Jeep Wrangler problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 8 model years (2018–2025), NHTSA has logged 5,757 owner complaints and 41 safety recalls for the Jeep Wrangler. That averages 138.4 complaints per year on the road — far more complaints than typical (index 3.29 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Off-road SUVs segment it ranks #3 of 3 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 67.8.
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
Across eight model years from 2018 to 2025, the Jeep Wrangler has logged 5,757 owner complaints and 41 safety recalls, averaging 138.4 complaints per year which is far more than typical. While it ranks third for fewest complaints within its Off-road SUVs segment, Steering remains the most common problem area at 33.1% of complaints, occurring 5.1 times as often as across all tracked vehicles. Model years 2018 and 2024 run at least 50% above the model's own average and require careful research, whereas the 2022 model sits well below average. Owners should note that 209 complaints describe a crash or fire with 63 injuries reported, and the complaint pace is rising with 1,532 filed in the last 12 months versus 743 previously.
Summary drafted by an AI model running on our own server from the figures on this page, and checked number by number against the data before publishing. The statistics and the analysis above come from our fixed methodology, not from the model.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 29% below the 2018 and 2019 models (398 early complaints per model year versus 665).
The 2024 model year has the highest rate (334.2 complaints per year) and the 2025 model year the lowest (41.2). Model years 2018 and 2024 run at least 50% above the model's own average — the ones to research most carefully. The 2022 model year sits well below the model's average.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Steering (33.1% of complaints), followed by Engine (20.3%) and Electrical (18.7%). Steering complaints are 5.1 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Recurring terms in owner reports: “steering”, “wobble”, “death”, “bump” and “wheel”. 209 complaints (3.6%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 63 injuries and 0 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 1,532 complaints versus 743 in the previous 12 months — the pace is rising. The 2024 model year generated the most recent reports (755). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 23 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 41 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 defect investigations have covered this model, 5 still open; the latest is “Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) Failure” (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 | Complaints in first 2 years on the road | vs. same-year average | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Years to research carefully | 1,814 | 209.1 | 4.97 | 987 | 11.08 | 111 | 14 | Steering | View › |
| 2019 | 734 | 95.6 | 2.27 | 343 | 4.25 | 63 | 9 | Steering | View › |
| 2020 | 606 | 90.8 | 2.16 | 193 | 3.39 | 133 | 12 ⚠ | Steering | View › |
| 2021 | 912 | 160.8 | 3.82 | 212 | 3.47 | 156 | 15 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2022 | 382 | 81.7 | 1.94 | 108 | 1.46 | 116 | 15 ⚠ | Electrical | View › |
| 2023 | 346 | 94.2 | 2.24 | 177 | 2.13 | 133 | 14 ⚠ | Electrical | View › |
| 2024 Years to research carefully | 894 | 334.2 | 7.94 | 620 | 8.82 | 755 | 11 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
| 2025 Fewest complaints | 69 | 41.2 | 0.98 | — | — | 65 | 4 ⚠ | Engine | View › |
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: 1,532 · Previous 12 months: 743 Rising
Problem areas
Electrical ›
1,077 · 18.7% · 1.19 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- electrical282
- instrument209
- cluster171
- recall465
Transmission / powertrain ›
537 · 9.3% · 0.8 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- clutch108
- train103
- notification power72
- recall213
Interior & equipment ›
317 · 5.5% · 0.61 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- fire45
- stellantis24
- remedy33
- unlimited14
Wheels, tires & suspension ›
199 · 3.5% · 1.39 vs. all vehicles · Steady
- wobble91
- death84
- bump61
- shaking59
Other
52 · 0.9% · 0.5 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- seat28
- forward20
- position14
- plastic10
Airbags & seat belts ›
41 · 0.7% · 0.19 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- deploy15
- seatbelt13
- air bags12
- airbag11
Lighting
18 · 0.3% · 0.2 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- led10
- snow9
- headlights9
- lights completely3
Driver-assist systems
12 · 0.2% · 0.04 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- emergency4
- forward4
- sensor3
- control5
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Common terms in reports
- steering2047
- wobble761
- death717
- bump527
- wheel1060
- violently436
- shaking486
- damper276
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 23 months
What owners report
The car does not ride properly...it stops suddenly, it jolts, it vibrates, the battery sounds like it is overworking or overheating.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while seated inside the vehicle while the vehicle was stationary, the contact heard a pop and then saw flames coming from underneath the hood. The contact safely exited the vehicle.
2018 Jeep Wrangler rubber brake lines collapsing internally, trapping hydraulic fluid pressure, and causing front brakes to overheat/lock up. Happened last year on my driver's side. It completely locked up my caliper.
The IPC Cluster completely blank. Unsafe to operate vehicle, as speed was unknown, unable to read fuel gauges, and unable to see any warning lights.
Getting the well know Jeep "Death Wobble". Was advised by Carvana when I bought this vehicle that it had an open recall for this exact issue (Manufacturer Recall Number CDJR XF1) due to the Steering Damper having air in it.
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 | 326 | 10.1 | 0.24 | Stable | Rising | 12 | Brakes |
| 2 | Ford Bronco | 936 | 47.1 | 1.12 | Improving | Rising | 47 | Body & structure |
| 3 | Jeep Wrangler | 5,757 | 138.4 | 3.29 | Improving | Rising | 41 | Steering |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 41
- 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)
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.  Th…
- Underhood fires Open
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 9 Vehicle Owner's Questionnaire (VOQ) reports, 1 Death and Injury report, and multiple field reports alleging incidents of engine compartment fires in model year (MY) 2021-2023 Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles. The majority of the reports describe a fire occurring while the ignition in the vehicle was in an âOFFâ state with a suspected…
- 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…
- 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…
- 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…
Frequently asked questions
Which Jeep Wrangler model year has the most complaints?
The 2024 model year has the highest rate (334.2 complaints per year) and the 2025 model year the lowest (41.2).
Is the Jeep Wrangler getting better or worse?
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 29% below the 2018 and 2019 models (398 early complaints per model year versus 665). In the last 12 months owners filed 1,532 complaints versus 743 in the previous 12 months — the pace is rising.
What are the most common Jeep Wrangler problems?
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Steering (33.1% of complaints), followed by Engine (20.3%) and Electrical (18.7%). Recurring terms in owner reports: “steering”, “wobble”, “death”, “bump” and “wheel”.
How does the Jeep Wrangler compare with other Off-road SUVs?
Within the Off-road SUVs segment it ranks #3 of 3 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 67.8. Every other tracked model among Off-road SUVs has fewer complaints per year, including Toyota 4Runner and Ford Bronco.
Does the Jeep Wrangler have recalls or open investigations?
Recalls: 41 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 defect investigations have covered this model, 5 still open; the latest is “Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) Failure” (opened 2025-10-23, still open).