Jeep Wrangler problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 9 model years (2018–2026), NHTSA has logged 5,957 owner complaints and 44 safety recalls for the Jeep Wrangler. That averages 126.6 complaints per year on the road — far more complaints than typical (index 3.14 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Off-road SUVs segment it ranks #3 of 3 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 63.8.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
The trend is improving. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 31% below the 2018 and 2019 models (398 early complaints per model year versus 665).
The 2024 model year has the highest rate (343.0 complaints per year) and the 2022 model year the lowest (84.4). Model years 2018 and 2024 run at least 50% above this model's average of 126.6 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Steering (32.2% of complaints), followed by Engine (20.4%) and Electrical (18.5%). Steering complaints are 5.0 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 217 complaints (3.6%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 65 injuries and 0 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 1,385 complaints versus 994 in the previous 12 months — up 39%. The 2024 model year generated the most recent reports (548). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 23 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 44 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2024 (8), 3 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning, 1 fixable over the air. 10 NHTSA investigations have covered this model, 4 still open; the latest is “Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) Failure” (preliminary evaluation, opened 2025-10-23, still open).
Every other tracked model among Off-road SUVs has fewer complaints per year, including Toyota 4Runner and Ford Bronco.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 ▲50%+ | 1,824 | 207.5 | 5.14 | 108 | 14 | Steering | View › |
| 2019 | 743 | 95.4 | 2.36 | 66 | 9 | Steering | View › |
| 2020 | 613 | 90.3 | 2.24 | 127 | 12 ⚠ | Steering | View › |
| 2021 | 953 | 164.7 | 4.08 | 187 | 15 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2022 Fewest complaints | 404 | 84.4 | 2.09 | 130 | 15 ⚠ | Electrical | View › |
| 2023 | 372 | 98.2 | 2.43 | 149 | 14 ⚠ | Electrical | View › |
| 2024 ▲50%+ | 957 | 343.0 | 8.5 | 548 | 11 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2025 Too new to rank | 80 | 44.7 | 1.11 | 59 | 4 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2026 Too new to rank | 11 | 11.0 | 0.27 | 11 | 3 | Electrical | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 1,385 · Previous 12 months: 994 Rising
Problem areas
Steering ›
1,919 · 32.2% · 5.03 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Engine ›
1,213 · 20.4% · 0.91 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Electrical ›
1,104 · 18.5% · 1.18 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Transmission / powertrain ›
563 · 9.5% · 0.81 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Unspecified or other ›
322 · 5.4% · 0.6 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Body & structure ›
242 · 4.1% · 0.45 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Wheels, tires & suspension ›
202 · 3.4% · 1.35 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Fuel system ›
174 · 2.9% · 0.67 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Brakes ›
89 · 1.5% · 0.25 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Other
56 · 0.9% · 0.51 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Airbags & seat belts ›
42 · 0.7% · 0.19 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Lighting
18 · 0.3% · 0.19 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Driver-assist systems
13 · 0.2% · 0.04 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 23 months
What owners report
Our daughter (who is a student at the University of Virginia) had been having issues with her Jeep and the instrument panel.
BACK OVER PREVENTION/BACK UP CAMERA SENSING SYSTEM Rearview image does not always power on, has delay powering, and/or sticks while displaying in the wrong direction misleading surrounding area.
The check engine light was on and it said to service the battery charging components. When driving in hybrid mode it doesn’t switch to use the battery.
My jeep after the 68c recall work was performed to lessen the chances of a fire caused by the hybrid battery now under performs compared to before the recall. I get much less that the advertised EV / Battery only miles.
Both the driver-side and passenger-side door window glass spontaneously shattered due to severe internal structural stress originating from the side-view mirror mounting brackets and window frame assembly.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Off-road SUVs
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota 4Runner | 334 | 10.1 | 0.25 | Stable | Rising | 12 | Brakes |
| 2 | Ford Bronco | 980 | 41.1 | 1.02 | Improving | Rising | 50 | Body & structure |
| 3 | Jeep Wrangler | 5,957 | 126.6 | 3.14 | Improving | Rising | 44 | Steering |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 44
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 3
- Over-the-air fix: 1
Safety recalls: 2018 (14) · 2019 (9) · 2020 (12) · 2021 (15) · 2022 (15) · 2023 (14) · 2024 (11) · 2025 (4) · 2026 (3)
Investigations
- Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) Failure Open
The Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) is opening a Preliminary Evaluation on 2020 Model Year Jeep Gladiators and Wranglers involving a malfunctioning Instrument Panel Clusters (IPC) resulting in the loss of important vehicle metrics and other status information. ODI has received 89 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging a complete or partial loss of the IPC display while driving. The …
- Loss of Motive Power Open
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has identified 68 Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports for model years (MY) 2021 through 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vehicles alleging a loss of motive power. Recall 22V-865 was issued by the manufacturer to address an engine shutdown condition in certain MY 2021-2023 Wrangler 4xe vehicles. The complaints noted here contain both post recall remedy failures…
- High pressure fuel pump failure Open
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE21-021 on October 14, 2021, to investigate incidents alleging a stall/loss of motive power as a result of high-pressure fuel pump failures in certain model year (MY) 2019-2020 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 heavy duty trucks equipped with 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel engines. During the investigation, ODI sought to determine if the related defect alle…
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture Open
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupt…
- Underhood fires Closed
On September 6, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE24024 to investigate allegations of engine compartment fires in model year 2021-2023 Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles. Most reports described fires starting on the front passenger side of the engine compartment while the vehicle was turned off, with several originating specifically at the electrohyd…
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…