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
192 reports, newest first.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 3, 2004
HARD STARTING AND STALLING. THE VEHICLE WILL CRANK AND CRANK AND WILL START SOMETIMES OR YOU MUST TURN THE KEY OFF AND TRY TO RESTART, AND WILL START THE SECOND TIME, BUT USUALLY RUNS POORLY FOR A FEW SECONDS. WILL SOMETIMES STALL WHEN PUTTIN INTO GEAR. DEALER HAS CHANGED FUEL PUMP AND PUT A SHIELD OVER ONE OF THE FUEL INJECTORS. STILL HAVING THE HARD STARTING PROBLEM.*AK
Visibility, Nov 28, 2004
WINDSHIELD-2004 JEEP LIBERTY WITHIN A MONTH OF BUYING THERE WAS LITTLE CHIPS ALL OVER WINDSHIELD SPOKE WITH DEALERSHIP (NOTHING THEY WOULD DO) THIS VEHICLE HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVEN IN TOWN AND ON HIGHWAY. THIS IS RIDICULOUS FOR A 24,000 DOLLAR VEHICLE.*AK
Fuel system, Gasoline, Nov 9, 2004, crash, fire
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *NM THE CONSUMER WAS HIT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR CAUSING THE OTHER DRIVERS BUMPER TO WEDGE INTO THE CONSUMERS GAS TANK. THE BACK DOOR OF THE CONSUMERS JEEP WAS TORN OFF ALONG WITH THE SPARE TIRE. THE CONSUMERS JEEP DID NOT STOP UNTIL IT FLIPPED OVER. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE STURDY JEEP SAVED HER LIFE. THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE SAME VEHICLE AND THE GAS TANK BLEW UP. THE CONSUMER SON BARELY ESCAPED DUE TO THE FLAMABLE SEATS. THE JEEP BURNED TO THE GROUND. *TC
Seat belts, Oct 27, 2004
SEAT BELT FAILURE DUE TO RETRACTOR DEFECT. THE RETRACTOR DOES NOT RETURN THE BELTS WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO CATCH IN THE DOOR LATCH AND FRAY AND RIP. WHEN SUBMITTED TO DAMLIER CHRYSLER THE REPLY WAS THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO PROPERLY DIAGNOSE.*AK
Structure, Oct 13, 2004
I PURCHASED A NEW 2004 JEEP WRANGLER SPORT ON SEPT 30,2004. ON OCT 1, 2004 I DISCOVERED DEFECTIVE PAINT ON THE LEFT FRONT FENDER NEAR THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT(APPEARS TO BE A CHEMICAL CONTAMINANT AS WELL AS GRAZING OF THE BASE COAT), DENT ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE RIGHT HAND PASSENGER DOOR, WELDING SPLATTERS ON THE RIGHT FRONT FENDER, DENTS ON THE INSIDE OF THE RIGHT FRONT FENDER, RIGHT FRONT FENDER IS WARPED. ALL BODY DAMAGE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN PRE-DELIVERY. DEALER SERVICE PERSONNEL TOLD ME TO IGNORE THE PAINT DAMAGE. I DONT UNDERSTAND HOW THE VEHICLE LEFT THE FACTORY IN THIS CONDITION. IAM DISGUSTED AND DEPRESSED AFTER SPENDING $26,000 DOLLARS ON THIS JEEP. IAM A U.S. NAVY VETERAN, AVIATION STRUCTURAL MECHANIC. *AK
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 19, 2004
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. *JB THE FAILURES CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO PULL OFF OF THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT THE USE OF POWER STEERING. *SC *JB
Electrical system, Equipment, Jun 3, 2004
I OWN A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER WITH A 4.0 I-6 ENGINE. WITHIN THE PAST 2 WEEKS, THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. THE FOLLOWING APPLIES TO ALL 3 INCIDENTS... ONCE I GOT THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND STOPPED, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS DIAGNOSED AS FAULTY AND THUS REPLACED. THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. ALL 3 INCIDENTS OF FAILURE HAVE OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS RAISES MY SAFETY CONCERN SINCE I CAN NOT ACCELERATE AND SAFELY PULL TO THE SHOULDER, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SURROUNDING VEHICLES ARE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE INCIDENT DATE POSTED WAS THE DATE OF THE THIRD AND MOST RECENT INCIDENT THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED ON MAY 23, 2004 AND THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON MAY 18, 2004. *JB
Fuel system, Gasoline, May 20, 2004
THERE WERE GAS FUMES COMING INTO THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE VENTS DUE TO A LEAK IN THE GAS LINE. IT WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. DEALER COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Power train, May 19, 2004
MOTOR RATTLES GOING FROM 3RD TO 4TH IN THE 4L AUTOMATIC ENGINE. *AK
Power train, May 8, 2004
LEAKING TRANSMISSDIONTRANSFERE CASE. DEALER HAS TRYED TO FIX WITHOUT SUCCESS. BRAND NEW RUBICON LESS THAN 2500 MILES ON IT AND LEAKING BAD.DEALER HAS TRYED TO REPLACE SEALS WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS.NOW THEY SAY ITS A MANUFACTORES DEFECT.*AK
Air bags, Apr 29, 2004, crash
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH VEHICLE HIT A TREE HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. CONSUMER HIT THE STEERING WHEEL, AND SUSTAINED A CUT AND BRUISES ABOVE RIGHT EYE. *AK *LA
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Apr 26, 2004, crash
GOT IN VEHICLE. PUT RIGHT FOOT ON BRAKE, PUT CAR IN DRIVE, TOOK MY FOOT OFF BRAKE AND THEN IMMEDIATELY REAPPLIED IT AS CAR PULLED IN FRONT OF ME. WRANGLER BEGAN CREEPING FORWARD AND I APPLIED MORE PEDAL PRESSURE ONLY TO FIND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATING HARDER. HIT CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THOUGHT I HAD MY RIGHT FOOT ON BRAKE WHEN IN FACT, MOST OF MY RIGHT FOOT WAS ON THE ACCELERATOR. WHY ARE THESE PEDALS SO CLOSE? I'M NORMALLY A LEFT FOOT BRAKER SO THIS ISN'T A BIG ISSUE, BUT IN THE CASE, I USED MY RIGHT FOOT AND ENDED UP HAVING MY RIGHT FOOT ON BOTH PEDALS. VERY POOR DESIGN AND DANGEROUS, IN MY OPINION.*AK
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Apr 6, 2004
RIGHT FRONT BRAKES SEIZED ON MY WAY HOME. *LA
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Apr 4, 2004
OIL LEAK FROM ENGINE/TRANSMISSION. *NM
Power train, Apr 4, 2004
LEFT FRONT AXLE SEAL LEAK. *NM
Power train, Mar 11, 2004
NEW 2004 JEEP WRANGLER SE. THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION CLUNKS CLINKS & SOMETIMES GRINDS WHEN UPSHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. I WAS NEARLY REARENDED LAST WEEK. I WAS GOING UP A HILL FROM A STOP. WHEN I SHIFTED FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR THE SYNCROS STARTED GRINDING. NOT WANTING TO ABUSE MY JEEP, I BACKED OFF TO NEUTRAL AND WAS NEARLY REARENDED BY THE CAR BEHIND ME. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER AND THE FACTORY REP. THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THAT IT IS"THE NATURE OF THE BEAST", ALL OF THESE TRANSMISSION ARE A LITTLE NOISY, BUT NOT TO WORRY BECAUSE I HAVE A 7 YEAR,70,000 MILE WARRANTY. WHAT GOOD IS A WARRANTY IF THEY REFUSE TO ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM? *AK
Air bags, Jan 20, 2004, crash
WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. *AK