Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Jeep Wrangler submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 40 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 40, in the owner's own words
FUEL- JEEP HARD TO FILL WITH FUEL OR MUST FILL FUEL AT VERY SLOW RATE. NOZZLE DOES NOT LOCK OR FILL PROPERLY. (STATIONARY) ELECTRICAL- HAZARD LIGHTS(IN REAR) RANDOMLY TURN ON BY THEMSELVES WHILE DRIVING. (ANY MPH, CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE BLOWER MOTOR FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ODOMETER BACK LIGHT SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED PREVIOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 99V117000 (UNKNOWN OR OTHER). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP AT 35 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT HAD TO HIT THE CONSOLE BEFORE THE CLUSTER ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INITIAL START-UP, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED AND WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE CONTACT WOULD TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND ONCE RESTARTED, THE FAILURE WOULD SPORADICALLY RESET. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE STALLED MORE THAN FIVE TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 99V117000 (INSTRUMENT PANEL SCREWS) BUT HAD EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
I WAS DRIVING AN OLD WASHED OUT AND BUMPY MOUNTAIN ROAD. DUE TO THE BUMPS, I COULD NOT GO MUCH FASTER THAN 15MPH. THE ROAD/GROUND WAS WET AND SLIPPERY SO I WAS IN 4HI. AFTER GOING DOWN THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND GOING AROUND A TURN, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. AS I TURNED THE WHEEL IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, TO GO AROUND A LARGE DOWNED TREE, IT MOMENTARILY SHUT OFF, THEN RETURNED TO ON. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE JEEP OFF AND CHECKED THE AIRBAG FUSES. BOTH ARE GOOD. PUZZLED AND RATHER NERVOUS THAT THE AIRBAG MIGHT GO OFF IN MY FACE, I TURNED AROUND TO GO BACK TO THE MAIN ROAD. AFTER NERVOUSLY DRIVING A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD, I RETURNED THE JEEP TO THE SPEED LIMIT AND ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE MY CRUISE CONTROL BUT, THE LIGHT WOULDN'T TURN ON. I TRIED ALL THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS TO NO AVAIL. PULLED OVER AND CHECKED THE FUSEBOX AGAIN FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL FUSE BUT, I COULDN'T FIND ONE ANYWHERE. AFTER DRIVING ANOTHER 100 MILES HOME, I LET MY SISTER'S FIANCE, WHO'S A MECHANIC, CHECK IT WITH HIS SCAN TOOL. ACCORDING TO HIS SCAN TOOL, THE CLOCKSPRING HAS MALFUNCTIONED. AFTER DOING A FEW GOOGLE SEARCHES, IT'S APPARENT THAT THE COST TO HAVE THIS FIXED IS VERY HIGH. THE PART ITSELF IS OVER $200 AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BY A MECHANIC! LABOR IS GOING TO BE AT LEAST ANOTHER $200 BASED ON HOW MUCH TIME IT WILL TAKE AND THE FACT THAT IT WILL MORE THAN LIKELY HAVE TO BE DONE AT A DEALERSHIP. SHOULDN'T THIS BE A LIFETIME PART? WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THIS FIXED IF IT'S A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE? ANY RESPONSE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED AS I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO HAVE THIS FIXED AND I'M RATHER NERVOUS TO DRIVE IT NOW. WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF THE AIRBAG GOING OFF?[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE JEEP, IT HAS BEEN A RELIABLE VEHICLE. THE OTHER DAY, I WENT TO START IT AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS UNRESPONSIVE AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON. I TRIED REPLACING THE FUSE AND FOUND IT TO BE GOOD, RECEIVING POWER. I STARTED TO CHECK WEBSITES FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND FOUND A RECALL FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM I WAS HAVING. THIS RECALL DESCRIBED EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO MY JEEP. THE RECALL IS FOUND HERE RECALL 99V117000: INSTRUMENT PANEL GROUND SCREWS LOOSE THE LEFT SIDE AND RIGHT SIDE INSTRUMENT PANEL WIRING GROUND ATTACHMENT SCREWS COULD LOOSEN OVER TIME. IF THE LEFT SIDE SCREW LOOSENS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES MAY NOT FUNCTION WHEN THE HEADLAMPS ARE TURNED ON. IF THE RIGHT SIDE SCREW LOOSENS, THE DEFROSTER BLOWER MOTOR MAY NOT FUNCTION. WELL, I TOOK A COPY OF THE RECALL TO MY LOCAL JEEP DEALERSHIP, BLUEBONNET JEEP IN NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS. AS SOON AS I WALKED THROUGH THE DOOR, I STARTED TELLING THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE JEEP AND HOW SIMILAR IT WAS TO THE RECALL. I SHOWED THEM A COPY OF THE RECALL AND CONTINUED TELLING THEM HOW IT WAS BEHAVING. THE DEALER ASKED ME IF I PURCHASED THE JEEP FROM THEM AND I TOLD THEM NO. THEY WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT ME NOT BUYING THE JEEP FROM THEM, THEY WENT OUT AND COPIED THE VIN NUMBER DOWN. THE ATTENDANT STATED THEY COULD NOT HELP ME BECAUSE IT WAS NOT SHOWING UP AS BEING A RECALL ISSUE. I TOLD THEM IT WAS GIVING ME ALL THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THIS RECALL AND THEY SAID THEY DID NOT CARE, IF THE NUMBER DOES NOT SHOW UP ON THEIR COMPUTER, THEY WILL NOT HELP. I BELIEVE THE ORIGINAL RECALL EFFECTS MORE MODELS OF JEEP THAN ORIGINALLY STATED AND RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THIS TO BE INVESTIGATED. THANKS. *TR
MY JEEP LOST ALL POWER TO THE CONSOLE/DASH DURING NIGHT DRIVING AND I COULD NOT MEASURE MY SPEED, RPMS, FUEL OR ANY OTHER GAUGES. THIS INCLUDED BOTH THE ANALOG (NEEDLE) AND DIGITAL (LED) GAUGES. MY 5-SPEED DROVE FINE THOUGH, NO SWEAT. SO THERE I WAS, DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, AND I HAD NO WAY TO ASCERTAIN MY VELOCITY. THERE WAS NO WAY TO TELL IF I WAS GOING 20 MPH OR 120 MPH. IT WAS JUST ME, MY JEEP AND MY GUT INSTINCTS. SO, I PULLED A FONZIE AND SMACKED THE DASH, AND GAVE IT MY BEST "HEYYYYYYYY" AND YOU GUESSED IT - AFTER THAT ALL WAS WELL. THE LIGHTS CAME BACK AND I WAS DOING A COOL 60. BECAUSE I CAN'T DRIVE 55. AFTER A LITTLE INTERNET WIZARDRY ON MY FAVORITE SEARCH ENGINE, APPARENTLY THIS IS SIMPLY A LOOSE CONNECTION FROM THE DASH GROUND. BEING A JEEP OWNER, I SIMPLY REPLACED THE FAULTY SCREW AND DIDN'T WASTE MY TIME TAKING IT TO A DEALER OR WHINING ABOUT IT ONLINE. OH WAIT... I'M ACTUALLY ONLY REPORTING THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I WANTED TO VALIDATE THE NHTSA COMPLAINT PROCESS. LOOKS LIKE IT IS WORKING. HEY V! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, ALL OF THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD DECREASE TO ZERO AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,251 AND THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000. UPDATED 11/02/2011 *LN *TR
AIRBAG CONTROL MODULE FAILS. CAUSES GAUGES IN DASHBOARD NOT TO WORK PROPERLY. GAUGES WILL NOT READ OIL PRESSURE, SPEED, ETC. AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON. *KB
A WHILE AGO I HAD THE CLIMATE CONTROLS GO OUT IN MY 1999 JEEP WRANGLER. UPON INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THAT THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR AND THE CLIMATE CONTROLS HAD MELTED DUE TO THE HEAT GENERATED FROM THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION. I REPLACED THE CLIMATE CONTROLS IN MY JEEP, HOWEVER, THE ELECTRICAL WIRING STILL GETS VERY HOT. I DID SOME CHECKING IN JEEP FORUMS AND APPARENTLY, THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THE "TJ" JEEP MODEL. I AM ENCLOSING A LINK TO AN ARTICLE THAT ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE, IN IT THE AUTHORS DETERMINED THAT THE UNCORRECTED WIRING CAN REACH 122 DEGREES. HTTP://WWW.JPMAGAZINE.COM/TECHARTICLES/ELECTRICAL/154_0710_JEEP_FIRE_PREVENTION/INDEX.HTML. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE TRAVELING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMP, ALL WARNING LIGHTS WOULD APPEAR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 99V117000 (UNKNOWN OR OTHER). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 128,000. UPDATED 12/30/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. UPDATED 01/04/11.*JB
SINCE I HAVE OWNED MY 99 WRANGLER, ABOUT EVERY TWO YEARS. THE FAN MOTOR OR SELECTOR SWITCHES HAVE BURNED OUT. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED IT METED DOWN THE WIRING HARNESS AS WELL. IT IS MY FEELING THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT JEEP IS AWARE OF. SINCE THEY HAVE A SPECIAL BULLETIN THAT ALLOWS YOU TO BUY THE SWITCHES INDIVIDUALLY, INSTEAD OF THE ENTIRE HEATING COOLING HEAD UNIT. *TR
1ST ISSUE: THE DASH GAUGES WILL GO OFF AND ON INTERMITTENTLY. I HAVE FOUGHT WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS NOW. THE DEALER OF COURSE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. NEVER HEARD OF IT. I HAVE COMPLETELY REMOVED THE DASH LOOKING FOR PROBLEMS. BAD GROUNDS? I CAN'T TELL WHERE. I SUSPECT THE PLUGS THE CLUSTER SLIPS INTO. I'VE TRIED TO PULL THE MOUNTS CLOSER FOR A BETTER CONNECTION. IT SEAMED TO WORK FOR A WHILE. THEN IT COMES BACK. A GOOD SOUND BEATING ON THE DASH BRINGS THEM BACK ON. AMAZING WHAT THAT PLASTIC WILL TAKE. ALL THIS STARTED AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I REFUSE TO TAKE IT IN AND POUR MONEY AT IT TILL THEY FIGURE IT OUT. ALL I WANT IS TO KNOW HOW TO FIX THE GAUGES. I'M ABOUT READY TO CUT THE WIRES AND SOLDER THEM DIRECTLY ON. 2ND ISSUE: I BEGAN SMELLING PLASTIC BURNING OR SOMETHING. LATER THE HEATER FAN QUIT WORKING. AFTER SOME READING OF THE SERVICE MANUAL, I CHECKED A LOT OF PARTS AND FOUND THE CONTROL/SELECTOR SWITCH UNIT HEATED UP AND PARTIALLY MELTED THE WIRING HARNESS AS WELL AS BURNT INSIDE THE UNIT. BOUGHT ANOTHER AND REPLACED IT. WORKS GREAT NOW. ALL THE FAN POSITIONS WORK AGAIN. THIS SWITCH HAS TO BE REPLACED SO OFTEN I JUST LEAVE THE SCREWS FROM THE CENTER DASH PANEL OFF. EVERY 99 JEEP WRANGLER OWNER I KNOW HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THERE IS A FIX/RECALL? NOTHING LIKE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND SMELL AN ELECTRICAL FIRE WHEN YOU ARE 100 MILES FROM ANYONE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, ODOMETER, TEMPERATURE GAUGE, AND OIL GAUGES WERE INOPERABLE. ALSO, THE HEAT AND AIR CONDITIONING WORKED INTERMITTENTLY ON THE HIGH SETTING. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V117000 (UNKNOWN OR OTHER). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 121,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JEEP WRANGLER. THE ODOMETER FAILS INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COST $105 TO CORRECT THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL FAILURE. THE VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V117000 (OTHER) AND THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 114,205 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,105.
MAKE / MODELS : JEEP / WRANGLER MODEL/BUILD YEARS: 1999 MANUFACTURER : DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 99V117000 CHRYSLER SAY NO RECALL BUT I HAVE THIS PROBLEM WHAT DO I DO?? THANK YOU VERY MUCH GAGES GO DEAD, NO HEATER FAN *TR
THE DASH GAUGES FAIL (1999 JEEP TJ) TO OPERATE AS THEY SHOULD INCLUDING THE SPEEDODOMETER AND TACH. CHYRSLER, IN ITS FIRST TSB CONCERNING THE ISSUE SAYS THE REPAIR WAS CARRIED OUT BY DRILLING NEW PILOT HOLES FOR GROUND SCREWS. HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUES AND IN A SUBSEQUENT TSB THEY SAY THE PROBLEM IS NOW CAUSED BY RUST INSIDE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CONNECTOR. HOWEVER I HAVE NOT FOLLOWED THRU ON THE ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE COST INVOLVED IN MAKING THE REPAIR. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES FAILED AND THE WORDS "NO BUS TURNED" WERE DISPLAYED. THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD CHARGE HIM FOR AN INSPECTION. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000. UPDATED 01/11/08. *LJ
1999 JEEP WRANGLER WITH GROUND WIRE PROBLEMS **ANSWERED BY RIC WILLARD** CC THE RECALL WAS 99V117000. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL. AFTER THE REPAIRS THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE CONSUMER REACHED BEHIND THE CLUSTER AND WHEN HE PUSHED ON ONE OF THE PLUGS THEY MOVED ABOUT AN EIGHTH OF AN INCH. THE CONSUMER THEN HEARD THE LATCHED SNAP INTO POSITION AND HE HASN'T HAD A PROBLEM SINCE. THE HEATER ALSO HAD A PROBLEM THAT THE CONSUMER THOUGHT WOULD BE CORRECTED BY RECALL BUT WAS NOT. THE SYSTEM CHANGES THE LOCATION OF THE AIR FLOW ON IT'S OWN. *NM
ALL GAUGES STOP READING AND DROP TO ZERO AND THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. HAPPENS FREQUENTLY WHEN GOING DOWNHILL AT SPEED OR HITTING A BUMP. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE'S INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES DIMMED COMPLETELY AFTER ILLUMINATING INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEFROSTER BLOWER STOPPED FUNCTIONING AS WELL. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 99V117000, REGARDING THE OTHER (SCREWS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.*AK
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH SMOKE ERUPTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
1999 JEEP WRANGLER HAD MULTIPLE REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURES BEFORE 70K MILES. *TS *** NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** THE ORIGINAL DRIVE TRAIN WAS REBUILT USING ORIGINAL MOPAR PARTS. THE DRIVE TRAIN FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME AT 69000 MILE AFTER ONLY 11000 MILES OF USE. THIS TIME THE DEALER REFUSES TO PROVIDE ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD OTHER FAILURES WHICH INCLUDE WATER LEAKS, DRIVE TRAIN SEALS FAILURE, ELECTRICAL FAILURES, MULTIPLE ABS FAILURES, AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT PROBLEMS, AND THE PAINT WAS PEELING OFF THE VEHICLE. *NM
INTERMITTENTLY THE GAUGES ON THE DASH GO TO ZERO. THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON. THE ODOMETER DOES NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SERVICED, HOWEVER THE MANUFACTURER SENT THE CONSUMER A BODY CONTROL MODULE. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HER PREVIOUS VEHICLE OF THE SAME MAKE AN MODEL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. *TC
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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