2013 Jeep WRANGLER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
650 owner complaints analyzed
6 distinct recall campaigns
50,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 365 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 230 of 650 complaints (35.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 172 | 26.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 98 | 15.1% |
| Braking behavior | 84 | 12.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 53 | 8.2% |
| Engine operation | 51 | 7.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 10 | 1.5% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 230 |
| Steering | 165 |
| Engine | 140 |
| Electrical System | 98 |
| Unknown Or Other | 72 |
| Air Bags | 69 |
| Service Brakes | 58 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 32 |
Power Train: 230; Steering: 165; Engine: 140; Electrical System: 98; Unknown Or Other: 72; Air Bags: 69; Service Brakes: 58; Visibility/Wiper: 32
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 114 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 67 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 87 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 63 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 28 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 114; 25,000 to 49,999: 67; 50,000 to 74,999: 87; 75,000 to 99,999: 63; 100,000 to 149,999: 28; 150,000 and above: 6
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (114). 285 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 45 |
| 2014 | 193 |
| 2015 | 49 |
| 2016 | 58 |
| 2017 | 49 |
| 2018 | 47 |
| 2019 | 70 |
| 2020 | 33 |
| 2021 | 14 |
| 2022 | 23 |
| 2023 | 17 |
| 2024 | 10 |
| 2025 | 18 |
| 2026 | 24 |
2013: 45; 2014: 193; 2015: 49; 2016: 58; 2017: 49; 2018: 47; 2019: 70; 2020: 33; 2021: 14; 2022: 23; 2023: 17; 2024: 10; 2025: 18; 2026: 24
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 172 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 98 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 84 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 10524937 · 2013-07-15 (July 15, 2013)
TRAVELING STRAIGHT WHEN HIT BUMP IN ROAD, LOSS OF STEERING OCCURRED WHICH PROPELLED VEHICLE INTO PARKED CAR AND THEN SMALL BRICK WALL IN FRONT LAWN/DRIVEWAY. CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10524937 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10537413 · 2013-08-27 (August 27, 2013)
TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 JEEP WRANGLER. A RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V234000 (POWER TRAIN, STEERING) WAS RECEIVED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE AND NO TIME FRAME WAS GIVEN. THE CONTACT HAS NOT EXPERIENCED ANY ISSUES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6000.- LL
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10537413 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10520584 · 2013-06-18 (June 18, 2013)
2013 JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON, CAUGHT FIRE AFTER COMING OFF OF A HIGHWAY. TRAVELING UNDER 30 MPH, I SAW FLAMES UNDERNEATH THE JEEP BEHIND ME ( MY FRIENDS JEEP ). BY THE TIME I NOTICED IT WAS A BALL OF FLAME. I IMMIDIATELY SLAMED ON THE BRAKES AND WAVED HIM DOWN. HE COULD BARELY STOP BECAUSE HIS BRAKES ALSO WENT OUT( HE SAID THE ABS LIGHT FLIPPED ON) MY OTHER FRIEND JUMPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE I WAS TRAVELING IN AND ATTEMPTED HELP SAID FRIEND IN THE WRANGLER. SAME FRIEND HAD A GIANT BUCKET OF WATER IN HIS BED OF THE TRUCK I WAS DRIVING. I GRABBED IT …
Owner-reported narrative. 8,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10520584 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10548837 · 2013-10-21 (October 21, 2013)
WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, I WAS MOVING THE SHIFTER TO REVERSE AND HEARD A CLUNK SOUND. IT WAS NOT A SMOOTH SHIFT. IMMEDIATELY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I BACKED THE VEHICLE OUT OF SPACE AND MOVE THE AUTOMATIC SHIFTER TO DRIVE AND HEARD ANOTHER CLUNKING NOISE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. AS I TRIED TO PICK UP SPEED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT AND THE RPM'S WENT HIGHER AND HIGHER. WE DROVE THE CAR UP TO 40 MPH AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT. SO WE DECIDED TO TAKE THE CAR HOME AND NOT OPERATE THE VEHICLE AS THE T…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,298 miles reported. Look up ODI 10548837 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10492069 · 2013-01-10 (January 10, 2013)
WHILE TRAVELING DOWN A HIGHWAY AT 55, I ADJUSTED MY POSITION IN THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS IN CRUISE CONTROL. I PLACED MY FEET ON THE CARPET IN FRONT OF THE SEAT AND PUSHED MYSELF UP AND BACK INTO THE SEAT TO ADJUST MY COMFORT AND POSITION. THE CARPET AND CARPET MAT WENT UP INTO THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. WITH MY FEET I PULLED THE CARPET AND THE MAT BACK AND OUT OF THE PEDALS. STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND MOVED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE TO SEE THE CAUSE. THE DRIVER SIDE CARP…
Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 10492069 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10510405 · 2013-05-02 (May 2, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN VIBRATING ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL CLICKING NOISE EXHIBITED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A BOLT MISSING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE BRAKE CALIPER. THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE CALIPER BRACKET, ROTOR AND SIDE WHEEL WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT …
Owner-reported narrative. 312 miles reported. Look up ODI 10510405 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10557699 · 2013-12-30 (December 30, 2013)
AT THE TIME I FIRST TRIED OUT THE VEHICLE & PRIOR TO PURCHASE THE BATTERY WAS DEAD & IT HAD TO BE "JUMP" STARTED. I REQUESTED THAT A NEW BATTERY BE INSTALLED PRIOR TO DELIVERY. I TOOK DELIVERY & ABOUT A WEEK LATER WENT ON VACATION, DID NOT TAKE JEEP. IT WAS NOT DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS. WHEN I TRIED TO START IT THE JEEP WOULD NOT START, AS IF THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. I JUMPED IT & CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT, EVERY DAY FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. AFTER A FEW WEEKS, I LET THE VEHICLE SIT FOR A DAY WITHOUT STARTING AND WHEN I TRIED IT WOULD NOT START. 8/19/1…
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10557699 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10564463 · 2014-02-15 (February 15, 2014)
THERE IS A POWER TRAIN RECALL ON MY JEEP. THE DEALERSHIP CANT GET THE PART IN. WE GOT THE NOTICE IN THE SUMMER. HOW LONG DO THEY HAVE TO FIX THIS, AND WHAT STEPS CAN I TAKE NOW? MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP NOW FOR ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM THAT THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR. I ASKED THE SERVICE PERSON WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE PART IN QUESTION BROKE BEFORE IT WAS AVAILABLE AND SHE TOLD ME THAT CHRYSLER TOLD THE DEALERSHIPS TO "PUT A BANDAID ON IT"?? MY CHILD DRIVES THIS JEEP! *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10564463 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10538053 · 2013-08-30 (August 30, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BECAME HOT AND THE DRIVER SAFELY MERGED OFF ROAD. HE THEN NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE SEAT AND HE EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND WAS DEEMED AS BEING DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,400.
Owner-reported narrative. 2,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10538053 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10610640 · 2014-07-15 (July 15, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART BUT FAILED TO ACCELERATE OVER 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,529. UPDATED 8/27/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE DEALER ADVISED THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS A FAULTY OIL PUMP. IT WAS REPLACE…
Owner-reported narrative. 16,529 miles reported. Look up ODI 10610640 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10553653 · 2013-11-25 (November 25, 2013)
DROVE MY JEEP ABOUT 45 MIN.TO MY SON'S HOUSE TURNED OFF THE KEY GOT OUT OF THE JEEP AND LEFT IT FOR ABOUT 45 MIN. WHEN I CAME BACK TO IT, IT WAS STEAL RUNNING WITH THE KEYS IN MY POCKET. AND IT WAS COVERED WITH STEAM I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO CATCH FIRE WE TRIED TO TURN THE MOTOR OFF BY PUTTING THE KEY BACK IN BUT IT STEEL RAN FOR ABOUT 30 MORE MIN. BEFORE WE PULLED THE FUEL PUMP FUSE OUT. JEEP AND THE DEALER I GOT THE JEEP FROM HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM AND HAVE ALMOST CALLED ME A LIAR. I AM AFRAID OF THE JEEP AFTER HEARING ABOUT…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10553653 at NHTSA ↗