Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Jeep Wrangler submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 58 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 58, in the owner's own words
FUEL GUACHE GOVEA INACCURATE READING AND DROPS TO EMPTY WHEN THE TANK IS HALF FULL. CONTACTED THE LOCAL JEEP DEALER TWICE ON HAVING THIS PART REPLACED AND EACH TIME THEY TELL ME THEY WILL CALL ME BACK BUT THEY HAVE NOT.
I EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN AT A COMPLETE STOP WITH FOOT ON BREAK. THROTTLE WENT VERY HIGH AND PROPELLED CAR FORWARDED EVEN WHEN PUSHING THE BREAKS PENAL DOWN AS HARD AS I COULD. THERE IS NO WAY I PUSHED DOWN ON THE WRONG PEDAL. THE BREAKS COULD NOT HOLD THE CAR STOPPED. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!
THE FUEL TANK SKID PLATE IS ROTTED OUT AND THE TANK IS IN DANGER OF FALLING.
WHEN COLD, JEEP STARTS AND RUNS FINE. AFTER ENGINE WARMS UP, OIL PRESSURE WOULD DROP AND JEEP WOULD ALMOST DIE. IF I SHUT IT OFF AND TRY TO RESTART WHILE STILL WARM, JEEP WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME STARTING AND IF IT DID START, IT WOULD IDLE EXTREMELY ROUGH AND BARELY ACCELERATE. ONCE I GOT SPEED UP, IT RAN FINE UNTIL I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND IT WOULD ACT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE AND THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE WOULD BOTTOM OUT. DEALER PUT MANUAL GAUGES ON IT AND DETERMINED IT WAS THE OIL SENDING UNIT. OIL PRESSURE NOW HOLDS AT 20 WHEN AT IDLE. THE ISSUE WITH THE ROUGH IDLE AND LOSS OF POWER STILL PERSISTS AFTER THE ENGINE WARMS UP. AFTER READING ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS, THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL. REALLY DON'T WANT TO WASTE MONEY TRYING TO GUESS AT WHAT IS THE ISSUE. AS MANY PEOPLE THAT THERE ARE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES, JEEP SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND ISSUE A RECALL. VERY DISAPPOINTED.
1997 JEEP WRANGLER TJ SAHARA - FUEL TANK OVERFLOWS WHEN TRYING TO FILL UP THE TANK. HAS HAPPENED MORE TIMES THEN I CAN COUNT. THIS IS DANGEROUS IN THE ASPECT THAT GAS LEAKS ALL OVER THE REAR LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, SPLASHES ON THE TIRE AND POOLS ON THE GROUND. NOT ONLY IS IT DANGEROUS BUT IT IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD AS WELL. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AS MY RESEARCH SHOWS THIS IS VERY COMMON WITH JEEP YEARS 97-01 AND UP. THIS SHOULD WARRANT A RECALL AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD PROVIDE A FIX AS THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURE DEFECT.. *TR
WHEN FILLING GAS TANK, NEAR THE END, GAS GUSHES OUT OF TANK BEFORE NOZZLE CUTS OFF. HAS ALWAYS DONE THIS. COMPLAINED TO DEALER MANY TIMES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JEEP WRANGLER. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT GASOLINE WAS LEAKING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 159,000.
1997 JEEP WRANGLER TJ FUEL FLOW OVER AND LEAK. I HAVE A 1997 JEEP THAT OVERFLOWS ON FILL UP AND ALSO LEAKS OUT THE NECK WHEN FULL. THIS IS A FAULT DESIGN OF THE TANK.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED A FAULTY READING. THE GAUGE INDICATED A QUARTER TANK OF FUEL WAS AVAILABLE HOWEVER THE VEHICLE HAD RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE FUEL GAUGE COMPLETELY FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.
THE FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING AN INCORRECT FUEL LEVEL ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE GAUGE WOULD READ 1/4 OR 1/2 WHEN THE TANK WAS ACTUALLY EMPTY. A RECALL (94V106000) WAS ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN (SAFETY RECALL 755 - FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT). *AK *NM
MY VEHICLE HAS RUN ROUGH, IDLING ROUGH, "BUCKING", LOSING COOLANT AND DRIPPING FROM THE TAILPIPE ABOUT A WEEK AFTER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED. I HAVE HAD MAJOR VALVE TRAIN PROBLEMS AND HAD TO HAVE THE CAMSHAFT REPLACED ALONG WITH THE GASKET, CYLINDER HEAD, CORE RETURN, RADIATOR AND NOW THE LATEST IS OIL PRESSURE GAUGE SENDING UNIT. OIL PRESSURE STILL SHOWING ZERO EVEN AFTER REPLACING SENDING UNIT! *AK
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP. THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE BEING DRIVEN AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH OR GREATER. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
I BOUGHT THIS 1997 JEEP WRANGLER FROM A USED CAR DEALER IN JUNE 2002 WITH A LIMITED WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE PASED INSPECTION AND HAD NO PROBLEMS. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE WIRING HARNESS REPAIRED, THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED, THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED, IT HAS A FAULTY FUEL GAUGE READING, THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD NEED TO BE REPLACED AND NOW THE STEERING LINKAGE OR STABILIZER BARS ARE FAULTY.
I HAVE A 97 JEEP WRANGLER. I HAVE A PROBLEM EVERYTIME I START MY JEEP AFTER IT SITS FOR 20 MIN. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WANTS TO SHUT DOWN AND AFTER PRESSING THE GAS TO THE FLOOR IT FINALLY KICKS IN AND TAKES OFF. I LOSE POWER ALOT AND IT BACKFIRES . I HAVE HAD THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD /CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED AND A BROKEN STUD IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD TO HEAD ASSEMBLY. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 3 YEARS AND I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL DIFFERNT JEEP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. ALL THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS CAN TELL ME IS THAT THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM BUT THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO FIND SOMETHING ELSE FOR ME TO PAY FOR . I'M STILL HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND NOW IT'S GETTING WORSE . WHAT CAN I DO? PLEASE HELP. *NLM
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. *AK THE GAUGES MALFUNCTIONED (GAS READ EMPTY), THE VEHICLE JERKED UNCONTROLLABLY. DIFFERENT MECHANICS WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION LEAKED (THERE WAS PINK FLUID IN THE BATTERY AREA), THE BELT PULLEY HAD FALLEN OFF AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED, AND THE BATTERY FAILED. *SCC *JB
I BOUGHT MY 1997 JEEP WRANGLER IN JUNE, 2002 FROM A USED CAR DEALER IN BALTIMORE, MD WITH AN AS-IS WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE HAD PASSED INSPECTION AND WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. IT HAD 64,000 MILES ON IT AND APPEARED TO BE GOOD. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS JEEP. FIRST THE WIRING HARNESS, THEN THE TRANSMISSION, NOW A DIAGNOSIS TO REPLACE THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD, REPLACED FUEL PUMP AND HAS A FAULTY FUEL GAUGE, AND POSSIBLY THE STABILIZER BAR OR STEERING COMPONENTS. THIS JEEP IS COSTING ME MORE IN REPAIRS THAN THE ACTUAL VALUE OF IT. I FEAR THAT IT IS UNSAFE AND THAT I M FACING MORE EXPENSES IF I KEEP IT, BUT I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON IT. DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE AS FAR AS LEMON LAW PROTECTION, RECALLS, HELP!!! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT. *JB
MY 1997 JEEP WRANGLER SPUTTERS WHEN I TOUCH THE GAS FROM NEUTRAL TO FIRST TO SECOND...THE ENGINE DOESNT CUT OFF, I JUST LOSE ALL POWER AND THEN IT CATCHES...HAD FILTERS, PLUGS, AND WIRES ALL REPLACED..THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS..OTHER OWNERS HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS YET THE MANUFACTURER HAS MADE NO ATTEMPT TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. *JB
I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD MY JEEP WAS NOT MADE ON THE RIGHT DATE UNDER THE RECALL. I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE GAGE/SENDING UNIT FOR THE LAST (ALMOST) THREE YEARS. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY MY JEEP IS NOT COVERED WHEN SO MANY MORE ARE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. MY GAGE SOMETIMES DOES NOT SHOW EMPTY WHEN IT IS AND SOMETIMES SHOWES EMPTY 100 MILES INTO THE FULL TANK. I HAVE TALKED TO SEVAL OTHER JEEP OWNERS AND SOME OF THEM HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. YET, THE DEALERSHIPS SAY EVEN THOUGH SOME JEEPS ARE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL OTHERS ARE NOT. CRAZY!
THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED. THE CONSUMER HAD COME ACROSS SOME INFORMATION RELATING TO A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL, HOWEVER, HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN. *JB *SCC
FUEL GAUGE QUIT WORKING, CONSUMER NOTICED A FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT RECALL WHEN ON YAHOO, AFTER CALLING CHRYSLER, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *YH CONSUMER HAS RAN OUT OF GAS SEVERAL TIMES RESULTING IN TWO NEAR ACCIDENTS. CHRYSLER RESPONDED SAYING THAT THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM BEFORE THE VEHICLES VIN WAS MADE. *JG *NM
FUEL GAUGE IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. GAUGE INDICATES MORE FUEL THEN THERE IS IN THE TANK. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THERE WAS A RECALL, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED. *SLC
MY FUEL GAUGE SHOWS 1/4 TANK WHEN EMPTY- THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL IN '98 (NHTSA # 97V194003 & TSB # 755) FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM FOR MY YEAR VEHICLE. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND ALSO THE MANUFACTURER, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE- IF IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM FOR OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME MAKE/MODEL/YEAR, AND I HAVE THE PROBLEM (OBVIOUSLY), THENI DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL- THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO REPORT THIS. *AK
UPON FILLING GAS TANK A GUSH OF GAS COMES FROM TOP CENTER OF TANK, CAUSING GAS TO RUN OVER THE SIDE OF VEHICLE AND THE GROUND. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. ISSUE WAS NOT RESOLVED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT INDICATES SIGNIFICANTLY MORE FUEL IN RESERVE THAN ACTUALLY PRESENT. RECALL 97 V 194 000 HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE MAKE AND MODEL. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
NOTICED WHAT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXHAUST LEAK COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER WITH 27K MILES ON IT. THEY HEARD NOTHING. IN MAY 2000 MY MECHANIC MENTIONED A CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING. OCT. OF 2001 WITH 58K THE NOISE WAS UNBEARABLE AND THREE CRACKS VISABLE. DEALER SAID TOO BAD OUT OF WARRANTY. IF SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WHY CAN'T SOMETHING BE DONE? BY THE WAY I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER JEEP AGAIN.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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