1987 Jeep Wagoneer Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1987 Jeep Wagoneer, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Steering216.7%
- Tires & wheels216.7%
- Engine216.7%
- Interior & seats18.3%
- Seat belts18.3%
- Driver assistance18.3%
- Transmission18.3%
- Electrical18.3%
- Fuel system18.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON A TRIP AND AT 65 MPH WENT OVER RAIL ROAD CROSSING AND AS SUSPENSION TRAVELED FELT LIKE THE DRIVE LINE WAS COMMING THROUGH THE FLOOR PAN.SOMETHING IN THE DRIVE TRAIN DID INDEED BOTTON OUT NOT THE SUSPENSION. ALSO STEERING WHEEL BROKE LOOSE ON THIS TRIP AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE BOLTS BROKE LOOSE INSIDE SHAFT AND HAS SENCE BEEN REPAIRED BUT DEVELOPED GRINDING LEAVING STOP LIGHTS.I SUSPECTED SOMETHING BOTTOMING OUT HURT TRANSMISSION,I SEARCHED THIS SITE AND DISCOVERED THE SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE TO LONG DRIVE LINE IN REAR.TOOK TO JEEP TO HAVE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED AND ASKED ABOUT DRIVE LINE BEING TO LOND AND DAMAGING THR TRANSFER CASE.THEY HAVE JEEP WEEK AND CALL SAY NOTHING AT ALL WRONG AND CHANGED FLUID AND DO AT THIS TIME SAY YES THEY KNOW ABOUT TO LONG DRIVE LINE BUT THEY DON'T THINK THATS IT AND SEND ME ON MY WAY.TRANSMISSION HEAR GEAR WHINE I SUSPECT THEY DID NOT LOOK INTO DRIVE LINE SO I ENGAGE TRANSFER CASE IN DRIVEWAY AND IT LOCKED INTO DRIVE AND EXTREAME BREAKING SOUND HEARD AND NOW DOES NOTHING BUT GRINDS.I CALL JEEP TELL I HAVE YOUR SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS TRANSFER CASE DAMAGE WITH THE TO LONG DRIVE LINE HE SAYS LET ME SEE.I READ PART NUMBER OFF MY DRIVE LINE AND COMPAIR TO WHAT BULLETIN SAYS SHOULD BE RIGHT PART NUMBER.CLEARLY I HAVE THE TO LONG A SHAFT. JEEP DEALER SAYS OH WELL.I CALL JEEP CUST SERVICE AND EXPLAIN TO THEM.THEY SAY THERE IS NO SUCH PROBLEM WITH JEEP DRIVE LINE TO LONG AND THIS IS WAY OUT OF WARRENTY I SAY I UNDERSTAND THIS BUT HAD THE PROPER LINE BEEN INSTALLED THIS NEVER WOULD HAVE BOTTOMED OUT AND BROKE AN 1800.00 TRANSFER CASE. JEEP CORP SAYS OH WELL WE ARN'T REPLACING YOUR TRANSFER CASE AND WILL NOT EVEN HELP IT'S MY PROBLEM BECAUSE IT'S NOT WARRENTY.ACCORDING TO YOUR NOTICE #8706..ITEM#92817 DRIVE LINE COULD HAVE BROKE AND AT 65 MPH COULD HAVE POSSABLE CAUSED WRECK OR WORSE MY SON WAS IN THE REAR SEAT. JEEP DEALER HERE SAYS THEY KNOW ABOUT THE DRIVE LINES.JEEP CORP CLAIMS NO SUCH THING SO I OWN IT..YES I DO.
STEERING WHEEL LOOSE DUE TO LOOSE BOLTS. *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
SEE LETTER SENT VIA USMAIL. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
00 T 005 000/TREAD SEPARATION: RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED A TREAD SEPARATION WHILE TRAVELING ON A DIRT ROAD AT 25-30 MPH, NOTICE A FLAPPING SOUND BEFORE THE PROBLEM COMMENCE. DRIVER AND PASSENGER IN A 1987 JEEP, WAGENEER; AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT INSTALL AT 80400 MILES, DOT UNAVAILABLE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM IS ENCLOSED WITH NO PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN PLASTIC FILL BOTTLE EXPLODING IF ENGINE OVERHEATS. (1ST VEHICLE ON DOC# 607835).
ELECTRIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED, CAUSING FUEL PUMP/FUEL INJECTION TO CONTINUE RUNNING EVEN WITH KEY REMOVED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVERS SEAT FRAME BROKE UPON APPLYING BRAKES. *AW
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
PURCHASE JEEP NEW AND THE FRONT SEAT BELT AUTOMATIC RESTRAINT NEVER WORK KEEP TAKING IT TO THE DEALER SAY DON'T HAVE TIME TO FIX THE SEAT BELT . TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
CRUISE CONTROL FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL, RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO THE MONTH THAT VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED (87V-022). *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON A TRIP AND AT 65 MPH WENT OVER RAIL ROAD CROSSING AND AS SUSPENSION TRAVELED FELT LIKE THE DRIVE LINE WAS COMMING THROUGH THE FLOOR PAN.SOMETHING IN THE DRIVE TRAIN DID INDEED BOTTON OUT NOT THE SUSPENSION. ALSO STEERING WHEEL BROKE LOOSE ON THIS TRIP AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE BOLTS BROKE LOOSE INSIDE SHAFT AND HAS SENCE BEEN REPAIRED BUT DEVELOPED GRINDING LEAVING STOP LIGHTS.I SUSPECTED SOMETHING BOTTOMING OUT HURT TRANSMISSION,I SEARCHED THIS SITE AND DISCOVERED THE SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE TO LONG DRIVE LINE IN REAR.TOOK TO JEEP TO HAVE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED AND ASKED ABOUT DRIVE LINE BEING TO LOND AND DAMAGING THR TRANSFER CASE.THEY HAVE JEEP WEEK AND CALL SAY NOTHING AT ALL WRONG AND CHANGED FLUID AND DO AT THIS TIME SAY YES THEY KNOW ABOUT TO LONG DRIVE LINE BUT THEY DON'T THINK THATS IT AND SEND ME ON MY WAY.TRANSMISSION HEAR GEAR WHINE I SUSPECT THEY DID NOT LOOK INTO DRIVE LINE SO I ENGAGE TRANSFER CASE IN DRIVEWAY AND IT LOCKED INTO DRIVE AND EXTREAME BREAKING SOUND HEARD AND NOW DOES NOTHING BUT GRINDS.I CALL JEEP TELL I HAVE YOUR SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS TRANSFER CASE DAMAGE WITH THE TO LONG DRIVE LINE HE SAYS LET ME SEE.I READ PART NUMBER OFF MY DRIVE LINE AND COMPAIR TO WHAT BULLETIN SAYS SHOULD BE RIGHT PART NUMBER.CLEARLY I HAVE THE TO LONG A SHAFT. JEEP DEALER SAYS OH WELL.I CALL JEEP CUST SERVICE AND EXPLAIN TO THEM.THEY SAY THERE IS NO SUCH PROBLEM WITH JEEP DRIVE LINE TO LONG AND THIS IS WAY OUT OF WARRENTY I SAY I UNDERSTAND THIS BUT HAD THE PROPER LINE BEEN INSTALLED THIS NEVER WOULD HAVE BOTTOMED OUT AND BROKE AN 1800.00 TRANSFER CASE. JEEP CORP SAYS OH WELL WE ARN'T REPLACING YOUR TRANSFER CASE AND WILL NOT EVEN HELP IT'S MY PROBLEM BECAUSE IT'S NOT WARRENTY.ACCORDING TO YOUR NOTICE #8706..ITEM#92817 DRIVE LINE COULD HAVE BROKE AND AT 65 MPH COULD HAVE POSSABLE CAUSED WRECK OR WORSE MY SON WAS IN THE REAR SEAT. JEEP DEALER HERE SAYS THEY KNOW ABOUT THE DRIVE LINES.JEEP CORP CLAIMS NO SUCH THING SO I OWN IT..YES I DO.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
ELECTRIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED, CAUSING FUEL PUMP/FUEL INJECTION TO CONTINUE RUNNING EVEN WITH KEY REMOVED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO THE GAS TANK RUPTURING DURING A REAR END ACCIDENT. AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE, IN LESS THAN A MINUTE THE FIRE ENGULFED THE ENTIRE REAR END, RESULTING IN A FATALITY AND TWO INJURIES. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .