Jeep Wrangler · model year

2003 Jeep Wrangler

129 NHTSA complaints, 11 crash reports, and 4 recall campaigns listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

Complaints
129
Recalls
4

The verdict

The 2003 Jeep Wrangler posts top-quartile complaint standing among its own model-year siblings.

Top 24%
fewest complaints, own model years
4
recall campaigns

The 2003JeepWrangler carries 129 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 11 crashes, 3 fires, 5 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2003 Wrangler is steering with 12 filings, followed by suspension (11) and fuel system, gasoline (8). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2003 Wrangler. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

129
Complaints
11
Crashes
3
Fires
5
Injuries
1
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
2003 Jeep Wrangler

PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.

NHTSA Overall Rating N/A
Not rated
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash N/A
Not rated
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash N/A
Not rated
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance N/A
Not rated
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk N/A
Not reported
NHTSA single-vehicle rollover probability, dynamic test.

Total Complaints

129 filings

Crashes Reported

11 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
STEERING12
SUSPENSION11
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE8
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION6
SUSPENSION:FRONT6
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM6
SEAT BELTS5
AIR BAGS5
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY4
UNKNOWN OR OTHER4
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES2
PARKING BRAKE2
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS2
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2

Recalls (4)

06E02600023/03/2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE D

06E02200013/03/2006

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT BRAKE CYLINDERS FOR CERTAIN FORD, DAIMLERCHRYSLER, AND JEEP PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF NAPA, RAYBESTOS, AIMCO, AC DELCO, CARQUEST, BENDIX, AND WAGNER. ONLY PRODUCTS THAT WERE

04E04100007/06/2004

EQUIPMENT

BESTOP AFTERMARKET REAR SHELL ROOF RACKS,MANUFACTURED BETWEEN APRIL 27 AND MAY 20, 2004, DESIGNED FOR USE WITH THE BESTOP HARDTOP MADE FOR THE 1986-1995 AND 1997-2003 JEEP WRANGLER. THE COCKPIT COVER MAY NOT STAY LATCHED TO THE ROOF RACK BECAUSE THE LATCH BRACKET MISPOSITIONS THE ROTARY LATCH TO T

06E01100001/02/2006

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

CERTAIN AFTERMARKET AIRTEX ELECTRIC FUEL PUMPS INSTALLED FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR CERTAIN 1997-2004 JEEP WRANGLER; 1997-2001 JEEP CHEROKEE; 1997-2004 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE; AND 2000-2003 DODGE DAKOTA VEHICLES. THE PLASTIC ELECTRICAL GROMMET CONNECTORS AT THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP MODULE AR

Recent Complaints

20250301STRUCTURE:BODY

2003 TJ frame rust all tjs have frame rust.

20230520UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Frames on all these tj’s(97-06) rust and become a huge safety risk for everyone on the road.

20230323SERVICE BRAKES

The contact owns a 2003 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while her daughter was attempting to park the vehicle, the brake pedal was extremely difficult to depress, and the vehicle did not immediately stop. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 217,000.

Mileage: 217,000

20220609STEERING

The contact owns a 2003 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving 30-40 MPH, the vehicle hit a bump in the roadway and the steering wheel started shaking significantly and the vehicle seemed to be at risk of a rollover. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 141,999.

Mileage: 141,999

20220206POWER TRAIN

05 & 06 wrangler has recall for the exact problem my 03 has. Parking pawl slides out of the brackets and then vehicle won't go into park allowing it to roll into danger and possibly kill someone. I have watched several videos on this issue and the 03 is the same as a 05 and 06. This is just as dangerous on the 03 as it is a 05 and 06 and potentially cause an accident and kill individuals.

20211005STEERING

Violent shaking after hitting holes in the road during acceleration-less tan 30 MPH. My vehicle has been inspected by my mechanic, who has knowledge of the “Death Wobble”. Safety was at risk due to front end shaking violently and almost losing control of the vehicle. The problem has been confirmed by mechanic. They started to manifest about 8 months ago.

20170124POWER TRAIN

2013 JEEP WRANGLER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO INTERMITTENT ENGINE PROBLEMS, WHILE DRIVING UP HILLS ACCELERATION SPEEDS DECREASE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED UPON DRIVING UP HILLS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, IT APPEARED THAT ANOTHER MODEL WAS RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. OWNERS INDICATED THE CAM SHAFT SENSORS AND DYNAMIC SENSOR CONTROL NEEDED A TCM UPDATE. *JB

20170124ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2013 JEEP WRANGLER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO INTERMITTENT ENGINE PROBLEMS, WHILE DRIVING UP HILLS ACCELERATION SPEEDS DECREASE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED UPON DRIVING UP HILLS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, IT APPEARED THAT ANOTHER MODEL WAS RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. OWNERS INDICATED THE CAM SHAFT SENSORS AND DYNAMIC SENSOR CONTROL NEEDED A TCM UPDATE. *JB

20161010AIR BAGS

MY JEEP WRANGLER HAS HAVE THE PASSENGER SAFETY AIRBAG ALARMING SINCE ABOUT A YEAR AGO. I CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER AND I WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE THERE IS NOT A RECALL FOR MY CAR MODEL, THEY CANNOT REPAIR IT AND THAT I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF MY POCKET. THIS IS AN ISSUE OUT OF THE MANUFACTURER. JEEP MUST CORRECT THESE SAFETY CONCERNS FROM THE OWNERS!

Mileage: 115,000

20160112ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 JEEP WRANGLER. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD HESITATE TO START. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS HAD TO BE MADE IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START, THE RADIO WOULD FAIL. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE IN THE RAIN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT NOTIFIED A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,425.

Mileage: 38,425

20160112ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 JEEP WRANGLER. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD HESITATE TO START. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS HAD TO BE MADE IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START, THE RADIO WOULD FAIL. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE IN THE RAIN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT NOTIFIED A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,425.

Mileage: 38,425

20160110AIR BAGS

AIRBAG COVER PLASTIC ON STEERING WHEEL WAS BREAKING DOWN. THE PLASTIC BECAME VERY STICKY, AS IF SOMEONE POURED A SODA ON IT. IT WOULD NOT CLEAN OFF WITH CLEANERS OR PLASTIC PRESERVERS. I WAS NOT CONFIDENT IT WOULD WORK AS DESIGNED IF AIRBAG DEPLOYED SO I BOUGHT NEW AIRBAG UNIT FOR THE STEERING WHEEL. PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD VEHICLE ON MINOR GRADE. IT ALWAYS WORKED UNTIL THE LAST 2-3 YEARS. I HAVE HAD IT ADJUSTED, THE CABLES REPLACED, AND THE BRAKE PADS REPLACED. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHETHER MY BRAKE PADS ARE NEW OR OLD. IF I DO NOT PARK THE VEHICLE WITH THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION IN GEAR, IT WILL MOVE ON ITS OWN, OR IF IT DOES NOT ROLL BACKWARDS, IT WILL, IF ANY LIGHT FORCE IS APPLIED TO IT. I HAD TO INSTALL INSTALL A HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINE LOCK ON THE REAR BRAKES TO MAKE SURE MY VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE ON A GRADE I KNOW IT IS AN 'OLD' VEHICLE, BUT I LIKE IT A LOT, IT IS WELL MAINTAINED AND LOOKS NEW. IT IS MECHANICALLY SIMPLE TO AND INEXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN. HOWEVER I SHOULD NOT BE H

Mileage: 130,000

20160110SERVICE BRAKES

AIRBAG COVER PLASTIC ON STEERING WHEEL WAS BREAKING DOWN. THE PLASTIC BECAME VERY STICKY, AS IF SOMEONE POURED A SODA ON IT. IT WOULD NOT CLEAN OFF WITH CLEANERS OR PLASTIC PRESERVERS. I WAS NOT CONFIDENT IT WOULD WORK AS DESIGNED IF AIRBAG DEPLOYED SO I BOUGHT NEW AIRBAG UNIT FOR THE STEERING WHEEL. PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD VEHICLE ON MINOR GRADE. IT ALWAYS WORKED UNTIL THE LAST 2-3 YEARS. I HAVE HAD IT ADJUSTED, THE CABLES REPLACED, AND THE BRAKE PADS REPLACED. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHETHER MY BRAKE PADS ARE NEW OR OLD. IF I DO NOT PARK THE VEHICLE WITH THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION IN GEAR, IT WILL MOVE ON ITS OWN, OR IF IT DOES NOT ROLL BACKWARDS, IT WILL, IF ANY LIGHT FORCE IS APPLIED TO IT. I HAD TO INSTALL INSTALL A HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINE LOCK ON THE REAR BRAKES TO MAKE SURE MY VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE ON A GRADE I KNOW IT IS AN 'OLD' VEHICLE, BUT I LIKE IT A LOT, IT IS WELL MAINTAINED AND LOOKS NEW. IT IS MECHANICALLY SIMPLE TO AND INEXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN. HOWEVER I SHOULD NOT BE H

Mileage: 130,000

20151103CrashAIR BAGS

THE JEEP WAS INVOLVED IN A WRECK - HIT A POWER POLE AT AROUND 50 MPH KNOCKED IT DOWN AND THE FLIPPED THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED - THE POLICE OFFICER WHO WORKED THE WRECK SAID THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED AFTER THE TYPE OF HIT THE JEEP TOOK

Mileage: 120,000

20150818SUSPENSION

AT 55 MPH THE JEEP SHAKES VIOLENTLY, FROM SIDE TO SIDE, UNTIL VEHICLE IS SLOWED TO 35MPH.

Mileage: 95,000

20150808UNKNOWN OR OTHER

TERRIBLE WOBBLE AT 45-55 MPH. TIRES AND FRONT END WOBBLE UNTIL I STOP OR SLOW BELOW 40 MPH. IT CAUSES DRIVER TO SLOW AT HIGHWAY SPEED CAUSING NEAR REAR END COLLISIONS WHEN OTHER DRIVERS ARE FOLLOWING. AT TIMES WOBBLES SO VIOLENTLY HAVE TO EXIT FREEWAY IN ORDER TO GET IT TO STOP.

Mileage: 112,000

20150808SUSPENSION

TERRIBLE WOBBLE AT 45-55 MPH. TIRES AND FRONT END WOBBLE UNTIL I STOP OR SLOW BELOW 40 MPH. IT CAUSES DRIVER TO SLOW AT HIGHWAY SPEED CAUSING NEAR REAR END COLLISIONS WHEN OTHER DRIVERS ARE FOLLOWING. AT TIMES WOBBLES SO VIOLENTLY HAVE TO EXIT FREEWAY IN ORDER TO GET IT TO STOP.

Mileage: 112,000

20150808STEERING

TERRIBLE WOBBLE AT 45-55 MPH. TIRES AND FRONT END WOBBLE UNTIL I STOP OR SLOW BELOW 40 MPH. IT CAUSES DRIVER TO SLOW AT HIGHWAY SPEED CAUSING NEAR REAR END COLLISIONS WHEN OTHER DRIVERS ARE FOLLOWING. AT TIMES WOBBLES SO VIOLENTLY HAVE TO EXIT FREEWAY IN ORDER TO GET IT TO STOP.

Mileage: 112,000

20150317SUSPENSION

THE WRANGLER "DEATH WOBBLE". VIOLENT SHAKING AFTER REACHING SPEEDS OF APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH. MUST SLOW DOWN AND ALMOST COME TO A STOP TO STOP THE SHAKING. FIRST OCCURRED A YEAR AGO. TOOK IT OUR REPAIR SHOP. THEY REPLACED THE STEERING STABILIZATION SHOCK, WHICH SEEMED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. IT THEN STARTED TO RE-OCCUR APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS LATER. NOW IT IS DOING IT ALL THE TIME, EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

20150317STEERING

THE WRANGLER "DEATH WOBBLE". VIOLENT SHAKING AFTER REACHING SPEEDS OF APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH. MUST SLOW DOWN AND ALMOST COME TO A STOP TO STOP THE SHAKING. FIRST OCCURRED A YEAR AGO. TOOK IT OUR REPAIR SHOP. THEY REPLACED THE STEERING STABILIZATION SHOCK, WHICH SEEMED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. IT THEN STARTED TO RE-OCCUR APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS LATER. NOW IT IS DOING IT ALL THE TIME, EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

Compare 2003JeepWrangler to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Vehicle Safety Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2003 Jeep Wrangler have?
The 2003 Jeep Wrangler has 129 NHTSA complaints, 11 crashes, 3 fires, 5 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 Jeep Wrangler?
Yes, the 2003 Jeep Wrangler has 4 recall(s). The most common affected component is EXTERIOR LIGHTING. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Jeep Wrangler?
The most-complained component for the 2003 Jeep Wrangler is STEERING with 12 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.
Is the 2003 Jeep Wrangler 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.

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. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2003 Jeep Wrangler; 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.