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2005 Jeep Wrangler

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Wrangler years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Jeep Wrangler are substantially higher than the model-year median of 265.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

533 reports with mileage · 117 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.

  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 346 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 99 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 58 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports9 fire reports10 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

20 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jul 26, 2014
Electrical System

KEY SWITCH SPINDLE WENT BAD, HAD TO REPLACE KEY, THEN HAD TO REPLACE THE COMPLETE KEY SPINDLE AND THE WIRING HARNESS, IT STARTED TO SHORT OUT AND CAUSE A FIRE. HAD TO GO TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS, COST $ 2087.00 DOLLARS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10616466

84,779 miles · Nov 3, 2013
Electrical SystemExterior LightingFire

HAD BEEN NOTICING A PLASTIC BURNING SMELL FOR A COUPLE MONTHS, NEVER FOUND A CAUSE OR ANYTHING NOT WORKING PROPERLY. DRIVING HOME EARLY ONE MORNING I NOTICED MY HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING, THE BRIGHTS WORKED AND SO DID THE FOG LIGHTS, BUT NO LOW BEAMS. AFTER LOOKING ON JEEP FORUMS AND NOTICING A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE HAVING THE SA…

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HAD BEEN NOTICING A PLASTIC BURNING SMELL FOR A COUPLE MONTHS, NEVER FOUND A CAUSE OR ANYTHING NOT WORKING PROPERLY. DRIVING HOME EARLY ONE MORNING I NOTICED MY HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING, THE BRIGHTS WORKED AND SO DID THE FOG LIGHTS, BUT NO LOW BEAMS. AFTER LOOKING ON JEEP FORUMS AND NOTICING A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM I DECIDED TO TAKE THE COVER OFF MY COLUMN AND TAKE A LOOK. THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTED TO MY MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH WAS BURNT, PROOF OF AT LEAST ONE SMALL ELECTRICAL FIRE, IF NOT MULTIPLE SMALL FIRES. I CANNOT BE THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM, MULTIPLE POSTERS ON JEEP FORUMS HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR EVENTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10550669

61,000 miles · Feb 25, 2013
Electrical System

IN TRYING TO START MY VEHICLE, A PART INSIDE OF THE IGNITION BROKE. I AM TOLD I CANNOT GET THE PART THAT BROKE AND I MUST PURCHASE AN ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN TO REPLACE THIS PART IN BETWEEN THE KEY AND THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENT THAT STARTS MY VEHICLE. IT IS A SMALL PART, AND I CANNOT SEE HAVING THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN TO REPL…

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IN TRYING TO START MY VEHICLE, A PART INSIDE OF THE IGNITION BROKE. I AM TOLD I CANNOT GET THE PART THAT BROKE AND I MUST PURCHASE AN ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN TO REPLACE THIS PART IN BETWEEN THE KEY AND THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENT THAT STARTS MY VEHICLE. IT IS A SMALL PART, AND I CANNOT SEE HAVING THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN TO REPLACE THIS SMALL PART. I AM TOLD BY CHRYSLER THAT THE COST TO REPAIR THIS IS ABOUT $800.00. I THINK THIS IS ENTIRELY UNREASONABLE AND IRRESPONSIBLE ON THE PART OF THE MANUFACTURER. THIS PART IS USED DAILY AND SHOULD NOT FAIL AFTER 60,000 MILES OF WEAR. MY SEVEN YEAR / 70,000 MI WARRANTY HAS JUST EXPIRED AND I AM APPALLED THAT SUCH A LARGE COMPANY CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX OR EVEN STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECTIVE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT TO HAVE FAILED SO PREMATURELY. IT IS USED EVERY TIME YOU START THIS VEHICLE, AND UPON CLOSER EXAMINATION OF THIS PART, IT SEEMS THAT IT IS MADE OF SUB-STANDARD MATERIAL TO BE A PART THAT MUST ENDURE DAILY USE.

NHTSA ODI #10501622

Mileage unknown · Apr 24, 2012
Electrical SystemFire

2005 JEEP WRANGLER. CONSUMER STATES WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF PURCHASE VEHICLE BEGAN EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE HEATER/FAN SWITCH WAS REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. ON MARCH 22, 2010, SMOKE BEGAN EMITTING FROM THE VENTS INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. WITHIN MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FL…

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2005 JEEP WRANGLER. CONSUMER STATES WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF PURCHASE VEHICLE BEGAN EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE HEATER/FAN SWITCH WAS REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. ON MARCH 22, 2010, SMOKE BEGAN EMITTING FROM THE VENTS INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. WITHIN MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND BURNED COMPLETELY TO THE FRAME. CHRYSLER DETERMINED THERE WERE NO MANUFACTURING DEFECTS DESPITE THE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS THE CONSUMER ENCOUNTERED WITH THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10456244

17,000 miles · Jul 6, 2011
Electrical SystemFire

I PURCHASED MY JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON SAHARA IN JULY 2005. OVER THE YEARS, THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS I HAD WERE THE INFAMOUS SHAKING OF THE CAR AT SPEEDS OVER ABOUT 55MPH AND THE CONSTANT NEED TO JUMP THE CAR AND BUY NEW BATTERIES. THE LATTER PROBLEM SEEMED LIKE SOMETHING I COULD LIVE WITH BUT OVER TIME IT BECAME WORSE AND YOU COULD …

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I PURCHASED MY JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON SAHARA IN JULY 2005. OVER THE YEARS, THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS I HAD WERE THE INFAMOUS SHAKING OF THE CAR AT SPEEDS OVER ABOUT 55MPH AND THE CONSTANT NEED TO JUMP THE CAR AND BUY NEW BATTERIES. THE LATTER PROBLEM SEEMED LIKE SOMETHING I COULD LIVE WITH BUT OVER TIME IT BECAME WORSE AND YOU COULD NO LONGER RELY ON THE CAR TO START. JEEP HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY CAVALIER ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS, BUT THEY ARE REAL. MY CAR NOW HAS ONLY ABOUT 17,000 MILES ON IT BECAUSE OF THE RELIABILITY PROBLEM. IN JANUARY 2011 THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL EXPLOSION AND SMOKE IN THE CAR. IT WAS TOWED TO LITHIA JEEP IN SANTA FE NM (WHERE I ORIGINALLY BOUGHT IT). THEY COULDN'T REALLY FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM, BUT CHARGED ME FOR SOME REWIRING AND SENT IT BACK TO ME. WITHIN DAYS, THE BATTERY WAS DEAD AGAIN, SO I BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY. WITHIN DAYS, THAT BATTERY WAS DEAD AND THE CAR WAS AGAIN TOWED TO JEEP. THIS TIME, I FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH CHRYSLER, WHO ACCEPTED THE CASE.THE DEALER FIDDLED AROUND WITH THE CAR WITHOUT SUCCESS FOR A MONTH, BEFORE CHRYSLER AGREED TO ACCEPT MOST OF THE CHARGES FOR A COMPREHENSIVE REWIRING OF THE CAR. THE DEALER ALSO INFORMED ME AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS UNABLE TO DO THE RECALL WORK ON THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION, BECAUSE THE BOLTS SECURING THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN STRIPPED AT THE FACTORY. THIS SEEMED ODD TO ME, THAT A DEALER WAS TELLING ME IT COULDN'T DO THE RECALL WORK ON A DANGEROUS CONDITION, SO I JUST HAD TO LIVE WITH IT. IN MARCH THE DEALER COMMENCED THE INTENSIVE REWIRING WORK, AND BY APRIL, THE DEALER SAID THAT THE PROBLEM HAD NOT YET BEEN RESOLVED, SO IT WOULD NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM CHRYSLER. THIS CARRIED ON INTO MAY, AND I STILL DID NOT HAVE THE CAR. FINALLY, IN LATE MAY, THE DEALER CALLED AND SAID THEY "THOUGHT THE CAR MIGHT BE FIXED" BUT WEREN'T SURE, BECAUSE THE COMPUTER WAS STILL IDENTIFYING AN UNKNOWN DRAIN ON THE BATTERY WITH POTENTIAL ELECTRICAL SHORT IMPLICATIONS. NO MORE PROGRESS. ABOUT $3500 EXPENDED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10410794

60,000 miles · Jan 27, 2011
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

CHRYSLER CHANGED THE OIL PUMP DRIVE ASSEMBLY (OPDA) ON 2005-06 MODEL JEEP WRANGLERS. THE OPDA WAS DESIGNED WITH A SEAL PREVENTING OIL FROM LUBRICATING THE UPPER BUSHING CAUSING PREMATURE FAILURES. THESE FAILURES WILL RESULT IN A IMMEDIATE DROP IN OIL PRESSURE CAUSING THE POTENTIAL FOR COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. T…

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CHRYSLER CHANGED THE OIL PUMP DRIVE ASSEMBLY (OPDA) ON 2005-06 MODEL JEEP WRANGLERS. THE OPDA WAS DESIGNED WITH A SEAL PREVENTING OIL FROM LUBRICATING THE UPPER BUSHING CAUSING PREMATURE FAILURES. THESE FAILURES WILL RESULT IN A IMMEDIATE DROP IN OIL PRESSURE CAUSING THE POTENTIAL FOR COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS WILL RESULT IN SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE AND MAY RESULT IN PROPERTY AND/OR BODILY INJURY. CHRYSLER ISSUED A TSB (E05R) ON CERTAIN MODELS, HOWEVER THIS HAS BECOME A LARGER ISSUE. HTTP://WWW.JEEPFORUM.COM/FORUM/F9/2005-06-JEEP-OPDA_CPS_DISTRIBUTOR-FAILURE-1144202/.

NHTSA ODI #10380252

41,000 miles · Jan 26, 2009
Electrical System

DASH GAUGES, INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER/TACHOMETER, SEAT BELT RESTRAINT LIGHT AND ENGINE GAUGES GO ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. VERY DISTRACTIVE AS WELL AS DANGEROUS AS YOU SUDDENLY DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOUR SPEED IS WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10256370

36,500 miles · Aug 21, 2007
Electrical SystemExterior LightingVisibility

WIRING OVERHEATING AND MELTING BLOWER MOTOR FAN SWITCH AT 36,500 MILES. WIRING OVERHEATING AND MELTING MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH FOR TURN SIGNALS, HEADLAMPS, HAZARDS, ETC... AT 37,800 MILES. UNKNOWN CAUSE FOR EITHER FAILURE. REPLACED BLOWER MOTOR CONTROL SWITCH ASSEMBLY AFTER FAILURE MYSELF AS IT WAS ONLY $25 USD AND 10 MINUTES TIME.…

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WIRING OVERHEATING AND MELTING BLOWER MOTOR FAN SWITCH AT 36,500 MILES. WIRING OVERHEATING AND MELTING MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH FOR TURN SIGNALS, HEADLAMPS, HAZARDS, ETC... AT 37,800 MILES. UNKNOWN CAUSE FOR EITHER FAILURE. REPLACED BLOWER MOTOR CONTROL SWITCH ASSEMBLY AFTER FAILURE MYSELF AS IT WAS ONLY $25 USD AND 10 MINUTES TIME. NOW THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH IS DOING THE SAME - MELTING AND CAUSING HEADLAMPS TO FAIL. IS THERE A VOLTAGE CONTROL PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO CAUSE THESE FAILURES? WILL THE REPLACED PARTS FAIL AGAIN? WILL A FIRE RESULT THE NEXT TIME? *TR UPDATED 02-01-08 *BF UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR

NHTSA ODI #10200395

37,000 miles · Feb 7, 2007
Electrical System

BLOWER CONTROLS/RESISTOR PACK SHORT OUT, FAIL AND CAUSE WIRING HARNESS TO MELT FOR THE HVAC BLOWER AND BLOWER CONTROLS. BLOWER WIRING HARNESS APPEARS TO PULL THE FULL CURRENT OF THE BLOWER MOTOR THROUGH THE WHOLE SWITCH CONTROLS WIRING HARNESS, THIS CAUSES AN OVERLOAD CONDITION AND OVERHEATS THE WIRING OF THE CONTROL SYSTEM, CA…

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BLOWER CONTROLS/RESISTOR PACK SHORT OUT, FAIL AND CAUSE WIRING HARNESS TO MELT FOR THE HVAC BLOWER AND BLOWER CONTROLS. BLOWER WIRING HARNESS APPEARS TO PULL THE FULL CURRENT OF THE BLOWER MOTOR THROUGH THE WHOLE SWITCH CONTROLS WIRING HARNESS, THIS CAUSES AN OVERLOAD CONDITION AND OVERHEATS THE WIRING OF THE CONTROL SYSTEM, CAUSING SEVERE MELTING OF THE PLASTIC COMPONENTS AND POSES A SEVERE FIRE RISK. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10181916

20,900 miles · Sep 20, 2006
Electrical SystemFire

NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AND THOUGHT IT WAS ONE OF FOUR TRUCKS AHEAD OF ME. PULLED OFF ONTO MY EXIT AND CONTINUED TO NOTICE THE SMELL. SMOKE BEGAN POURING FROM THE DASH. I HAD SEEN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THE SAME MORNING AND INFORMED THEM MY BLOWER MOTOR HAD BEEN WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. THEY VERIFIED THE PROBLEM AND ORDERED A…

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NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AND THOUGHT IT WAS ONE OF FOUR TRUCKS AHEAD OF ME. PULLED OFF ONTO MY EXIT AND CONTINUED TO NOTICE THE SMELL. SMOKE BEGAN POURING FROM THE DASH. I HAD SEEN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THE SAME MORNING AND INFORMED THEM MY BLOWER MOTOR HAD BEEN WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. THEY VERIFIED THE PROBLEM AND ORDERED A NEW MOTOR. UPON INSPECTION OF MY VEHICLE I NOTICE THAT THE AREA AROUND THE BLOWER MOTOR IS EXTREMELY HOT. BLOWER MOTOR HAS THE FOLLOWING: LABEL 1 VALEO:KJLHD 929520G REV A -- PASS 11-18-4 10:10:50 LABEL 2 BOSCH MADE IN MEXICO DPL 653 12V 9 000 025 075 19 904 929431H CW 49104 1. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10168749

Official recalls

1

05V460000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Oct 6, 2005

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 42RLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE CUP PLUG THAT RETAINS THE PARK PAWL ANCHOR SHAFT MAY BE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. IF THE SHAFT MOVES OUT OF POSITION, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE 'PARK' POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS AND THE PARKING BRAKE IS NOT APPLIED, THE VEHICLE MAY ROLL AWAY AND CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSIONS AND INSTALL A BRACKET TO ENSURE THE PARK PAWL ANCHOR SHAFT IS RETAINED IN THE PROPER POSITION. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 28, 2005. OWNERS MAY 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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