IllustrationSTRONG WIND CAUSED HOOD LATCH TO BREAK/FLY UP. (QCAW)
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
What owners actually said
401 reportsWHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH AND SHIFTING GEARS, THE GEAR SHIFT CAME OFF IN DRIVER'S HAND, CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. OWNER EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM 3 OTHER TIMES. ALL TIMES THE PART WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP. *AK
ELECTRICAL SHORT STARTED FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND DESTROYED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE.
BECAUSE THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE GAS PEDAL ARE WITHIN ONE INCH OF EACH OTHER, WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKE PEDAL PASSES THE GAS PEDAL AND CAUSES CONSUMERS FOOT TO CATCH THE SIDE OF THE GAS PEDAL WHICH OVERRIDES THE BRAKE. THIS CONDITION CAUSED A CRASH IN JULY OF 97. DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM WITH TH…
Read full complaint
BECAUSE THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE GAS PEDAL ARE WITHIN ONE INCH OF EACH OTHER, WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKE PEDAL PASSES THE GAS PEDAL AND CAUSES CONSUMERS FOOT TO CATCH THE SIDE OF THE GAS PEDAL WHICH OVERRIDES THE BRAKE. THIS CONDITION CAUSED A CRASH IN JULY OF 97. DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE JEEP. PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. *AK *SLC
CONSUMER WAS TURNING ON TO A SIDE ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY5 MPH WHEN STEERING WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
CONSUMER 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
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING COLLISION RESULTING IN DEATH, PRIOR RECALL WORK PERFORMED ON AIR BAG UNIT.
SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT FULLY WHEN RELEASED, ALLOWING THEM TO BE CAUGHT IN DOOR LATCH. VISIBLE DAMAGE TO BELTS - THREAD SEPARATIONS.
RECALL 97V080000., AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. DEALER CAN'T REMEDY THE RECALL. PROBLEM KEEPS COMING BACK. *AK
I WAS AUTHORIZED BY THE DOT TO HAVE A PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SWITCH PUT IN AND MY DEALER WONT INSTALL IT. COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHERE I COULD GET THIS DONE?.
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.