CAR WAS IN PARK WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE PARTIALLY ON. ENGINE WAS RUNNING. PASSENGER GOT OUT AND CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS CRASHING INTO A BUIDLING SMASHING THE WALLS AND WINDOWS.
1998 Jeep Wrangler
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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
76 reports with mileage · 189 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 58 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. 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.
What owners actually said
265 reportsTHE CLUTCH STOPPED WORKING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THERE ARE NUMEROUS TECHNICAL BULLETINS THAT DESCRIBE THIS AS A CONTINOUS PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE LOOK INTO IT BEFORE THERE IS A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.*AK
I TOOK THE JEEP LAST YEAR TO GET THE RATTLE FIXED. THEY FIXED IT, BUT ON THE 1/12/02 I TOOK IT BACK FOR THE SAME RATTLE. I DON'T BELIEVE THEY FIXED IT, JUST TIGHTENED THE LINKAGE UP. MY WIFE AND I SPENT 7 HOURS AT LANDERS WITHOUT ANYONE CONTACTING US ABOUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THEY ALSO BROKE A BOLT OFF IN THE BLOCK THAT HOLDS …
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I TOOK THE JEEP LAST YEAR TO GET THE RATTLE FIXED. THEY FIXED IT, BUT ON THE 1/12/02 I TOOK IT BACK FOR THE SAME RATTLE. I DON'T BELIEVE THEY FIXED IT, JUST TIGHTENED THE LINKAGE UP. MY WIFE AND I SPENT 7 HOURS AT LANDERS WITHOUT ANYONE CONTACTING US ABOUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THEY ALSO BROKE A BOLT OFF IN THE BLOCK THAT HOLDS THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD ON, AGAIN WE WEREN'T INFORMED. OUR WARRENTY COVERED THE EXHAUST PROBLEM, BUT LANDERS SAID THAT THE LINKAGE WASN'T COVERED EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD WORKED ON THE LINKAGE LESS THAN A YEAR AGO. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO COVER ANY REPAIRS THEY MAKE FOR A YEAR, BUT THEY DIDN'T HONOR THIS. WE SPENT 7 HOURS WAITING FOR THE JEEP TO BE REPAIRED. THEY OFFERED US A RENTAL TO GET US HOME, BUT DIDN'T OFFER ANY GAS MONEY OR ANYTHING FOR OUR INCOVIENCE ABOUT DRIVING 150 MILES (ONE WAY). I'M A GUNSMITH AND MAKE $30 A HOUR AND I WAS AWAY FROM MY WORK FOR 20 HOURS BECAUSE OF LANDERS NOT INFORMING ME OF HOW LONG THE REPAIRS WOULD TAKE. NOW I'M BEHIND WITH MY WORK AND HAVING TO WORK16 HOURS A DAY TO CATCH UP. I WOULD LIKE SOME COMP. FOR MY TIME LOST. ALSO MY WIFE WENT WITH ME TO LANDERS AND SAT THROUGH THEIR LIES, AND SHE LOST WORK TIME ALSO. LANDERS IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A FIVE STAR RATING TOWARD THEIR CUSTOMERS. WE WERE TREATED LIKE UNWANTED STEP-CHILDREN. LANDERS DIDN'T OFFER TO SUPPLY US WITH TRANSPORT TO GO GET SOMETHING TO EAT, INFORM US OF THE PROBLEMS WITH OUR JEEP, AND CHARGED US 69.97 FOR LABOR AND 24.97 FOR PARTS, THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE WORN OUT AFTER 27,100 MILES UNLESS THEY DAMAGED WHEN THEY 'FIXED' THE LINKAGES THE FIRST TIME. I KNOW I'M NOT IMPROTANT TO THEM, BUT I BELIEVE THEY DESTROYED THE BUSHINGS THE FIRST TIME THEY WORKED ON THEM, AND BROKE THE MANIFOLD BOLT TRYING TO TIGHTEN IT DOWN CAUSING THEM TO HAVE TO PULL THE HEAD OFF THE MOTOR HEAD OFF THE ENGINE TO GET TO.*AK
EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED. *AK
GAUGES DROP OFF INTERMITTENTLY (SOMETIMES WHEN HIT A BUMP, OTHER TIMES ON IT'S OWN). TACH AND SPEEDOMETER DROP TO ZERO, AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON. TAPPING ON PANEL, LIGHTS WILL GO OFF, THEN COME BACK ON. VERY SPORADIC WHEN IT HAPPENS--EVERY DAY FOR A WEEK OR TWO, THEN NOTHING FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, THEN FOR 3 DAYS, ETC., ETC. ALS…
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GAUGES DROP OFF INTERMITTENTLY (SOMETIMES WHEN HIT A BUMP, OTHER TIMES ON IT'S OWN). TACH AND SPEEDOMETER DROP TO ZERO, AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON. TAPPING ON PANEL, LIGHTS WILL GO OFF, THEN COME BACK ON. VERY SPORADIC WHEN IT HAPPENS--EVERY DAY FOR A WEEK OR TWO, THEN NOTHING FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, THEN FOR 3 DAYS, ETC., ETC. ALSO LOSE MILEAGE INDICATOR (HOW MANY MILES WERE REALLY ON IT WHEN I PURCHASED IT NEW?!?!?!) SEEN SO MANY COMPLIANTS NOW FROM CONSUMERS, WOULD LIKE A RECALL!!! WILL MY AIRBAG WORK? DON'T WANT TO KILL ANYONE TO FIND OUT!!*AK
MANIFOLD CRACKED HAD IT WELDED NOW IT CRACKED AGAIN IN 3 OTHER SPOTS. *AK
WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK IT JUMPED OUT OF GEAR, DURING IDLING AND STARTED ACCELERATING IN REVERSE, VEHICLE MOVED 20 FEET BEFORE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STOP ALL MOVEMENT. NO DETERMINATION HAS BEEN MADE AS TO THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, AND SHE STEPPED OUT BRIEFLY WITH DOOR OPENED, THERE…
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WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK IT JUMPED OUT OF GEAR, DURING IDLING AND STARTED ACCELERATING IN REVERSE, VEHICLE MOVED 20 FEET BEFORE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STOP ALL MOVEMENT. NO DETERMINATION HAS BEEN MADE AS TO THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, AND SHE STEPPED OUT BRIEFLY WITH DOOR OPENED, THERE WAS A POPPING SOUND AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED INTO REVERSE AT HIGH IDLE.*SLC
FUEL LEAKED FROM TOP OF TANK WHEN FULL OR NEAR FULL. *AK
NO GAUGES ARE WORKING AND AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON CONTACTED DEALER SAID THEY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THREE OTHER JEEPS ALREADY!*AK
THE JEEP WAS IN PARK WHEN I GOT OUT TO MAIL A LETTER. I LEFT MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR OPEN. THE JEEP SLIPPED OUT OF PARK AND KNOCKED ME DOWN. NEXT , THE OPEN DOOR SMASHED OUR MAILBOX INTO ME. THE JEEP PROCEEDED UP THE STREET, WHERE I COLLECTED MYSELF AND RAN AFTER IT. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO JUMP IN AND STOP IT, AND NO ONE WA…
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THE JEEP WAS IN PARK WHEN I GOT OUT TO MAIL A LETTER. I LEFT MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR OPEN. THE JEEP SLIPPED OUT OF PARK AND KNOCKED ME DOWN. NEXT , THE OPEN DOOR SMASHED OUR MAILBOX INTO ME. THE JEEP PROCEEDED UP THE STREET, WHERE I COLLECTED MYSELF AND RAN AFTER IT. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO JUMP IN AND STOP IT, AND NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME. THE DOOR WAS COMPLETELY WRAPPED AROUND TO THE QUARTER PANEL BECAUSE OF HITTING THE MAILBOX.*AK
Official recalls
298V048000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Mar 12, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLE. THE FRONT SEAT BELT SHOULDER TURNING LOOP ANCHORS WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND ARE NOT PROPERLY HARDENED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SEAT SHOULDER BELT TURNING LOOP ON THESE VEHICLES.
98V023000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum
Feb 10, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM RESERVOIR DIAPHRAGM CAN SPLIT OR TEAR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE AN INCREASE IN ENGINE IDLE SPEED AND A LOSS OF POWER ASSIST DURING BRAKE APPLICATION WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE BOOSTER DATE CODE AND ANY BOOSTERS WITH THE SUSPECT MANUFACTURING DATE RANGE WILL BE REPLACED.
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.
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