Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 Jeep Wrangler problems

Owners filed 217 complaints about the 1999 Jeep Wrangler with NHTSA between Jan 1999 and Mar 2022. The most-cited component is electrical system (54).

Complaints
217
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
15
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system54
  2. Engine and engine cooling51
  3. Air bags22
  4. Structure21
  5. Power train20
  6. Visibility13
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic11
  8. Equipment7
  9. Seat belts7
  10. Suspension6
  11. Vehicle speed control6
  12. Fuel system, gasoline6
  13. Tires5
  14. Exterior lighting4

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19999
200012
200127
200228
200337
200428
200512
200610
200712
20086
20093
20104
20114
20122
20133
20145
20154
20164
20172
20181
20193
20200
20210
20221

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

54 reports1 crash3 fires
“FUEL- JEEP HARD TO FILL WITH FUEL OR MUST FILL FUEL AT VERY SLOW RATE. NOZZLE DOES NOT LOCK OR FILL PROPERLY. (STATIONARY) ELECTRICAL- HAZARD LIGHTS(IN REAR) RANDOMLY TURN ON BY THEMSELVES WHILE DRIVING. (ANY MPH, CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS)”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 17, 2017Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11016062

Engine and engine cooling

51 reports2 crashes1 fire
“1999 JEEP WRANGLER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE BEING A LEMON *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS NEW. BUT, IN FACT IT WAS DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE SHE SUFFERED A NECK INJURY. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 17, 2011Engine and engine coolingCrash reportedODI 10429913

Air bags

22 reports4 crashes
“I WAS DRIVING AN OLD WASHED OUT AND BUMPY MOUNTAIN ROAD. DUE TO THE BUMPS, I COULD NOT GO MUCH FASTER THAN 15MPH. THE ROAD/GROUND WAS WET AND SLIPPERY SO I WAS IN 4HI. AFTER GOING DOWN THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND GOING AROUND A TURN, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. AS I TURNED THE WHEEL IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, TO GO AROUND A LARGE DOWNED TREE, IT MOMENTARILY SHUT OFF, THEN RETURNED TO ON. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE JEEP OFF AND CHECKED THE AIRBAG FUSES. BOTH ARE GOOD. PUZZLED AND RATHER NERVOUS THAT THE AIRBAG MIGHT GO OFF IN MY FACE, I TURNED AROUND TO GO BACK TO THE MAIN ROAD. AFTER NERVOUSLY DRIVING A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD, I RETURNED THE JEEP TO THE SPEED LIMIT AND ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE MY CRUISE CONTROL BUT, THE LIGHT WOULDN'T TURN ON. I TRIED ALL THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS TO NO AVAIL. PULLED OVER AND CHECKED THE FUSEBOX AGAIN FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL FUSE BUT, I COULDN'T FIND ONE ANYWHERE. AFTER DRIVING ANOTHER 100 MILES HOME, I LET MY SISTER'S FIANCE, WHO'S A MECHANIC, CHECK IT WITH HIS SCAN TOOL. ACCORDING TO HIS SCAN TOOL, THE CLOCKSPRING HAS MALFUNCTIONED. AFTER DOING A FEW GOOGLE SEARCHES, IT'S APPARENT THAT THE COST TO HAVE THIS FIXED IS VERY HIGH.…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 2, 2013Electrical system, Air bags, Vehicle speed controlODI 10510341

Structure

21 reports1 fire
“The contact owns a 1999 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear subframe fractured near the axle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the subframe was corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 22, 2022StructureODI 11457803

Power train

20 reports4 crashes
“I HAVE A 1999 JEEP WRANGLER SAHARA V.6. 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. MY JEEP IS IN GREAT SHAPE HOWEVER I STARTED HAVING STEERING PROBLEMS. I NOTICED AROUND THE APEX ON BOTH SIDES THE FRAME HAD RUSTED AWAY. I HAD IT A NEW PIECE WELDED IN PLACE AND IT WAS WORKING GREAT. THEN I NOTICED MY TRANSMISSION WAS HAVING ISSUES. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO BUY ANOTHER TRANSMISSION WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED THE PLATE THAT LIES BELOW THE TRANSMISSION WAS RUSTED FROM THE FRAME AND NOT SUPPORTING THE TRANSMISSION. I HAD THAT WELDED TOO. I LOOKED THE OTHER DAY AND NOTICED A HOLE BETWEEN THE SIZE OF A BASEBALL AND GOLF BALL. I TOOK IT AGAIN TO MY WELDER AND HE SAID THE WHOLE BOTTOM OF MY FRAME IS RUSTED AWAY. I WAS TOLD BY MY BODY SHOP THAT BECAUSE OF JEEPS DESIGN WATER WAS ABLE TO GET AND NOT OUT CAUSING IT TO RUST. THE BODY OF MY JEEP IS IN GREAT CONDITION AS WELL AS MY MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION. IS THERE ANYTHING BEING DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. IF NO ONCE CATCHES IT I COULD HAVE LOST MY FRONT WHEELS AND OR TRANSMISSION. I THINK ITS DANGEROUS. I'M LOOKING AT $3000.00 TO REPLACE MY FRAME. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 19, 2014Steering, Power trainODI 10604427

Visibility

13 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE BLOWER MOTOR FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 15, 2016Electrical system, VisibilityODI 10935478
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.