1997 JEEP WRANGLER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING INTO A PARKING SPOT AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 98V046000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL AND DID NOT OFFER FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

THE REAR OF THE FRAME CAN RUST THROUGH DUE TO LACK OF DRAIN HOLES TO LET WATER AND DEBRIS OUT CAUSING THE REAR CONTROL ARMS TO SEPARATE FROM THE FRAME.

MY FRAME IS ROTTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE REAR TRAILING ARM MOUNTS ARE WELDED TO THE FRAME AND THE FRAME ROTTED THROUGH FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT PASS THE REQUIRED SAFTEY INSPECTION. I STARTED LOOKING FOR A WAY TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE FRAME AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE COST OF REPAIR WILL EXCEED THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DATE I HAVE ENTERED IS THE DATE THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND.

FRAME IS RUSTING THROUGH AT THE UPWARD BEND TOWARDS THE REAR TIRES ON BOTH SIDES. ISSUE IS CONSTANTLY REPORTED ONLINE, IN FORUMS, WITH ENDLESS NUMBERS OF PICTURES. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AS IT COMPROMISES FRAME INTEGRITY. THIS ISSUE IS USUALLY NOTICEABLE FROM THE OUTSIDE BUT IN MY CASE IT IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT SO IF I HADN'T CAUGHT IT I WOULD BE IN DANGER.

THE FRAME IS RUSTING AROUND THE REAR CONTROL ARM MOUNTS , I HAVE SEEN OTHERS RUST IN THE SAME PLACE IN PERSON AND ON THE INTERNET. THERE ARE EVEN COMPANIES THAT MAKE REPAIRS FOR THIS PROBLEM LIKE SAFE-T-CAP. THE RUST ON MINE IS BAD ENOUGH THAT IT WILL NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION WITHOUT BEING REPAIRED.

WHEN COLD, JEEP STARTS AND RUNS FINE. AFTER ENGINE WARMS UP, OIL PRESSURE WOULD DROP AND JEEP WOULD ALMOST DIE. IF I SHUT IT OFF AND TRY TO RESTART WHILE STILL WARM, JEEP WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME STARTING AND IF IT DID START, IT WOULD IDLE EXTREMELY ROUGH AND BARELY ACCELERATE. ONCE I GOT SPEED UP, IT RAN FINE UNTIL I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND IT WOULD ACT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE AND THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE WOULD BOTTOM OUT. DEALER PUT MANUAL GAUGES ON IT AND DETERMINED IT WAS THE OIL SENDING UNIT. OIL PRESSURE NOW HOLDS AT 20 WHEN AT IDLE. THE ISSUE WITH THE ROUGH IDLE AND LOSS OF POWER STILL PERSISTS AFTER THE ENGINE WARMS UP. AFTER READING ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS, THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL. REALLY DON'T WANT TO WASTE MONEY TRYING TO GUESS AT WHAT IS THE ISSUE. AS MANY PEOPLE THAT THERE ARE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES, JEEP SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND ISSUE A RECALL. VERY DISAPPOINTED.

FRAME RUSTING THROUGH IN FRONT OF REAR CONTROL ARMS. FRAME RUSTED THROUGH WHERE SKID PLATE BOLTS TO THE BOTTOM.

NOTICED WOBBLE UNDERNEATH WHILE DRIVING. INSPECTED UNDERNEATH AND NOTICED LIGHT SHOWING BETWEEN TRANSFER CASE SKID PLATE AND FRAME (SHOULD BE TIGHT) AND BOLT HANGING DOWN. TOOK INTO SHOP AND LOWER MID FRAME ON BOTH SIDES IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH ALLOWING SKID PLATE BOLTS TO FALL OUT WITH NUTS STILL ATTACHED. SKID PLATE ALSO SERVES AS TRANSFER CASE MOUNT AND WHEN IT DROPS THE DRIVESHAFT WOBBLES. ULTIMATELY IF IT HAD COMPLETELY LET GO ON THE HIGHWAY THE REAR DRIVESHAFT WOULD HAVE LOCKED UP AND LOCKED THE REAR WHEELS CAUSING UNCONTROLLED SKID, OR THE DRIVESHAFT WOULD BREAK CAUSING DANGER TO THE PASSENGERS.

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE REAR UPPER CONTROL ARM BRACKETS SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME AS A RESULT OF THE FRAME CORRODING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THIS CAUSED THE REAR BRAKE LINE TO BRAKE DRAINING THE MASTER CYLINDER. *TR

FRAME WAS ROTTED THROUGH FROM CONTROL ARM TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE BRAKING ABILITY BECAME DIFFICULT AND HARD TO STEER. *TR