IllustrationELECTRICAL SHORT STARTED FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND DESTROYED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE.
1997 Jeep Wrangler
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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
Limited mileage data: 71 of 401 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 109 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. 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.
32 crash reports5 fire reports19 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
109 reportsCONSUMER COMPLAINING OF VEHICLE STALLING CONTINUALLY. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP FROM SEPTEMBER OF 1997 UNTIL PRESENT. SAME CONDITION STILL OCCURS. DEALER HAD VEHICLE IN SHOP MORE THEN FIVE TIMES . THIS CONDITION HAS ENDANGERED THE CONSUMER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *AK
COMPUTER/FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND ENGINE OIL FILTER FAILED.
ENGINE BUCKS, BACK FIRES AND ATTEMPTS TO STALL WHILE ACCELERATING RESULTING IN NEAR COLLISIONS.
THE ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING 50 TO 60MPH AND EVERYTHING QUITS. DEALER COULD NOT FIX. *AK
AIRBAG LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE, HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. *AK
VEHICLE CUTS OFF, GIVING NO WARNING. JEEP HAS BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR REPAIR. *AK
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM OVERHEATING, OIL SENSOR GAUGE DROPS TO ZERO, CAUSING CHECKING ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON, IN FOR REPAIR 4 TIMES. *AK
Official recalls
398V046000 · Air Bags:frontal
Mar 10, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG 'CLOCK SPRING' WIRING HARNESS CAN BREAK WHEN TURNED TO THE 'FULL LOCK' TURN POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY INCREASING THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CLOCK SPRING IN THESE AIR BAGS.
97V080000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
May 16, 1997
THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT DESIGN ALLOWS THE POTENTIAL FOR AN INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT UPON VEHICLE IGNITION SHUT DOWN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED MODULE.
96V060000 · Air Bags
Apr 8, 1996
THE AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (AECM) SOFTWARE CONTAINS AN ERROR WHICH CAN DELAY THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IN CERTAIN CRASH SITUATIONS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DELAYED DEPLOYMENT CAN CAUSE INCREASED INJURY TO FRONT SEAT VEHICLE OCCUPANTS IN A COLLISION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE ON THESE VEHICLES.
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.