Illustration1. TRANSMISSION EXTREMELY NOISY IN NEUTRAL (CLUTCH NOT DEPRESSED); 2. SHIFTING IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AFTER DRIVING LONG DISTANCES (AFTER HEATING UP); & 3. TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF GEAR (1ST) OCCASIONALLY.
2000 Jeep Wrangler
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2000 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
90–25K
1825–50K
1950–75K
1575–100K
26100–150K
29150K+
116 reports with mileage · 135 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.
- Power Train. Review the 70 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 56 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
17 crash reports20 fire reports9 injury reports
What owners actually said
251 reportsTHIS REPORT IS REGARDING THE NV3550 CLUTCH CHATTER ON MY JEEP. I HAVE BEEN REPORTING THIS TO VARIOUS DEALERS AND TO DAIMLER CHRYSLER SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY OF THE VEHICLE. I KNOW MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME ISSUES. DC AND DEALERS BEGAN BY SAYING IT WAS NORMAL. NOW THERE ARE RUMORS THAT THERE WILL BE A TSB RELEASED ON THIS ISSUE…
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THIS REPORT IS REGARDING THE NV3550 CLUTCH CHATTER ON MY JEEP. I HAVE BEEN REPORTING THIS TO VARIOUS DEALERS AND TO DAIMLER CHRYSLER SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY OF THE VEHICLE. I KNOW MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME ISSUES. DC AND DEALERS BEGAN BY SAYING IT WAS NORMAL. NOW THERE ARE RUMORS THAT THERE WILL BE A TSB RELEASED ON THIS ISSUE. I AM REPORTING IT TO YOU AS SUGGESTED BY A FRIEND--MAINLY 'FOR THE RECORD.' THANKS.
NVG 3550 5-SPEED MANUAL PRODUCES LOUD NOISE WHEN IDLING IN NEUTRAL. DEALER CLAIMS THIS IS NORMAL. TRANSMISSION DIFFICLUT TO SHIFT WHEN HOT. DEALER CLAIMS COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM.
TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED BUT STILL MAKES GRINDING NOISE WHEN IN NEUTRAL. IF CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED NOISE WILL GO AWAY. ALSO, STICK SHIFT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE AFTER HIGHWAY TRAVEL.
UPON STARTING OF VEHICLE AFTER FUELING A 'POP' WAS HEARD FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND ENGINE STALLED. RESTARTED ENGINE WITH NO DIFFICULTY AND ENCOUNTERED A HIGH IDLE SPEED. CHECKED TO SEE IF LINKAGE WAS SOMEHOW BINDING OR IF VEHICLE HAD BACKFIRED THROUGH THE THROTTLE BODY. NO EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE DUE TO BACKFIRE SO PROCEEDED…
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UPON STARTING OF VEHICLE AFTER FUELING A 'POP' WAS HEARD FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND ENGINE STALLED. RESTARTED ENGINE WITH NO DIFFICULTY AND ENCOUNTERED A HIGH IDLE SPEED. CHECKED TO SEE IF LINKAGE WAS SOMEHOW BINDING OR IF VEHICLE HAD BACKFIRED THROUGH THE THROTTLE BODY. NO EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE DUE TO BACKFIRE SO PROCEEDED TO DRIVE VEHICLE. AFTER TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES OF HIGHWAY ENCOUNTERED A STOP LIGHT, APPLIED BRAKES TO FIND THAT THERE WERE NONE. AT THAT POINT REALIZED THAT THE SOUND HEARD UPON STARTING WAS THAT OF THE VACUUM BOOSTER HOSE SEPERATING FROM THE MANIFOLD. NOTED THAT NEITHER HOSE INSTALLED AT THIS POINT ARE SECURED WITH A HOSE CLAMP. REINSTALLED HOSE AND HAVE HAD NO FURTHER OCCURRENCE.*AK
SINCE PURCHASE HAS HAD ROUGH GRINDING LIKE SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, OFTEN WITH LOUD CLUNKING SOUNDS AND STIFF SHIFTING. DEALER NOTIFIED TWICE BUT SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. MANY OTHERS COMPLAINING OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE NVG 3550 MANUAL 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION. I FEAR SOMEDAY THIS TRANSMISSION WI…
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SINCE PURCHASE HAS HAD ROUGH GRINDING LIKE SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, OFTEN WITH LOUD CLUNKING SOUNDS AND STIFF SHIFTING. DEALER NOTIFIED TWICE BUT SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. MANY OTHERS COMPLAINING OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE NVG 3550 MANUAL 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION. I FEAR SOMEDAY THIS TRANSMISSION WILL COMPLETELY FAIL AND CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *MR *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*733521
SAGGING IN FRONT MIDDLE OF REMOVABLE HARD TOP. WATER ALSO COLLECTS IN THIS SPOT. ROOF HAS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE VEHICLE WAS FIRST PURCHASED.
GRINDING / RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM TRANSMISSION AREA WHEN CLUTCH PEDAL NOT DEPRESSED AND STOPS WHEN DEPRESSED. PROBLEM ALSO WORSENS AS VEHICLE WARMS UP. THIS HAS OCCURED AND PERSISTED SINCE VEHICLE WAS FIRST PURCHASED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION ALSO BECOMES PROGRESSIVELY HARDE…
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GRINDING / RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM TRANSMISSION AREA WHEN CLUTCH PEDAL NOT DEPRESSED AND STOPS WHEN DEPRESSED. PROBLEM ALSO WORSENS AS VEHICLE WARMS UP. THIS HAS OCCURED AND PERSISTED SINCE VEHICLE WAS FIRST PURCHASED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION ALSO BECOMES PROGRESSIVELY HARDER TO SHIFT AFTER VEHICLE IS DRIVEN FOR A SHORT TIME.
WIIL NOT SHIFT OUT ON 2ND GEAR WHEN HOT-ALSO NOISEY AT IDLE OUT OF GEAR. *AK
TRANMISSION STICKS IN 2ND GEAR WHEN ENGINE IS HOT. ALSO TRANSMISSION MAKES A RATTILING NOISE IN NEUTRAL. THIS IS A BRAND NEW CAR AND HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED IT. THE DEALER(NOT THE ONE I PURCHASED IT FROM) SAYS IT HAS NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY PROBLEMS.*AK
Official recalls
102V104000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System:injectors
Apr 8, 2002
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 4.0L ENGINE ONLY, THE DESIGN OF THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLDS COULD ALLOW DEBRIS TO ACCUMULATE AT THE #3 CYLINDER LOCATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A MANIFOLD SHIELD TO MODIFY THE AIR FLOW CHARACTERISTICS AND TO PREVENT THE ACCUMULATION OF DEBRIS IN THE AREA OF THE #3 CYLINDER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 13, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
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
1PE00018 · Air Bag Module Detachment
Opened Apr 14, 2000 · Closed Oct 13, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
ODI HAS RECEIVED A COMMPLAINT STATING THAT THE DRIVER-SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG MODULE DETACHED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE ATTEMPTION TO USE THE HORN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A BRAND NEW MODEL YEAR 2000 JEEP WRANGLE (PURCHASED I LATE MARCH 2000).THE AIR BAG MODULE FELL OFF THE STEERING WHEEL AND WAS HANGING BY ITS WIRES.THE REPAIRING DELERSHIP STATED THAT THE TWO MOUNTING SCREWS, HOLDING THE INTEGTATED HORN/AIR BAG MODULE TO THE STEERING WHEEL, WERE MISSING.THIS INVESTIGATIONN IS OPENED TO DETERMINE THE SCOPE OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM OF MIS-ASSEMBLED AIR BAG MODULES IN TH EJEEP WRANGLE VEHICLES.