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2017 Jeep Wrangler

Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist — a shareable PDF

304 owner complaints · 5 recalls · data verified July 10, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Cautionwillitcar.com

Why caution?

5 recall campaigns (4 safety-critical) — confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the seller's VIN.

The math, shown

Full methodology →
Complaint volume (40%)82
Severity (30%)63
Recall load (20%)58
Trend (10%)64

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20162026

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2017 Jeep Wrangler, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k miBrakes~41k mi · 72 reportsEngine~60k mi · 61 reportsTransmission & drivetrain~10k mi · 50 reportsElectrical system~12k mi · 44 reports

Also reported (mileage varies): Airbags (26) · Steering (19)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint — a rough guide, not a schedule.

Brakes

24%

72 complaints · typically near 41k mi · 26 in the last 2 years

Front brake caliper became loose, moved away from the rotor, resulted in the caliper grinding against the inner wheel. Inspection by mechanic revealed missing caliper …

Engine

20%

61 complaints · typically near 60k mi · 9 in the last 2 years

Oil cooler split due to warming up and cooling down in winter and being made of plastic All brake calipers needed to be replaced on it too

Transmission & drivetrain

16%

50 complaints · typically near 10k mi · 8 in the last 2 years

Parts of the manual transmission are failing and appear in the bottom of the transmission when changing the fluid. It appears to be part of the synchro. This is appare…

Electrical system

14%

44 complaints · typically near 12k mi · 8 in the last 2 years

It randomly will not start and will need a jump start to get going. My safety has been put at risk due to not being able to start the car while in unfamiliar locations…

Recalls (5)

Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.

Seat Belts · 19V680000

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2018 Jeep Wrangler right hand drive vehicles. The driver's seat belt buckle mounting strap may fracture and separate from the seat frame.

Risk: A separated or severed seat belt buckle strap will result in an inoperable seat belt, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Fix: FCA US will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's seat belt buckle, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed November 19, 2019. Owners will received a second letter and the recall began March 26, 2020. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is VA6.

Electrical System · 18V524000

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Renegade, Compass and Grand Cherokee, RAM 1500 and Promaster, Fiat 500x, Dodge Journey, Challenger, Charger and Durango and Chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles and 2018-2019 Jeep Cherokee and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid vehicles. The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition.

Risk: A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began October 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U87.

Exterior Lighting · 18V098000

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017 Dodge Caravan and Jeep Wrangler vehicles. The brake switches on these vehicles may malfunction, keeping the brake lights illuminated and/or allowing the vehicle to be shifted out of the PARK position without the brake pedal being pushed.

Risk: Having the brake lamps continuously illuminated or being able to shift the vehicle out of PARK when the brake pedal is not pressed (and the ignition is in the RUN mode) can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake switches, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U09.

Fuel System, Gasoline · 16V849000

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2017 Jeep Wrangler vehicles manufactured November 1, 2016, to November 3, 2016. The affected vehicles may have a fuel tank that has a cracked or broken control valve, possibly resulting in a fuel leak in a rollover event, debris in the fuel tank and/or the potential of over fueling the vehicle.

Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and Jeep dealers will inspect the fuel tank and replace fuel tank and sending unit, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 12, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S90.

Air Bags · 16V734000

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Jeep Wrangler vehicles manufactured June 16, 2015, to August 14, 2016. In certain crash conditions, the front impact sensor wiring may be pulled until it detaches before a signal can be received by the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC).

Risk: If the ORC module does not receive a signal from the front impact sensor, both frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will reroute the front impact sensor wiring and relocate the impact sensor branch, free of charge. The recall began on November 10, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S76.

Before you hand over money

Verify the recall work was done

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150–$250 independent inspection of this exact 2017 Jeep WRANGLER beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

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What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score — if they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2017 Jeep Wrangler as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only — always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.