vehicle signal
U.S. public vehicle records

1997 Jeep WRANGLER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

238 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

80,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 71 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe is the most frequently named component, appearing in 38 of 238 complaints (16.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior198.0%
Steering behavior156.3%
Fuel system concerns145.9%
Transmission and shifting135.5%
Electrical and battery issues62.5%
Engine operation41.7%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
38
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System
16
Air Bags
13
Suspension
11
Air Bags:Frontal
9
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor
9
Unknown Or Other
9
Power Train:Manual Transmission
8
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe38
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System16
Air Bags13
Suspension11
Air Bags:Frontal9
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor9
Unknown Or Other9
Power Train:Manual Transmission8

Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 38; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System: 16; Air Bags: 13; Suspension: 11; Air Bags:Frontal: 9; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor: 9; Unknown Or Other: 9; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 8

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
4
25,000 to 49,999
7
50,000 to 74,999
21
75,000 to 99,999
16
100,000 to 149,999
15
150,000 and above
8
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0004
25,000 to 49,9997
50,000 to 74,99921
75,000 to 99,99916
100,000 to 149,99915
150,000 and above8

Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 21; 75,000 to 99,999: 16; 100,000 to 149,999: 15; 150,000 and above: 8

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (21). 167 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1996
4
2000
51
2001
53
2002
35
2003
20
2004
18
2005
11
2006
5
2007
2
2008
2
2009
1
2010
4
2011
2
2012
2
2013
2
2014
6
2015
4
2016
3
2017
2
2018
5
2019
1
2020
3
2021
1
2023
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
19964
200051
200153
200235
200320
200418
200511
20065
20072
20082
20091
20104
20112
20122
20132
20146
20154
20163
20172
20185
20191
20203
20211
20231

1996: 4; 2000: 51; 2001: 53; 2002: 35; 2003: 20; 2004: 18; 2005: 11; 2006: 5; 2007: 2; 2008: 2; 2009: 1; 2010: 4; 2011: 2; 2012: 2; 2013: 2; 2014: 6; 2015: 4; 2016: 3; 2017: 2; 2018: 5; 2019: 1; 2020: 3; 2021: 1; 2023: 1

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 19 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 14 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10055102 · 2004-01-28 (January 28, 2004)

ON A MAINTAINED DIRT COUNTY ROAD THE BRAKES ON MY 1997 JEEP WRANGLER FAILED TO STOP MY CAR CAUSING A REAR END COLLISION WITH ANOTHER CAR.I COULD FEEL THE PULSING OF THE ABS BRAKES BUT THE CAR REFUSED TO SLOW DOWN,IT PULLED ME INTO THE CAR INFRONT OF ME. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 97,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10055102 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10088918 · 2004-08-31 (August 31, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING ON ROUTE 93 IN BOSTON, MA ON A RAINY DAY AT 6 AM. I BRAKED AND SWERVED TO AVOID A CAR AND THE BACK BRAKES ON 97 JEEP WRANGLER LOCKED AND THE BACK END CAME AROUND AND I IT THE ZIPPER LANE BARRIER. I ENDED UP FACING TRAFFICE IN THE WRONG DIRECTION IN THE HIGH SPEED LANE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 139,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088918 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10023888 · 2003-06-27 (June 27, 2003)

I BOUGHT MY 1997 JEEP WRANGLER IN JUNE, 2002 FROM A USED CAR DEALER IN BALTIMORE, MD WITH AN AS-IS WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE HAD PASSED INSPECTION AND WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. IT HAD 64,000 MILES ON IT AND APPEARED TO BE GOOD. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS JEEP. FIRST THE WIRING HARNESS, THEN THE TRANSMISSION, NOW A DIAGNOSIS TO REPLACE THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD, REPLACED FUEL PUMP AND HAS A FAULTY FUEL GAUGE, AND POSSIBLY THE STABILIZER BAR OR STEERING COMPONENTS. THIS JEEP IS COSTING ME MORE IN REPAIRS …

Owner-reported narrative. 74,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023888 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10067698 · 2004-04-22 (April 22, 2004)

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1997 JEEP WRANGLER, VIN 1J4FY19S2VP52606. RECENTLY, I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL FULLY IN ONE DIRECTION (I DON'T RECALL IF IT WAS CLOCKWISE OR COUNTERCLOCKWISE), AND HEARD A SNAP SOMEWHERE IN THE STEERING WHEEL OR STEERING COLUMN. THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON (AND HAS BEEN ON EVER SINCE), AND THE HORN NO LONGER WORKS. *AK I CONTACTED CHRYSLER, AND WAS TOLD THAT MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY OF THE AIRBAG RECALLS FOR THE '97 WRANGLER. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS A BIT OF A COINCIDENCE THAT THE SYMPTOMS DES…

Owner-reported narrative. 69,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10067698 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10055940 · 2004-01-27 (January 27, 2004)

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP. THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE BEING DRIVEN AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH OR GREATER. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10055940 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10024874 · 2003-09-12 (September 12, 2003)

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. *AK THE GAUGES MALFUNCTIONED (GAS READ EMPTY), THE VEHICLE JERKED UNCONTROLLABLY. DIFFERENT MECHANICS WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION LEAKED (THERE WAS PINK FLUID IN THE BATTERY AREA), THE BELT PULLEY HAD FALLEN OFF AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED, AND THE BATTERY FAILED. *SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 73,629 miles reported. Look up ODI 10024874 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10760112 · 2015-08-29 (August 29, 2015)

WHEN COLD, JEEP STARTS AND RUNS FINE. AFTER ENGINE WARMS UP, OIL PRESSURE WOULD DROP AND JEEP WOULD ALMOST DIE. IF I SHUT IT OFF AND TRY TO RESTART WHILE STILL WARM, JEEP WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME STARTING AND IF IT DID START, IT WOULD IDLE EXTREMELY ROUGH AND BARELY ACCELERATE. ONCE I GOT SPEED UP, IT RAN FINE UNTIL I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND IT WOULD ACT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE AND THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE WOULD BOTTOM OUT. DEALER PUT MANUAL GAUGES ON IT AND DETERMINED IT WAS THE OIL SENDING UNIT. OIL PRESSURE NOW HOLDS AT 20 WHEN AT IDLE. TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 135,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10760112 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 723486 · 2000-06-02 (June 2, 2000)

ROUGH IDLE; ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON; STALLING, BUCKING AT SPEED; NOISEY/CRACKED EXHAUST

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 723486 at NHTSA ↗