Problems · by component
1999 Jeep Wrangler engine and engine cooling problems
51 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Jeep Wrangler cite engine and engine cooling, 24% of all 217 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
51
24% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine and engine cooling
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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”
“RADIATOR MADE WITH PLASTIC WHICH LEAKS AT THE TOP WHERE THE PLASTIC IS CRIMPED TO THE METAL CORE. THIS IS AN INEVITABLE PROBLEM ON ALL JEEP (CHRYSLER PRODUCTS) MADE WITH RADIATORS MANUFACTURED USING PLASTIC CAUSING LEAKAGE BEFORE THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THE RADIATOR IS REACHED. IN SOME CASES, COOLANT IS FLAMMABLE. TO MY KNOWLEDGE NO RECALL HAS BEEN PERFORMED. *TR”
“I HAVE HAD THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAIL IN MY 99 TJ TWICE NOW. THE FACTORY ORIGINAL CRACKED AT ABOUT 39,000 MILES AND THE "NEW AND IMPROVED" OEM REPLACEMENT LASTED 11 MONTHS (OR 9,450 MILES). THIS IS GETTING VERY EXPENSIVE...*JB”
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. IT WOULD ACCELERATE AT ANYTIME, WHETHER IT WAS IN IDLE OR IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN OBSERVED BY THE DEALER HOWEVER THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 8 TIMES ON AVERAGE A DAY.”
“FOUND CRACK IN EXHAUST MANIFOLD BETWEEN THE #1 AND #2 PORTS AT AROUND 68,000 MILES, AFTER DISCUSSING THIS PROBLEM WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER JEEP OWNERS I LEARNED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 1999 AND OTHER YEARS BACK. MY COMPLAINT IS, IF DAIMLER CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND I AM SURE THEY ARE, WHY AREN'T THEY ADDRESSING IT. UNHAPPY WITH DEALER AND STOCK MANIFOLD, REPLACED WITH AFTER MARKET EXHAUST MANIFOLD HEADER. *JB”
“I TOOK MY JEEP TO CHUCK NASH JEEP BECAUSE OF A POPPING SOUND. THEY SAID THE EXHAUST MAINFOLD WAS CRACKED, AND TOLD ME IT WOULD BE $750.00 TO REPLACE, I REFUSED THE REPAIR, THEY CHARGED ME $75.00 FOR THE EVALUATION.*JB”
Showing 6 of 51 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.