What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2002 Jeep Wrangler

Typical pattern

9% of complaints about the 2002 Jeep Wrangler came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2002 vehicle — around the middle of the 230 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 8.0 yr in service. The most-reported system is structure (26 complaints), typically at 13.0 yr or about 92,000 miles.

Complaints
134
Median age at failure
8.0 yr
Median mileage
65,000 n=107
Crash / fire / tow
18.7% of reports
Safety recalls
6

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Structure
26 reports · 92,000 mi
13.0 yr
3.8%
Suspension
18 reports · 138,244 mi
16.8 yr
5.6%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

06E026000 2006-03-23
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 DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

06E022000 2006-03-13
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 MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 27, 2005 THROUGH JANUARY 17, 2006 (DATE CODES 0529 THROUGH 0602) ARE SUBJECT TO THIS RECALL. WHEN SUBJECT TO VERY COLD TEMPERATURES, AN INTERNAL SEAL IN THE MASTER CYLINDER COULD LOSE FLEXIBILITY AND MAY CAUSE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK.

LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID CAN LEAD TO A DECREASE IN BRAKE LINE PRESSURE AND AN INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

06E011000 2006-02-01
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 ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH AUTOMOTIVE FUELS AND MAY DEGRADE CAUSING A POTENTIAL LEAK PATH FOR FUEL.

IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FUEL LEAK COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

04E041000 2004-06-07
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 THE COCKPIT COVER. AS A RESULT, THE COCKPIT COVER MAY NOT STAY LATCHED TO THE ROOF RACK AND COULD SEPARATE FROM THE ROOF RACK. THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO AFTERMARKET REAR SHELL ROOF RACKS AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON JEEP WRANGLER VEHICLES BY DAIMLERCHRYSLER.

SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE COCKPIT COULD CAUSE INJURY BY STRIKING PERSONS OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE OR COULD BECOME A DISTRACTION OR AN OBSTACLE TO OTHER DRIVERS, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

02V104000 2002-04-08
Fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system:injectors

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 4.0L ENGINE ONLY, THE DESIGN OF THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLDS COULD ALLOW DEBRIS TO ACCUMULATE AT THE #3 CYLINDER LOCATION.

THIS COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

02V075000 2002-03-08
Electrical system:ignition:switch

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, WATER AND IMPURITIES CAN ENTER INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT.

THIS COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

In owners’ own words

Structure mileage not reported 9 mo in service
AT START UP, VEHICLE SHAKES AND SOUNDS LIKE INJECTORS ARE MISSING, NOT TAKEN TO DEALER YET. *AK VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER 3 TIMES, HOWEVER DEALERSHIP CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. VEHICLE BOGGS AND RUNS ROUGH/HESITATES WHEN COLD. REAR PORTION OF SOFT TOP LOCATED NEAR BOTTOM OF TAILGATE HAS GAP. REAR WEATHERSTRIP ADJUSTED. *TT
Structure 4,900 mi 2.0 yr in service
WATER LEAKS INTO FRONT PASSENGER SIDE COMPARTMENT FROM AIR CONDITIONER DRAIN HOLE IN FIREWALL. WATER SOAKS FRONT CARPET, AND THE DRAIN PLUG IN FLOOR MUST BE REMOVED TO ALLOW WATER TO DRAIN OUT OF VEHICLE. APPEARS FOAM SURROUNDING DRAIN HAS FAILED ALLOWING THE WATER INTO THE VEHICLE.*AK
Structure 34,000 mi 11 mo in service
FRONT/REAR FENDERS AND FRONT AND REAR BUMPERS ARE FADING BADLY. DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY.*AK
Suspension 130 mi 8 mo in service
A LOOSE BOLT IN THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM CAUSED NOISE WHILE DRIVING ON A DIRT ROAD AND WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS ON A PAVED ROAD. *SCC *NLM

Other Wrangler model years

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