2004 Jeep Wrangler
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Steering is the leading concern among 192 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 21st highest complaint count among 26 Wrangler model years with reports.
Of the 2004 reports, 17 involved a crash and 7 involved a fire. 12 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
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
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
Equipment, other, labelsFeb 3, 2004
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, DUE TO A RECENT SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING ERROR, THE TIRE, WHEEL, AND INFLATION PRESSURE INFORMATION WAS INADVERTENTLY OMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABEL.
THE VEHICLE OWNER WOULD NOT BE AWARE OF THE TIRE, WHEEL, AND INFLATION PRESSURE INFORMATION FOR THEIR VEHICLE.
OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A CORRECTED TIRE CERTIFICATION LABEL. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MARCH 1, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Campaign 04V048000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: suspension
59 reports, newest first. Show all
Suspension, Jan 6, 2009
2004 JEEP RUBICON BALL JOINT FAILURE. *TR
Steering, Suspension, Oct 31, 2007
2004 JEEP WRANGLER WITH A VIOLENT VIBRATION. CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE VIBRATION AND SHAKING BEGAN WHEN SHE WENT OVER SOME UNEVEN PAVEMENT ON THE HIGHWAY. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TRACK BAR AND STEERING DAMPER NEED TO BE REPLACED. *KB *JB
Suspension, Aug 13, 2007
MY 2004 JEEP WRANGLER HAS DEVELOPED WHAT I LATER FOUND OUT IS KNOWN TO JEEP DRIVERS AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE." AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE FRONT END BEGINS TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. ONCE THE OSCILLATIONS START, THE VEHICLE BECOMES DIFFICULT TO STEER AND MUST BE BROUGHT TO A FULL STOP FOR THEM TO GO AWAY. VERY DANGEROUS ON THE FREEWAY SURROUNDED BY OTHER TRAFFIC. THIS IS AN ENTIRELY UNMODIFIED, STOCK SUSPENSION WITH LESS THAN 20K MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, WHO COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, BUT SUGGESTED I REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. I HAD THE VEHICLE ALIGNED AND THE TIRES ROTATED, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THIS IS A MUCH MORE VIOLENT AND UNCONTROLLABLE SHAKE THAN WHAT IS CAUSED BY OUT OF BALANCE TIRES OR WARPED BRAKE ROTORS. I TOOK THE JEEP TO A SHOP SPECIALIZING IN 4X4 SUSPENSION. THEY MENTIONED THAT THE PROBLEM USUALLY OCCURS WHEN A VEHICLE IS IMPROPERLY LIFTED OR MODIFIED, BUT THEY HAD SEEN AN INCREASED INSTANCE OF LATER MODEL STOCK WRANGLERS EXPERIENCING IT. THEY REPLACED THE BUSHINGS IN THE FRONT END COMPONENTS, BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET SHOWS THAT MANY WRANGLER DRIVERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM ON STOCK VEHICLES. NO MECHANIC HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING OBVIOUSLY WRONG, WHICH SUGGESTS A DESIGN DEFECT. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR ON THE FREEWAY, AND CAN NOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE SELL IT TO ANOTHER PERSON. *JB
Suspension, May 13, 2007
VEHICLE HITS A BUMP WHILE DRIVING AND SHIMMIED ALMOST TO THE POINT OF HAVING TO STOP VEHICLE. THIS WAS ON A JEEP SAHARA 2004 MODEL WITH 40,000 MILES.I HAD WHEELS BALANCED OVER AND OVER AGAIN SINCE JANUARY. *AK
Steering, Suspension, Seat belts, Apr 30, 2007
VEHICLE GOES INTO A VIOLENT SHAKE (SHIMMY, VIBE, WOBBLE) WHEN THERE IS ANY CHANGE IN ROADWAY CONDITION (BUMP, LIP, HOLE, UNEVEN ROADWAY). MY JEEP HAS NOT BEEN ALTERED IN ANYWAY. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES ROTATED AND BALANCED. IN ADDITION MY SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND FRONT PASSENGER BELT BOTH CATCH IN THE DOOR - THEY DO NOT RETRACT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR 5 MONTHS. *AK
Steering, Suspension, Jul 7, 2006
VEHICLE WILL ENTER INTO A VIOLENT WOBBLE AND SHAKE WHEN HITTING A BUMP AT HIGHWAY SPEED. VIOLENT SHAKING DOES NOT STOP UNTIL SPEED IS REDUCED TO UNDER 20 MPH. HAD WHEELS ROTATED AND BALANCED, WHEELS ALIGNED. CHECKED ALL TIE RODS, BALL JOINTS, AND LINKAGE WITH NO NOTICEABLE WEAR. DEATH WOBBLE STILL PRESENT. *JB
Suspension, Jun 21, 2006
FIRST OFF YOU NEED TO DO A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR 'DEATH WOBBLE'. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. IT IS GETTING WORSE AND I AM AFRAID FOR MY WIFE TO DRIVE THE JEEP. "DEATH WOBBLE".. THE DEATH WOBBLE IS BASICALLY WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING YOUR JEEP DOWN THE ROAD AND THE FRONT END STARTS TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. IT CAN HAPPEN AT VIRTUALLY ANY SPEED, THOUGH MOSTLY ABOVE 40 MPH OR SO, AND IS A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WITNESSING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS TO SLOW DOWN AND PULL OVER. IT SEEMS TO GET MORE AND MORE OUT OF CONTROL. OUR JEEP IS A 2004 WRANGLER WITH ONLY 17,000 MILES. WE HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM SINCE 5,000 MILES OR SO. JEEP NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. *NM
Suspension, Mar 15, 2006
I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 JEEP LIBERTY WHEN MY BALL JOINT BROKE ON PASSENGER SIDE. I TOOK IT INTO DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE OTHER SIDE HAD TO BE REPLACED ALSO,IT WAS AT MAXIMUM TOLERANCE. I'M VERY CONCERNED FOR OTHERS THAT HAVE THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I WAS LUCKY THAT MY GRANDCHILD AND I WEREN'T KILLED. *JB
Suspension, Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Jan 21, 2005
JUST STARTED WITH POWER LOSS FROM SHOW ROOM FLOOR,CAM REPLACED LIFTERS REPLACED BREAKS STICKING TO THE POINT WHERE THE JEEP IS HARD TO MOVE SAYS IT IS BECAUSE OF RUST USED DAYLY,TIMING OUT 15 DEGREES FRONT AND REAR DIF LEAKING WITH METAL SHAVINGS INSIDE MECHANIC SAYS DANA PROBLEM GRINDING RIGHT FRONT AXEL NOISE. *NM