2002 JEEP WRANGLER — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 102 complaints · 6 recalls
Most-reported system: STRUCTURE (17 complaints · 16.7%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 13
  • Fires 5
  • Injuries 14
  • Deaths 1
Compare with 2001 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution STRUCTURE appears in 17 of 102 owner complaints (16.7%) in this vehicle snapshot. STRUCTURE: 17 complaints, 16.7% of reports STRUCTURE 17 · 16.7% · 1 crash reports 1 fire reports SUSPENSION: 13 complaints, 12.8% of reports SUSPENSION 13 · 12.8% · 1 crash reports AIR BAGS: 12 complaints, 11.8% of reports AIR BAGS 12 · 11.8% · 9 crash reports 1 fire reports POWER TRAIN: 11 complaints, 10.8% of reports POWER TRAIN 11 · 10.8% ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 7 complaints, 6.9% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 7 · 6.9% STEERING: 7 complaints, 6.9% of reports STEERING 7 · 6.9% ENGINE: 6 complaints, 5.9% of reports ENGINE 6 · 5.9% · 2 fire reports SERVICE BRAKES: 6 complaints, 5.9% of reports SERVICE BRAKES 6 · 5.9% VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 4 complaints, 3.9% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 4 · 3.9% UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 60 complaints, 58.8% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 60 · 58.8% · 11 crash reports 1 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
STRUCTURE 17 16.7% 1 crashes · 1 fires
SUSPENSION 13 12.8% 1 crashes · 0 fires
AIR BAGS 12 11.8% 9 crashes · 1 fires
POWER TRAIN 11 10.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 7 6.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
STEERING 7 6.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
ENGINE 6 5.9% 0 crashes · 2 fires
SERVICE BRAKES 6 5.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 4 3.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 60 58.8% 11 crashes · 1 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-23 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 2002; the first recall shown was reported in Mar 2002. 2002-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2002-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2002-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2002-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2003-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2003-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2003-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2003-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2004-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2004-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2005-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2005-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2005-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2007-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2012-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2013-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2013-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2014-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2015-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2016-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2020-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 2002 Jan 2022 Recall campaign 02V075000 ◆ Recall campaign 02V075000 Recall campaign 02V104000 ◆ Recall campaign 02V104000 Recall campaign 04E041000 ◆ Recall campaign 04E041000 Recall campaign 06E011000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E011000 Recall campaign 06E022000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E022000 Recall campaign 06E026000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E026000
  • Campaign 02V075000 was reported 30 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 06E011000 was reported 50 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2002-Q1 Owner reports 1
2002-Q2 Owner reports 2
2002-Q3 Owner reports 3
2002-Q4 Owner reports 1
2003-Q1 Owner reports 5
2003-Q2 Owner reports 1
2003-Q3 Owner reports 9
2003-Q4 Owner reports 6
2004-Q1 Owner reports 4
2004-Q3 Owner reports 4
2005-Q1 Owner reports 2
2005-Q2 Owner reports 3
2005-Q4 Owner reports 1
2006-Q1 Owner reports 2
2006-Q3 Owner reports 2
2006-Q4 Owner reports 2
2007-Q3 Owner reports 1
2007-Q4 Owner reports 1
2008-Q4 Owner reports 1
2009-Q2 Owner reports 1
2009-Q3 Owner reports 1
2010-Q4 Owner reports 1
2011-Q2 Owner reports 1
2011-Q3 Owner reports 1
2011-Q4 Owner reports 1
2012-Q2 Owner reports 3
2012-Q3 Owner reports 2
2013-Q3 Owner reports 3
2013-Q4 Owner reports 2
2014-Q2 Owner reports 6
2014-Q3 Owner reports 2
2014-Q4 Owner reports 3
2015-Q4 Owner reports 4
2016-Q1 Owner reports 1
2016-Q3 Owner reports 1
2017-Q1 Owner reports 1
2017-Q3 Owner reports 3
2018-Q2 Owner reports 1
2018-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q1 Owner reports 1
2019-Q3 Owner reports 4
2019-Q4 Owner reports 4
2020-Q1 Owner reports 1
2021-Q1 Owner reports 1
2022-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 02V075000
Recall campaign 1 02V104000
Recall campaign 1 04E041000
Recall campaign 1 06E011000
Recall campaign 1 06E022000
Recall campaign 1 06E026000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (6)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 02V075000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Consequence:
    THIS COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH WITH A REDESIGNED SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 8, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 02V104000

    Report date
    Component:
    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
    Consequence:
    THIS COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL A MANIFOLD SHIELD TO MODIFY THE AIR FLOW CHARACTERISTICS AND TO PREVENT THE ACCUMULATION OF DEBRIS IN THE AREA OF THE #3 CYLINDER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 13, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 04E041000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE COCKPIT COULD CAUSE INJURY BY STRIKING PERSONS OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE OR COULD BECOME A DISTRACTION OR AN OBSTACLE TO OTHER DRIVERS, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    BESTOP WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND PROVIDE A REPAIR KIT AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FREE OF CHARGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 16, 2004. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BESTOP CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT (800) 845-3567.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 06E011000

    Report date
    Component:
    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
    Consequence:
    IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FUEL LEAK COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
    Remedy:
    AIRTEX WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 25, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AIRTEX CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT 1-800-880-3056.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 06E022000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID CAN LEAD TO A DECREASE IN BRAKE LINE PRESSURE AND AN INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    AFFINIA (BRAKE PARTS, INC.) WILL REPLACE THE SUBJECT BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 20, 2006. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AFFINA GROUP CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-323-0354.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 06E026000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-22
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 102 complaints · page 1 of 5

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-22.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources