← New search

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.

About this comparison →

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

What owners actually said

192 reports
114,000 miles · Dec 12, 2014
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK AND RESTARTED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.

NHTSA ODI #10663984

89,000 miles · Oct 28, 2014
Air BagsCrashInjury

TEXTING DRIVER TURNED INTO MY LANE WITH NO CHANCE TO HIT BRAKES FOR ME WE HIT HEAD ON AT 35 MPH. THE CHEVY IMPALAS AIR BAGS WENT OFF OURS DID NOT . AFTER THE HARDEST HIT OR IMPACT OF MY LIFE WE ROLLED OVER AND LANDED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD AND ROLL CAGE , COLLAPSED ON MY WIFE'S HEAD TO LACERATE AND FRACTURE MY WIFE'S S…

Read full complaint

TEXTING DRIVER TURNED INTO MY LANE WITH NO CHANCE TO HIT BRAKES FOR ME WE HIT HEAD ON AT 35 MPH. THE CHEVY IMPALAS AIR BAGS WENT OFF OURS DID NOT . AFTER THE HARDEST HIT OR IMPACT OF MY LIFE WE ROLLED OVER AND LANDED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD AND ROLL CAGE , COLLAPSED ON MY WIFE'S HEAD TO LACERATE AND FRACTURE MY WIFE'S SCULL. HAD AIR BAGS WORKED I WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN A BROKEN NOSE ON BOTH CODES AND A FRACTURED CHEEK.

NHTSA ODI #10650906

59,000 miles · Sep 27, 2014
SteeringSuspension

"JEEP DEATH WOBBLE"....VIOLENT SHAKING OF FRONT END CALLED......AFTER HIGHWAY BUMP OR UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE......HAD TO PULL OVER ONTO SHOULDER TO STOP IT.......... I HAVE HAD THIS FIXED NUMEROUS TIMES, WITH NEW TIRES, ALIGNMENT, AND IT KEEPS COMING BACK.... *TR

NHTSA ODI #10639525

133,000 miles · Sep 20, 2014
SuspensionWheels

WHILE DRIVING FRONT END STARTED TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY, HAD TO ALMOST COME TO A STOP TO GET IT STOP SHAKING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10637735

84,500 miles · Aug 13, 2014
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WELDING ON THE VEHICLE'S FRAME WAS DETERIORATING TO THE POINT OF POTENTIALLY DETACHING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR PANELING. IN ADDITION, THE INTERIOR OF THE FLOOR WAS DETACHING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO P…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WELDING ON THE VEHICLE'S FRAME WAS DETERIORATING TO THE POINT OF POTENTIALLY DETACHING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR PANELING. IN ADDITION, THE INTERIOR OF THE FLOOR WAS DETACHING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO PRIVATE MECHANICS WHO STATED THAT THE RUST AND CORROSION WAS EXCESSIVE AND THE PANELS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND WELDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,500.

NHTSA ODI #10622053

65,000 miles · Jul 28, 2014
Service BrakesCrash

TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THE WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH DOWN A STEEP HILL WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS THAT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT VEERED THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS WAS STEERED ALONG SIDE A FENCE, IN ORDER TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN.…

Read full complaint

TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THE WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH DOWN A STEEP HILL WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS THAT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT VEERED THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS WAS STEERED ALONG SIDE A FENCE, IN ORDER TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TREE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE TWO FRONT AIR BAGS DID DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE COLLISION INSURANCE. THE CONTACT DID NOT CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER TO INQUIRE ABOUT VIN NUMBER BEING INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

NHTSA ODI #10616809

63,250 miles · Jul 9, 2014
Suspension

VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING VIOLENTLY AFTER HITTING A ROUGH SPOT ON THE INTERSTATE. HAD TO BRAKE HARD AND PULL OFF THE INTERSTATE TO REGAIN CONTROL. CHECKED OUT THE VEHICLE FOR ANYTHING OBVIOUSLY WRONG AND DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WHILE ON THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE. RETURNED HOME AT A SLOWER SPEED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10609263

140,000 miles · Jun 12, 2014
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)EngineFireInjury

THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 35 MINUTES AT APPROXIMATELY 70MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY BEGAN TO PRODUCE A THICK WHITE SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND PLACED INTO PARK; THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY ON FIRE UPON EXITING. THE GRASS BENEATH HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AS WELL. THE HOOD BEGAN TO BLAC…

Read full complaint

THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 35 MINUTES AT APPROXIMATELY 70MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY BEGAN TO PRODUCE A THICK WHITE SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND PLACED INTO PARK; THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY ON FIRE UPON EXITING. THE GRASS BENEATH HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AS WELL. THE HOOD BEGAN TO BLACKEN INDICATING A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CLOSE TO THE FIREWALL. THE ENTIRE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE IN ABOUT THIRTY SECONDS; FROM THE TIME IT BEGAN TO SMOKE TO THE TIME IT WAS ON FIRE BEGIN THE ENTIRE INCIDENT. A TRUCK DRIVER WITH A DRY CHEMICAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER PUT THE ENGINE FIRE OUT; AFTER LIFTING THE HOOD TO A BALL OF FIRE. THE ONLY INJURY BEGIN LIGHT BURNS FROM LIFTING THE HOOD. ESSENTIALLY, MY JEEP WRANGLER, WITH NO AFTERMARKET PARTS INSTALLED, BURST INTO FLAMES FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10597855

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…

Read full complaint

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

72,000 miles · Apr 3, 2014
Electrical SystemFire

I DROVE MY JEEP FROM HOME TO WORK ABOUT TWENTY MILES WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS NO WARNING LIGHTS OR ANY VISIBLE PROBLEMS. I SHUT IT OFF WENT INTO WORK ONLY TO LEARN IT HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES AFTER BEING SHUT OFF ! THE HEATER MOTOR AND GLOVE BOX AREA IS WHERE THE FIRE STARTED. FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED IT ELECTRICAL? CO…

Read full complaint

I DROVE MY JEEP FROM HOME TO WORK ABOUT TWENTY MILES WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS NO WARNING LIGHTS OR ANY VISIBLE PROBLEMS. I SHUT IT OFF WENT INTO WORK ONLY TO LEARN IT HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES AFTER BEING SHUT OFF ! THE HEATER MOTOR AND GLOVE BOX AREA IS WHERE THE FIRE STARTED. FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED IT ELECTRICAL? CONTRACTED JEEP (CHRYSLER) ABOUT ANY RECALL OR TSB BUT WAS TOLD THERE WASN'T ANY! THIS SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM COMMON IN A WIDE YEAR RANGE OF WRANGLERS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10577018

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.

Go deeper into Jeep Wrangler problems