1997 Jeep Wrangler problems
The 1997 Jeep Wrangler has 548 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (21%) concerns engine. After that come exhaust system (15%) and fuel system (11%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 548 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 21% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 46 and 10
- Injuries and deaths
- 39 and 9
- Typical mileage
- 74,000 miles 98 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 4 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 5 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 10 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 35 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 16 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 4 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 12 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 7 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 3 |
| 200k+ miles | 2 |
What the data shows
Among the 98 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 74,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 73,000 miles (16 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 46 complaints mention a crash; 10 complaints mention a fire; 39 injuries reported; 9 deaths reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1997 ranks 19th most-complained-about out of 35 model years of the Jeep Wrangler with enough data (296 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
No deployment of air bags during vehicle collision, vehicle was traveling 35MPH on impact,motorcycle crossed the center line into oncoming traffic and struck the jeep head-on, the front end of the vehicle was destroyed, injury to consumers.
Car has a bucking and poor proformance at highway speeds up long hills, making 60MPH impossible. It has been a poor highway performer, but has become "rough-missfiring" very badly 3 times in the car life. First 2 serious failures I got a engine check light, resulting in dealer visits. Now the engine check light was "fixed" it is not there, but the failure mode is. The car exhaust pipe end is quite black, dirty running?
While driving my jeep on a public road going about 45, the vehicle began to shake uncontrollably. I had to pull over and stop the vehicle in order for the shaking to stop. It was incredibly dangerous, and I was lucky that I wasn't involved in an accident.
Driving down the road the rear upper control arm brackets separated from the frame as a result of the frame corroding from the inside out. This caused the rear brake line to brake draining the master cylinder.