IllustrationWHILE DRIVING WINDOW ON DRIVER'S SIDE SPRUNG OPEN, ALTHOUGH WINDOW WAS LOCKED UP. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
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
Visibility complaints
21 reportsTHERE IS A MALFUNCTION IN THE HEATER CORE THAT CAUSES WINDOWS TO FOG UP WHEN ENGINE IS HEATED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS CRACKED, AS WAS THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. ALSO THE CRANK SENSOR HARNESS AND THE TPS WERE MELTED AGAINST THE MANIFOLD. THE DASH LEAKED WATER AND THE BRAKE SHOES/LINING AND RACK AND PINION SET NEEDED REPLACING. THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT WOULD NEVER RETRACT AND THE DASH LEAD WATER EXTENSIVELY CAUSING THE RESST…
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THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS CRACKED, AS WAS THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. ALSO THE CRANK SENSOR HARNESS AND THE TPS WERE MELTED AGAINST THE MANIFOLD. THE DASH LEAKED WATER AND THE BRAKE SHOES/LINING AND RACK AND PINION SET NEEDED REPLACING. THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT WOULD NEVER RETRACT AND THE DASH LEAD WATER EXTENSIVELY CAUSING THE RESSTR-BLOWER TO GO OUT. THE RADIO WAS ALSO BROKEN FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS
WHIKE DRIVING AT 65MPH ON INTERSTATE TRANSFER CASE CAME APART AND FRONT DRIVESHAFT FELL OUT. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED,WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON, WASHER SQUIRTED, DASH LIGHTS CAME ON. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG BUSTED THE WINDSHIELD, AND THE FACE OF THE PASSENGER. HER JAW IS BROKEN IN THREE PLACES AND HER FOUR UPPER TE…
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WHIKE DRIVING AT 65MPH ON INTERSTATE TRANSFER CASE CAME APART AND FRONT DRIVESHAFT FELL OUT. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED,WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON, WASHER SQUIRTED, DASH LIGHTS CAME ON. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG BUSTED THE WINDSHIELD, AND THE FACE OF THE PASSENGER. HER JAW IS BROKEN IN THREE PLACES AND HER FOUR UPPER TEETH WERE REMOVED FROM THEIR SOCKETS. SHE REQUIRED EXTENSIVE RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY, AND IS STILL IN THE HOSPITAL. NOOTHERS OBJECTS OR VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED. THE DRIVER BEAT THE AIRBAG DOWN AND SAFELY PARKED THE CAR IN THE MEDIAN. WHY DID AIRBAGS DEPLOY AND WITH SUCH FORCE? *AK
THE WINDSHIELD HAD DEVELOPED A STRESS CRACK. IT OBSTRUCTED THE DRIVER'S VIEW. HAD IT REPLACED. THE PROBLEM REAPPEARED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED & WAS RAINING, THE CRACKS WERE NOTICED AT THE TOP & IN THE MIDDLE ON THE PASSENGER'S/DRIVER'S SIDES. *AK
FUEL PUMP FAILED.
HARD TOP SEAL IS TWISTED. YH
WINDSHIELD FAILED. YH
PULL STRAP/SEAT LATCH CONTINUALLY COMES LOOSE AND FAILS.
WHEN TURNING DEFROSTER ON, THERE WOULD BE A POPPING SOUND. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC SAID LEVER HAD SEPARATED THAT CAUSED DEFROSTER NOT TO WORK. IT NEEDED REPLACING. THIS WAS DONE AT LEAST 6 DIFFERENT 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.