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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 →

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.

22 crash reports9 fire reports12 injury reports

What owners actually said

265 reports
Mileage unknown · Apr 15, 2000
Electrical System

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #721520

Mileage unknown · Mar 17, 2000
Air BagsCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING IT WAS RAINING AND SOMEONE CUT IN FRONT OF CONSUMER VEHICLE, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #858745

Mileage unknown · Mar 16, 2000
Air BagsPower Train

AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON, INDICTATING A DEFECT IN THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. ALSO SPEEDOMETER FAILED. . DEALER HAS NOT FIXED THE DEFECTS. *AK THE TACHOMETER FAILS WHEN THE SPEDOMETER STARTS TO WORK. *YH

NHTSA ODI #858662

Mileage unknown · Feb 24, 2000
Unknown Or Other

WHILE TRAVELING INSTRUMENT PANEL FLASHED ON/OFF, ALL GAUGES FAIL TO WORK. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #857481

Mileage unknown · Jan 20, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

EXHAUST MANIFOLD/HEADER CRACKED LATERALLY IN STAINLESS STEEL PIPE IN TWO PLACES JUST OFF OF ENGINE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #717616

Mileage unknown · Jan 18, 2000
Air BagsElectrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

THE VEHICLE HAS DEVELOPED AN ODOR ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING ANITFREEZE. 3 DIFFERENT TRIPS TO MAKE REPAIRS, NO ACTION ON FIRST TRIP, SECOND TRIP, DEALER REPLACED THERMOSTAT HOUSING, THIRD TRIP, DEALER REPLACED RADIATOR. VEHICLE STILL HAS ODOR AT DIFFERENT TIMES. SEAT BELTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES ON RIGHT HAND SIDE AND ONCE O…

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THE VEHICLE HAS DEVELOPED AN ODOR ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING ANITFREEZE. 3 DIFFERENT TRIPS TO MAKE REPAIRS, NO ACTION ON FIRST TRIP, SECOND TRIP, DEALER REPLACED THERMOSTAT HOUSING, THIRD TRIP, DEALER REPLACED RADIATOR. VEHICLE STILL HAS ODOR AT DIFFERENT TIMES. SEAT BELTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES ON RIGHT HAND SIDE AND ONCE ON LEFT HAND SIDE DUE TO BELTS GETTING PINCHED IN HARDTOP DOORS AND DAMAGING BELTS. BELT ON RIGHT HAND HAS HAD FAILURE OF SEAT BELT INERTIA LOCK DURING HARD STOP. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT VARIOUS TIMES, AND AT THE SAME TIME THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER FAILED MOMENTARILY. FIX WAS TO CLEAN AND GREASE CONNECTORS. SYSTEM IS STARTING TO REPEAT SAME PROBLEM, AND DEALER CANNOT FIND A PROBLEM. STEERING COLUMN LOWER BUSHING HAS DEVELOPED NOISE, AFTER RAIN OR ONSET OF COLD WEATHER. DEALER STATES FIX IS TO LUBE BUSHING, BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS AFTER 4 DEALER VISITS. REAR AXLE SEALS ON LEFT HAND AND RIGHT HAND WERE LEAKING, RESULTING IN REAR WHEEL LOCKUP WITH MODERATE BRAKE APPLICATION ON DAMP PAVEMENT OR SANDY ROAD SURFACES. DEALER REPLACED BOTH SEALS, BUT NOTHING WAS SAID ABOUT POSSIBLE BRAKE LINING CONTAMINATION OR CLEANING. VEHICLE HAS HAD REPEATED WATER LEAKAGE FROM AROUND WINDSHIELD ON LEFT AND RIGHT HAND SIDES, RIGHT HAND HARDTOP DOOR HINGE ATTACH BOLTS, THRU SEALS ON COWL AND AROUND DOORS. DEALER HAS REPLACED ALL SEALS, RTV'D GAPS, AND INSTALLED UPDATED DOOR SEALS, BUT VEHICLE STILL LEAKS. ALSO, CARPETS WERE WATER DAMAGED IN FRONT PASSENGER AREA DUE TO WATER LEAKAGE FROM VEHICLE BODY AND AIRCONDITIONING SYSTEM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN KEPT FOR UP TO TWO DAYS ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS FOR WATER LEAKS AND MULTIPLE REPAIR COMPLAINTS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #717525

Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2000
Electrical System

STARTED VEHICLE AFTER IT HAD SAT FOR 13 HOURS. VEHICLE STARTED WITHOUT A PROBLEM, BUT A POP/CRACKLING SOUND WAS HEARD AT START-UP. THE RADIO WAS TURNED ON AND IT IMMEDIATLEY POWERED DOWN AND CLOCK WENT BLANK. ALL THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL READ "0". THE HEADLIGHTS, FOGLIGHTS, INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WORK. THE INTERI…

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STARTED VEHICLE AFTER IT HAD SAT FOR 13 HOURS. VEHICLE STARTED WITHOUT A PROBLEM, BUT A POP/CRACKLING SOUND WAS HEARD AT START-UP. THE RADIO WAS TURNED ON AND IT IMMEDIATLEY POWERED DOWN AND CLOCK WENT BLANK. ALL THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL READ "0". THE HEADLIGHTS, FOGLIGHTS, INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WORK. THE INTERIOR LIGHT DOES NOT WORK. ALL FUSES FOR RADIO, INSTRUMENT PANEL AND INTERIOR LIGHT ARE NOT BLOWN. THIS IS THE FIRST INCIDENT OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #716873

Mileage unknown · Dec 29, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE REAR BRAKES PROVIDE NO STOPPING ASSISTANCE. WHEN YOU BACK UP ON ANY SURFACE AND APPLY THE BRAKES THE FRONT BRAKES [DISC] LOCK UP AND THE BACK WHEELS JUST KEEP ROLLING. THEY PROVIDE NO STOPPING ASSISTANCE AT ALL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #716581

Mileage unknown · Nov 24, 1999
Suspension

VEHICLE LEANS ON ONE SIDE MORE THAN ON THE OTHER. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE SUSPENSION , IMPROPER ADJUSTMENT OF THE BODY MOUNTS CAUSING TILTING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #853338

Mileage unknown · Nov 12, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD/HEADER CRACKS AT THE BOTTOM ON THE INSIDE PIPE I HAVE TALKED TO A FEW OTHER PEOPLE AND IT IS APPERANTLY A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON 1997 - 2000 MODELS. IT IS AN EMMISSIONS LEAK AND ALSO A POSSIBLE CORBON MONOXSIDE PROBLEM. I KNOW OF 8 JEEPS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND I HAVEN'T TALKED TO VERY MANY PEOPLE. THE REP…

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THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD/HEADER CRACKS AT THE BOTTOM ON THE INSIDE PIPE I HAVE TALKED TO A FEW OTHER PEOPLE AND IT IS APPERANTLY A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON 1997 - 2000 MODELS. IT IS AN EMMISSIONS LEAK AND ALSO A POSSIBLE CORBON MONOXSIDE PROBLEM. I KNOW OF 8 JEEPS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND I HAVEN'T TALKED TO VERY MANY PEOPLE. THE REPLACEMENT PART IS THE SAME PART THAT IS NOW INSTALLED ON MY JEEP, SO I DON'T EXPECT IT TO LAST VERY LONG.

NHTSA ODI #714692

Official recalls

2

98V048000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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