2002 Jeep Wrangler

Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues

Structure is the leading concern among 108 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 23rd highest complaint count among 26 Wrangler model years with reports.

Complaints by model year
  1. 108

Of the 2002 reports, 15 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 17 people were injured and 1 person died.

Primary concernStructure26 reports · 24% of complaints
Owner complaints108Filed with NHTSA
Recall relationship6 safety recallsNHTSA campaign records

What owners report most often

  1. Structure26
  2. Suspension19
  3. Power train14
  4. Air bags13
  5. Steering10
  6. Other or unspecified8
  7. Electrical system7
  8. Service brakes7

Recalls and investigations

  1. Exterior lightingMar 23, 2006

    CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

    PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.

    Campaign 06E026000 on NHTSA.gov

  2. Service brakes, hydraulicMar 13, 2006

    CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT BRAKE CYLINDERS FOR CERTAIN FORD, DAIMLERCHRYSLER, AND JEEP PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF NAPA, RAYBESTOS, AIMCO, AC DELCO, CARQUEST, BENDIX, AND WAGNER. ONLY PRODUCTS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 27, 2005 THROUGH JANUARY 17, 2006 (DATE CODES 0529 THROUGH 0602) ARE SUBJECT TO THIS RECALL. WHEN SUBJECT TO VERY COLD TEMPERATURES, AN INTERNAL SEAL IN THE MASTER CYLINDER COULD LOSE FLEXIBILITY AND MAY CAUSE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK.

    LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID CAN LEAD TO A DECREASE IN BRAKE LINE PRESSURE AND AN INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

    AFFINIA (BRAKE PARTS, INC.) WILL REPLACE THE SUBJECT BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 20, 2006. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AFFINA GROUP CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-323-0354.

    Campaign 06E022000 on NHTSA.gov

  3. Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpFeb 1, 2006

    CERTAIN AFTERMARKET AIRTEX ELECTRIC FUEL PUMPS INSTALLED FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR CERTAIN 1997-2004 JEEP WRANGLER; 1997-2001 JEEP CHEROKEE; 1997-2004 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE; AND 2000-2003 DODGE DAKOTA VEHICLES. THE PLASTIC ELECTRICAL GROMMET CONNECTORS AT THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP MODULE ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH AUTOMOTIVE FUELS AND MAY DEGRADE CAUSING A POTENTIAL LEAK PATH FOR FUEL.

    IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FUEL LEAK COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

    AIRTEX WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 25, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AIRTEX CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT 1-800-880-3056.

    Campaign 06E011000 on NHTSA.gov

  4. EquipmentJun 7, 2004

    BESTOP AFTERMARKET REAR SHELL ROOF RACKS,MANUFACTURED BETWEEN APRIL 27 AND MAY 20, 2004, DESIGNED FOR USE WITH THE BESTOP HARDTOP MADE FOR THE 1986-1995 AND 1997-2003 JEEP WRANGLER. THE COCKPIT COVER MAY NOT STAY LATCHED TO THE ROOF RACK BECAUSE THE LATCH BRACKET MISPOSITIONS THE ROTARY LATCH TO THE COCKPIT COVER. AS A RESULT, THE COCKPIT COVER MAY NOT STAY LATCHED TO THE ROOF RACK AND COULD SEPARATE FROM THE ROOF RACK. THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO AFTERMARKET REAR SHELL ROOF RACKS AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON JEEP WRANGLER VEHICLES BY DAIMLERCHRYSLER.

    SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE COCKPIT COULD CAUSE INJURY BY STRIKING PERSONS OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE OR COULD BECOME A DISTRACTION OR AN OBSTACLE TO OTHER DRIVERS, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

    BESTOP WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND PROVIDE A REPAIR KIT AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FREE OF CHARGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 16, 2004. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BESTOP CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT (800) 845-3567.

    Campaign 04E041000 on NHTSA.gov

  5. Fuel system, gasoline, fuel injection system, injectorsApr 8, 2002

    ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 4.0L ENGINE ONLY, THE DESIGN OF THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLDS COULD ALLOW DEBRIS TO ACCUMULATE AT THE #3 CYLINDER LOCATION.

    THIS COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

    DEALERS WILL INSTALL A MANIFOLD SHIELD TO MODIFY THE AIR FLOW CHARACTERISTICS AND TO PREVENT THE ACCUMULATION OF DEBRIS IN THE AREA OF THE #3 CYLINDER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 13, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

    Campaign 02V104000 on NHTSA.gov

  6. Electrical system, ignition, switchMar 8, 2002

    ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, WATER AND IMPURITIES CAN ENTER INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT.

    THIS COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH WITH A REDESIGNED SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 8, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

    Campaign 02V075000 on NHTSA.gov

Representative owner complaints

108 reports, newest first.

  1. Other or unspecified, Jan 19, 2003

    FLOOR HEATER DOES NOT WARM NEAR CENTER CONSOLE CREATING AN ANNOYING COLD DRAFT ON RIGHT LEG. IT'S VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND CREATES AN UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING EXPERIENCE.

  2. Vehicle speed control, Oct 15, 2002

    CONSUMER STATES AFTER MOVING FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN STOPPING, THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE UP TO 20 MPH WITHOUT APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

  3. Suspension, Sep 13, 2002

    A LOOSE BOLT IN THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM CAUSED NOISE WHILE DRIVING ON A DIRT ROAD AND WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS ON A PAVED ROAD. *SCC *NLM

  4. Power train, Sep 12, 2002

    THE 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION MAKES A RATTLING SOUND WHEN IDLING IN NEUTRAL. NLM

  5. Electrical system, Aug 8, 2002

    VEHICLE HAS INTERMITTENT STALLING AND STARTING PROBLEMS. DEALER CONTACTED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

  6. Electrical system, Jun 20, 2002

    NHTSA RECALL 02 V 075 000 MANUFACTURER'S RECALL B07 CONCERNING/IGNITION SWITCH: DEALER IS UNINTERESTED IN RECALL, AND DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE WHEN PARTS WOULD BE IN. DAVID O"NEAL CHRYSLER IN RALEIGH, NC; PHONE 19/872-5500. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFROMATION.*AK

  7. Fuel system, Gasoline, Structure, Jun 11, 2002

    AT START UP, VEHICLE SHAKES AND SOUNDS LIKE INJECTORS ARE MISSING, NOT TAKEN TO DEALER YET. *AK VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER 3 TIMES, HOWEVER DEALERSHIP CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. VEHICLE BOGGS AND RUNS ROUGH/HESITATES WHEN COLD. REAR PORTION OF SOFT TOP LOCATED NEAR BOTTOM OF TAILGATE HAS GAP. REAR WEATHERSTRIP ADJUSTED. *TT

  8. Electrical system, Feb 6, 2002

    WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ALL GAUGES STOPPED WORKING. AFTER INSPECTION BY DEALER DASH CLUSTER WAS REPLACED. PLEASE ADD FURTHER DETAILS.*AK