What Are The Worst Years For Jeep Wrangler?

Everyone probably knows about the Jeep Wrangler. Learning all about it is the best way to get to see if it is the best car for you and the best one to get. The Jeep Wrangler is one of the famous vehicles worldwide due to its unique versatility and other features. Jeep wrangler is known for being both classic and timeless, being able to endure just about any environment on earth.

They may have many features that you could think of in a vehicle, such as customization, but just like other products, it is not perfect. Even with all these features, several changes in the manufacturer’s corporate section are often overlooked. The corporate changes have not entirely changed the overall look of what the Jeep Wrangler entails.

Still, many more customizations have affected some of the models’ outcomes over the years. The effects have been both positive and negative. Below is a comprehensive list of some of the worst years that Jeep Wrangler has faced.

2007 Jeep Wrangler

If you are looking for a jeep with many recalls, the 2007 model is exactly what you’ll get. A total of about ten recalls were reported, which is way more than a car needs. The prevalence of the problems that led to so many recalls drastically affected the Jeep Wrangler market as millions of Jeep Wranglers got the news and opted not to upgrade to the new models.

The recalls included some of the vehicle’s vital parts, which deemed it unnecessary to purchase by consumers. Some of the problems included the breaking and steering systems. With Jeep having a problem with what makes the car’s experience unique, there’s just no justification on how good it can be.

The steering system’s problem is that it led to what was infamously known as the death wobble, a grave risk hazard for anyone who got on the road with the model. Such problems were unheard of when it came to Jeep Wranglers, which was a great disappointment to consumers who believed in the product’s revolutionary ideologies.

Another common issue was engine failures. How can such a famous brand have such a massive problem on its plate? For any Jeep Wrangler with engine failures, a complete overhaul would cost the consumers between $4,000 and $5,000.

2008 Jeep Wrangler

The 2008 Jeep Wrangler has similar problems to the previous 2007 model. It is like they didn’t even fix the issue before releasing another model to the market. The 2008 model also went through some major recalls, about 9 of them, just one less than its 2007 model. The 2008 Jeep Wrangler model didn’t only have issues with the steering problems; there were problems with the fuel system and had airbag issues.

Some of the issues were so major that they needed complete overhauls to fix them, such as engine issues which was a major drawback for consumers who had always used Jeep Wranglers as their go-to vehicles in any situation. This model might have been the one that received the most complaints after its release compared to the models for the previous years. One of the serious issues was the Total Integrated Power Module’s failure.

The module’s replacement was the only option to fix the problem, and the average repair costs were reaching $1000. Apart from the main problems, there seemed to be problems with the horn, electrical wirings, and an inability of starting the engine. The TIPM module was the biggest problem for the electrical complications, together with the vehicle’s stalling because of electrical malfunctions.

The cost was on changing the engine heads for the engine problems, but replacing the whole engine was typical for consumers. The broken heating systems were worse for the consumers, especially during the winter season. Fixing this issue required consumers to replace the heater core and the radiator and those, also cost a couple of hundred dollars.

There were more than 60 technical bulletins on the problems of the 2008 Jeep Wrangler that were issues by Jeep. Though this has the most complaints, it does not surpass the reputation of the 2012 model.

2012 Jeep Wrangler

The problems that started with the 2007 Jeep Wrangler never went away and made their way to the 2012 models. The problems and recalls were similar to the 2007 and 2008 models, and these problems changed how consumers view the manufacturer’s progress to sorting out major issues at hand.

According to many sources and consumer reports, the 2012 Jeep Wrangler is considered the worst year for the automotive giant. The 2012 model also got up to 9 recalls which are still so much for one car. Among the problems had to do with the heater, airbags, and even the vehicle’s heart, which is the engine had to have overhauls to get the vehicle back to its performance.

Even as a durable vehicle, the 2012 model still has drivetrain problems which are not ideal for an off-road vehicle. The problems started coming in early than the previous models and in low mileage ranges. Consumers never got to use the models long enough to enjoy all the other exciting features they had to offer.

The problem was mainly a manufacturer’s carelessness and not based on driving wear and tear issue. A huge issue was the costs of repairs. The radiators, engine heads, and replacement of the modules ended up costing the owners a lot more than they would have accepted. Maintaining this model was way more expensive than its predecessors in the long run.

2013 Jeep Wrangler

Even with the 2012 Jeep wrangler being the worst, 2013 was not so different, although there were many improvements. The 2013 Jeep Wrangler had many problems for a while, increasing its recalls just like the previous models.

Consumers have reported using much money during repairs before reaching 100,000 miles, which is not common for many cars today. Up to 85,000 miles, there have been problems with the front joints, replacing the joints, and cleaning and lubrication of all significant components.

At 47,000 miles, there was a failure on the spider gears, which needed a complete replacement. The cost for the whole replacement was about $600.

The 58,000-mile mark had problems with seal leaking LR axle, collar, and seal bearing. Getting to the 180,000-mile mark, the 2K RPM gears had a grinding noise from diagnosis done.

The engine was not spared as problems started right at the 83,000-mile mark. The problems started with a misfire code on the second cylinder. The lifter, head, and rocker also needed replacements but could get covered by the warranty. An increase into the 84,000-mile mark resulted in the radiator’s leaking, the coolant was low, and the cooling system was flushed because of having a dirty coolant.

Consumers also reported having squeaky water pumps and a flush system problem. At over 37,000 miles, the Jeep started overheating, and the heater core has a severe problem.

With this model, the more miles added, the more problems come up, which is a grave liability to consumers. The dealerships covered some repairs, but most of them have to be sorted from the consumer’s pocket.

And it wasn’t just the internal systems that had a problem; the leaf springs had an issue as well. It was dysfunctional, and there was something wrong with it. Since it is a vital component of the suspension system, it was evident for consumers since the jeep handling was quite different from its predecessors.

With the Jeep Wrangler having one of its primary traits being durability in off-road situations, having a problem with the suspension problem was unacceptable

Conclusion

Even with Jeep Wrangler having an excellent track record in recent years, it still has its fair share of failures that might have entirely ended up developing the models.

Luckily upcoming models are getting better and better, and so these are the best you can consider next time you plan to go out looking for a long-lasting Jeep Wrangler. Having all this information is vital to help you make better decisions next time you select a Jeep Wrangler for yourself.

The models certainly had a lot more unseen problems. Even without counting the minor technical issues, the above models’ problems will barely get any fixes due to liability costs. If you plan to buy any Jeep Wrangler soon, it would be best to steer away from these years since they are deemed the worst years that Jeep Wrangler has ever faced.

Check other models that don’t have such major issues and don’t have as many recalls as listed in the above model years. The fewer the problems, the more reliable and durable your Jeep Wrangler will get.