENT, LEADING TO EJECTION AND DEATH OF DR. ZICKEFOOSE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10110116

46,000 miles · Jan 28, 2005
Air BagsCrashInjury

THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE BAD. WHILE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 35 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE TURNED INTO THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COLLIDE HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT,THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED FACE, BACK, RIBS, AND CHEST INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10109148

23,000 miles · Jan 18, 2005
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

THE CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND STEPPED ON THE CLUTCH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE GOING UP TO 8 OR 9000 RPM'S. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10107464

3,000 miles · Nov 24, 2004
Power Train

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, PLACING IT IN DRIVE IT WILL GO A FEW FEET AND THEN IT WON'T MOVE. THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO FIND THE DEFECT. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10101620

26,900 miles · Nov 11, 2004
Electrical SystemPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 5 MONTHS. APPR 4 WEEKS AGO MY AUTOMATIC SHIFTER WAS STUCK IN PARK. AFTER A TOTAL OF 4 DAYS AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY. 2 WEEKS LATER THE VEHICLE DIED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD STRANDING MY FAMILY 130 MILES FROM HOME. IT WAS DECIDED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THERE WAS A B…

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I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 5 MONTHS. APPR 4 WEEKS AGO MY AUTOMATIC SHIFTER WAS STUCK IN PARK. AFTER A TOTAL OF 4 DAYS AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY. 2 WEEKS LATER THE VEHICLE DIED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD STRANDING MY FAMILY 130 MILES FROM HOME. IT WAS DECIDED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THERE WAS A BLOWN FUSE CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT OF SOME KIND. AFTER AN ENTIRE WEEK AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACED THE MAIN COMPUTER AND SOME MISC. WIRING (ALL WARRANTY WORK). THE DAY AFTER I GOT THE VEHICLE BACK IT DIED AGAIN, THIS TIME STRANDING MY FAMILY 90 MILES FROM HOME. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THERE'S STILL A SHORT CAUSING THE FUSE TO BLOW. AFTER ANOTHER WEEK AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACE A WIRING HARNESS THAT THEY SAY IS BAD. AGAIN IT IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE DAY THAT I DRIVE HOME WITH THE VEHICLE MY BRAKES GO OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS TO THE BRAKING SYSTEM. WHILE IT WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS THE FUSE BLOWS AGAIN. THIS TIME THEY SAY THAT ANOTHER WIRING HARNESS IS BAD AND THAT THIS TIME THEY WILL NOT WARRANTY IT. I FAIL TO SEE HOW THEY COULD PERFORM WARRANTY WORK TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM TWICE AND THEN DECIDE THAT THEY WILL NO LONGER WARRANTY IT. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10098702

5 miles · Nov 1, 2004
Latches/locks/linkages

I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON IN MAY OF 2003 WITH THE DUAL TOP OPTION. SINCE DAY ONE, WHENEVER THE FULL HARD DOOR IS SHUT WITH THE WINDOWS ROLLED UP AND THE HARDTOP ON, THE REAR GLASS POPS OPEN. THE REAR GLASS ALSO POPS OPEN WHEN YOU HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THEN THE REAR GLASS JUST FLOPS AROUND AND HITS THE SPARE …

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I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON IN MAY OF 2003 WITH THE DUAL TOP OPTION. SINCE DAY ONE, WHENEVER THE FULL HARD DOOR IS SHUT WITH THE WINDOWS ROLLED UP AND THE HARDTOP ON, THE REAR GLASS POPS OPEN. THE REAR GLASS ALSO POPS OPEN WHEN YOU HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THEN THE REAR GLASS JUST FLOPS AROUND AND HITS THE SPARE TIRE AND YOU HAVE TO GET OUT AND PUSH IT SHUT, OTHERWISE I'M AFRAID IT MIGHT BREAK THE REAR GLASS. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS THE OWNER'S MANUAL SAYS TO NEVER DRIVE WITH THE REAR WINDOW OPEN (ON SOFT TOP) UNLESS YOU ALSO HAVE THE FRONT WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN OR EXHAUST FUMES MAY ENTER THE DRIVER/PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND CAUSE CARBON MONOXIDE POISIONING! I ASSUME THE SAME THING CAN HAPPEN WITH THE HARD TOP ON WHEN THE REAR GLASS IS OPEN 2-3 INCHES AND FLOPPING AROUND! I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER TWICE AND THEY TRIED LOWERING THE REAR GLASS BY ADJUSTING THE HINGES ON THE GLASS BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. I CONTACTED JEEP "STAR" TECH SUPPORT ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASSIONS AND FILED A COMPLAINT (FILE # 11586375) THE SERVICE MANAGER AT OUR DEALERSHIP SAID THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM ON SOME OTHER HARD TOP JEEPS AND I ALSO HAVE SEEN THE SAME COMPLAINT ON THE INTERNET ON JEEP FORUM CHAT ROOMS. APPARENTLY JEEP DOES'T TAKE THE PROBLEM SERIOUSLY SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 1 1/2 YEARS AND IT HASN'T BEEN FIXED YET. MAYBE WHEN SOMEONE DIES FROM CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING THEY WILL TAKE ACTION! I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. THE 2003 HARDTOP RELIES ON THE REAR TAILGATE TO KEEP THE REAR GLASS CLOSED AND THERE ISN'T ENOUGH OVERLAP TO SECURELY HOLD THE REAR GLASS IN PLACE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10098136

19,520 miles · Sep 15, 2004
Fuel System, Gasoline

SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT. LEAK IN FUEL TANK.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10091079

18,877 miles · Sep 15, 2004
Fuel System, OtherPower Train

SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT. LEAK IN FUEL SYSTEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10091078

5,000 miles · Jul 21, 2004
Power Train

HARSH SHIFTING FROM 2ND INTO FIRST ON MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *LA

NHTSA ODI #10082370

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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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