1997 Jeep Wrangler complaints

ABOUT A WEEK AGO I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO REPORT A CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD.I ASKED IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY RECALLS OF THIS AND THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO WAS VERY RUDE TOLD ME NO.TODAY,FRIDAY MAY 25TH MY EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAS BROKEN IN HALF IN TWO (2) SPOTS EACH NEXT TA A WELD.I HAVE A FRIEND WHO IS A BOILERMAKER AND A UNION REP. AS WELL AS AN EXPERT IN ALL ASPECTS OF WELDING AND METALS, HAS TOLD ME THIS IS DEFECTIVE.THAT IT SHOULD STAND HIGH TEMPS.AND A LOT LONGER LIFE THAN THIS! WELL TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH I HAVE HAD SEVERAL AUTOMOBILES THROUGH OUT THE YEARS AND I HAVE NEVER HAD AN EXHAUST MANIFOLD BREAK OR EVEN CRACK ON ME ,EVER! THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID I WAS OUT OF WARRENTY AND THAT I WAS OUT OF LUCK..I HAVE EVEN LOOKED AT TE SPECS. ON THE EXHAUS MANIFOLD THAT JEEP ADVERTISES AND IT EVEN SAYS THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS A LONG LIFE. PLEASE HELP ME !*AK

EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAS DEVELOPED A CRACK WHICH ALLOWS EXHAUST FUMES TO ESCAPE INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *AK VEHICLE DOE NOT MEET EMISSIONS TEST REQUIREMENTS.*JB

SIRS, I HAVE SOME GENERAL CONCERNS, AND COULD NOT FIND ANOTHER AREA ON THE WEB SITE TO ADDRESS THEM: I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE SAME LIGHTS THAT MARK BRAKE USE, ALSO MARK TURNING. WHEN SOMEONE IS TAPPING BRAKES AND HAS TURN SIGNALS ON, IT IS UNCLEAR WHAT THEIR INTENTION IS. I ALSO DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAVE RUNNING LIGHTS ON ALL THE TIME. I HAVE TO DIM MY REAR VIEW MIRROR TO AVOID BEING DISTRACTED BY THESE LIGHTS, WHICH DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF THESE LIGHTS.*AK

EXHAUST MANIFOLD STARTED LEAKING AROUND 30,000 MI. NOW AT 49,850 LARGE CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED. VEHICLE MISFIRES AND RUNS ROUGH. JEEP DENIES PROBLEM EXISTS. SEEMS LIKE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER FEDERAL EMISSIONS WARRANTY. LARGE NUMBER OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS SHOW OBVIOUS PRODUCT DEFECT.*AK

HAD HEARD A NOISE WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED, SOUNDED LIKE A HOLE IN MUFFLER. EXHAUST WAS COMING OFF ENGINE. PROBLEM GOT WORSE. 2 PIECES OF HOSES BECAME ONE AND JOINED, THEY CRACKED AND NEARLY SEPARATED. THEY WERE TOO CLOSE TO ENGINE. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND INFORMED OVER WARRANTY AND WILL NOT REPAIR.*AK

CRACK IN EXHAUST MANIFOLD @ PIPE UNION ALLOWS EXHAUST FUMES TO ENTER VEHICLE. ALSO, POWER STEERING FLUID LEEKAGE FROM STEERING GEAR BOX REQUIRES COMPLETE STEERING GEARBOX REPLACEMENT @ COST OF $1350 ON CAR W/ 49,000 MILES.

EXHAUST MANIFOLD WELD CRACKED, CARBON CHEMICALS CAME INSIDE OF CAR.*AK

A CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD; DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT IT WAS NOT COVER UNDER A RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *AK

THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED NAD WITH END A WEEK WAS BROKEN IN SEVERAL PLACES. I CONTACT JEEP AND SEVERAL DEALERS ABLOUT THE PROBLEM. ALL SAID THAT THIS HAS NOT BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM AND HAVENT EVEN HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING. AFTER LOOKING THE PROBLEM UP ON THE INTERNET I FOUND WELL OVER 300 DOCUMENTED CASES. JEEP STRAIT OUT LIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND HAS REFUSED TO HELP RESOLVE IT. *AK

AFTER TOLERATING BOTH PROBLEMS FOR SOME TIME (POOR STARTING AND LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID), I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR ESTIMATES. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME WHAT THE PROBLEMS WERE AND, THAT IN HIS OPINION, NEITHER SHOULD BE HAPPENING AT THE LOW MILES I HAVE ON THE VEHICLE. I AM CURRENTLY TRYING TO GET CHRYSLER TO PUT MORE THAN A MINIMAL PORTION INTO THE REPAIRS.NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

CONSUMER STATES EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE IS NOT HOLDING CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL. *JB

LEAK ON PASSENGER SIDE. FLOOR GETS WET WHEN IT RAINS OR AIR CONDITIONER IS ON. MAUNFACTURER SAID THAT THERE MAY BE SOME CLOGGED VENTS. IF THIS IS HAPPENING TO SO MANY OTHER JEEP OWNERS, MAYBE IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED MORE OF A DESIGN FLAW.*AK

THE DIRVER'S SIDE MIRROR DOESN'T STICK WELL, SO WHEN YOU DRIVE AROUND IT EASILY MOVES, AND DRIVER CAN'T SEE THE CARS BESIDES HIM. HAS TO LOOK BACK WHICH CAN BE DANGEROUS.*AK

DRIVEABILITY PROBLEMS VIBRATIONS START AT 40 MPH AND ENTIRE FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY , ACTUALLY BOUNCING FRONT END OFF OF ROAD MAKING IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO RETAIN CONTROL. PROBLEM IS BEING REFERRED TO AMONG OWNERS AS "DEATH WOBBLE". ALL COMPONENTS CHECKED, REPLACED AND/OR REPAIRED WITHOUT ANY IMPROVEMENT. MAJOR PROBLEM FOR JEEP OWNERS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL. COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AT ANY SPEED ABOVE 40 MHP.*AK

PROBLEM WITH BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR - WATER SEEPS THROUGH AND IN COLD WEATHER ICES UP THE INTERIOR LATCH ASSEMBLY RENDERING THE DOOR UNOPENIBLE CONDITION PERSISTS UNTIL ICE MELTS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ALL SPEEDS AND WHEN HITTING A BUMP/ HOLE VEHICLE STARTED VIBRATING AND SHAKING, VEHICLE WAS UNSTABLE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED 1/8" HORIZONTALLY, VEHICLE NOT SHOWING SIGNS OF OVERHEATING, DEALERSHIP AND TWO MUFFLER SHOPS CONTACTED--ALL INDICATED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE '1997S STARTING AROUND 60K MILES. *AK

I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR,AT FIRST,I WAS COMING UP TO A STOP SIGN AND TRIED TO DOWN SHIFT WHEN THE SHIFTER WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY GEAR,IT WAS LOCKED UP TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT 5TH GEAR WAS CRACKED AND LOCKED UP ALL THE SHAFTS IN THE TRANSMISION. I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER 2 TIMES AND THEY SAID THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. *AK

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LEAK FROM THE TRANSFER CASE AND OTHER TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. NLM

TRANSFER CASE BROKE APART FROM VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED AND BROKE OFF.*AK

GEAR SHIFT FROZE IN FIFTH GEAR PULLED GEAR SHIFT FROM TRANSMISSION AND COULDN'T SHIFT INTO DIFFERENT GEAR. THE FIFTH GEAR IS NOW SITTING IN MY CLOSET. NEW PART HAS BEEN INSTALLED, NOW MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON DUE TO FAULTY 4TH CYLINDER EJECTER. DEALER SAID ALL MY VALVES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR $1400.00 GAVE HIM THE FINGER AND SAID NICE TRY! *AK

THE FAULTY TRANSFER CASE CAUSES SEVERE SHAKING OF THE ENTIRE TRANSFER CASE AND FRONT DRIVESHAFT WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A DEAD STOP, THE DRIVESHAFT AND CRUSHED TRANSFER CASE MOUNT WERE REPLACED BUT THIS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. NLM

UNABLE TO DEFROST WINDSHIELD, NO AIR FROM VENTS DUE TO BREAKAGE OF INTERNAL LEVER IN HEATER HOUSING. THIS MAKES THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN COLD WEATHER.*AK

WELD ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAILED DUE TO NORMAL HEATING AND COOLING.*AK

THE SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT WHEN TAKEN OFF AND THEY GET CAUGHT IN THE DOOR, THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THEY WILL NOT HOLD IN AN ACCIDENT FAILED. NLM

EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS CRACKED IN 4 PLACES. DEALERSHIP INDICATED IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. CONTACTED CHRYSLER CORP, BUT DID NOT SEEM CONCERNED. I HAVE DONE ENOUGH RESEARCH TO KNOW THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TOO FREQUENTLY. WHY WON'T THEY ISSUE A RECALL???*AK

THE TAILGATE HINGES ARE RUSTED MAKING OPENING AND CLOSING THE TAILGATE MORE DIFFICULT. NLM

VEHICLE WOULD LOSE PRESSURE AND WOULD HESITATE. EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED. THIS CAUSED A LEAKAGE. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND INFORMED CONSUMER HE COULD HEAR/ SEE CRACK. HAD THROTTLE SENSOR REPLACED. CONTACTED DISTRICT MANAGER, MARK HIGHLAND, AND WAS INFORMED THAT EXHAUST MANIFOLD WOULD BE REPLACED IF OWNER PAYED FOR MAINTENANCE. IT WAS AN ALTERNATIVE. *AK

EXHAUST HEADER DEVELOPED A CRACK EXTENDING MORE THAN 80% OF THE DIAMETER OF THE PIPE. CRACK OCCURRED ADJACENT TO THE WELD WHICH HOLDS THE CONNECTION FLANGE TO THE EXHAUST HEADER. THIS PIECE HAS SINCE BEEN REDESIGNED TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. BECAUSE THE MILES ON THE CAR (A LITTLE OVER 42,000) EXCEEDED THE WARRANTY (BY 6,000), IT IS MY RESPONSIBLITY FOR THE COSTS OF PARTS AND LABOR. IF JEEP HAS REDESIGNED THE PART TO KEEP THE PIPE FROM BREAKING SHOULDN'T THEY RE-IMBURSE OR FIX THOSE THAT HAD THE ORIGINAL DESIGN FLAW?*AK

EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED ABOUT 2 INCH WHICH MAY CAUSE MANIFOLD TO DROP WHILE DRIVING. THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

TRANSMISSION STICKS TRYING TO SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR, HAS BEEN SERVICED, STILL IS STICKING WHILE SHIFTING ESPECCIALLY INTO 2ND GEAR, WHICH SOMETIMES GRINDS. DEALER HAS CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID TWICE, 2ND TIME USED SYNTHETIC FLUID. 2ND GEAR FEELS LIKE THE SYNCRONIZER IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, OR VERY SLOWLY. I MUST HOLD THE CLUTCH IN FOR AN EXTENED PERIOD TO ALLOW 2ND GEAR TO SYNCRONIZE BEFORE SHIFTING INTO IT UP AND DOWN SHIFTING. *AK

FRONT BRAKES ONLY STOP THE VEHICLE, BACK BRAKES DO NOT ENGAGE. ON ICE, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP BECAUSE THE AUTO TRANS KEEPS THE REAR WHEELS TURNING WHLE THE FRONT SLIDES. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED SEVERAL TIMES. *AK

A CRACK IN ENGINE MANIFOLD. MANUFACTURER REPLACED THE MANIFOLD AT NO COST TO CONSUMER. *SLC

SWAY BAR LINK BALLJOINTS POPPED OUT ON BOTHS SIDES MAKING THE JEEP UNSTABLE IN TURNS. THE ARE LIKE THIS ON 9 OUT OF 10 JEEPS I HAVE INSPECTED WITH LOW MILEAGE. *AK

EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED AT 42000 MILES JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

CLUTCH AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER BOTH NEED REPLACED WITH ONLY 20,500 MILES . ALSO HAS HAD TWO DRIVESHAFTS REPLACED WITH ONLY 10,000 MILES. HAS SEEN VERY LITTLE 4-WHEEL DRIVE USE, AND HAS 20,500 AFTER 4 YEARS AS ORIGINAL OWNER.

SEAT BELTS ON BOTH SIDES FAIL TO RETRACT PROPERLY AND CONTINUALLY GET CAUGHT IN THE DOOR LOCK MECHANISM, THUS COMPROMISING THE SEAT BELT MATERIAL'S INTEGRITY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE NOISE, CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED A CRACK IN MANIFOLD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER,AND THEY SAID IT WAS ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE 1994. CONSUMER FELT IT WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT.*AK

UNABLE TO DEFROST WINDOWS, NO AIR FLOW FROM VENTS DUE TO INTERNAL LEVER IN HEATER HOUSING BROKEN, VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN COLD WEATHER*AK

THE PROBLEM IS WITH BOTH DRIVER'S AND FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELTS. THEY DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY AND THEREFORE BECOME CAUGHT IN THE DOOR LATCH. THIS HAS CAUSED MULTIPLE NICKS AND ABRASIONS IN THE BELT. I HAD SPOKEN TO THE DEALER ABOUT THIS AND THEY REPLACED ONE OF THE BELTS WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTEE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE BELT WILL FAIL IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE NOT FOLLOWED UP WITH THE MANUFACTURER OR DEALER SINCE. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO INVESTIGATE AND, IF THIS IS A REAL DANGER, ENCOURAGE THE MANUFACTURER TO CORRECT. THANK YOU.*AK

EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE OF ALUMIMUN BOLTS. MANUFACTURER HAS ALSO SENT OUT A TSB #110798 FOR SAME DEFECT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

ON 10/09/00, WHILE STARTING MY VEHICLE I HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED AT THE SERVICE STATION THAT HAS WORKED ON MY VEHICLE IN THE PAST. AT THAT TIME I WAS ADVISED THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD ON MY JEEP WAS MISSING SOME BOLTS. THE MECHANIC ADVISED ME TO CONTACT A JEEP DEALERSHIP BECAUSE HE HAD READ THAT THE BOLTS ON THE JEEP'S EXHAUST MANIFOLD BREAK. I THEN CALLED A LOCAL JEEP DEALERSHIP AND ADVISED THEM OF THE PROBLEM. THEY ASKED ME HOW MANY MILES MY JEEP HAD ON IT AND WHEN I TOLD HIM 83,000 MILES, HE TOLD ME THAT THEY ONLY COVER UNTIL 80,000 MILES. IF JEEP/CHRYSLER KNOW THIS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THEIR JEEPS, SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE FOR THE CONSUMER.*AK

FUEL PUMP HAS MALFUNCTIONED FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASION AND HAS BEEN REPLACED. INOPERABLE FUEL PUMP HAS CAUSED ENGINE TO DIE COMPLETELY OUT, WITHOUT NO PRIOR WARNING WHICH RESULT IN LOSS OF ALL POWER. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. ALSO, PART AVAILABILITY IS VERY LIMITED AND HARD TO FIND. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

COMPLETE TIRE TREAD SEPARATION W/MINOR VEHICLE DAMAGE. VEHICLE SAFELY SKIDDED TO ROAD SHOULDER (DOT NUMBER: VD60 6TA TIRESIZE: 3110.50R15)

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

HOOD FLEW OPEN AT 30MPH. CHRYSLER REDESIGNED LATCH BUT NOT RECALLED. ORIGINAL HOOD LATCH NOT APPROPRIATE WITHOUT USE OF SIDE LATCHES, EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS.

WHILE DRIVING ON A LOGGING ROAD I HIT A POTHOLE,THE RESULTING JOLT DISLODGED THE RADIATOR OVERFLOW BOTTLE.THE OVERFLOW BOTTLE FELL STRAIGHT DOWN AND LODGED ON TOP OF THE STEERING ASSEMBLY CAUSING ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING.THIS HAPPENED TWICE ON THE SAME DAY . IN MY OPINION THE RESTRAINING MECHINISMS ARE INSUFFICENT AND DANGEROUS. PLEASE CONTACT ME AT (360)273-3970 SO I CAN EXPLAIN IN GREATER DETAIL WHAT OCCURED.

PROBABLE FAULTY CONNECTION AT IGNITION SWITCH - PROBLEM PERSISTS. *AK

2ND GEAR - DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE, AND OFTEN POPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED; 4WD LOW ALSO DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE, AND OFTEN POPS OUT TO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING