1997 Jeep Wrangler Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 109 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1997 Jeep Wrangler, 27% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 73,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “exhaust manifold” (41% of reports).
- 109engine and engine cooling complaints
- 73,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 43%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Exhaust manifold: mentioned in 45 of 109 complaints (41%)
- Catalytic converter: mentioned in 13 of 109 complaints (12%)
- Oil pressure: mentioned in 6 of 109 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 15 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 109 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 1 an injury.
Jeep Wrangler engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Wrangler | 2 | 1% | 22,357 |
| 2022 Wrangler | 2 | 0% | 3,000 |
| 2021 Wrangler | 4 | 0% | 36,000 |
| 2020 Wrangler | 6 | 1% | 60,000 |
| 2019 Wrangler | 5 | 1% | 61,000 |
| 2018 Wrangler | 4 | 0% | 81,000 |
| 2017 Wrangler | 1 | 0% | 99,000 |
| 2016 Wrangler | 5 | 1% | 65,700 |
| 2015 Wrangler | 4 | 1% | 10,890 |
| 2014 Wrangler | 9 | 1% | 55,000 |
| 2013 Wrangler | 4 | 1% | 51,000 |
| 2012 Wrangler | 7 | 1% | 1,000 |
| 2011 Wrangler | 6 | 1% | 6,000 |
| 2010 Wrangler | 15 | 2% | 19,000 |
| 2009 Wrangler | 5 | 1% | 24,000 |
| 2008 Wrangler | 11 | 1% | 35,000 |
| 2007 Wrangler | 28 | 5% | 27,675 |
| 2006 Wrangler | 20 | 3% | 34,500 |
| 2005 Wrangler | 22 | 3% | 40,000 |
| 2004 Wrangler | 9 | 5% | 400 |
| 2003 Wrangler | 6 | 6% | 15,100 |
| 2002 Wrangler | 4 | 4% | 105,000 |
| 2001 Wrangler | 21 | 12% | 79,898 |
| 2000 Wrangler | 15 | 6% | 77,500 |
| 1999 Wrangler | 50 | 23% | 56,500 |
| 1998 Wrangler | 53 | 20% | 53,000 |
| 1997 Wrangler | 109 | 27% | 73,000 |
| 1995 Wrangler | 32 | 16% | 103,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the 1997 Jeep Wrangler. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
1997 jeep wrangler exhaust manifold. Consistent decrease in power, stumbling, and poor gas mileage. After a wreck i noticed the manifold was cracked. Both the insurance company and the authorized jeep dealership told me it was not due to the wreck but due to fact it was a common wrangler problem…
Jeep suddenly lost power on highways while going 55 mph +., causing a near accident while trying to coast through lanes of traffic to the median. After 10-15 minutes, i restarted the jeep and it ran fine, but usually about 20-50 miles, it will occur again.. Very hazardous. *ak
Catalytic converter failure causing poor performance, excessive fuel consumption and noxious odors. Replacement of converter remedied all the problems. *jb
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Jeep Wranglers have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 109 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 1997 Jeep Wrangler (27% of the 401 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Jeep Wrangler engine and engine cooling?
No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 73,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1997 Jeep Wrangler?
The most frequent phrase is “exhaust manifold”, in 45 of 109 complaints, followed by “catalytic converter” (13).
Other 1997 Jeep Wrangler problems
- Power Train problems (53)
See all 1997 Jeep Wrangler problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Wrangler years.