1998 JEEP WRANGLER Complaints

RUST HAS EATEN COMPLETELY THROUGH JEEP FRAME IN REAR SUPPORT AREA THROUGH ABOUT MIDWAY OF THE DOOR SECTION. THIS IS NOT MINOR SURFACE RUST, BUT LARGE GAPING HOLES THAT I CAN PUT MY WHOLE HAND INSIDE OF. THE JEEP WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 1998 AND HAS NEVER BEEN OFFROAD. IT HAS VERY LOW HIGHWAY MILEAGE AND IS IN AN AREA WHERE THE WINTERS ARE MILD, SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF ROAD SALT USED DURING THE WINTERS HERE. IT HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF. I HAD RECENTLY TAKEN IT TO A FABRICATION SHOP TO SEE IF IT COULD BE REPAIRED, AND AFTER EXAMINATION THE SHOP OWNER SAID THERE IS NO SOLID METAL LEFT IN THE FRAME FOR A REPAIR TO BE POSSIBLE. HE SAID THERE ARE NO DRAIN HOLES ON BOTTOM OF THE JEEP FRAME, BUT ONLY HOLES THAT THE MANUFACTURER PUT ON THE SIDE OF THE FRAME. HE SAID, AS A RESULT ROAD GRIME ENTERED THE FRAME FROM THESE MANUFACTURED SIDE HOLES, GOT TRAPPED INSIDE THE FRAME AND CAUSED IT TO RUST FROM THE INSIDE OUT. HE SAID THAT IS WHY I HAD NOT DETECTED THE SEVERITY OF THE RUST PROBLEM BEFORE NOW. THE SHOP OWNER PUT HIS HAND INSIDE THE FRAME AND PULLED OUT A HANDFUL OF MOIST ROAD GRIME AND LOOSE RUST FLAKES TO FURTHER ILLUSTRATE THE PROBLEM. THE SHOP OWNER WENT ON TO INFORM ME THAT MY JEEP IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. IN STARK CONTRAST, THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BODY OF THE JEEP HAS ABSOLUTELY NO RUST AT ALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL SOUND FROM THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE, AS IF AIR WAS ESCAPING THROUGH THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS FRACTURED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED A SECOND TIME. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD RATTLING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED. RECENTLY, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED A VOLUNTARY RECALL ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER PERTAINING TO THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE. THE CONTACT WAS DISPLEASED TO KNOW THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND INELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE PRIOR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.

PURCHASED MY JEEP NEW IN 1998 AND I ONLY DROVE IT ABOUT 5000 MILES PER YEAR..IN ABOUT 2009 I BEGAN TO HAVE SOME TROUBLE WITH THE GAUGES/SPEEDOMETER..THEY WOULD STOP FUNCTIONING FOR PERIODS OF TIME...IN ABOUT 2010 I THERE WAS AN ODOR COMING FROM THE VENTS WHEN I USED MY HEATER OR AC..EACH TIME I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THE LAST TIME I HAD IT CHECKED WAS THE END OF SEPTEMBER 2011. ON NOVEMBER 21, 2011 I WAS DRIVING TO THE GROCERY STORE WITH THE HEATER ON AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE VENTS..I TURNED OFF THE HEATER & BLOWER & THEN SAW FIRE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE DASH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I STOPPED & TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES WITH MY JACKET. A LADY STOPPED TO HELP & CALLED 911. WHILE WAITING FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT (JUST A FEW MINUTES) AND I WAS SITTING IN THE LADY'S CAR...I WATCHED MY JEEP START MOVING TO THE RIGHT (EVEN THOUGH THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF & THE JEEP WAS IN GEAR)...IT WENT INTO A GRASS FIELD, BURST INTO FLAMES AND WAS A TOTAL LOSS. I ONLY HAD MINOR BURNS ON MY FINGERS & HANDS (FROM TRYING TO PUT OUT THE FIRE). I AM EXTREMELY UPSET! *TR

I AM WRITING TODAY TO COMPLAIN ABOUT MY 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. AFTER MY LAST SERVICE WAS PERFORMED, THE MECHANIC ILLUSTRATED TO ME THAT THE FRAME ON MY JEEP WAS SEVERELY ROTTING AWAY ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THIS IS NOT AN UNKNOWN CONCERN FOR ME SINCE MY EMPLOYER HAS HAD THE SAME CONCERN REPAIRED ON ONE OF HIS FAMILY MEMBERS JEEP. THIS IS VERY DISHEARTENING TO ME SINCE I HAVE BEEN A JEEP OWNER FOR MANY YEARS. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR THEY ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROBLEM. I FIND THIS UNBELIEVABLE, CONSIDERING THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS CONCERN AND OTHER VEHICLE MANUFACTURES HAVE RECALLED THEIR VEHICLES FOR SIMILAR FRAME ROT PROBLEMS. IE TOYOTA PICKUP TRUCKS, FORD WINDSTAR MINIVANS, AND I AM SURE THERE ARE OTHERS. I AM HAVING THIS JEEP FIXED BUT IT IS GOING TO BE A COSTLY REPAIR, AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT AT THIS TIME I CAN'T AFFORD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE AFFECTED AREAS ON MY FRAME THAT I CAN FORWARD TO YOU IF YOU NEED TO SEE THESE FOR YOUR INVESTIGATION. THANKS A VERY CONCERNED JEEP OWNER *TR

LIQUID FUEL BLOWS OUT OF FUEL FILLER PIPE WHILE REFUELLING/CANNOT PROPERLY REFUEL VEHICLE. CONCERN HAPPENS EVERY TIME WHILE REFUELLING AND AT ANY REFUELLING STATION. I CANNOT REFUEL THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT GETTING FUEL SPRAYED ON ME OR MY CLOTHING; VERY DANGEROUS.

AC CONTROLS AND RESISTOR WIRING HARNESS HAS MELTED CANT GET REPLACEMENT PARTS FROM A DEALER OR SALVAGE YARDS WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO . I THINK THE JEEP WRANGLER NEEDS TO ATLEAST MAKE A REPLACEMENT PART OR FIX IT ON A RECALL. *TR

INTERMITTENTLY AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON RPM AND SPEEDOMETER GAUGES FAIL SOMETIMES ALL GAUGES FAIL.... SOMETIMES WHEN I HONK MY HORN THEY "COME BACK UP"... THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS... VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW HOW FAST I AM GOING... TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC REPLACED MY IGNITION SWITCH...2 DAYS AGO AND LAST NIGHT THE PROBLEM APPEARED AGAIN.. DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SPEED I AM GOING GAUGES WILL FAIL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT IN COLDER WEATHER. HE WOULD HAVE TO MANUALLY PUSH THE BELT BACK INTO THE RETRACTOR TO GET IT TO OPERATE CORRECTLY. THE DEALER ADVISED THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS AND THE VEHICLE REPAIRS WOULD BE AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

MY JEEP SPEWS OUT GASOLINE EVERY TIME I FILL UP AT THE PUMP. THE GAS COMES FROM THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK, AND IS A VERY DANGEROUS HAZARD. I AM STILL NOT ABLE TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AFTER NUMEROUS TRIES. *TR