1997 Jeep Wrangler complaints

MY RADIATOR HAS ROTTED OUT, INCLUDING PART OF THE CORE,THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED WITH ANY VEHICLE I'VE EVER OWNED, I'VE LIVED AND DRIVEN IN THE SAME CONDITIONS FOR MY WHOLE LIFE.

THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS BOLDS ARE MADE OUT OF ALLUMINUM, WHICH AT HIGH TEMP. WILL BREAK. THAT IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THIS CASE.

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT 65MPH, FRONT END OF DRIVE SHAFT FELL OUT. LUCKILY IT DID NOT FLIP VEHICLE. BENT THE DRIVE SHAFT IN HALF.

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING FRONT SWAY BAR BROKE, AND THE FRONT WHEELS FELT LIKE THEY WERE FALLING OFF. *AK

VEHICLE WAS MAKING A REALLY LOUD NOISE WHEN STEERING WAS BEING TURNED .CONSUMER HAS GOTTEN ARBITRATION FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT CONNECTOR IS BROKEN. *YC

IN A 16 MONTH PERIOD, I HAVE EXPERIENCED 3 FUEL PUMP FAILURES. #1 3/3/98 AT 34,622 MI. #2 7/9/98 AT 43,705 MI. #3 7/3/99 AT 67864 MI. THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING AND HAS LEFT THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. CHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND THEY CLAIM THERE ARE NO KNOWN ISSUES WITH THE FUEL PUMP. DEALER CLAIMS OTHERWISE. I FEEL VEHICLE IS UNSAFE AND UNRELIABLE.

THE SEAT BELT WON'T RETRACT THEREFORE THE BELT GETS CAUGHT IN THE DOOR LATCH. THE BELT BECOMES FRAYED AS A RESULT OF THE DAMAGE. THIS IS THE SECOND FAILURE. AFTER 4 VISITS TO THE DEALER, THE PART WAS REPLACED ON 9/9/1998 AT 46,889 MI.

VEHICLE EXHIBITS UNDAMPED SHIMMY OF FRONT SUSPENSION AFTER HITTING PAVEMENT IRREGULARITIES AT ~40-45 MPH. SHIMMY CONTINUES UNTIL SPPED IS REDUCED BELOW THAT RANGE. CONDITION APPEARS TO BE WORSENING. MILEAGE AT 37,000 NOW. DEALER REPLACED STERRING DAMPER AND PITMAN ARM SHAFT SEAL WHICH HAD LITTLE AFFECT.

WHILE DRIVING UP HILLS VEHICLE ONLY TRAVELS UP TO 45 MPH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THIS VEHICLE SWERVED AND LOST CONTROL, WENT INTO A DITCH FRONT FIRST AND FLIPPED OVER. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DECLARED TOTALED. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

CONTINUOS PROBLEM WITH CAR CUTTING OUT AND BACKFIRING WHEN ATTEMPTING ACCELERATION AFTER WARMING UP THEN COOLING DOWN 20MINUTES

VEHICLE HAS WAS REPAIRED TWICE UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL CONCERNING FUEL SENDING UNIT TWICE. CONSUMER STILL MISREADS THE AMOUNT OF FUEL . THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAD DEVELOPED CRACKS & HOLES & HAD TO BE REPLACED. HAD TAKEN TO MECHANIC & WAS INFORMED A POSSIBLITY MANIFOLD WAS DEFECTIVE WHEN IT CAME FROM MANUFACTURER. *AK

FUEL TANK MOUNTED FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT ACCURACY DEGRADED OVER TIME INDICATING MORE FUEL IN RESERVE THAN IS ACTUALLY PRESENT RESULTING IN COMSUMER RUNNING OUT OF GAS. NLM

SERVICE CENTER CAN NOT REMOVE REAR WHEELS TO REPLACE TIRES. *AK

MULTIPLE FAILURES SINCE SEPTEMBER, 1998. AFTER WARM-UP, THEN 20 MINUTE COOL -DOWN, CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE, BACKFIRES AND OFF TO NOTHING, THEN CATCHES AND GOES. HAVE REPLACED FUEL PUMP, ENGINE CRANK SENSOR AND $700 TUNEUP DONE- NO LUCK

FOR GUAGE PROBLEM, ALL DASH GUAGES INTERMITTENTLY DROP TO ZERO AND AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON. HITTING A BUMP OR TOP OF DASHBOARD FIXES PROBLEM. FOR #2, OIL PRESSURE DROPS TO ZERO WHEN IDLING IN TRAFFIC IN WARM WEATHER OR AFTER LONG PERIODS OF HIGHWAY DRIVING.

FUEL GAUGE CONTINUES FALSE READING AFTER DEALER REPAIRS. *AK

ENGINE HARNESS BAD IN VEHICLE.VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER FOR LOTS OF PROBLEMS SINCE NEW.THE LATEST IS THE HARNESS PROBLEM.THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES, AND IS AT PRESENT TIME IS STILL AT DEALER.THEY HAVE HAD IT GOING ON THREE WEEKS NOW.NO ONE CAN FIND THE PROPER PARTS OR A CORRECT WAY OF FIXING IT.I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER MORE TIMES THEN I CARE TO RECALL,BUT STILL THE SAME ANSWER THAT THEY ARE TRYING EVERYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM.THIS LAST TIME 2 WIRES IN ENGINE HARNESS MELTED,I FEEL THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE AND UNRELIABLE.IF YOU CAN HELP IN ANYWAY I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT,THANK YOU JAMES HAVEN. *AK

WHIKE DRIVING AT 65MPH ON INTERSTATE TRANSFER CASE CAME APART AND FRONT DRIVESHAFT FELL OUT. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED,WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON, WASHER SQUIRTED, DASH LIGHTS CAME ON. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG BUSTED THE WINDSHIELD, AND THE FACE OF THE PASSENGER. HER JAW IS BROKEN IN THREE PLACES AND HER FOUR UPPER TEETH WERE REMOVED FROM THEIR SOCKETS. SHE REQUIRED EXTENSIVE RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY, AND IS STILL IN THE HOSPITAL. NOOTHERS OBJECTS OR VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED. THE DRIVER BEAT THE AIRBAG DOWN AND SAFELY PARKED THE CAR IN THE MEDIAN. WHY DID AIRBAGS DEPLOY AND WITH SUCH FORCE? *AK

THE PROBLEM WITH THE EXHAUST IS THAT IT IS MAKING A CLICKING SOUND AT STARTUP EVERYTIME UNTIL THE ENGINE IS GOOD AND WARM. AFTER THE ENGINE IS WARM IT WILL USUALLY STOP. THE HIGHER THE RPM'S GET THE FASTER THE SOUND IS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS WITH THE MANIFOLD. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS THE COMPUTER. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT HOLD IT'S IDLE AFTER GAS IS GIVEN TO THE ENGINE. IT WIL DROP THEN COME BACK UP AND IT WILL SOMETIMES ALMOST DIE. *AK

WATER LEAKS TO PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. *AK

ENGINE MANIFOLD CRACKED DURING START UP ON A COLD MORNING. *AK

RECALL # 97V194000 CHRYSLER/ FUEL SENDING UNIT; WRANGER SERVICED UNDER RECALL ON MAY 27, 1999. SINCE THAT TIME FUEL TANK GAUGE INDICATOR HAS SHOWEN FUEL TANK TO BE EMPTY TWICE. OWNER WAS ONLY ABLE TO FILL TANK WITH 10 1/2 GALLONS. FUEL TANK HOLDS 19 1/2 GALLONS. *AK

OIL FILTER DESIGN IS LOCATED IN A VERY AWKWARD PLACE, EXHAUST PIPE IS JUST BELOW FILTER AND STARTER SOLENOID WIRES VERY CLOSE, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO FILTER WHEN WRENCH BECAME INTANGLED INTO STARTER SOLENOID WIRES.MJS

WHEN DRIVER WAS PULLING OF FROM A STOP, THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER CAME APART IN THE DRIVER'S HAND. THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CONTACTED CHRYSLER CONCERNING MY PROBLEMS, AND THEY STATED THAT THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING FOR ME. WHEN I CALLED ABOUT MY AIRBAGS THE FIRST TIME, I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE SENT ARBITRATION PAPERWORK AND NEVER WAS. WHEN I CALLED BACK, I WAS TOLD THAT AN INSPECTOR SHOULD HAVE GONE OUT TO LOOK AT MY CAR BEFORE IT WAS REPAIRED AND THAT IT WAS "TOO LATE NOW" TO DO ANYTHING. I WAS NEVER TOLD THAT AN INSPECTOR OR ANYONE ELSE COULD BE INVOLVED WHEN I FIRST CONTACTED CHRYSLER. I AM FURIOUS AND FRUSTRATED AND NEED HELP WITH THIS SERIOUS ISSUE. *AK

CATALYTIC CONVERTER DAMAGED ON YEAR AFTER PURCHASE. MJS

WHILE LEAVING WORK STILL IN PARKING LOTAND DRIVING TOWARDS AN EXIT, ANOTHE RVEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT AND CONSUMER REARENDED THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER'S CHEST HIT STEERING WHEEL, BUT SHOULDER BELT DID NOT RETRACT, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN ACCIDENT. *AK

VEHICLE INVOLVED IN ROLLOVER ACCIDENT. REAR PASSENGER SEAT CAME LOOSE, STRUCK DRIVER IN HEAD, EJECTED FROM VEHICLE. SHOULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED? *AK

REPLACED RADIATOR AND STILL HAVE LEAKS COMING FROM SOMEWHERE. LETTERS SENT TO HEAD OFFICE AND DEALERSHIP. *AK

AT 9773 MILES AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND ALL GAUGES INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER SHOWED ZERO. WHEN VEHICLE HITS BUMP WHILE DRIVING, GAGUES COME BACK ONLY TO EVENTUALLY READ ZERO AGAIN. ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE JULY 1998 AND DEALER CANNOT FIX PROBLEM. BEEN TO DEALER 8 TIMES SINCE INITIAL PROBLEM, AND STILL HAVE SAME PROBLEM AS OF APRIL 1999. NEED SOME ASSISTANCE FOR THIS PROBLEM SINCE DEALER IS NO HELP AT ALL. EVERYTIME THEY FIX PROBLEM, HAPPENS A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER AGAIN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM OF VEHICLE. *AK

IN THE MORNING THE VEHICLE WOULD BACKFIRE ANDWHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AFTER IT SITS FOR 20 MINUTES. NOW THE DEALER HAS REPLACED A EXHAUST MANIFOLD /CATALYTIC CONVERTER/TPS SENSOR/AIR INTAKE HOUSING,A BROKEN STUD IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD TO HEAD ASSEMBLY, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST YEAR AND I GET THE SAME REPLY I CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM OR IT'S IN THE COMPUTER. THIS WAS ALL TAKEN CARE OFF, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXSISTS. I'VE TALKED ATO A LAWYER AND HE COULDN'T HELP ME. MAYBE YOU CAN AS THIS DOES CAUSE A FLAME TO COME OUT OF THE INTAKE. AND NOW IT'S GETTING WORSE NOW IT'S WHEN I'M DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD A 25 - 30 MPH. WHAT CAN I DO? PLEASE HELP, SCARED TO DRIVE IT MIGHT EXPLODE THE ENGINE WHILE I'M DRIVING WITH MY SON OR GIRLFRIEND. *AK

VEHICLE HAS ANTI-LOCK BRAKERS ON ALL 4-WHEELS. ON SLICK ROADS,GRASS,MUD, SNOW, FRONT WHEELS LOCK UP AND YOU DONT HAVE ANY CONTROL AS YOU CANT STEER. THE LOCK IS WORKING ON FRONT BRAKES BUT NOT THE ANTI. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I DONT DRIVE IN SNOE. I HAVE REPORTED NUMEROUS TIME TO DEALER AND CHRYSLER. THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING WRONG BUT SERVICE MGR ALMOST WENT IN DITCH. LAST TIME I CALLED CHRYSLER THE LADY HUNG UP ON ME.

THE WINDSHIELD HAD DEVELOPED A STRESS CRACK. IT OBSTRUCTED THE DRIVER'S VIEW. HAD IT REPLACED. THE PROBLEM REAPPEARED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED & WAS RAINING, THE CRACKS WERE NOTICED AT THE TOP & IN THE MIDDLE ON THE PASSENGER'S/DRIVER'S SIDES. *AK

I CALLED CHRYSLER THIS A.M. AND THE GIRL HUNG UP ON ME SHE SAID THAT I WOULD HAVE TO GET SOMEONE ELSE TO HELP ME. I HAVE HAD MY 1997 JEEP WRANGLER, SAHARA TO GARAGE I DONT KNOW HOW MANY TIMES SINCE IT WAS NEW. IT HAS ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ON ALL 4-WHEELS AND ON SLICK ROADS THE FRONT WHEELS LOCK UP AND YOU CANNOT STEER IT THEN. IN SNOW, GRAVEL, GRASS ETC. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. I DONT THINK THAT THEY SHOULD HANG UP ON ME AS I OWN DODGE 1999 TRUCK AND CHEROKEE LIMITED ALL BOUGHT NEW.

TOOK JEEP TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES HAD HEADERS REPLACED SOON AFTER MAIFOLD EXHAUST FAOLURE. RADIO REPLACED ONCE, STILL DOESN'T STAY ON.

FUEL PUMP FAILED.

I HAVE E-MAILED YOU SEVERAL TIMES AND NO ANSWER. FRONT BRAKES ON MY JEEP LOCK UP ON SLICK ROAD AND YOU HAVE NO CONTROL, ALMOST WRECKED SEVERAL TIMES. ANTI LOCK BRAKES DO NOT WORK ON FRONT. VEHICLE HAS ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ON ALL FOUR WHEELS. I CANNOT GET ANY SATISFACTION FROM COMPANY. SERVIOCE MANAGER DROVE IT AND ALMOST WRECKED. ANOTHER MECHANIC DROVE IT AND SAID THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU COULD STOP IT ON SLICK ROAD WAS 4-WHEEL. I PAID $23,900.00 FOR IT AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO DRIVE IT ON SLLICK ROADS. *AK

RON FORD REPORTS THAT THE STEERING MAKES A LOUD NOISE AND VEHICLE GOES STRAIGHT AHEAD WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A TURN, VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN. DEALER CONTACTED, AND NO ATTEMPTS MADE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE WAS TRYING TO MAKE A TURN, HIT A BOULDER, AT 35-40 MPH, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. PROBLEMS STILL EXIST. PROVIDED FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

INSTRUMENT PANEL: ALL INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES ARE DRIVEN BY A MICROPROCESSOR, SUCH THAT IT TELLS THE PANEL WHAT THE GAUGES SHOULD READ. WHEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CPU FAILS, ALL GAUGES; FUEL/TEMP/OIL/VOLT AND TACHOMETER, SPEEDOMETER AN D ODOMETER) FAIL SIMULTANEOUSLY. THIS IS DISCONCERTING AT BEST, HIGHLY DANGEROUS (SAY IF ONE WERE ON A FREEWAY) AT WORST. ALSO, TRANSMISSION: THE 5-SPEED TRANSMISSION USED WITH THE 4.0L HAS MAJOR PROBLEMS SHIFTING INTO SECOND WHEN COLD. JEEP'S ANSWER FOR YEARS HAS BEEN "THEY ALL DO THAT" YET THEY HAVE CONTINUED TO USE THE SAME TRANSMISSION AND HAVE NO FIXED FOR THE PROBLEM TO THIS DATE. *AK

FRONT WHEEL LOCK UP ON SLICK ROAD-SNOW-MUD. I HAVE HAD IT TO GARAGE SEVERAL TIMES. VERY DANGEROUS, ONE MECHANIC WAS ABOUT TO WRECK TRYING IT OUT. OTHER MECHANIC SAID THAT YOU COULD NOT STOP IT ON SLICK ROAD EXCEPT WHEN IT WAS IN 4-WHEEL. FRONT WHEELS LOCK AND YOU CAN STEER. CHRY. FINALY SENT REP. IN THIS WEEK BUT HE DROVE IT IN LEVEL DRY FIELD, HE SAID THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. I DONT DRIVE IT IN SNOWY WEATHER, WILL CHRYSLER REIMBURSE ME OR PAY FOR DAMAGES IF I SHOUILD WRECK?

VEHICLE SLAMMED INTO DITCH NOSE FIRST, ROLLED SEVERAL TIMES. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY FAILED. YH

FUEL SENDING UNIT FAILED TWICE. *YC

WINDSHIELD FAILED. YH

HARD TOP SEAL IS TWISTED. YH

DURING VEHICLE COLLISION NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG.