1998 Jeep Wrangler Owner Complaints

Frame started showing signs of rusted out frame in 2003 when the transmission skid weld nuts in the bottom of the frame rusted out as well as the body side step weld nuts in the frame. In 2010, 3 or the 4 rear axle control arms broke free from the frame causing brake lines to fail while driving. I was able to use parking brake and downshifting manual transmission to get home. I was lucky that the rear axle didn't completely separate or the failed brake cause a serious accident. The TJ frames are poorly designed with no drainage causing them to rust from the inside out.

NHTSA ID

11505258

Incident

Feb 1, 2003

AIRBAG LIGHT COME ON AND SPEEDO AND TACH STOPS WORKING. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND THIS IS OCCURING ON NUMEROUS JEEPS OF THIS YEAR. WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL? IF SOMETHING ISN'T DONE ABOUT THIS I WILL BE GETTING A LOT OF JEEP OWNERS TOGETHER AND FILING A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT!! IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM. I JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ITS HAPPENING TO THE MAJORITY ON THIS YEARS WRANGLERS

NHTSA ID

11408403

Incident

Apr 10, 2021

JEEP WRANGLER FRAMES RUST FROM INSIDE OUT DUE TO MOISTURE GETTING IN THROUGH UPPER PART OF FRAMES WHERE THEIR ARE HOLES AND SETTLING TO LOWER PART OF FRAME WHERE THEIR ARE NO DRAIN HOLES. THEIR MAY HAVE NOT BEEN AN ISSUE IF JEEP HAD JUST PUT IN DRAIN HOLES IN LOWER PART OF FRAME. IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN 1997 THROUGH 2006 JEEP WRANGLERS. I HAVE THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11348467

Incident

Jan 15, 2020

JEEP TJ FRAME SEPARATED AT THE TORSION BAR ON PASSENGER REAR WHEEL MAKING VEHICLE UNSTABLE AND UN- USABLE.

NHTSA ID

11251841

Incident

Aug 27, 2019

Mileage

178,000 mi

MY FRAME IS ROTTING OUT FAST AND FURIOUS, I'VE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE SECTIONS, THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROLS ARMS HAVE RIPPED OFF, THE BODY FELL THREW THE MOUNTS, PAID TO HAVE THAT FIXED

NHTSA ID

11246152

Incident

Aug 9, 2019

Mileage

160,000 mi

I HAVE A 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. I'VE OWNED MY JEEP FOR 15 YEARS. IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT. WE WERE CHANGING THE SHOCKS A FEW WEEKS AGO AND NOTICED SEVERE RUST DAMAGE. THE FRAME IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. IT'S SEVERE. YEARS BEFORE I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A 2 LAND RD AND HAD TO PRESS MY BRAKES HARDER THAN I USUALLY WOULD DUE TO A CAR PULLING OUT IN FRONT OF ME. AT THAT MOMENT I BLEW A BRAKE LINE. I COULD NOT GET MY VEHICLE STOPPED. LUCKILY IT'S A 5 SPEED. I GEARED DOWN AS FAST AS I COULD AND MANAGED TO PULL IT OFF THE MAIN ROAD ONTO A HILL TO GET IT STOPPED. AFTER INSPECTING MY VEHICLE I FOUND SEVERE DAMAGE. THE MOTORS MOUNTS ARE BARELY THERE. THE PART WHERE THE FRAME MOUNTS TO THE BODY IS ACTUALLY MISSING ONE DUE TO RUSTING COMPLETELY OUT. EVERY SINGLE BOLT AND NUT IS RUSTED. EVERY SINGLE SQUARE INCH OF THE FRAME IS RUSTED. THE PROBLEM IS THAT JEEP POORLY DESIGNED THE FRAME WITH SIDE HOLES FOR WATER AND DIRT TO ENTER BUT DID NOT DESIGN IT WITH DRAINAGE HOLES ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME. WATER AND DIRT ENTER AND NEVER LEAVE. IT'S EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I'VE READ THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11165433

Incident

Nov 1, 2018

Mileage

69,000 mi

HAD TO REPLACE THE FRAME DUE TO LEFT REAR RUSTED THROUGH THE WHOLE FRAME, JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF THE FRAME WAS LEFT. OTHER AREAS HAD RUST EATING THREW THE FRAME, AND IN A MATTER OF TIME WOULD HAVE FAILED!!!.

NHTSA ID

11092357

Incident

Apr 19, 2018

Mileage

92,000 mi

"TJ WRANGLER FRAME RUST" - SEVERE RUST OCCURRED IN THE FRAME OF MY 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER PASS PA STATE INSPECTION. RUST WAS DUE TO NO DRAINAGE HOLE AND FRAME RUSTED FROM INSIDE OUT. RUST OCCURRED ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR CONTROL ARMS AND EXTENDED FRONT TO THE TRANSFER CASE MOUNTING POINTS. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND IT IS VERY COMMON AND MANY POOR JEEP OWNERS ARE PARTING OUT PERFECTLY GOOD JEEPS DUE TO THEM NOT BEING ABLE TO PASS STATE INSPECTIONS - LUCKILY NO ONE HAS BEEN HARMED DUE TO THIS FRAME DAMAGE THAT I AM AWARE OF - SOME VIDEOS ON THE INTERNET SHOW THE ENTIRE FRAME RUSTED AWAY! THIS NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF JEEP AS THIS IS OBVIOUS A DESIGN FLAW AND OWNERS SHOULD BE COMPENSATED. IF THERE IS ANY DOUBT OF HOW SEVERE THIS IS SIMPLE DO A GOOGLE SEARCH! TOYOTA TOOK CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS!!!

NHTSA ID

11056998

Incident

Oct 1, 2017

Mileage

96,000 mi

I HAVE AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FRAME RUST AND MY VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 150XXX MILES AND THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE READ THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS AND I AM WANTING TO KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS COULD DO TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE AND I DO NOT WANT TO RESALE BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO SELL IT IN THIS CONDITION AND I WANT TO KEEP IT BUT I ALSO DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF THIS. THERE'S A LOT OF LIFE LEFT IN THIS VEHICLE AND IT ONLY HAS 126XXX MILES SO I NEED HELP

NHTSA ID

11032619

Incident

Oct 9, 2017

Mileage

126,000 mi

ON MY 1998 JEEP WRANGLER SPORT, CHRYSLER PUT A HOLE IN THE FRAME TO ACCESS THE REAR SWAY ARM BOLT AND WHEN THEY DID THAT IT LET WATER , DIRT, SALT ETC INTO THE FRAME AND CAUSE THE FRAME TO ROT FROM THE INSIDE OUT. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND MANY PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME ONE I WANT TO PUT THE WORD OUT TO HAVE IT FIX BECAUSE IF IT WAS TO BREAK WHILE DRIVING YOUR JEEP IT CAN COST SOMEONE THERE LIFE. MINE HAS YET TO DO SO BECAUSE I SEEN IT IN TIME AND WANT SOMETHING DONE ABOUT IT A RECALL IS NEEDED TO FIX THE PROBLEM

NHTSA ID

11013840

Incident

Aug 8, 2017

Mileage

132,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL REPORTING THIS IN HOPES OF HAVING THE ISSUE RESOLVED BY NHTSA OR CHRYSLER... I HAVE A 1998 JEEP WRANGLER AND LIKE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS, MINE HAS DEVELOPED MAJOR FRAME RUST. I KNOW THIS ISNT GOING TO BE RESOLVED ANYTIME SOON, BUT I NEED TO GET MINE FIXED NOW. HOPEFULLY IF THERE IS EVER A RECALL I CAN STILL BE APART OF IT EVEN AFTER MINE IS REPAIRED. IM GOING TO BE HAVING IT PATCHED FOR NOW AS A FRAME REPLACEMENT WILL COST WAY TOO MUCH FOR ME AT THE MOMENT. MYSELF, ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS WOULD GREATLY BENIFIT FROM THIS BEING RECALLED. THERE ARE A LOT OF JEEPS OUT THERE DRIVING ON REPAIRED FRAMES. THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE RESOLVED BEING AS THERE ARE SO MANY WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11005524

Incident

Jun 30, 2017

Mileage

176,000 mi

SEAT BELTS DO NOT GRAB WHEN PULLED RAPIDLY, MOST OF THE TIME. THE CENTRIFUGAL PAWLS SEEM TO NOT BE FREELY MOVING OUTWARD AND HOLDING THE BELT FROM FREELY PLAYING OUT, WHEN THEY SHOULD. I MADE THE TEST WHILE PARKED WITH ENGINE RUNNING AND OFF, AND ALSO WHILE IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

10897011

Incident

Aug 17, 2016

Mileage

88,900 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO DISPLAY THE SPEED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000.

NHTSA ID

10840221

Incident

Mar 4, 2016

Mileage

124,000 mi

DESIGN FLAW WHICH ALLOWS WATER IN BUT NOT OUT CAUSES WATER AND DIRT TO COLLECT INSIDE OF CHASSIS FRAME, CAUSING IT TO RUST FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

NHTSA ID

10765254

Incident

Sep 10, 2013

Mileage

180,000 mi

WHILE USING CRUISE CONTROL SPEED INCREASED AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO SHUTTING OFF SPEED CONTROL OR BY HITTING THE BRAKES CAR COULD NOT BE STOPPED ONLY PUSHING IN CLUTCH WHILE THE ENGINE RACED UNCONTROLLABLY AND PULLING OFF THE INTERSTATE ONTO SIDE OF ROAD TURNING OFF KEY STOPPED THIS . WHEN STARTED BACK UP ENGINE STILL RACING. SAME THING HAPPENED ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO NEVER USED SPEED CONTROL AGAIN UNTIL THIS

NHTSA ID

10762100

Incident

Sep 6, 2015

Mileage

90,900 mi

THE RUST IS SO BAD ON THE JEEPS IT'S RIDICULOUS IT'S NOT SAFE YOUR GOING TO KILL SOMEONE WHEN THERE REAR AXLE SHOOTS OUT FROM UNDER THEM THIS IS A ISSUE YOU SHOULD FIX NOT THE CONSUMER I WILL NOT BE BUYING THIS PRODUCT AGAIN IF IT IS MY FIXED. 98 TJ JEEP WRANGLER

NHTSA ID

10731857

Incident

Feb 5, 2015

Mileage

100,000 mi

WHILE REPLACING SHOCKS I FOUND MULTIPLE ROT SPOTS IN THE FRAME OF THE JEEP. THESE ROT SPOTS WERE SO BADLY ROTTED THAT I COULD POKE THROUGH WITH MY INDEX FINGER WITH MINIMAL FORCE. HAD TO SEND IT TO A REPAIR SHOP TO REPAIR THE FRAME IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS.

NHTSA ID

10716253

Incident

Feb 2, 2015

DUE TO EXCESSIVE ROT THAT IS COMMON ON THIS VEHICLE, WHILE TRAVELING I HIT A BUMP AND SNAPPED MY DRIVER SIDE CONTROL ARM. THIS CONSEQUENTLY MADE FOR A DANGEROUS RIDE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR IT I NOTICED HOW BAD THE FRAME WAS ROTTED, BUT UNLIKE NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE WOULD HAVE EQUAL CORROSION. THE INSIDE WAS ROTTED MUCH WORSE, AND PARTS OF THE FRAME EASILY CRUMBLED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10713501

Incident

Apr 14, 2015

Mileage

99,945 mi

THE FRAME AROUND THE CONTROL ARMS ARE RUSTING, THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS ADDRESSED AND THERE ARE MORE 97-06 WRANGLERS WITH RUSTED FRAMES THAN NOT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10702422

Incident

Feb 18, 2015

Mileage

128,000 mi

PURCHASED A USED 1998 JEEP WRANGLER SPORT ON DECEMBER 27 2014. HAD IT IN A SHOP FOR NEW TIRES WHEN THEY TOLD ME THE FRAME WAS ROTTED AND IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT IT FROM INSPECTED IT AND SURE ENOUGH, ROTTED FRAME AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THEY AGREED TO PAY 1700 DOLLARS TOWARDS THE COST OF A FRAME SWAP AND IT COST ME 1000 DOLLARS MORE FOR A TOTAL OF 2700 DOLLARS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REAL ISSUE WITH JEEPS BETWEEN THE YEARS OF 97 TO 04, I MAY BE WRONG ON THE EXACT YEARS BUT THERE IS A DEFINITE PATTERN OF BAD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES/BAD QUALITY STEEL TO BE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS FRAME ROT. IS CHRYSLER WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO GET KILLED IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? BIG CORPORATIONS AND POLITICS MEET TO SCREW THE GENERAL PUBLIC ONCE AGAIN? CHRYSLER, TAKE A LESSON FROM TOYOTA AND FIX THESE FRAMES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AND THEIR FRAME BREAKS. MY JEEP WAS TOTALLY BONE STOCK WHEN THIS WAS DISCOVERED. I'M NOT TRYING TO GET A DOLLAR BACK FOR WHAT I PAID, JUST TRYING TO BRING AWARENESS TO THIS AS HAVE MANY OTHERS. JEEPERS LOVER THEIR JEEPS NO DOUBT AND ARE VERY LOYAL TO THE BRAND. CHRYSLER SHOULD RECOGNIZE THIS AND DO THE RIGHT THING. I HOPE MANY MORE COME FORWARD AND STEPS ARE TAKEN TO RIGHT THIS WRONG BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. CHRYSLER CAN BLAME IT ON ROAD SALT OR SEA AIR OR WHATEVER, BUT THERE ARE OTHER AUTO MANUFACTURERS WITH CARS STILL ON THE ROAD FROM THE 60'S AND 70'S AND EARLIER ERAS WITH NO FRAME PROBLEMS AT ALL. BIG CORPORATIONS HIDE BEHIND BAD POLITICS AND THEY WORK HAND IN HAND TO NOT TAKE BLAME FOR THINGS LIKE THIS. ONE OF MANY PROBLEMS WITH POLITICS IN AMERICA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10702408

Incident

Feb 7, 2015

Mileage

106,132 mi

ALL OF A SUDDEN THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER GO DEAD, AND THE AIRBAG AND ENGINE LIGHT COME ON. SEEMS TO HAPPEN DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. I HAVE TO HIT THE DASH A COUPLE OF TIMES AND EVERYTHING STARTS WORKING AGAIN. DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THE WINTER WHEN IT'S COLD. IT'S A LITTLE UNNERVING WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER STOPS WORKING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10690129

Incident

Jul 1, 2010

Mileage

65,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING AND RUNNING THE HEATER AND NOTICED A BURNING SMELL. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN THE HVAC UNIT AND SMELL SUBSIDED. I PULLED THE HVAC HEAD UNIT OUT AND HAD A VACUUM LINE AND IT'S INSULATION MELTED. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. THE HEAT AND AC NOW ONLY WORK ON THE HIGHEST SETTING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10663274

Incident

Mar 8, 2014

Mileage

125,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS SECURED AND UPON TAKING THE SEAT BELT OFF IT DID NOT RETRACT AT RANDOM. THE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT SHOULDER BELT TURNING LOOP BECAME STUCK BETWEEN THE DOOR FRAME AND THE SEAT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR THE DOOR TO CLOSE PROPERLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANUALLY RETRACT THE SEAT BELT IN ORDER TO CLOSE THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. THE SEAT AND METAL FRAMING WAS ALSO WORN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE CONTACT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:98V048000 (SEAT BELTS) DUE TO THE STATUTE OF THE TIME FRAME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THERE WAS ALSO A LEAK BEHIND THE DASHBOARD THAT HAD LEAKED INTO THE FLOOR MATS ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE AND FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.

NHTSA ID

10577949

Incident

Apr 1, 1998

Mileage

200 mi

NOTICED A NOISE WHILE DRIVING HOME THE OTHER DAY THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE BEEN MY EXHAUST RATTLING AROUND, SO I GOT UNDER VEHICLE TO INSPECT THE NOISE, AND WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT THE REAR PART OF THE FRAME HAS RUSTED AWAY AND THE BRACKETS FOR THE REAR TRAILING ARMS HAD DETACHED FROM THE FRAME ALLOWING THE ARMS TO DROP, AND ON THIS PARTICULAR SIDE THE BRAKE LINES ARE ATTACHED TO THIS CONTROL ARM. I KNOW THAT TOYOTA HAD A SIMILAR RECALL ON THE TRUCK FRAMES FOR RUST PERFORATION, AND THAT JEEP HAD ONE ON THE LIBERTY FOR THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARMS RUSTING AND BREAKING. I AM AN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN AND MY PERSONAL JEEP IS NOT THE FIRST ONE I HAVE SEEN WITH THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION. I ALSO GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT ITS VERY COMMON IN THESE VEHICLES AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10573095

Incident

Mar 17, 2014

Mileage

112,000 mi

REAR DRIVE SHAFT SHEARED IN TWO AT A WELD JOINT LOCATED BETWEEN THE SHAFT MAIN TUBE BODY AND UNIVERSAL JOINT PART. THE FAILURE APPEARS TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH AN IMPROPER WELD SEAM (WELD ON APPARENTLY A THIRD OF THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE SHAFT TUBE APPEARS NOT TO HAVE BEEN COMPLETED). I DON'T KNOW IF THE WELDING PROCESS WAS DONE MANUALLY OR BY MACHINE AND IF BY MACHINE HOW MANY OTHER SHAFTS ARE SIMILARLY AFFECTED. I WILL MAIL A MORE COMPLETE COPY OF A WRITE-UP OF THE INCIDENT AS WELL AS PHOTOGRAPHS (I SENT CHRYSLER. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THEY HAVE NOT FOLLOWED UP ON THE INCIDENT (OTHER THAN A VOICE MAIL ACKNOWLEDGING RECEIPT OF A LETTER FROM ME AND THEY WOULD LOOK INTO THE MATTER. THAT HAS BEEN CLOSE TO 5 MONTHS OF NO RESPONSE.

NHTSA ID

10563546

Incident

Oct 7, 2013

Mileage

145,000 mi