RoadVitals

2001 Jeep Wrangler Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints 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.
13
Latest Mar 16, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
8%
of 170 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Jeep Wrangler submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Transmission
Filed Mar 16, 2004

THE TRANSMISSION MAKES A RATTLE/CHATTERING SOUND WHILE IN NEUTRAL (CLUTCH MUST BE LEFT OUT TOO). IT ONLY DOES THIS AS THE ENGINE GETS WARM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN LOOKED AT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AT VARIOUS DEALERSHIPS. I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERN THAT THE TRANSMISSION MAY FAIL ONCE OUT OF WARRANTY IF THIS IS NOT REMEDIED. DEALERS ALL SAY THIS IS NORMAL, BUT NEW VENTURE GEAR (TRANSMISSION MANUFACTURER) WHEN CONTACTED SAYS IT WAS NOT DESIGNED TO MAKE THIS NOISE. ONLY SOME VEHICLES WITH THIS TRANSMISSION HAVE THIS PROBLEM, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THERE WERE A SERIES OF FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS MADE. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND I DON'T WANT MY WARRANTY TO EXPIRE BEFORE IT FINALLY BREAKS. I FEEL THAT OTHER OWNERS AND I ARE BEING GIVEN THE RUN AROUND DUE TO THE HIGH COST TO DEALERSHIPS IF THEY ADMIT THIS IS A PROBLEM.*AK. IT ALSO HAS POPPED OUT OF REVERSE WHEN PARKED CAUSING THE JEEP TO ROLL. *JB

NHTSA ID
10062306
Incident
Feb 18, 2004
Mileage
7,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Mar 16, 2004

THE TRANSMISSION MAKES A RATTLE/CHATTERING SOUND WHILE IN NEUTRAL (CLUTCH MUST BE LEFT OUT TOO). IT ONLY DOES THIS AS THE ENGINE GETS WARM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN LOOKED AT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AT VARIOUS DEALERSHIPS. I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERN THAT THE TRANSMISSION MAY FAIL ONCE OUT OF WARRANTY IF THIS IS NOT REMEDIED. DEALERS ALL SAY THIS IS NORMAL, BUT NEW VENTURE GEAR (TRANSMISSION MANUFACTURER) WHEN CONTACTED SAYS IT WAS NOT DESIGNED TO MAKE THIS NOISE. ONLY SOME VEHICLES WITH THIS TRANSMISSION HAVE THIS PROBLEM, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THERE WERE A SERIES OF FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS MADE. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND I DON'T WANT MY WARRANTY TO EXPIRE BEFORE IT FINALLY BREAKS. I FEEL THAT OTHER OWNERS AND I ARE BEING GIVEN THE RUN AROUND DUE TO THE HIGH COST TO DEALERSHIPS IF THEY ADMIT THIS IS A PROBLEM.*AK. IT ALSO HAS POPPED OUT OF REVERSE WHEN PARKED CAUSING THE JEEP TO ROLL. *JB

NHTSA ID
10062305
Incident
Feb 18, 2004
Mileage
7,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jun 27, 2003

CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER FAILED AT 12K MILES. *JB

NHTSA ID
10023865
Incident
Jan 11, 2002
Mileage
12,256 mi
Transmission
Filed Mar 7, 2003

THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER HOSE FAILED. THE FAILURE CAUSED A RAPID LOSS OF CLUTCH HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAVING THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR DEBRIS, SHIELD RECALLED BY THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED FROM TWO DAYS AND APPROXIMATELY 100 MILES PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. DEALERSHIP CONTENDED THEY WERE NOT AT FAULT HOWEVER REPAIRS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *TT *JB *TS

NHTSA ID
10007327
Incident
Jul 26, 2002
Mileage
20,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Feb 19, 2003

MANUAL TRANSMISSION MAKES A LOUD RATTLE WHEN IN NEUTRAL AND CLUTCH IS LEFT OUT. RATTLE IS EVEN LOUDER WHEN SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE. BOTH THE SELLING DEALER AND ANOTHER JEEP DEALER CLAIM THIS IS A NORMAL NOISE FOR THIS TRANSMISSION AND REFUSE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I AM CONCERNED THAT TRANSMISSION WILL FAIL. THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT THAT THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALERS REFUSE TO RECOGNIZE.

NHTSA ID
10007800
Incident
Sep 19, 2001
Transmission
Filed Jul 29, 2002

I HAVE A 2001 JEEP WRANGLER SAHARA WITH APPROXIMATELY 20 KMI. THE HYDRAULIC UNION FITTING BETWEEN THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR AND THE HOSE DISASSEMBLED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE FAILURE CAUSED A RAPID LOSS OF CLUTCH HYDRAULIC FLUID, LEAVING THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT IT WAS PURCHASED FROM TWO DAYS, AND APPROXIMATELY 100 MILES PRIOR TO THE FAILURE (THE SERVICE WAS FOR THE DEBRIS SHIELD RECALL AND A LUBE, OIL AND FILTER CHANGE). THE DEALERSHIP AND THE DAIMLERCHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER CONTEND THAT THE DEALER IS NOT AT FAULT, AND THE REPAIR IS THEREFORE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THAT MEANS THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT ROOT CAUSE OF THE FAILURE IS DUE TO EITHER THE DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING PROCESS. IN EITHER CASE, THIS WOULD CAUSE OTHER JEEP VEHICLES TO EXPERIENCE A CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF CLUTCH HYDRAULIC FLUID WHILE IN OPERATION. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE DIGITAL PHOTOS OF THE FAILED JOINT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS AN EMAIL ADDRESS WHERE I CAN SEND THEM TO YOU.*AK

NHTSA ID
764870
Incident
Jul 26, 2002
Transmission
Filed Jun 25, 2002

TRANSMISSION MAKES A GRINDING NOISE WHEN IN NEUTRAL AND CLUTCH LET OUT. DEALER CHECKED FOR RUNNING ROUGH AND FOUND THAT FLASH FOR COMPUTER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. ONCE FLASH WAS AVAILABLE, BROUGHT IN JEEP FOR FLASH AND MANUFACTURER REPLACED TRANSFER CASE SHIFT ROD, PER TSB. GRINDING NOISE WAS NOT FIXED, POINTED IT OUT AND DEALER TOLD ME THAT WAS HOW THIS MODEL AND YEAR SOUNDS. BROUGHT IT BACK AROUND 13,000 MILES AND DEALER DETERMINED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. ORDERED AND REPLACED STANDARD 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION. SEEMED TO FIX PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH THERE IS STILL JUST A SLIGHT SOUND WHICH DEALER SAID WAS NORMAL.*AK

NHTSA ID
763436
Incident
Mar 21, 2002
Transmission
Filed May 31, 2002

THE TRANSMISSION MAKES A RATTLE/CHATTERING SOUND WHILE IN NEUTRAL (CLUTCH MUST BE LEFT OUT TOO). IT ONLY DOES THIS AS THE ENGINE GETS WARM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN LOOKED AT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AT VARIOUS DEALERSHIPS. I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERN THAT THE TRANSMISSION MAY FAIL ONCE OUT OF WARRANTY IF THIS IS NOT REMEDIED. DEALERS ALL SAY THIS IS NORMAL, BUT NEW VENTURE GEAR (TRANSMISSION MANUFACTURER) WHEN CONTACTED SAYS IT WAS NOT DESIGNED TO MAKE THIS NOISE. ONLY SOME VEHICLES WITH THIS TRANSMISSION HAVE THIS PROBLEM, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THERE WERE A SERIES OF FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS MADE. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND I DON'T WANT MY WARRANTY TO EXPIRE BEFORE IT FINALLY BREAKS. I FEEL THAT OTHER OWNERS AND I ARE BEING GIVEN THE RUN AROUND DUE TO THE HIGH COST TO DEALERSHIPS IF THEY ADMIT THIS IS A PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
762496
Body & structureHeating & air conditioningElectrical+3 more
Filed May 22, 2002

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION STARTS TO SLIP.*AK A NEW TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE INSTALLED. THERE WAS A LEAKING TANK SEAL. WATER LEAKS THROUGH THE A/C AND HEATER HOSES. THERE ARE HOLES AT THE BULK HEAD. THERES A FAULTY KEY CYLINDER. THE PASSENGER DOOR IS DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND CLOSE. THERE ARE 2 RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. ONE FOR A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH AND THE OTHER FOR HTE INTAKE MANIFOLD. *JG

NHTSA ID
8010350
Incident
Mar 17, 2002
Transmission
Filed Apr 8, 2002
Crash reported

WHILE GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND LEAVING IT IN IDLE, VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL BACK AND ACCELERATE, RUNNING OVER SOME CURBS AND SMALL HILLS BEFORE HITTING A TREE. THEN, GOING FORWARD INTO A FENCE BEFORE STOPPING. CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK *JG

NHTSA ID
8006984
Incident
Apr 5, 2002
EnginePowertrain (other)Transmission+1 more
Filed Mar 18, 2002

THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED ON 6 OCCASIONS, ON THE 5TH OCCURENCE, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A 1-LB PRESSURE LEAK BUT THERE WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS RESET, HOWEVER THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN, NOW THE ENGINE IS RUNNING ROUGH.*JB

NHTSA ID
564744
Transmission
Filed Jan 6, 2002

THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION MAKES AN UNSUAL NOISE WHEN THE CLUTCH IS RELEASED AND THE VEHICLE IS IN NEUTRAL. DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THIS IS NORMAL. I DO NOT WANT WARRANTY TO RUN OUT BEFORE MANUFACTUER CORRECTS THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
756459
Incident
Dec 1, 2001
Transmission
Filed Mar 8, 2001

WHILE DRIVING COULD PASS THIRD GEAR THEN TRANSMISSION WILL POP OUT TO NEUTRAL. HAD HAPPENED MANY TIMES, AND HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO BE FIXED. BUT, DEALER COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
882481
Incident
Mar 8, 2001

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .