The best Wrangler year to buy is 2017. Avoid the 2018: the first year of the JL Wrangler has the most complaints of any Wrangler, led by violent steering shake known as death wobble and frame weld recalls.
Best years: 2017 Years to avoid: 2018
Every Wrangler year compared
Owner complaints per 100,000 cars sold. Lower is better. The newest years have had less time to collect complaints, so they are marked too new to judge.
Known Wrangler problems
Year by year
| Year | Complaints | Per 100k sold | Recalls | Top issue | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 973 | - | 0 | Electrical | Too new to judge |
| 2023 | 381 | - | 14 | Electrical | Too new to judge |
| 2022 | 414 | 228 | 15 | Electrical | Watch out |
| 2021 | 966 | 472 | 15 | Electrical | Average |
| 2020 | 619 | 307 | 12 | Steering | Average |
| 2019 | 749 | 328 | 9 | Steering | Average |
| 2018 | 1,828 | 762 | 14 | Steering | Skip this year |
| 2017 | 312 | 164 | 5 | Brakes | Good buy |
| 2016 | 464 | 242 | 5 | Brakes | Good year |
| 2015 | 481 | 237 | 3 | Brakes | Good year |
| 2014 | 658 | 375 | 4 | Engine | Average |
| 2013 | 657 | 423 | 7 | Transmission and drivetrain | Average |
| 2012 | 836 | 586 | 10 | Transmission and drivetrain | Watch out |
About the Wrangler
The Wrangler is built for off-road use and holds its value very well. Its signature problem is death wobble: a violent shake of the front end after hitting a bump at highway speed. It shows up across years but peaks in the 2018 JL. Plug-in hybrid 4xe models from 2021 on add their own electrical issues.
- 2007-2017: JK generation. Complaint rates fall over the run; 2017 is the best year.
- 2018 on: JL generation. 2018 has the most complaints; later years are better. 4xe hybrids from 2021 have wiring and charging issues.
Wrangler warranty extensions and special coverage
Carmakers sometimes extend the warranty on a part that fails too often, or pay for a fix outside a recall. These notices come from the dealer bulletins Jeep files with NHTSA. 2,421 Wrangler bulletins are on file in total.
High Voltage Battery Pack Replacement XU1 Warranty Extension Customers must experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumination and the vehicle must SYMPTOM: exhibit/set one or more of the following Diagnostic Trouble Co...
PHEV Engine Replacement XC2 Warranty Extension Customers must experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumination and the vehicle must exhibit/set one or more of the following Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs): P2336 - Cyl...
Air Trapped in Steering Damper Warranty Extension XF1 A shimmy in the steering wheel after hitting an irregularity on the road surface (symptom is more prevalent in cold temperatures).
Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) Blank XZ1 Warranty Extension Customers may experience the following: SYMPTOM: A blank IPC display.
Clockspring Replacement (X68 Warranty Extension) This bulletin involves diagnosing the clockspring/Steering Angle Sensor (SAS).If the diagnostic tests indicate the clockspring/SAS requires replacement, replace the clockspring, ...
MIL Illumination: P0300, P0302, P0304 or P0306 (X56 Warranty Extension) This bulletin involves checking for excessive cylinder leakage and replacing the cylinder head if necessary.
Ask a dealer to check a specific car by VIN. Extensions usually have a time or mileage limit.
Government investigations into the Wrangler
NHTSA opens an investigation when complaints point to a possible safety defect. Some end in a recall and some close without one.
Preliminary evaluation PE25014 · 2020 · opened Oct 2025
The Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) is opening a Preliminary Evaluation on 2020 Model Year Jeep Gladiators and Wranglers involving a malfunctioning Instrument Panel Clusters (IPC) resulting in the loss of important vehicle metrics and other status information.
Preliminary evaluation PE24024 · 2020–2023 · opened Sep 2024, closed Sep 2026 · led to recall 26V363
On September 6, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE24024 to investigate allegations of engine compartment fires in model year 2021-2023 Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles.
Recall query RQ24012 · 2021–2024 · opened Jul 2024
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has identified 68 Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports for model years (MY) 2021 through 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vehicles alleging a loss of motive power.
Engineering analysis EA23001 · 2020–2022 · opened Mar 2023 · led to recall 24V957
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE21-021 on October 14, 2021, to investigate incidents alleging a stall/loss of motive power as a result of high-pressure fuel pump failures in certain model year (MY) 2019-2020 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 heavy duty trucks equipped with 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel en...
Defect petition DP22005 · 2021, 2022 · opened Jan 2023, closed Aug 2023 · led to recall 22V063000
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States.
Engineering analysis EA21002 · 2012–2018 · opened Sep 2021
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L.
Preliminary evaluation PE19012 · 2018, 2019 · opened Sep 2019, closed Oct 2023
On September 16, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) granted Defect Petition DP18-004 and opened Preliminary Evaluation PE19-012 to investigate allegations of deficient frame welds and their potential safety related effects on 2018-2019 Jeep Wranglers.
Preliminary evaluation PE19008 · 2012–2018 · opened Jul 2019, closed Dec 2019 · led to recall 19V680000
On July 17, 2019, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) 19-008 after receiving three Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports alleging the driver's side seat belt buckle separated from the seat frame, rendering the seat belt non-functional.
Engineering analysis EA19001 · 2012–2018 · opened Apr 2019, closed Sep 2024 · led to recall 20V024
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.
Defect petition DP18004 · 2018, 2019 · opened Nov 2018, closed Sep 2019
In a letter received on October 24, 2018, a citizen petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a safety defect investigation into frame weld deficiencies on model year (MY) 2018 'JL' Jeep Wrangler vehicles.
Engineering analysis EA15007 · 2012 · opened Dec 2015, closed Jul 2016 · led to recall 16V288000
On May 10, 2016, Fiat Chrysler America (FCA) submitted a Part 573 Defect Information Report announcing NHTSA recall 16V290 involving 394,258 model year (MY) 2007-2010 Jeep Wrangler vehicles.Under the recall FCA will replace the clockspring and install a steering wheel back cover and steering wheel column shroud.This...
Preliminary evaluation PE15025 · 2012 · opened Jun 2015, closed Dec 2015
In it's response to ODI's PE15-025 Information Request letter, FCA identified 1,703 consumer complaints, field reports and legal claims responsive to the subject defect condition on the subject Wrangler vehicles.Six of these reports alleged an air bag non-deployment in a crash in which either the air bag warning lig...
Questions
What is the best year for the Jeep Wrangler?
2017. The best Wrangler year to buy is 2017. Avoid the 2018: the first year of the JL Wrangler has the most complaints of any Wrangler, led by violent steering shake known as death wobble and frame weld recalls.
Which Jeep Wrangler years should I avoid?
2018. These drew far more owner complaints per car sold than the Jeep Wrangler average.
What is Jeep Wrangler death wobble?
A violent shaking of the steering wheel and front end, usually triggered by a bump at 45 mph or more. It stops only when the driver slows down. Worn or loose steering and suspension parts, often the track bar or steering damper, are the usual cause. Fixes range from $200 to $1,500.
Based on 9,338 complaints filed by owners with U.S. safety regulators for model years 2012 to 2024, and U.S. sales by calendar year. How we score.