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2004 Jeep Wrangler

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Jeep Wrangler do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 265.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

164 reports with mileage · 28 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.

  • Steering. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 59 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

17 crash reports7 fire reports9 injury reports

Seat Belts complaints

10 reports
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170,000 miles · Jan 1, 2020
Seat BeltsSteering

I HAVE A RIGHT HAND DRIVE 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. THE RIGHT SEAT BELT LATCH IS ALWAYS STICKING CAUSING MY SEAT BELT TO COME LOOSE. THE STEERING WHEEL STARTS SHAKING VIOLENTLY WHEN REACHING SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH,IF YOU HIT A BUMP, OR IF IT'S WINDY OR AN 18 WHEELER PASSES YOU ON HIGHWAY, THE JEEP WILL ROCK SIDE TO SIDE LIKE IT'S GOING T…

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I HAVE A RIGHT HAND DRIVE 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. THE RIGHT SEAT BELT LATCH IS ALWAYS STICKING CAUSING MY SEAT BELT TO COME LOOSE. THE STEERING WHEEL STARTS SHAKING VIOLENTLY WHEN REACHING SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH,IF YOU HIT A BUMP, OR IF IT'S WINDY OR AN 18 WHEELER PASSES YOU ON HIGHWAY, THE JEEP WILL ROCK SIDE TO SIDE LIKE IT'S GOING TO TURN OVER. IT'S VERY HARD TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. I HAVE CHILDREN TO HAUL AROUND.

NHTSA ODI #11292490

44,500 miles · Oct 25, 2019
Seat Belts

PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT JAMMED IN 2004 JEEP RUBICON.

NHTSA ODI #11271055

80,000 miles · May 9, 2014
Seat BeltsCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO AVOID CRASHING INTO A DEER AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BECAME SEPARATED FROM THE BELT CLIP. THE DRIVER WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND SUFF…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO AVOID CRASHING INTO A DEER AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BECAME SEPARATED FROM THE BELT CLIP. THE DRIVER WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND SUFFERED FROM FATAL INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME AND HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE SEAT BELT FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000. KMJ

NHTSA ODI #10587478

50,000 miles · Sep 11, 2011
Seat Belts

SEATS BELTS ARE NOT RETRACTING AND THE BELTS ARE BEING SHUT INTO THE DOOR ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE OF THE JEEP. THE SAFETY BELTS ARE NO LONGER GOING TO PROVIDE THE SAFETY FOR THE RIDERS DUE TO THE BELT BEING SEVERED BY THE DOOR AND HINGE. RETRACTORS NEED REPLACED IN THE JEEPS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10424673

27,112 miles · Apr 23, 2008
Seat Belts

THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM THAT RETRACTS THE SEATBELT IN THE 2004 JEEP WRANGLERS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10225491

Mileage unknown · Apr 30, 2007
Seat BeltsSteeringSuspension

VEHICLE GOES INTO A VIOLENT SHAKE (SHIMMY, VIBE, WOBBLE) WHEN THERE IS ANY CHANGE IN ROADWAY CONDITION (BUMP, LIP, HOLE, UNEVEN ROADWAY). MY JEEP HAS NOT BEEN ALTERED IN ANYWAY. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES ROTATED AND BALANCED. IN ADDITION MY SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND FRONT PASSENGER BELT BOTH CATCH IN THE DOOR - THEY DO NOT…

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VEHICLE GOES INTO A VIOLENT SHAKE (SHIMMY, VIBE, WOBBLE) WHEN THERE IS ANY CHANGE IN ROADWAY CONDITION (BUMP, LIP, HOLE, UNEVEN ROADWAY). MY JEEP HAS NOT BEEN ALTERED IN ANYWAY. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES ROTATED AND BALANCED. IN ADDITION MY SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND FRONT PASSENGER BELT BOTH CATCH IN THE DOOR - THEY DO NOT RETRACT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR 5 MONTHS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10189286

16,000 miles · Dec 27, 2006
Seat BeltsSteering

2004 JEEP WRANGLER, 16,000 MILES ON IT AND THE FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHEN HITTING A BUMP OR EVEN A SMALL POTHOLE IN THE ROAD. I HAVE READ REPORTS OF THIS SAME ISSUE HAPPENING OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITH THE DEALERS TELLING CUSTOMERS THAT IT'S "BAD DRIVING HABITS" CAUSING THE ROTORS TO WARP. WARPED ROTORS CAN BE FELT IN THE BRA…

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2004 JEEP WRANGLER, 16,000 MILES ON IT AND THE FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHEN HITTING A BUMP OR EVEN A SMALL POTHOLE IN THE ROAD. I HAVE READ REPORTS OF THIS SAME ISSUE HAPPENING OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITH THE DEALERS TELLING CUSTOMERS THAT IT'S "BAD DRIVING HABITS" CAUSING THE ROTORS TO WARP. WARPED ROTORS CAN BE FELT IN THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN APPLING THE BRAKES, BUT THERE IS NO SHAKING HAPPENING WHILE BRAKING. WHY DON'T MANUFACTURERS "DO THE RIGHT THING" AND FIX THE PROBLEMS. SEAT BELT RETRACTORS NOT RETRACTING PROPERLY OR EVEN EXTENDING OUT WHEN TRYING TO FASTEN THEM IS ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT I ENCOUNTER ON A FREQUENT BASIS.

NHTSA ODI #10177040

Mileage unknown · Jan 29, 2006
Seat BeltsVisibility

I HAVE A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER AND THERE ARE SEVERAL PROBLEMS BUT THE WORST IS THAT NEITHER FRONT BELTS WILL RETRACT FAST ENOUGH TO PREVENT EITHER DOOR FROM SLAMMING ON THE SHOULDER PORTION. I FEAR THAT AFTER REPEATED DOOR CLOSING ON THE BELTS WILL WEAKEN THEM TO THE POINT OF BREAKING DURING AN IMPACT. THE SECONDARY PROBLEM IS T…

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I HAVE A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER AND THERE ARE SEVERAL PROBLEMS BUT THE WORST IS THAT NEITHER FRONT BELTS WILL RETRACT FAST ENOUGH TO PREVENT EITHER DOOR FROM SLAMMING ON THE SHOULDER PORTION. I FEAR THAT AFTER REPEATED DOOR CLOSING ON THE BELTS WILL WEAKEN THEM TO THE POINT OF BREAKING DURING AN IMPACT. THE SECONDARY PROBLEM IS THE FRONT WINDSHIELD IS CRACKING IN 2 PLACES.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10148937

1,000 miles · Jan 22, 2005
Seat Belts

FAILURE OF SEAT BELT RETRACTORS . SEAT BELT CATCHES ON DOOR LATCH CAUSING DAMAGE TO SEAT BELT. DEALER REPLACED DRIVERS SIDE. PROBLEM APPEARED AGAIN ON BOTH SEATS. RETURNED TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT HELP. THE WEB OF THE SEAT BELTS HAVE HOLES IN THEM FROM BEING PINCHED IN DOOR. WHEN WILL THEY FAIL?

NHTSA ODI #10107716

3,000 miles · Oct 27, 2004
Seat Belts

SEAT BELT FAILURE DUE TO RETRACTOR DEFECT. THE RETRACTOR DOES NOT RETURN THE BELTS WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO CATCH IN THE DOOR LATCH AND FRAY AND RIP. WHEN SUBMITTED TO DAMLIER CHRYSLER THE REPLY WAS THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO PROPERLY DIAGNOSE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10096532

Official recalls

1

04V048000 · Equipment:other:labels

Feb 3, 2004

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, DUE TO A RECENT SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING ERROR, THE TIRE, WHEEL, AND INFLATION PRESSURE INFORMATION WAS INADVERTENTLY OMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABEL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE VEHICLE OWNER WOULD NOT BE AWARE OF THE TIRE, WHEEL, AND INFLATION PRESSURE INFORMATION FOR THEIR VEHICLE.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A CORRECTED TIRE CERTIFICATION LABEL. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MARCH 1, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

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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