2016 Jeep Wrangler Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 77 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2016 Jeep Wrangler, 17% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 62,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “clock spring” (18% of reports).
- 77air bags complaints
- 62,500median miles at failure
- 20mention a crash
- 19mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- $1,100typical repair cost reported by owners
- 36%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.
- Clock spring: mentioned in 14 of 77 complaints (18%)
- Failed deploy: mentioned in 7 of 77 complaints (9%)
- Chrysler dodge ram: mentioned in 6 of 77 complaints (8%)
- Airbag clockspring: mentioned in 5 of 77 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical air bags repair on the 2016 Jeep Wrangler at $1,100, and half of them between $910 and $1,300.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2017–2021), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 34 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 77 complaints, 20 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 19 an injury.
Jeep Wrangler air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Wrangler | 1 | 9% | — |
| 2024 Wrangler | 4 | 1% | — |
| 2023 Wrangler | 3 | 1% | 32,500 |
| 2022 Wrangler | 7 | 2% | — |
| 2021 Wrangler | 10 | 1% | 1,965 |
| 2020 Wrangler | 6 | 1% | 38,000 |
| 2019 Wrangler | 4 | 1% | — |
| 2018 Wrangler | 13 | 1% | 23,500 |
| 2017 Wrangler | 26 | 8% | 18,175 |
| 2016 Wrangler | 77 | 17% | 62,500 |
| 2015 Wrangler | 73 | 15% | 40,587 |
| 2014 Wrangler | 71 | 11% | 62,749 |
| 2013 Wrangler | 72 | 11% | 58,306 |
| 2012 Wrangler | 128 | 15% | 63,000 |
| 2011 Wrangler | 145 | 30% | 78,000 |
| 2010 Wrangler | 158 | 23% | 63,500 |
| 2009 Wrangler | 104 | 28% | 64,000 |
| 2008 Wrangler | 309 | 35% | 71,000 |
| 2007 Wrangler | 89 | 16% | 80,000 |
| 2006 Wrangler | 3 | 0% | — |
| 2005 Wrangler | 4 | 1% | 77,058 |
| 2004 Wrangler | 5 | 3% | 89,000 |
| 2003 Wrangler | 7 | 7% | 72,320 |
| 2002 Wrangler | 13 | 12% | 29,166 |
| 2001 Wrangler | 20 | 12% | 55,000 |
| 2000 Wrangler | 16 | 6% | 52,575 |
| 1999 Wrangler | 22 | 10% | 65,950 |
| 1998 Wrangler | 46 | 17% | 55,500 |
| 1997 Wrangler | 46 | 11% | 99,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
Air bags:frontal:driver clockspring/spiral cassette
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) (Stellantis) is recalling certain right hand drive 2016 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. Debris contamination may cause the clockspring to fail, preventing the driver's air bag from deploying in a crash.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy in a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the clockspring, steering wheel back cover, and steering column shrouds, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 27B.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleDo not drive
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2010 Dodge Ram 3500, Ram 4500/5500, 2010-2011 Dodge Dakota, 2010-2014 Dodge Challenger, 2010-2015 Dodge Challenger, Chrysler 300, and 2010-2016 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 4, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V01.
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: 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.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Right Hand Drive Jeep Wrangler vehicles manufactured February 16, 2010, to May 2, 2016. The clockspring assembly may become contaminated with dust and cause the air bag circuit to fail.
Risk: Failure of the air bag circuit may prevent the driver's frontal air bag from deploying in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the clockspring, wheel back cover, and column shroud, free of charge. The recall began on August 11, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S40.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I recently got into an accident in my 2016 Jeep Wrangler. My airbags never deployed however. Also my buttons on the left side of my steering wheel do not work and my horn does not work. After realizing all this I believe it is an issue with the clock spring. I did research and found in 2024 there…
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Wrangler. The contact recently replaced the windshield wiper motor due to a failure of the intermittent speed settings not functioning properly. The contact stated that after replacing the wiper motor, the contact was only able to use the wipers on the fast speed…
On September 2, 2025, while driving at 65 mph, I lost control of my vehicle three times. The traction control light came on each time, creating a serious safety risk to me and others. The issue appears to involve the airbag clockspring/steering column assembly, matching symptoms reported under…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 Jeep Wranglers have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 77 owner complaints about air bags for the 2016 Jeep Wrangler (17% of the 462 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 2016 Jeep Wrangler air bags?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 62,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the 2016 Jeep Wrangler?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,100 (half paid between $910 and $1,300), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2016 Jeep Wrangler?
The most frequent phrase is “clock spring”, in 14 of 77 complaints, followed by “failed deploy” (7).
Other 2016 Jeep Wrangler problems
- Service Brakes problems (120)
- Engine problems (88)
- Power Train problems (74)
- Electrical System problems (57)
See all 2016 Jeep Wrangler problems or air bags problems across all Wrangler years.