Total Complaints
12 filings
JEEP WAGONEER · model year
1987 JEEP WAGONEER
12 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987JEEPWAGONEER carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 2 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1987 WAGONEER is steering: steering wheel/handle bar with 2 filings, followed by seats (1) and seat belts (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 29 investigation files overlapping the 1987 WAGONEER, and 3 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
12
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Injuries
1
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 2 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020611TIRES
SEE LETTER SENT VIA USMAIL. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
20001017TIRES:TREAD/BELT
00 T 005 000/TREAD SEPARATION: RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED A TREAD SEPARATION WHILE TRAVELING ON A DIRT ROAD AT 25-30 MPH, NOTICE A FLAPPING SOUND BEFORE THE PROBLEM COMMENCE. DRIVER AND PASSENGER IN A 1987 JEEP, WAGENEER; AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT INSTALL AT 80400 MILES, DOT UNAVAILABLE. *AK
19990921POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
ON A TRIP AND AT 65 MPH WENT OVER RAIL ROAD CROSSING AND AS SUSPENSION TRAVELED FELT LIKE THE DRIVE LINE WAS COMMING THROUGH THE FLOOR PAN.SOMETHING IN THE DRIVE TRAIN DID INDEED BOTTON OUT NOT THE SUSPENSION. ALSO STEERING WHEEL BROKE LOOSE ON THIS TRIP AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE BOLTS BROKE LOOSE INSIDE SHAFT AND HAS SENCE BEEN REPAIRED BUT DEVELOPED GRINDING LEAVING STOP LIGHTS.I SUSPECTED SOMETHING BOTTOMING OUT HURT TRANSMISSION,I SEARCHED THIS SITE AND DISCOVERED THE SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE TO LONG DRIVE LINE IN REAR.TOOK TO JEEP TO HAVE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED AND ASKED ABOUT DRIVE LINE BEING TO LOND AND DAMAGING THR TRANSFER CASE.THEY HAVE JEEP WEEK AND CALL SAY NOTHING AT ALL WRONG AND CHANGED FLUID AND DO AT THIS TIME SAY YES THEY KNOW ABOUT TO LONG DRIVE LINE BUT THEY DON'T THINK THATS IT AND SEND ME ON MY WAY.TRANSMISSION HEAR GEAR WHINE I SUSPECT THEY DID NOT LOOK INTO DRIVE LINE SO I ENGAGE TRANSFER CASE IN DRIVEWAY AND IT LOCKED INTO DRIVE AND EXTREAME BREAKING SO
19990921STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
ON A TRIP AND AT 65 MPH WENT OVER RAIL ROAD CROSSING AND AS SUSPENSION TRAVELED FELT LIKE THE DRIVE LINE WAS COMMING THROUGH THE FLOOR PAN.SOMETHING IN THE DRIVE TRAIN DID INDEED BOTTON OUT NOT THE SUSPENSION. ALSO STEERING WHEEL BROKE LOOSE ON THIS TRIP AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE BOLTS BROKE LOOSE INSIDE SHAFT AND HAS SENCE BEEN REPAIRED BUT DEVELOPED GRINDING LEAVING STOP LIGHTS.I SUSPECTED SOMETHING BOTTOMING OUT HURT TRANSMISSION,I SEARCHED THIS SITE AND DISCOVERED THE SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE TO LONG DRIVE LINE IN REAR.TOOK TO JEEP TO HAVE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED AND ASKED ABOUT DRIVE LINE BEING TO LOND AND DAMAGING THR TRANSFER CASE.THEY HAVE JEEP WEEK AND CALL SAY NOTHING AT ALL WRONG AND CHANGED FLUID AND DO AT THIS TIME SAY YES THEY KNOW ABOUT TO LONG DRIVE LINE BUT THEY DON'T THINK THATS IT AND SEND ME ON MY WAY.TRANSMISSION HEAR GEAR WHINE I SUSPECT THEY DID NOT LOOK INTO DRIVE LINE SO I ENGAGE TRANSFER CASE IN DRIVEWAY AND IT LOCKED INTO DRIVE AND EXTREAME BREAKING SO
19990322ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM IS ENCLOSED WITH NO PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN PLASTIC FILL BOTTLE EXPLODING IF ENGINE OVERHEATS. (1ST VEHICLE ON DOC# 607835).
19971022VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL, RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO THE MONTH THAT VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED (87V-022). *AK
19970929CrashFireFatalFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO THE GAS TANK RUPTURING DURING A REAR END ACCIDENT. AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE, IN LESS THAN A MINUTE THE FIRE ENGULFED THE ENTIRE REAR END, RESULTING IN A FATALITY AND TWO INJURIES. *AK
19960601STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING WHEEL LOOSE DUE TO LOOSE BOLTS. *SD
19960425ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
ELECTRIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED, CAUSING FUEL PUMP/FUEL INJECTION TO CONTINUE RUNNING EVEN WITH KEY REMOVED.
19960425ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
SERPENTINE IDLER PULLEY BELT BEARING FAILED. *DSH
19950627SEAT BELTS
PURCHASE JEEP NEW AND THE FRONT SEAT BELT AUTOMATIC RESTRAINT NEVER WORK KEEP TAKING IT TO THE DEALER SAY DON'T HAVE TIME TO FIX THE SEAT BELT . TT
19950518SEATS
DRIVERS SEAT FRAME BROKE UPON APPLYING BRAKES. *AW
Compare 1987JEEPWAGONEER to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 3 Open
PE25014Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) Failure
PE24024Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Underhood fires
RQ24012Recall QueryOpen
Loss of Motive Power
PE22013Preliminary EvaluationClosed
False overheat leading to loss of motive power
PE22009Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electronic Parking Brake Water Ingress
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 JEEP WAGONEER have?▼
The 1987 JEEP WAGONEER has 12 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 2 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 JEEP WAGONEER?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 JEEP WAGONEER is STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEATS and SEAT BELTS.
Is the 1987 JEEP WAGONEER safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.