How Reliable are Jeep Wranglers in 2022? What Experts Say?
If you’re planning to get the ultimate off-road beast, Jeep Wrangler would definitely top your list. This vehicle is armed with powerful, unique features that make a great off-roader proudly made in the USA.
But just how reliable is a jeep wrangler? Does it have a lot of problems?
We won’t lie to you…A Jeep Wrangler isn’t the most reliable SUV or off-road vehicle you can get today. Various Jeep Wrangler models have exhibited their share of problems over the years which has earned them multiple recalls. This has painted it as a vehicle with multiple problems, pushing its reliability score below average.
If the Consumer Reports data is anything to go buy, various jeep wranglers models over the years have registered relatively low reliability rates. The only vehicle that seems to offer high reliability is the 2020 Jeep Wrangler (rate 4/5). This is an all-time high compared to previous Wranglers which scored 1 or 2 out of 5 in reliability.
Jeep Wranglers reliability issues
The low dependability score seen in jeep wranglers has its roots in some common problems experienced by vehicle owners.
Multiple recalls
Jeep Wrangler has registered quite a high number of recalls for their vehicles. Though this has been the case for various models over the years, it has affected even the recent wranglers.
Case in point, the 2020 jeep wrangler was recalled on 24th January that affected roughly 3,000 vehicles. The recall revolved around axle issues. It was feared there could be a poor weld existing between the axle and control arm, leading to possible separation of parts which could risk the life of the driver and passengers.
As if that’s not enough, another recall was issued on the same car later in the year and it was related to fire risk—the clutch components were said to undergo overheating which could cause a fire. This particular recall was way too big and affected a whopping 33,000 vehicles (11x more than the initial recall).
The exterior body is wanting
Most owners of these off-roaders think that there’s still room for improvement on the exterior body of this car. Many believe that this body doesn’t offer enough structural integrity.
This is the reason why the Wrangler has crumbled before when involved in a crash. The fact that this body is pretty big and bulky is quite ironic that it still has such ineffectiveness.
In-car electronics
The electronic features these cars come packed with are another contributing factor to their overall low dependability score.
Unlike what you’d find in vehicles with high-reliability ratings, the electronics in a jeep wrangler would frequently break or even demand expensive repair and maintenance.
The Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) is the most affected component in this regard. it’s tasked with controlling the working order of your wrangler’s entire electrical system. failure of TIMP means sudden loss of power. and in some cases, your vehicle would even fail to start.
The fix for this issue is to change the TIPM module and will cost you roughly $1,500.
The death wobble
This is a common issue associated with the older jeep wrangler models (specifically the 2007 Wrangler). From the term used to describe this problem, you can easily tell whatever this issue is, it isn’t something good.
Drivers who have come face to face with the death wobble report losing control of their vehicles while driving on the highway at speeds over 65mph.
When the Jeeps tackle a bump or pothole on the road, you lose control of its steering and your vehicle starts oscillating and shaking violently.
Quite frightening, right?
For you to connect this situation, you’d need to have your Jeep’s steering stabilizer replaced in addition to new tie rods and ball joints.
You’ll have to part with approx. $1000 to have the repairs done on your vehicle by an authorized jeep dealer.
Costly maintenance
One thing is for sure about Jeeps—they have a poor fuel economy. They’ve got thirsty engines that consume too much gas for every mile they cover.
And for all the miles they cover, they bring up frustrating problems that will cost you dearly in repairs. Keep in mind that Jeep Wranglers are also quite expensive.
When you sum it all up, you’d really wonder if this is a worthy car. High initial cost, poor fuel economy, and high cost of repairs are all undesirable aspects not found in a good, reliable car.
Change of ownership
It is a well-known fact that the manufacturing of jeep wranglers has changed hands over the years. At the time of writing this article, the auto company is owned by FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles).
Apparently, FCA doesn’t have a good reputation when it comes to producing highly reliable cars. This could perfectly explain why the latest jeep wrangler models have a lot of problems.
Are 2021 Jeep Wranglers reliable?
If we were to take the jeep wrangler reliability by year, we’d expect the latest model, the 2021 wrangler, to offer higher reliability than its siblings. The 2020 model had a good reliability score but it still had a couple of problems and underwent multiple recalls.
So, how does its successor fair in reliability?
2021 jeep wrangler reliability:
Referencing consumer reports data, the 2021 jeep wrangler model earned a 2/5 reliability rating. This is, by all means, a low score. Key problem areas that gave this model a low rating according to consumer reports include the suspension system, in-car electronics, and the power equipment. (Source).
Not just the consumer reports, the U.S. News & World Report also gave this vehicle a pretty low dependability score of 2/5.
These are disappointing scores for the latest wrangler model, which we’d all expect to solve most, if not all, the problems experienced by owners of the previous models.
Despite this disappointment, there are some good things to note in this wrangler: it’s backed by a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty and a three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty. Also, the model hasn’t yet suffered any recall from the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).
Final Thoughts
It’s no secret that jeep wranglers aren’t the most reliable SUV vehicles available. From the word go, they have had problems that continue to show up even in the latest models. But despite all these reliability issues, these vehicles still enjoy a cult following and they remain a top choice for dedicated off-road enthusiasts due to their rugged design and unmatched off-road performance.