What 828 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Jeep Wrangler 4-door 4xe

Random Stalling while driving, making a left-hand turn. While entering an intersection, the vehicle stalled losing all power. Was able to coast to a safe spot. Waited 15 min, the vehicle started. No check engine light.

NHTSA ODI 11463049

Oil filter housing is cracked and leaking oil. Potential fire hazard, pooling of oil on engine block. Seems to be a widespread problem.

NHTSA ODI 11451187

The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that the engine would misfire while driving at various speeds. Due to the failure, the vehicle would independently go into limp mode with the traction control and check engine warning lights illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to several unknown dealers and the engine misfire was acknowledged however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11420576

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2012 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED (VIN: [XXX]). WITHIN 1 MONTH OF TAKING POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE, THE CAR BEGAN TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. SPECIFICALLY, THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND THE POWER STEERING AND BREAKS DEACTIVATE. TO STATE THE OBVIOUS, THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION, PARTICULARLY AS OUR FAMILY HAS THREE CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF SIX. TO DATE, LARRY MILLER JEEP HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE AS NO ERROR CODES APPEAR. LOOKING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN DEFECT WITH JEEPS OF MY MODEL YEAR (HTTPS://WWW.WRANGLERFORUM.COM/THREADS/ELECTRICAL-PROBLEM-SHUTS-OFF-WHILE-DRIVING.190041/) SO I AM SURPRISED THAT JEEP HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM GIVEN THE DIRE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES. I HAVE ESCALATED THIS MATTER TO YOUR CUSTOMER CARE GROUP, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE FCA HAS SITUATIONAL AWARENESS OF THIS SITUATION AS WELL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11406714

OIL COOLER CRACKED AND LEAKING ANTIFREEZE ALL OVER ENGINE AND UNDER FRAME. ANTIFREEZE IN THE OIL. ONLY 69K MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A REALLY BIG PROBLEM WITH THESE OIL COOLERS ON JEEPS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. COST TO REPLACE IS VERY EXPENSIVE!!

NHTSA ODI 11405719

OIL COOLER BROKE AND STARTED LEAKING AFTER THE COLD TEMPERATURE IN OKLAHOMA ON 2/14/21

NHTSA ODI 11398186

THE OIL COOLER FAILING, LEAKING. I HAVE JUST DISCOVERED THAT MY OIL COOLER IS LEAKING FROM A PUDDLE ON THE GROUND AND MY LOWER ENGINE FULL OF OIL. I GOT NO WARNING LIGHT. IF THERE HAD NOT BEEN A NOTICABLE PUDDLE I WOULD HAVE NEVER NOTICED IT. IF NOT MY MOTOR WOULD HAVE LOCKED UP AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I CHECKED MY OIL LEVEL AND NO OIL IS ON THE DIPSTICK. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY BIG PROBLEM IN THE JEEP COMMUNITY. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED. IF IT WAS A HERE AND THERE INCIDENT, IT WOULD B DIFFERENT. BUT IT'S A VERY BIG PROBLEM. IN THE PHOTO LOOK TO THE LEFT OF THE OIL FILTER HOUSING. IT'S A PUDDLE OF OIL. THE PRICE OF OIL IS NOT CHEAP. NEITHER IS THE TIME CONSUMING AND COST OF THE REPAIR. PLEASE ADD THIS TO THE RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11395100

CAR COMPLETELY DIES WHEN SITTING IDLE. I BELIEVE THE CONTROL MODULE IS FAULTY AND I HAVE HEARD MANY COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER DODGE/CHRYSLER/JEEP CUSTOMERS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE. MY 15 MONTH OLD SON WAS IN THE CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND IT SCARED THE HECK OUT OF ME TO BE SITTING AT A MAJOR STOPLIGHT AND THE CAR COMPLETELY DIE. I WAS SCARED FOR MY SAFETY AND SCARED FOR MY SON'S SAFETY. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS NOT AN OPEN RECALL RIGHT NOW. WHEN THE JEEP DIES ALL OF THE RELAYS START ENGAGING AND THE DASH LIGHTS BLINK ON AND OFF. I HAVE HAD MY BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, AND STARTED CHECKED BY A LICENSED MECHANIC. I DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES EITHER. PLEASE CREATE A RECALL FOR THIS SO MY FAMILY WILL BE SAFE WHEN I DRIVE THEM AROUND.

NHTSA ODI 11385741

OIL LEAKING OFF TOP OF ENGINE. CRACKED PLASTIC PART CAUSED OIL TO LEAK OUT ON ENGINE AND EXHAUST CREATING A BURNING SMELL AND MY MECHANIC SAID IT IS A FIRE HAZARD. FOUND MANY OTHERS WITH SAME ISSUE FROM JEEP AND CHRYSLER PRODUCTS.

NHTSA ODI 11385676

OIL LEAKING FROM ENGINE. MECHANIC SAID COULD BE DANGEROUS AS IT WAS GETTING ON THE EXHAUST AND COULD START A FIRE. DOING RESEARCH ON THIS WEBSITE, FOUND OUT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH A PLASTIC PART ON TOP OF THE ENGINES USED BY JEEP AND CHRYSLER. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED.

NHTSA ODI 11385712

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE LOOSES POWER AND VIBRATES EXCESSIVELY, ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES DURING THIS PROCESS, AFTER ABOUT 30 SECONDS LIGHT GOES OUT AND ENGINE RESUMES NORMAL OPERATION. IT HAS DONE THIS MULTIPLE TIMES SOMETIMES ON STARTUP SOMETIMES STOPPED AT A LIGHT AND OTHER WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11362910

THE LIFTERS (HEADERS) HAVE GONE BAD. INCREDIBLE TICKING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE IN DRIVE AND IDLE. AS RPMS INCREASE THE TICKING IS LOUDER. THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IS TO REPLACE THE HEADERS. I HAVE READ A MULTITUDE OF COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA PAGE REGARDING THIS AND ADDITIONAL COMPLAINTS ALL OVER JEEP FORUMS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE 2012 ENGINES ... WHY IS THIS NOT BEEN RECALLED?

NHTSA ODI 11361359

JEEP LOSES ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE A 1 YEAR OLD AND THIS IS VERY VERY DANGEROUS. IVE HAD TO STOP AND PULL BATTERY POWER TERMINAL OFF MULTIPLE TIMES TO RESET IT. THE JEEP COMPLETELY DIES THEN ALL LIGHTS AND SWITCHES START FIRING. JEEP WILL NOT RESTART. DEBATING SELLING IT AND GETTING SOMETHING OTHER THAN A JEEP PRODUCT. BATTERY IS GOOD AND ALTERNATOR IS GOOD. I HAD BOTH CHECKED BY A MECHANIC. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES AND I TAKE GREAT CARE OF MY JEEP AS WELL.

NHTSA ODI 11355714

MY JEEP WILL RANDOMLY JUST SHUT OFF WHILE IDLING IN A PARKING LOT OR STOPPED AT A LIGH. IF I TURN THE KEY IT WILL START RIGHT BACK UP. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS OR CODES. I HAVE HAD IT TO A MECHANIC AND THEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG .

NHTSA ODI 11354624

TRANSMISSION FULL OF ANTIFREEZE. INTERNAL TRANSMISSION COOLER (IN RADIATOR) FAILED. CAUSED TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11323416

BEGINNING OF FEB., LOST POWER ON FREEWAY. WENT FROM 65 TO 40 MPH AND COULD NOT ACCELERATE. ENGINE AND TRACTION LIGHTS CAME ON. EXITED THE FWY AND DROVE TO DEALER WHERE I WAS TURNED AWAY DUE TO HIGH VOLUME. LEFT MY JEEP AT THE DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY WITH THIS ISSUE AND TO CORRECT CAMPAIGN #V51 RECALL. THE ENGINE LIGHT WASN'T LIT ANYMORE AND DEALER COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT SO I PICKED IT UP. COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, I FAILED THE SMOG CHECK I NEED TO REGISTER MY JEEP, AND AN ENGINE CODE SHOWED UP, P0394. I TOOK IT TO OTHER PLACES WHERE THE SAME CODE SHOWED UP AND WAS RECOMMENDED TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER. GOING DOWNHILL, MY FATHER EXPERIENCED THE SAME WHILE DRIVING MY JEEP. BEGINNING OF MARCH, OMW TO THE DEALER ON THE FWY, I LOST POWER AGAIN AND THE ENGINE AND TRACTION LIGHTS CAME ON. I SHOWED THE DASHBOARD TO THE SERVICE ADVISOR, EXPLAINED THE CONTINUED PROBLEM AND THE CODE SHOWING UP. I LEFT MY JEEP THERE FOR SEVERAL DAYS BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS CAUSING IT. THE CODE WAS CLEARED WHEN I PICKED IT UP. THE FOLLOWING DAY, AS I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING LOT, THE ENGINE STALLED. I USED GRAVITY TO PARTLY MOVE BACK DOWN AS THERE WAS ANOTHER CAR DRIVING INTO THE LOT. I PUT IT ON "PARK" AND I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR. NO ENGINE LIGHT THIS TIME. THIS MORNING I LOST POWER DRIVING TO THE FIRST STOP ON MY STREET (STOP ON MY SIDE ONLY). I HAD ALREADY ENTERED THE T-INTERSECTION BUT COULD NOT ACCELERATE TO TURN LEFT. I PUT IT IN "PARK" THEN BACK TO "DRIVE" AND ACCELERATED NORMALLY. THERE WERE NO CARS AROUND BECAUSE OF THE CORONA VIRUS, BUT I WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IF A COMING VEHICLE (WHO HAS THE RIGHT-A-WAY), DECIDED NOT TO SLOW DOWN.

NHTSA ODI 11318621

BEGAN LEAKING SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL UNDER JEEP AFTER USE. TOOK TO HAVE ISSUE INVESTIGATED. MECHANIC FOUND THE INTAKE GASKET ON REAR OF INTAKE CAUSING THE ISSUE. ESTIMATED COST TO FIX $600+ THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE FOR THIS JEEP, THUS JEEP HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD AND THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER DRIVE TRAIN WARRENTY OR A RECALL AS THIS A MANUFACTURER ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11318298

I LOVE MY JEEP, BUT FOR THE PAST YEAR WE HAVE HAD A LOVE HATE RELATIONSHIP. TODAY I RECEIVED A LETTER INDICATING THAT THE POWER CONTROL MODULE MIGHT NEED REPROGRAMMING. INTERESTING ENOUGH THIS WENT BAD ON MY 2012 JEEP A YEAR AGO. SHORTLY THEREAFTER MY ENGINE FAILED. NOW THAT I SEE THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE PCM NEEDING REPROGRAMMED IT MADE SENSE WHY A JEEP WITH BARELY 90,000 MILES WOULD HAVE AN ENGINE THAT FAILED, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT I WAS NEVER ROUGH WITH IT, AND ALWAYS GAVE IT APPROPRIATE OIL CHANGES. IT TOOK ME THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR TO PAY OFF THE COST OF THE NEW ENGINE, AND WHEN YOU'VE GOT A CAR THIS NEW, THERE REALLY ISN'T A GOOD OPTION BESIDES KNUCKLING DOWN AND PAYING FOR THE FIX. I WOULD LOVE TO LOVE MY JEEP AGAIN. WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT WAS VERY COLD OUTSIDE, MY JEEP SAT OUTSIDE OVERNIGHT. WHILE DRIVING TO SCHOOL THE TEMP GAUGE PINGED. I LIMPED IT BACK TO A DEALERSHIP (NO JEEP DEALERS IN MY HOMETOWN) AND EVENTUALLY FOUND OUT THE PROBLEM. AFTER WHAT I THOUGHT WAS AN INITIAL FIX, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE HAD ACTUALLY FAILED AND I SUBSEQUENTLY HAD IT REPLACED AT A JEEP DEALERSHIP. I CAN PROVIDE PROOF OF THE REPLACEMENT IF NECESSARY.

NHTSA ODI 11308372

THERE IS A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM CYLINDER HEAD. THIS IS A ISSUE THAT A LOT OF 2011-2012 JEEP WRANGLERS HAVE BEEN HAVING. IT IS NOT FAIR THAT THIS COST SHOULD COME OUT OF OUR POCKET. JEEP KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE FROM ALL THE JEEP REVIEWS I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE POSTING WITH THE SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11300169

WHILE APPROACHING A STOP-LIGHT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS (BUT NOT ON EVERY OCCASION), THE 3.6 LITER PENTASTAR ENGINE IN MY 2012 JEEP WRANGLER SPORT HAS STALLED, WHICH CAUSES IMMEDIATE & COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER-STEERING & HYDRAULIC BRAKE-POWER. TO RESTART THE ENGINE, I MUST SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL OR PARK. TO PUT THE VEHICLE BACK INTO DRIVE AFTER RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER REQUIRES ME TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND DISRUPTIVE WHEN I'M IN TRAFFIC AND THERE IS NOT A REQUIREMENT TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP (FOR INSTANCE WHEN THE RED LIGHT TURNS GREEN WHILE I'M SLOWING). FURTHERMORE, THE ENGINE FREQUENTLY STALLS AT LOW SPEED IN PARKING LOTS AND ALSO WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY STOPPED.

NHTSA ODI 11291635

UNDER HARD ACCELERATION, LIKE PASSING A CAR ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE GOES INTO LIMP MODE WHICH HAS NEARLY CAUSED ME TO WRECK 4 TO 5 TIMES DUE TO BEING UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. ONCE I PULL OF THE ROAD AND RESTART LIMP MODE GOES AWAY BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THE WIRING HARNESS IS THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE HAS CODES POPPING UP ABOUT TORQUE MANAGEMENT. I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS TO BE FIXED FREE OF CHARGE DUE TO THE WIRING HARNESSES BEING AN INTEGRAL PART IF THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11282683

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, WITH A P0302 #2 CYLINDER MISFIRE READING. AFTER REPLACING CONSUMABLE PARTS (SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE COIL) RESET ENGINE LIGHT, THE CODE P0302 RETURNED AFTER 15-20 MILES DRIVING. THIS ISSUE IS A WELL KNOW PROBLEM WITH THE 3.6L ENGINE, AND REQUIRES INTERNAL ENGINE REPAIR (LIFTERS, ROCKER, AND/OR CYLINDER HEAD REPLACEMENT). AN OPEN SERVICE BULLETIN EXISTS, BUT SEVERAL JK VEHICLES WITH THE SIMILAR ISSUE CAUSE PARTS BACKORDER. IF CONTINUE DRIVING WITH THIS ISSUE HAPPENS, MORE SERIOUS DAMAGE WILL RESULT TO THE VEHICLE. AS OTHER COMPLAINTS INDICATED, THIS SITUATION SHOULD BE CLASSED AS A RECALL.

NHTSA ODI 11268279

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, RESULTING IN P0302 #2 CYLINDER MISFIRE. AFTER REPLACING CONSUMABLE PARTS (SPARK PLUG, ENGINE COIL) RESET ENGINE LIGHT. CODE RETURNED AFTER 20 MILES DRIVING. DEALER TECHNICIANS INDICATE ISSUE IS #2 CYLINDER HEAD NEEDS REPLACEMENT. OPEN SERVICE BULLETIN EXISTS, HOWEVER CONDITION HAS AFFECTED ENOUGH JEEP JKU VEHICLES TO RESULT IN PART BACKORDER. THIS PRESENTS AN UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION AS PART MAY TAKE WEEKS TO MONTHS TO OBTAIN. NO SOLUTION ON TEMPORARY TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE/ OFFERED AS RESULT. DEALER INDICATES DRIVING VEHICLE LIKELY TO WORSEN CONDITION, AND ADVISES TO KEEP UNTIL PARTS AVAILABLE. THIS SITUATION SHOULD BE CLASSED AS A RECALL AND ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS AVAILABLE, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGION.

NHTSA ODI 11258029

DISAPPOINTED IN JEEP I HAVE A 2012 JEEP WRANGLER SAHARA WITH 44,000 HIGHWAY MILES, DURING CITY DRIVING, THE JEEP STARTED RUNNING VERY ROUGH. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME, WE HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. WE IMMEDIATELY DROVE TO CHAPMAN JEEP IN HENDERSON NV. FOR TROUBLESHOOTING, I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS MODEL YEAR WAS AFFECTED BY THE FAULTY CYLINDER HEAD SERVICE BULLETIN AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH, WOULD BE FIXED BY CHRYSLER AT NO CHARGE. A FEW DAYS LATER, WE GOT A RETURN CALL FROM JEEP SAYING THE FAULT WAS NOT THE CYLINDER HEAD, BUT IT WAS THE ENGINE ITSELF! A PISTON HAD MELTED IN NUMBER 6 CYLINDER AND THE ENGINE WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT! AS YOU CAN IMAGINE I WAS VERY SURPRISED TO FIND A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE WITH ONLY 44000 MILES, WOULD NOW REQUIRE AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT COSTING ME $7000.00 DOLLARS! I REQUESTED NUMEROUS TIMES FOR JEEP TO TELL ME HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN, BUT THE REPLY WAS THEY DID NOT KNOW. THE ENGINE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED WITH THE BEST OIL AND COOLANT, AND NO OTHER CYLINDERS WERE AFFECTED. I HAVE HELD OFF WRITING THIS LETTER SINCE I WANTED TO GET OUR JEEP RETURNED TO ME BEFORE MORE MONEY WAS REMOVED FROM MY WALLET. I DO REALIZE THINGS CAN GO WRONG, BUT SOMETHING FAILED INTERNALLY TO THE ENGINE, THIS WAS OUT OF MY CONTROL, AND ALL CHRYSLER/JEEP COULD DO WAS SHRUG THEIR SHOULDERS AND SAY PAY ME. YOU HAVE LOST A JEEP CUSTOMER, AND I'LL BE SURE TO LET MY FRIENDS IN THE JEEP CLUBS KNOW OF THIS EXPENSIVE OUTCOME.

NHTSA ODI 11210162

OIL PUMP REPLACED AFTER 50K MILES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, SO AN OIL CHANGE WAS DONE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN WITH CODE P06DE, OIL PRESSURE SENSOR REPLACED AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REAPPEARED AFTER 2 WEEKS. CODE WAS ONCE AGAIN P06DE. OIL PUMP WAS REPLACED DUE TO SOLENOID ISSUES. THIS SEEMS TO HAVE RESOLVED THE ISSUE, BUT IT'S BEEN A COUPLE DAYS. EITHER WAY, AFTER READING SEVERAL JEEP FORUMS, IT SEEMS THIS IS PRETTY COMMON ON 2012 WRANGLERS AFTER 50K MILES. I HOPE JEEP DECIDES TO RECALL THIS PART SINCE I'VE SPENT OVER $1200, JUST ON THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11203832