Jeep · vehicle model

Jeep Wrangler

21,786 NHTSA complaints and 208 safety recalls across model years 1986–2026.

Complaints
21,786
Recalls
208
Model years
41

The verdict

The Jeep Wrangler pairs above-average complaint volume with 208 recalls (heavily recalled).

0th pctile
complaint volume, US models
208
recall campaigns
Follow this model's NHTSA record changes

Jeep Wrangler vs. all tracked models

Total NHTSA ODI complaints across models with substantive safety data

21,786 Higher than most more complaints than 99%+ of 3,088 models

tracked vehicle models, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more models. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · August 2026

The JeepWrangler appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 21,786 consumer safety complaints and 208 recall campaigns across 41 model years (1986–2026). That averages roughly 531 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 3 investigation files tied to this model. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

YearComplaints
20261
202579
20241170
2023493
2022526
20211381
2020730
20191026
20182560
2017401
2016600
2015623
2014821
20131022
20121269
2011668
2010893
2009492
20081251
2007790
2006852
2005756
2004281
2003129
2002139
2001235
2000310
1999262
1998401
1997548
19962
1995259
1994184
1993134
1992100
1991100
1990105
198986
198855
198751
19861

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

Filings moved from 5,865 in 2017-2021 to 6,478 in 2022-2026, a rise of 10.5%. That is the 65th percentile of change across the 763 nameplates with enough filings in both windows to compare, where 0 is the steepest fall and 100 the steepest rise.

Filing volume, not a reliability verdict: counts also move with how many vehicles are on the road, how old they are, and whether a recall drew attention. Computed from this portal's NHTSA filing-year records over the same two windows the trend rankings use.

202
’95
165
’96
114
’97
182
’98
321
’99
296
’00
261
’01
294
’02
274
’03
181
’04
144
’05
135
’06
164
’07
127
’08
115
’09
552
’10
729
’11
817
’12
846
’13
1477
’14
1102
’15
945
’16
724
’17
1177
’18
1916
’19
1187
’20
861
’21
983
’22
1294
’23
1311
’24
2471
’25
419
’26

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

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Compare JeepWrangler to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the Jeep Wrangler?
The Jeep Wrangler has received 21,786 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 1986 to 2026, with 208 recalls. That averages about 531 complaints per model year.
What years of Jeep Wrangler are available?
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the Jeep Wrangler from 1986 to 2026 (41 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the Jeep Wrangler have safety ratings?
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many Jeep Wrangler model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common Jeep Wrangler complaints?
NHTSA complaints for the Jeep Wrangler are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my Jeep Wrangler has been recalled?
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

Data vintage: August 2026. 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.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. Jeep Wrangler totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.