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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 →

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

Fuel System, Gasoline complaints

39 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 26, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolineSteering

DEALER SAID NO WARRENTY COVERAGE FOR MANIFOLD DUE TO MILEAGE AND AGE. CALLED CHRYSLER HELP LINE AND TOLD MAYBE COLD WATER OR RAIN GOT ON IT AND AGREED I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT EXTENDED WARRENTY. WHY ISN'T THE MANIFOLD COVERED UNDER THE EMISSION CONTROL WARRENTY. WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT THEN GETTING THE EXHAUST GAS TO THE CONVERTER…

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DEALER SAID NO WARRENTY COVERAGE FOR MANIFOLD DUE TO MILEAGE AND AGE. CALLED CHRYSLER HELP LINE AND TOLD MAYBE COLD WATER OR RAIN GOT ON IT AND AGREED I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT EXTENDED WARRENTY. WHY ISN'T THE MANIFOLD COVERED UNDER THE EMISSION CONTROL WARRENTY. WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT THEN GETTING THE EXHAUST GAS TO THE CONVERTER? INSTEAD IT GOES TO THE AIR AND CREATES A SAFETY PROBLEM IF IT GETS IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. I SEE YOUR DATA BANK HAS OTHER MANIFOLD FAILURES ALREDY AND SERVICE NOTICES OF HEAD BOLT MAIFOLD ISSUES. LOOKS LIKE A MFG. DEFECT SINCE THESE VEHICLES ARE SO YOUNG. THE FUEL PUMP WAS FIXED UNDER WARRENTY, THE CAR WOULD'T START RIGHT. THE POWER STEERING UNIT CONTINUES TO LEAK SLOWLY AND THE DEALER SUGGEST A SEAL LEAKING BUT I HAVE TO PAY TO FIX. GREAT CAR!

NHTSA ODI #713896

Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 1999
Fuel System, GasolinePower Train

THE ENGINE STALLS WHEN SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE TWICE, AND SAID VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW FUEL RAIL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #849999

Mileage unknown · Aug 25, 1999
Fuel System, GasolineSeat Belts

THE SEAT BELT WON'T RETRACT THEREFORE THE BELT GETS CAUGHT IN THE DOOR LATCH. THE BELT BECOMES FRAYED AS A RESULT OF THE DAMAGE. THIS IS THE SECOND FAILURE. AFTER 4 VISITS TO THE DEALER, THE PART WAS REPLACED ON 9/9/1998 AT 46,889 MI.

NHTSA ODI #710514

Mileage unknown · Aug 25, 1999
Fuel System, Gasoline

IN A 16 MONTH PERIOD, I HAVE EXPERIENCED 3 FUEL PUMP FAILURES. #1 3/3/98 AT 34,622 MI. #2 7/9/98 AT 43,705 MI. #3 7/3/99 AT 67864 MI. THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING AND HAS LEFT THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. CHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND THEY CLAIM THERE ARE NO KNOWN ISSUES WITH THE FUEL PUMP. DEAL…

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IN A 16 MONTH PERIOD, I HAVE EXPERIENCED 3 FUEL PUMP FAILURES. #1 3/3/98 AT 34,622 MI. #2 7/9/98 AT 43,705 MI. #3 7/3/99 AT 67864 MI. THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING AND HAS LEFT THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. CHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND THEY CLAIM THERE ARE NO KNOWN ISSUES WITH THE FUEL PUMP. DEALER CLAIMS OTHERWISE. I FEEL VEHICLE IS UNSAFE AND UNRELIABLE.

NHTSA ODI #710513

Mileage unknown · Aug 5, 1999
Fuel System, Gasoline

VEHICLE HAS WAS REPAIRED TWICE UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL CONCERNING FUEL SENDING UNIT TWICE. CONSUMER STILL MISREADS THE AMOUNT OF FUEL . THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #844420

Mileage unknown · Jul 16, 1999
Fuel System, Gasoline

FUEL TANK MOUNTED FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT ACCURACY DEGRADED OVER TIME INDICATING MORE FUEL IN RESERVE THAN IS ACTUALLY PRESENT RESULTING IN COMSUMER RUNNING OUT OF GAS. NLM

NHTSA ODI #547332

Mileage unknown · Jul 13, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline

MULTIPLE FAILURES SINCE SEPTEMBER, 1998. AFTER WARM-UP, THEN 20 MINUTE COOL -DOWN, CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE, BACKFIRES AND OFF TO NOTHING, THEN CATCHES AND GOES. HAVE REPLACED FUEL PUMP, ENGINE CRANK SENSOR AND $700 TUNEUP DONE- NO LUCK

NHTSA ODI #708580

Mileage unknown · Jul 5, 1999
Fuel System, Gasoline

FUEL GAUGE CONTINUES FALSE READING AFTER DEALER REPAIRS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #708247

Mileage unknown · Jun 1, 1999
Fuel System, Gasoline

RECALL # 97V194000 CHRYSLER/ FUEL SENDING UNIT; WRANGER SERVICED UNDER RECALL ON MAY 27, 1999. SINCE THAT TIME FUEL TANK GAUGE INDICATOR HAS SHOWEN FUEL TANK TO BE EMPTY TWICE. OWNER WAS ONLY ABLE TO FILL TANK WITH 10 1/2 GALLONS. FUEL TANK HOLDS 19 1/2 GALLONS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #838699

Mileage unknown · Apr 23, 1999
Air BagsFuel System, GasolineUnknown Or OtherCrash

CONTACTED CHRYSLER CONCERNING MY PROBLEMS, AND THEY STATED THAT THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING FOR ME. WHEN I CALLED ABOUT MY AIRBAGS THE FIRST TIME, I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE SENT ARBITRATION PAPERWORK AND NEVER WAS. WHEN I CALLED BACK, I WAS TOLD THAT AN INSPECTOR SHOULD HAVE GONE OUT TO LOOK AT MY CAR BEFORE IT WAS REPAIRED AND THAT I…

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CONTACTED CHRYSLER CONCERNING MY PROBLEMS, AND THEY STATED THAT THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING FOR ME. WHEN I CALLED ABOUT MY AIRBAGS THE FIRST TIME, I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE SENT ARBITRATION PAPERWORK AND NEVER WAS. WHEN I CALLED BACK, I WAS TOLD THAT AN INSPECTOR SHOULD HAVE GONE OUT TO LOOK AT MY CAR BEFORE IT WAS REPAIRED AND THAT IT WAS "TOO LATE NOW" TO DO ANYTHING. I WAS NEVER TOLD THAT AN INSPECTOR OR ANYONE ELSE COULD BE INVOLVED WHEN I FIRST CONTACTED CHRYSLER. I AM FURIOUS AND FRUSTRATED AND NEED HELP WITH THIS SERIOUS ISSUE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #705915

Official recalls

3

98V046000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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