RoadVitals

1988 Jeep Wrangler Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
50
Latest Oct 1, 2010
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
14
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Feb 10, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 50 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1988 Jeep Wrangler. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 50 · page 1 of 2

Fuel system
Filed Oct 1, 2010

WHEN FILLING MY 1988 JEEP WRANGLER WITH GASOLINE, THE GASOLINE TANK WILL OVERFLOW WITH GASOLINE BEFORE THE PUMP WILL SHUT-OFF. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I FILL UP, REGARDLESS OF ORIENTATION OF THE VEHICLE (I.E. UP HILL, DOWN HILL, LEVEL). THE ONLY WAY I CAN TRY AND PREVENT THIS HAZARDOUS SITUATION FROM OCCURRING IS TO TRY AND PREMATURELY STOP THE FLOW OF GASOLINE. SINCE I HAVE TO GUESS AT HOW MUCH GASOLINE IS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE FILL UP, AND I'M NOT ALWAYS CORRECT, THIS DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK. BECAUSE THIS OCCURS, IT HAS CAUSED DAMAGE TO BOTH THE PLASTIC SURROUNDING THE GASOLINE FILLER AND THE PAINT BENEATH IT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10358727
Incident
Aug 15, 2010
Mileage
116,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Mar 12, 2010
Crash reported

I RECENTLY BOUGHT A 1988 JEEP WRANGLER. I HAVE ONLY HAD IT FOR A FEW WEEKS. I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT SOMETIMES WHEN I ENGAGE THE PARKING BRAKE, IT FAILS AND RELEASES. EVERYTIME IT WOULD HAPPEN, IT WOULD HAPPEN RIGHT AWAY AND I WOULD SIMPLY RE-ENGAGE IT, EXCEPT FOR THIS LAST TIME IT HAPPENED. I HAD MY JEEP PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH THE PARKING BRAKE ENGAGED. WHILE I WAS AT SCHOOL, THE PARKING BRAKE FAILED AGAIN AND DISENGAGED. MY JEEP, THEN, ROLLED DOWN MY DRIVEWAY AND HIT A TREE IN MY BACKYARD. THIS HAPPENED JUST THE OTHER DAY AND IT IS STILL IN THE SAME POSITION AS I FOUND IT WHEN I CAME HOME. I HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING TO FIX IT YET. *TR

NHTSA ID
10319262
Incident
Mar 8, 2010
Mileage
98,261 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 5, 2002

CONSUMER STATED WATER LEAKED THROUGH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. TS *JB

NHTSA ID
8023823
Incident
Jan 1, 1989
Mileage
5,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Oct 9, 2002

1989 AND NEWER HAVE BEEN RECALLED, WHAT ABOUT MY 1988? MR

NHTSA ID
768286
Brakes
Filed Jul 7, 2002
Crash reported

HAVE REPLACE PARKING BRAKE ASSY TWICE SINCE PURCHASED. CRASH WAS INTO MY HOUSE WHEN PARKING BRAKE DISENGAGED IN DRIVEWAY. *AK

NHTSA ID
763903
Visibility
Filed May 24, 2001

WINDSHIELD FRAME SEVERELY RUSTED AFTER WINDSHIELD FRAME REPLACED BY DEALER ON TSB 271T . BOTH DEALER AND CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SUPPORT REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE INHERENT METAL FAILURE OF REPLACEMENT FRAME ESPECIALLY WHEN PROVEN THAT THE ORIGINAL CAR BODY EXHIBITS NO RUST WHILE THE REPLACEMENT FRAME INSTALLED AT A LATTER DATE EXHIBITS SEVERE RUST.*AK

NHTSA ID
745864
Incident
Mar 1, 2001
Brakes
Filed Sep 18, 2000
Crash reported

THE PARKING BRAKE ON MY JEEP HAS A TENDANCY TO DISENGAGE WITHOUT WARNING. BEFORE I WAS AWARE OF THIS DEFECT, IT DISENGAGED IN A PARKING LOT AND CAUSED MY JEEP TO ROLL BACK ONTO A NEW FORD MUSTANG, CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE OTHER VEHICLE, AND APPEARING ON MY INSURANCE RECORD AS A FAILURE ON MY PART TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE.

NHTSA ID
731804
Incident
Apr 1, 1999
Interior & seats
Filed Feb 11, 2000

THE SEAT TRACKS ON THE JEEP WRANGLER MODEL FAIL, WITH THE METAL TEARING WHERE A BOLT FASTENS INTO THE SEAT. THIS CAUSES SEAT INSTABILITY AND CAN CAUSE WRECKS OR INJURIES. I FOUND OUT MORE THAN 70 OF THE SAME PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER, WITH NO DATE FOR ARRIVAL GIVEN. MY FIRST TRACK BROKE LAST YEAR, MY SECOND YESTERDAY. I'VE HAD AN ORDER IN FOR BOTH FOR A MONTH NOW. I BELIEVE THE HIGH NUMBER OF ORDERS SHOWS A DANGEROUS, POTENTIALLY DEADLY RISK TO DRIVERS WHERE THE MODEL IS SOLD. *AK

NHTSA ID
718595
Incident
Feb 9, 2000
Engine
Filed Sep 20, 1999

FUEL FUMES.NO LEAKS. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID
846011
Incident
Aug 5, 1998
Seat belts
Filed May 18, 1998

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH WILL NOT BUCKLE.

NHTSA ID
535855
Incident
May 1, 1998
Engine
Filed Mar 20, 1998

EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED.

NHTSA ID
535756
Brakes
Filed Mar 20, 1998

EMERGENCY BRAKE DISENGAGES BY ITSELF REGARDLESS IF ON A HILL OR NOT. *AK

NHTSA ID
533136
Engine
Filed Dec 15, 1997

GASOLINE SMELL ENTERS VEHICLE WHILE IDLING.

NHTSA ID
526187
ElectricalEngine
Filed Nov 4, 1997

INTERMITTENT STALLING DUE TO ENGINE FAILURES. ALSO REPLACED IGNITION. *AK

NHTSA ID
523197
Incident
Jan 1, 1997
Fuel system
Filed Sep 19, 1997
Fire reported

VEHICLE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY A CRACK IN THE FUEL LINE. *AK

NHTSA ID
520875
Incident
Jun 13, 1997
BrakesFuel system
Filed Feb 5, 1997

FUEL PUMP AND BRAKES RECALLED. OWNER INTERESTED IN RIGHTS AS A CONSUMER WITH REGUARD TO RECALLS.

NHTSA ID
546626
Electrical
Filed Jan 28, 1997
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ENGINE STALLING, PULLED TO SIDE, NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER BODY, FIRE SPREAD FROM ENGINE TO CAB, VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK

NHTSA ID
806002
Incident
Dec 4, 1996
Fuel system
Filed Jan 9, 1997

TROUBLE WITH RECALL WORK, CONSUMER HAD ADDITIONAL CHARGES WHEN RECALL REPAIR WORK WAS DONE ON THE FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT.

NHTSA ID
527950
EngineTransmission
Filed Nov 13, 1996

THE MOUNT THAT HOLDS THE TRANSMISSION IN PLACE IS HELD ON WITH TWO BOLTS, BOTH HEADS SHEARED OFF; ALSO, REPLACED LEAKING ENGINE VALVE COVER. *AK

NHTSA ID
803939
Incident
Oct 7, 1996
Filed Oct 15, 1996

EVERYTIME IT RAINS, PUDDLES OF WATER DEVELOP ON THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE WATER COMES FROM WITHIN THE DASHBOARD. PLEASE GIVE MORE INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
803519
Electrical
Filed Sep 30, 1996

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED THE VEHICLE CUT OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING. *AK

NHTSA ID
802976
Incident
Jun 10, 1989
Electrical
Filed Sep 20, 1996
Fire reported

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE JEEP STALLED, WENT TO OPEN THE HOOD AND THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE . *AK

NHTSA ID
801759
Brakes
Filed Jun 12, 1996

BRAKE FLUID LINE IS RUBBING AGAINST MUD FLAP, AND HAS WORN THOUGH IT. *AK

NHTSA ID
985621
Engine
Filed Apr 1, 1996
Fire reported

DRIVING VEHICLE, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, FOUND NOTHING WRONG, PICKED VEHICLE UP, CAUGHT FIRE AGAIN WHILE DRIVING. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID
982155
Incident
Feb 10, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Feb 22, 1996

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RECEPTICLE IS BROKEN AND WILL NOT LATCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
979559
Incident
Jan 15, 1996

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.

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Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Fuel system16Brakes9Full component breakdown →

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .