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2002 Jeep Wrangler

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Jeep Wrangler are lower than the model-year median of 265.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

80 reports with mileage · 28 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.

  • Structure. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 14 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 reports5 fire reports13 injury reports

What owners actually said

108 reports
87,000 miles · Sep 8, 2009
Exterior Lighting

I OWN A 2002 JEEP SARAHA 4WHEEL DR 2DR APPROX 87,000 MILES ORIGINAL ..MY DASH LIGHTS FREQUENTLY GO OFF AND ON WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD..THIS CAUSES HAVOC WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AS DASH LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS GO OUT..OFF AND ON NOT ALWAYS CONTINUALLY..TO REMEDY I HAVE TO HOLD THE SWITCH FOR THE TURN SIGNAL SLIGHTLY TO GET BACK ON…

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I OWN A 2002 JEEP SARAHA 4WHEEL DR 2DR APPROX 87,000 MILES ORIGINAL ..MY DASH LIGHTS FREQUENTLY GO OFF AND ON WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD..THIS CAUSES HAVOC WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AS DASH LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS GO OUT..OFF AND ON NOT ALWAYS CONTINUALLY..TO REMEDY I HAVE TO HOLD THE SWITCH FOR THE TURN SIGNAL SLIGHTLY TO GET BACK ON WHILE DRIVING TO A PLACE I CAN STOP..I HAVE TRIED TO ORDER THE PART FROM A DEALER AND AFTERMARKETS ..HOWEVER PART IS ON BACK ORDER 6,000 AND WAITING LIST IS QUITE EXTENSIVE..IS THERE A RECALL OUT THERE FOR THIS PART?? 6,000 ON BACK ORDER IS RIDICULOUS SHOULDN'T THERE BE? THIS PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT 3 DAYS AGO. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10283164

105,000 miles · Jun 9, 2009
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

MARCH 2009: WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH, HEAR A RATTLE NOISE, THEN THE SHIFT ON THE FLOOR SHAKES VIOLENTLY. PULL OVER, CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, TRAVEL HOME LESS THAN 50 MPH, FINE. FEW MORE TIMES, ON THE HIGHWAY, CAR DOES IT AGAIN. PUT IN FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER, CHANGE OIL, CLEAN ALL AROUND BATTERY. DOES NOT DO IT FOR A WEEK OR…

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MARCH 2009: WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH, HEAR A RATTLE NOISE, THEN THE SHIFT ON THE FLOOR SHAKES VIOLENTLY. PULL OVER, CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, TRAVEL HOME LESS THAN 50 MPH, FINE. FEW MORE TIMES, ON THE HIGHWAY, CAR DOES IT AGAIN. PUT IN FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER, CHANGE OIL, CLEAN ALL AROUND BATTERY. DOES NOT DO IT FOR A WEEK OR TWO THEN DOES IT AGAIN. TOLD TO REPLACE CAMSHAFT SENSOR & CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. DID AND RAN FINE NO ISSUES FOR TWO WEEKS. 4/13/09 AFTER SITTING AT A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT, PROCEEDED TO TURN RIGHT, ENGINE DIED. NO WARNING NO SOUND,NO DASH LIGHTS ON, WAITED A FEW MINUTES, STARTED UP & TRAVELED HOME. 4/15/09 AFTER SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHILE DRIVING FORWARD, CAR DIED, NO SOUND,CHUGGING, NO DASH LIGHTS WE WENT TO JEEP IN FORT MYERS FLORIDA. THEY SAID WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR OIL, ADD A FUEL ADDITIVE, INJECTOR CLEANER & CLEAN OUR BATTERY IN ADDITION TO REPLACE ONE OF THE SENSORS. ALL OF THIS WAS ALREADY DONE. IF THAT DOES NOT SOLVE THE ISSUE, THEN IT IS OUR IGNITION SWITCH. COST TO US FOR THIS DIAGNOSIS $110.19. 4/27/09 TOWED JEEP WITH RV TO MAINEWENT TO JEEP DEALER MACDONALD MOTORS BRIDGTON MAINE. 5/04/09 CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING TO THE APPOINTMENT, THIS TIME 45-50MPH. WANTED TO REPLACE CRANK SENSOR WITH A ?MOPAR? BRAND, EVEN THOUGH WE TOLD HIM IT WAS JUST DONE. ALSO WANTED TO COMPLETE COMBUSTION CHAMBER CLEANER FROM BULLETIN 09-003-03. DECLINED. COST $55.81 5/18/09 TOOK CAR INTO MACDONALDS MOTORS FOR BULLETIN 09-003-03 TO BE DONE & ASKED THEM TO CHECK GROUNDING MOUNTS. REC'D CALL THAT THEY PERFORMED FUEL SYSTEM CLEANING & NEED A NEW CRANK SENSOR. WE SPOKE TO THE MANAGER, BECAUSE THE WORK WE REQUESTED WAS NOT PERFORMED, AND OTHER ITEMS WERE. HE ASSURED US THE BULLETIN WOULD BE PERFORMED THE INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED, NO REPAIR WAS NEEDED AND THE GROUNDING MOUNTS WERE FINE AND THE COMPUTER NO LONGER TELLS THEM IT NEEDS A CRANK SENSOR. THIS VEHICLE HAS DIED THREE MORE TIMES SINCE THEIR REPAIRS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10273183

140 miles · Oct 8, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingFireInjury

WHILE EXITING THE OFFRAMP FROM A HIGHWAY, I DOWNSHIFTED MY JEEP WRANGLER. THE CLUTCH WENT ON ME, AND I PROCEEDED TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY. BEFORE I COULD STOP THE VEHICLE, AN EXTREMELY QUICK FIRE ERUPTED FROM UNDER THE ENGINE, AND SPREAD TO THE CAB, COMPLETELY PLACING MYSELF AND GIRLFRIEND IN A LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION. WITHIN …

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WHILE EXITING THE OFFRAMP FROM A HIGHWAY, I DOWNSHIFTED MY JEEP WRANGLER. THE CLUTCH WENT ON ME, AND I PROCEEDED TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY. BEFORE I COULD STOP THE VEHICLE, AN EXTREMELY QUICK FIRE ERUPTED FROM UNDER THE ENGINE, AND SPREAD TO THE CAB, COMPLETELY PLACING MYSELF AND GIRLFRIEND IN A LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION. WITHIN MINUTES, THE ENTIRE JEEP WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES, WITH US BARELY ESCAPING. HAVE HAD NO COOPERATION FROM THE DEALER, OR CHRYSLER. THE VEHICLE WAS IN PERFECT RUNNING CONDITION, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A MECHANICAL ERROR. CHRYSLER HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, TOLD ME THAT IT WASN'T THEIR FAULT, BUT HAS YET TO EXPLAIN WHAT ACTUALLY WAS THE CAUSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10244884

Mileage unknown · Nov 9, 2007
Visibility

WINDOW REGULATOR ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S WINDOW, FRONT PASSENGER'S WINDOW AND BACK PASSENGER WINDOW HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10208526

81,000 miles · Jul 18, 2007
Electrical System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK, BUT NOT SHUT OFF. ON OCCASION, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND LOSE POWER. HOWEVER, AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER WOULD RETURN. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THE CAM SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPL…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK, BUT NOT SHUT OFF. ON OCCASION, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND LOSE POWER. HOWEVER, AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER WOULD RETURN. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THE CAM SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SENSOR WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CAM SENSOR WAS REPLACED AGAIN, AS WELL AS THE COIL MODULE AND SPARK PLUGS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 91,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000. UPDATED 02/08/08. *LJ

NHTSA ODI #10196762

55,000 miles · Jan 31, 2007
Steering

WE ARE A JEEP FAMILY. JEEP LIBERTY 2002 WAS BROUGHT IN FOR RECALL ON THE BALL JOINTS ON 11/26/06. IN EARLY DEC WE STARTED EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH STEERING. BROUGHT THE JEEP INTO DEALERSHIP AND THEY QUOTED US $1680 TO REPLACE POWER STEERING PRESSURE LINE &SWITCH & RACK AND PINION. I WAS SURPRISED THAT A JEEP THIS NEW WOULD…

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WE ARE A JEEP FAMILY. JEEP LIBERTY 2002 WAS BROUGHT IN FOR RECALL ON THE BALL JOINTS ON 11/26/06. IN EARLY DEC WE STARTED EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH STEERING. BROUGHT THE JEEP INTO DEALERSHIP AND THEY QUOTED US $1680 TO REPLACE POWER STEERING PRESSURE LINE &SWITCH & RACK AND PINION. I WAS SURPRISED THAT A JEEP THIS NEW WOULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP TOLD US THAT 3 OTHER JEEP LIBERTYS WERE SERVICED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITHIN THE LAST WEEKS. THEY SAID IT WAS STRANGE BECAUSE THE LIBERTYS HAD ALL JUST HAD THE RECALL WORK DONE ON THE BALL JOINTS. ALL 3 JEEP LIBERTYS HAD THE SAME POWER STEERING, RACK & PINON PROBLEM AFTER THE RECALL WORK WAS COMPLETED. DEALERSHIP SAID THEY THOUGHT MAYBE THERE WAS A CONNECTION TO THE RECALL BUT COULD NOT SAY THAT IT WAS DEFINITE. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP THAT I WOULD CONTACT CHRYSLER JEEP AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO MINE RECORDED. 1/31 I CONTACTED JEEP CUSTOMER SERVICE (REFERENCE #15916486) AND TALKED TO SENIOR STAFF AGENT ANGELA. THE AGENT SAID THAT SHE RESEARCHED AND NO OTHER PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED ; JEEP DID NOT AGREE THAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE RELATED TO THE RECALL. I DID GO ON THE INTERNET AND THERE ARE COMPLAINTS NOTED ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT THE JEEP BALL JOINT PROBLEM CONTRIBUTED TO THE STEERING PROBLEM AND THAT JEEP SHOULD REPAIR MY CAR AT THEIR EXPENSE. JEEP DISAGREES. DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE OR APPEAL PROCESS TO MAKE CHRYSLER FIX THE RACK & PINION PROBLEM OR AT LEAST CONTRIBUTE TO THE REPAIR.

NHTSA ODI #10181268

23,000 miles · Dec 21, 2006
Suspension

TL* - THE CONTACT STATES THAT SHE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE (F23), IN REGARD TO HER LOWER BALL JOINT. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEY TOLD HER THAT THE REPAIR WILL TAKE A FEW MONTHS. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THEY GET ONLY 3 PARTS A MONTH.

NHTSA ODI #10176768

65,000 miles · Nov 1, 2006
Power Train

BAD THROW-OUT BEARING OR NOISY NV3550 5-SPD TRANSMISSION. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10172365

30,000 miles · Sep 27, 2006
Seat Belts

I OWN A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY AND NOTICED THAT THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT BUTTON STICKS..USUALLY IN COLDER MONTHS AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO FASTEN THE BELT (AS IT WILL NOT GO INTO THE SLOT). NOT SURE IF THIS IS COVERED AS I BELIEVE ITS DEFECTIVE. DOESN'T' DO IN SUMMER, JUST WINTER. MY WARRANTY IS EXPIRED, I HAVE APPROX 45K MILES ON THE JEEP.…

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I OWN A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY AND NOTICED THAT THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT BUTTON STICKS..USUALLY IN COLDER MONTHS AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO FASTEN THE BELT (AS IT WILL NOT GO INTO THE SLOT). NOT SURE IF THIS IS COVERED AS I BELIEVE ITS DEFECTIVE. DOESN'T' DO IN SUMMER, JUST WINTER. MY WARRANTY IS EXPIRED, I HAVE APPROX 45K MILES ON THE JEEP. HOW DO I PROCEED? DO I JUST HAVE DEALER FIX & SHOULD IT BE FREE OF CHARGE SINCE THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS FROM FOLKS WHO OWN THE SAME MODEL/YEAR? *NM

NHTSA ODI #10169429

Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 2006
Air BagsCrashInjury

JEEP FISHTAILED IN BAD RAIN THEN LEFT INTERSTATE FLIPPED 3 TIMES LANDED IN RAVINE NOSE DOWN, NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10163264

Official recalls

2

02V104000 · 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.

02V075000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch

Mar 8, 2002

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, WATER AND IMPURITIES CAN ENTER INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH WITH A REDESIGNED SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 8, 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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