1997 Jeep Wrangler Body & structure Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE WHEEL WELL WAS VISIBLY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MANAHAWKIN CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (500 NEW JERSEY 72 WEST, MANAHAWKIN, NJ 08050) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

NHTSA ID

11093330

Incident

May 3, 2018

Mileage

63,000 mi

I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS BRAND NEW. IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT FOR APPROX. 20 OF ITS 21YRS. THE REAR FRAME WHERE THE TRAILING ARMS ARE ATTACHED TO THE BRACKETS RUSTED OUT. THE DRIVER SIDE TRAILING ARMS WERE ALMOST READY TO SEPARATE FROM THE FRAME DUE TO THE FRAME RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. I HAD TO CUT OUT THE SECTION AND REPLACE IT WITH A SAFE T CAP PATCH. CUTTING OPEN THE FRAME SHOWED EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE INSIDE OF THE FRAME. I CHECKED MY PASSENGER SIDE LUCKILY NOT AS BAD AS THE DRIVER SIDE BUT WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE SIGNS OF RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH IT APPEARS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE JEEP TJ'S. JEEP CUT SEVERAL HOLES IN THE SIDES OF THE FRAME THAT ALLOWED WATER AND DEBRIS ACCESS TO THE INSIDE OF THE FRAME RAIL BUT DID NOT PUT ANT DRAIN HOLES IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME TO ALLOW THE WATER/DEBRIS TO ESCAPE.

NHTSA ID

11084993

Incident

Mar 1, 2018

Mileage

85,000 mi

FRAME IS RUSTING THROUGH AT THE UPWARD BEND TOWARDS THE REAR TIRES ON BOTH SIDES. ISSUE IS CONSTANTLY REPORTED ONLINE, IN FORUMS, WITH ENDLESS NUMBERS OF PICTURES. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AS IT COMPROMISES FRAME INTEGRITY. THIS ISSUE IS USUALLY NOTICEABLE FROM THE OUTSIDE BUT IN MY CASE IT IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT SO IF I HADN'T CAUGHT IT I WOULD BE IN DANGER.

NHTSA ID

10898923

Incident

Aug 26, 2016

Mileage

135,000 mi

FRAME RUSTING THROUGH IN FRONT OF REAR CONTROL ARMS. FRAME RUSTED THROUGH WHERE SKID PLATE BOLTS TO THE BOTTOM.

NHTSA ID

10716342

Incident

May 1, 2013

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE FRAME IS ROTTING AWAY, THE FRAME ROT CLEARLY STARTED MANY YEARS AGO. THE RUST IS QUITE BAD AND WILL NOT STOP. IN AN ACCIDENT, THE BODY COULD POSSIBLY FLY OFF THE FRAME POSSIBLY BEING FATAL. THE FRAME IS RUSTING FROM CONTROL ARM BRACKETS TO BODY MOUNTS ALL OF WHICH CAN LEAD TO VERY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10605442

Incident

Jun 23, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10574507

Incident

Mar 24, 2014

FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS WE HAVE BEEN PROUD OWNERS OF A 1997 JEEP WRANGLER. IN1998, WE RETIRED TO CAPE COD, MA. OVER THE TIME WE HAVE OWNED OUR JEEP, IT HAS BEEN KEPT IN IMMACULATE CONDITION; THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT, HAND WASHED WEEKLY, AND NEVER TAKEN OFF-ROAD. THE FINISH IS NEAR PERFECT AND ALL REGULAR SERVICE HAS BEEN PERFORMED. CURRENTLY THE MILEAGE IS 91,000 MILES. AT OUR LAST SERVICE APPOINTMENT WE LEARNED OF A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE'S FRAME. IT HAD RUSTED THROUGH IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE ESTIMATED COST TO REPAIR THE FRAME IS $5,000 FROM OUR LOCAL DEALER, PREMIER JEEP, IN HYANNIS MA. OUR MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE FRAME CAN BE REPAIRED BY WELDING 6 NEW SECTIONS INTO PLACE AT AN APPROXIMATE COST OF $2700. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE ARE DISMAYED. WE CONDUCTED RESEARCH TO SEE WHY THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED DESPITE OUR UPKEEP REGIMEN. APPARENTLY, WATER IS KNOWN TO ENTER THE FRAME AND NOT PROPERLY DRAIN DUE TO IT IS DESIGN. WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER CORPORATE WHO ASKED US TO HAVE THE VEHICLES GOOD CONDITION CONFIRMED BY OUR LOCAL JEEP DEALER WHICH WE DID. CHRYSLER OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. WE ARE FILING THIS REPORT AS THIS FRAME IS GOING TO LOOSE INTEGRITY AND FAIL BASED ON NO MISHANDLING ON OUR PART. THERE IS CLEARLY A DEFECT IN THE FRAME DESIGN WHICH WE BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD STAND BEHIND ITS PRODUCT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10508898

Incident

Nov 23, 2012

Mileage

91,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PERFORMING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 141,000.

NHTSA ID

10477113

Incident

Sep 15, 2012

Mileage

140,000 mi

DT: CONTACT STATED THE HOOD LATCH WAS MADE FROM RUBBER, AND WHEN A STRONG WIND HIT THE HOOD, IT BLEW THE HOOD OPEN AND CAUSED THE RUBBER TO BREAK THAT KEPT THE HOOD LATCHED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED YET. *AK

NHTSA ID

10133215

Incident

Aug 10, 2005

WATER LEAKS ONTO FLOOR OF PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, I HAVE HEARD THIS ONE SEVERAL TIMES, YET HAVEN'T SEEN JEEP DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THERE WAS NOTHING THAT HAPPENED TO MY TRUCK TO CAUSE THIS, IT RAINS AND MY PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR GETS SOAKED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10104823

Incident

Dec 30, 2004

DRIVERS SEAT BELT COMES UNDONE AT ANY SPEED EVERY TIME YOU DRIVE IT - A FEW TIMES EACH TIME YOU DRIVE IT, REAR CENTER MOUNTED TAIL LIGHT DOES NOT WORK, TAILGATE HINGES ARE EXTRREMELY DIFFICULT TO SHUT CAUSING THE TAILGATE TO NOT BE CLOSED PROPERLY ALL THE TIME, FRONT TURN SIGNAL SOMETIMES DOES NOT WORK, ESPECIALLY IF IT IS WET OUT- DEALER NOTIFIED AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY CANNOT REPLACE THE SOCKET (NOT A STOCK ITEM), THE BULBS ARE FINE IN THE BRAKE LIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL. *AK

NHTSA ID

749386

Incident

Jul 27, 2001

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

NHTSA ID

559594

THE SKID PLATE IS POSITIONED SO THAT THE GAS TANKAND SKID PLATE TOUCH EACH OTHER. IF THE SKID PLATE IS IMPACTED IN ANY WAY THAT FORCE IS TRANSFERRED TO THE GAS TANK. IF THIS IMPACT CAUSES EVEN A SMALL DENT IN THE SKID PLATE, THE GAS TANK CAN BE DAMAGED. *AK

NHTSA ID

836690

SEAT BELT CATCHES ON DRIVER'S DOOR LATCH 9 OUT 0F 10 TIMES. SEAT BELT IS GETTING A HOLE IN IT. LEAK HAS BEEN FIXED 15 TIMES AND IT STILL LEAKS ON PASSENGER'S FEET. DAMAGE IS OCCURRING TO INTERIOR OF JEEP AND ANYTHING LEFT ON THE FLOOR GETS WET. I WAS TOLD( DOT NUMBER: ? TIRE SIZE: 22SS/75R15 )

NHTSA ID

713439

Incident

Sep 5, 1999

NO SUMMARY.

NHTSA ID

712487

Incident

Sep 1, 1999

DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT CONNECTOR IS BROKEN. *YC

NHTSA ID

548237

Incident

Aug 1, 1999

WATER LEAKS TO PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. *AK

NHTSA ID

707174

Incident

Nov 1, 1997

HARD TOP SEAL IS TWISTED. YH

NHTSA ID

609423

WATER LEAKS AT FRONT PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FLOOR BETWEEN THE FLOOR AND HEATER.

NHTSA ID

781292

WATER LEAKS ORIGINATING UNDER THE DASHBOARD ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING DAMAGE IN THE INTERIOR OF VEHICLE, UNABLE TO BE RECTIFIED.

NHTSA ID

541868

Incident

Jul 30, 1997

PULL STRAP/SEAT LATCH CONTINUALLY COMES LOOSE AND FAILS.

NHTSA ID

541827

THE TOP WAS BOUGHT LAST YEAR. STORED, HARD TOP WAS REMOVED, SOFT TOP WAS PUT ON, AND PLASTIC PIECES WERE SCREWED ON THE TOP OVER WINDSHIELD AND DRIVER/PASSENGER DOORS. WHEN THE WIND STRESSES AGAINST THE PLASTIC THE FIBER PLASTIC MATERIAL RIPS OPEN AND COMES APART, 8 INCH TEAR IN BOTH SIDES. *AK

NHTSA ID

826998

Incident

Jul 20, 1998

PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT FIT PROPERLY AND DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY.

NHTSA ID

529615

Incident

May 1, 1997

DOORS FAILED.

NHTSA ID

604456

CONSUMER IS CONCERNED WITH THE TYPE OF PUTTY USED ON THE PLASTIC DOOR FRAME. THIS PUTTY IS MEANT TO KEEP WATER FROM FLOWING THROUGH A JOINT IN THE DOOR FRAME. THIS FRAME IS ONE PIECE AND IS DESIGNED TO BE REMOVED. *AK

NHTSA ID

523925

Incident

Jun 1, 1997