Home · 2012 Jeep Wrangler 4-door 4xe · Complaints

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

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (828)Crash / fire / injury (47)Transmission & drivetrain (282)Steering (204)Engine (172)Electrical system (147)Airbags (128)Fuel system (45)Brakes (44)Visibility & wipers (41)Body & structure (30)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (30)

5 of 828 complaints match · Transmission & drivetrain · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jul 28, 2022Transmission & drivetrainCrash

The vehicle would take a minute to click into gear when at a light and also when driving on the freeway, the vehicle will only go up to a certain speed (40mph) and would not switch gears (automatic) after that, the RPMs just kept going higher until I had to pull over.

NHTSA ODI 11476274

Feb 19, 2016Transmission & drivetrainCrash

3RD GEAR DROPS INTO 4TH GEAR VERY EASILY AT TIMES WHEN STANDING STILL. IN 4WD LOW IF YOU THINK YOU IN NEUTRAL BUT ARE IN 4TH GEAR WHEN RELEASING THE CLUTCH WHICH MAKES THE VEHICLE DRIVE FORWARD. THIS COULD BE LIFE THREATENING.

NHTSA ODI 10837071

Apr 24, 2015Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine1 injury

I HAVE HAD AT LEAST 100 TIMES WHERE MY JEEP HAS STALLED AND JUST STOPPED RUNNING. IT HAS HAPPENED WHEN I HAVE SLOWED DOWN, AND HAS STOPPED IN INTERSECTIONS. IT HAS STOPPED WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP ETC. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS MANUAL TRANSMISSION CARS AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED. IT SCARES ME , AND MAKES ME FEAR FOR MY LIFE. I HAVE CHANGED THE WAY I DRIVE BECAUSE OF IT, WITH THE FEAR OF WORRYING MY JEEP WILL JUST STOP RUNNING , WHEN I PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC. I HAVE HAD THE SWITCHES IN THE CAR NOT WORK, AND FUNCTION ERRATICALLY. LIGHTS STAY ON, WHEN TURNED OFF, AFTER TURNING THEM OFF NUMEROUS TIMES, THEY FINALLY GO OUT. I HAVE HAD MY BREAKS RESPOND ODDLY, AND GET WEAK. I HAVE HAD THE HEATER NOT COME ON, THEN TURN SWITCH AGAIN AND IT WORKS. HAVE HAD DEFROST SOME ON WHEN DEFROST WAS OFF. NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS, MALFUNCTION. I DON'T BOTHER WITH JEEP, AS MY MILEAGE IS OVER 36,000- NO MORE WARRANTY, BUT THESE THINGS BEGAN, ABOUT A MONTH OR TWO INTO JEEP OWNERSHIP. THESE PROBLEMS USED TO BE INFREQUENT, BUT NOW THIS POWER FAILURE HAPPENS OFTEN. SOME DAYS IT HAPPENS 4-5 TIMES. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS MATTER, I DO NOT WANT TO BE INJURED OR KILLED, DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. I ALSO DO NOT WANT MY FAMILY OR SOMEONE ELSE'S HURT ,BECAUSE OF IT EITHER. I STARTED DOING RESEARCH ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND FIND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE, IT IS COMMON. I ALSO HAVE A WHISTLE IN THE BRAKE LINE, VACUUM I THINK??? IT CAUSES THE BREAKS TO NOT BE STRONG AT TIMES. I HAVE HAD MY BRAKES COMPLETELY REPLACED AND THIS CONDITION PERSISTS, IT ALSO SEEMS MANY WITH MY MODEL OF JEEP EXPERIENCE THIS AS WELL. ALL OF THE HINGES ON THE DOORS ARE RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT, AS WELL, I SEE THE PAINT BUBBLING UP . *TR

NHTSA ODI 10712723

Jan 20, 2015Transmission & drivetrainBrakesFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CLUTCH EMITTED SMOKE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH BURNED OUT AND REPLACED THE UNIT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

NHTSA ODI 10676600

Feb 19, 2013Transmission & drivetrainCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED ON AN INCLINE, THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY AND CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S HOME WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE AN INVESTIGATOR WAS SCHEDULED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA ODI 10499201

Working with the data? Download all 828 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 18, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Jeep Wrangler 4-door 4xe verdict →