IllustrationCRACKED MANIFOLD. *AK
1999 Jeep Wrangler
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
100–25K
2225–50K
3250–75K
1775–100K
19100–150K
8150K+
108 reports with mileage · 105 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 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
15 crash reports6 fire reports9 injury reports
What owners actually said
213 reportsDRIVER'S AIRBAG AND HORN FAIL TO OPERATE DUE TO DEFECTIVE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY. CHRYSLER RECALLED THIS CLOCKSPRING FOR SEVERAL MAKE/MODELS BUT DIDN'T INCLUDE THE 1999 JEEP WRANGLER TJ. SEE RECALL #04V480000. *TR
1999 JEEP WRANGLER WITH GROUND WIRE PROBLEMS **ANSWERED BY RIC WILLARD** CC THE RECALL WAS 99V117000. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL. AFTER THE REPAIRS THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE CONSUMER REACHED BEHIND THE CLUSTER AND WHEN HE PUSHED ON ONE OF THE PLUGS THEY MOVED ABOUT AN EIGHTH OF AN INCH. THE CONSUME…
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1999 JEEP WRANGLER WITH GROUND WIRE PROBLEMS **ANSWERED BY RIC WILLARD** CC THE RECALL WAS 99V117000. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL. AFTER THE REPAIRS THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE CONSUMER REACHED BEHIND THE CLUSTER AND WHEN HE PUSHED ON ONE OF THE PLUGS THEY MOVED ABOUT AN EIGHTH OF AN INCH. THE CONSUMER THEN HEARD THE LATCHED SNAP INTO POSITION AND HE HASN'T HAD A PROBLEM SINCE. THE HEATER ALSO HAD A PROBLEM THAT THE CONSUMER THOUGHT WOULD BE CORRECTED BY RECALL BUT WAS NOT. THE SYSTEM CHANGES THE LOCATION OF THE AIR FLOW ON IT'S OWN. *NM
ALL GAUGES STOP READING AND DROP TO ZERO AND THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. HAPPENS FREQUENTLY WHEN GOING DOWNHILL AT SPEED OR HITTING A BUMP. *JB
I HAVE HAD THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAIL IN MY 99 TJ TWICE NOW. THE FACTORY ORIGINAL CRACKED AT ABOUT 39,000 MILES AND THE "NEW AND IMPROVED" OEM REPLACEMENT LASTED 11 MONTHS (OR 9,450 MILES). THIS IS GETTING VERY EXPENSIVE...*JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE'S INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES DIMMED COMPLETELY AFTER ILLUMINATING INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEFROSTER BLOWER STOPPED FUNCTIONING AS WELL. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 99V117000, REGARDING THE OTHER (SCREWS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.*AK
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH SMOKE ERUPTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. IT WOULD ACCELERATE AT ANYTIME, WHETHER IT WAS IN IDLE OR IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN OBSERVED BY THE DEALER HOWEVER THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 8 TIMES ON AVERAGE A DAY.
AT ANY SPEED MY RED AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND KNOCKS OUT THE WHOLE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. PREVIOUS TWO TIMES THE JEEP WRANGLER 1999 WAS TAKEN TO DEALER AND APPARENTLY 'FIXED.' *NM
1ST ISSUE: THE DASH GAUGES WILL GO OFF AND ON INTERMITTENTLY. I HAVE FOUGHT WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS NOW. THE DEALER OF COURSE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. NEVER HEARD OF IT. I HAVE COMPLETELY REMOVED THE DASH LOOKING FOR PROBLEMS. BAD GROUNDS? I CAN'T TELL WHERE. I SUSPECT THE PLUGS THE CLUSTER SLIPS INTO. I'VE TRIE…
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1ST ISSUE: THE DASH GAUGES WILL GO OFF AND ON INTERMITTENTLY. I HAVE FOUGHT WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS NOW. THE DEALER OF COURSE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. NEVER HEARD OF IT. I HAVE COMPLETELY REMOVED THE DASH LOOKING FOR PROBLEMS. BAD GROUNDS? I CAN'T TELL WHERE. I SUSPECT THE PLUGS THE CLUSTER SLIPS INTO. I'VE TRIED TO PULL THE MOUNTS CLOSER FOR A BETTER CONNECTION. IT SEAMED TO WORK FOR A WHILE. THEN IT COMES BACK. A GOOD SOUND BEATING ON THE DASH BRINGS THEM BACK ON. AMAZING WHAT THAT PLASTIC WILL TAKE. ALL THIS STARTED AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I REFUSE TO TAKE IT IN AND POUR MONEY AT IT TILL THEY FIGURE IT OUT. ALL I WANT IS TO KNOW HOW TO FIX THE GAUGES. I'M ABOUT READY TO CUT THE WIRES AND SOLDER THEM DIRECTLY ON. 2ND ISSUE: I BEGAN SMELLING PLASTIC BURNING OR SOMETHING. LATER THE HEATER FAN QUIT WORKING. AFTER SOME READING OF THE SERVICE MANUAL, I CHECKED A LOT OF PARTS AND FOUND THE CONTROL/SELECTOR SWITCH UNIT HEATED UP AND PARTIALLY MELTED THE WIRE PLUGGING INTO IT AS WELL AS BURNT INSIDE THE UNIT. BOUGHT ANOTHER AND REPLACED IT. WORKS GREAT NOW. ALL THE FAN POSITIONS WORK AGAIN. *JB
Official recalls
199V117000 · Unknown Or Other
May 6, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE LEFT SIDE AND RIGHT SIDE INSTRUMENT PANEL WIRING GROUND ATTACHMENT SCREWS COULD LOOSEN OVER TIME.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE LEFT SIDE SCREW LOOSENS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES MAY NOT FUNCTION WHEN THE HEADLAMPS ARE TURNED ON. IF THE RIGHT SIDE SCREW LOOSENS, THE DEFROSTER BLOWER MOTOR MAY NOT FUNCTION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE GROUND SCREWS, DRILL A NEW PILOT HOLE ADJACENT TO THE ORIGINAL HOLE, AND THE SCREWS WILL BE REINSTALLED IN THE NEW HOLES.
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
1RQ99011 · Instrument Panel Ground Screw
Opened Jun 1, 1999 · Closed May 30, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WIRING GROUND ATTACHMENT SCREWS CAN LOOSEN