1997 JEEP WRANGLER Complaints

DT: ON THE HEADLIGHT PLUG A GREASE WAS USED AND IT DISSOLVED THE INSULATION AROUND THE WIRING AT THE PLUG ,AND BLEW THE FUSE. THIS WAS ON BOTH HEADLIGHTS. DEALER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. MANUFACTURER SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR TSBS ON THIS, AND CALLER FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THEM, FILE #13888043.*AK

I AM IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD ON MY 1997 JEEP WRANGLER FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE FIRST ONE FAILED AT APPROX 55K MILES (OUT OF WARRANTY) AND CHRYSLER JEEP CUSTOMER SERVICE DENIED EXISTENCE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, IN SPITE OF NUMEROUS REPORTS OF MANIFOLD FAILURE ON MANY INTERNET AUTOMOTIVE SITES. THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS SUPPOSEDLY REDESIGNED TO PREVENT RECURRENCE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT IT HAS NOW FAILED (MILEAGE IS NOW 110K, SO THESE ARE 55K PARTS!) AND MUST ALSO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REPLACEMENT PARTS JUST CRACK IN A "NEW SPOT". CHRYSLER JEEP HAS BEEN TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE TO WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY AN ENGINEERING FLAW IN THEIR PRODUCT, AND STICKING THEIR CUSTOMERS WITH THE BILL AND ANY RESULTING SAFETY ISSUES! NOT A GREAT WAY TO BUILD YOUR CUSTOMER BASE! *NM

DT: WAS DRIVING EASTBOUND, A TRACTOR TRAILER WAS WESTBOUND, THE TURBULENCE BEHIND TRACTOR TRAILER CAUSED THE EXTERNAL HOOD LATCHES TO FAIL. THE SAFETY HOOK IN THE CENTER OF THE HOOD ALSO FAILED TO KEEP THE HOOD DOWN. THE HOOD FLEW UP STRIKING WINDSHIELD AND FOLDED OVER SHATTERING WINDSHIELD. LOST VISIBILITY HOWEVER MAINTAINED CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *NM

THE CONSUMER WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS RECALL#98V046000 REGARDING THE CLOCKSPRING; THE HORN FAILED. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT REPAIR FREE OF CHARGE, BECAUSE THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB

HARD BRAKE LINE LEADING TO THE REAR AXLE BURST WITH A LOSS OF BRAKING. BRAKE LINE, AS IT PASSED OVER THE FRAME NEAR THE FRONT WHEEL WELL WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND CRUMBLING. WHEN REMOVING THE LINE FOR REPLACEMENT THE LINE ALSO BROKE IN HALF AT ONE OF THE CLIPS MOUNTED ON THE FRAME. *JB

1. IMMEDIATE LOSS OF BRAKING DUE TO RUSTED BRAKE LINES 2. REPLACED RUSTED BRAKE LINES; 3. I SAVED OLD PARTS. *AK

WATER LEAKS ONTO FLOOR OF PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, I HAVE HEARD THIS ONE SEVERAL TIMES, YET HAVEN'T SEEN JEEP DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THERE WAS NOTHING THAT HAPPENED TO MY TRUCK TO CAUSE THIS, IT RAINS AND MY PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR GETS SOAKED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST STEERING CONTROL. CONSUMER HAD TO SLAM ON BRAKES TO REGAIN STEERING CONTROL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE LINK ON THE STABILIZER BAR BROKE. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED.*AK THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE CONNECTING LINK IS NOT STURDY ENOUGH AND IS WEAK DUE TO IT'S SIZE. *NM

I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND SOLE DRIVER OF A 1997 JEEP WRANGLER WITH 34,000 MILES. I NOTICED THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER WASN'T WORKING WHEN I DROVE HOME IN A SNOW STORM LAST WEEK. FORTUNATELY, THE DRIVE WAS A SHORT DISTANCE. *JB I EASILY DETERMINED THAT A PLASTIC BELL CRANK BROKE OFF ITS SHAFT THAT GOES INTO THE HEATER HOUSING. I ACTIVATED THE DEFROSTER CONTROL TO CONFIRM THAT THIS PART IS THE DEFROSTER BELL CRANK. NOTHING HAS FALLEN DOWN THE DEFROSTER DUCT TO JAM THE DOOR AND CAUSE THE BREAK. THE DOOR MOVES FREELY WHEN TURNING THE SHAFT BY HAND. I BELIEVE THE BREAK HAPPENED WHEN THE DEFROSTER WAS ACTUATED DURING MAX HEATER FAN, CAUSING MAX AIR PRESSURE ON THE DEFROSTER DOOR WITH MAX TORQUE ON ITS SHAFT. THE REPAIR ESTIMATE FROM MY LOCAL DEALER IS $855. I HAVE A STRONG SUSPICION THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND DOUBT IF MANY PEOPLE GO TO THIS EXPENSE TO FIX IT. I DONT WANT TO SPEND THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY ON A DEFECT THAT MAY BREAK AGAIN. SINCE DRIVING WITH FROSTED WINDSHIELDS CREATES A CONSIDERABLE SAFETY HAZARD, I THINK A RECALL SHOULD BE INITIATED TO MAKE THIS SYSTEM MORE ROBUST. A WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN 34,000 MILES.

CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD ON 97 TO 2000 JEEP TJ WRANGLERS. MISSING EXHAUST "ACCORDING" MISSING RESULTING IN CRACKED MANIFOLD. RESULTING IN CAR FAILING US EPA SMOG GUIDELINES. IN SEARCH OF TJ OWNERS SHOWED MANY OWNERS HAVING THIS PROBLEM. *JB