Jeep

Wrangler (TJ)

2000-2006 · Off-Road SUV · 4 engines
Best Engine ⚠️ Caution (2.3)
2,186 NHTSA Complaints
11 Recalls
65 Fire Reports
90 Crash Reports
View all 3 generations of the Jeep Wrangler → 📋 Inspection checklist

NHTSA Safety Ratings About NHTSA ratings

Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
Side Crash
Rollover
4/5 (19.8% risk)
ESC: No FCW: No LDW: No
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
Side Crash
Rollover
4/5 (19.8% risk)
ESC: No FCW: No LDW: No
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
Side Crash
Rollover
3/5
ESC: No FCW: No LDW: No
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
Side Crash
Rollover
3/5
ESC: No FCW: No LDW: No
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
Side Crash
Rollover
3/5
ESC: No FCW: No LDW: No

Engine Reliability Ratings

2.4-I4-Gas

2.4L 4-cyl
⚠️ Caution (2.0)
63 complaints 15.8 per year Gasoline
2 fire reports 1 fatality
View details

Complaint Breakdown

fuel system
22
transmission
13
steering
12
suspension
11
electrical
8

Known Issues

Fuel System Issues (22 complaints)
Transmission Issues (13 complaints)
Steering Issues (12 complaints)

Jeep Wrangler Unidentified Engine

Avoid (1.5)
561 complaints 80.1 per year
13 fire reports
View details

Complaint Breakdown

fuel system
274
steering
70
suspension
67
transmission
33
body
32

Known Issues

Fuel System Issues (274 complaints)
Steering Issues (70 complaints)
Suspension Issues (67 complaints)

4.0-I6-Gas

4.0L 6-cyl
Avoid (1.0)
1,495 complaints 197.1 per year Gasoline
44 fire reports 4 fatalities
View details

Complaint Breakdown

fuel system
666
transmission
199
suspension
174
steering
170
body
116

Known Issues

Fuel System Issues (666 complaints)
Transmission Issues (199 complaints)
Suspension Issues (174 complaints)
Show 7 additional engine variants with limited data
These engines appear in fewer than 10 owner complaints and aren't included in the main ratings above. Low counts can mean a genuinely clean record, but they can also reflect VIN-decode anomalies in NHTSA data. Treat as informational, not as a confident rating.

5.9-V8-Gas

5.9L 8-cyl
⚠️ Caution (3.2)
6 complaints 1.5 per year Gasoline
1 fire report
View details

Complaint Breakdown

suspension
1
fuel system
1
electrical
1
safety systems
1
engine
1

Known Issues

Suspension Issues (1 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (1 complaints)
Electrical System Issues (1 complaints)

3.8-V6-Gas

3.8L 6-cyl
Recommended (4.7)
3 complaints 1.5 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

fuel system
1
wheels tires
1
electrical
1

Known Issues

Fuel System Issues (1 complaints)
Wheels & Tires Issues (1 complaints)
Electrical System Issues (1 complaints)

2.8T-I4-Diesel

2.8L 4-cyl Turbo
Recommended (4.4)
3 complaints 3.0 per year Diesel
View details

Complaint Breakdown

transmission
2
electrical
1
other
1

Known Issues

Transmission Issues (2 complaints)
Electrical System Issues (1 complaints)

Brush Type D.C.

65 hp
Recommended (5.0)
1 complaint 1.0 per year Electric
View details

Complaint Breakdown

engine
1
cooling
1

Known Issues

Engine Issues (1 complaints)
Cooling System Issues (1 complaints)

Same engine used in

SRT HEMI SMPI

6.1L 8-cyl
Recommended (5.0)
1 complaint 1.0 per year
View details

Complaint Breakdown

fuel system
1

Known Issues

Fuel System Issues (1 complaints)

Vehicle-Level Issues

These issues affect the Jeep Wrangler regardless of engine variant.

Fuel System Issues (965 complaints)
fuel_system critical
Suspension Issues (261 complaints)
suspension critical
Steering Issues (252 complaints)
steering critical
Transmission Issues (248 complaints)
transmission critical
Body/Trim Issues (163 complaints)
body critical

Recalls (11)

15V222000Apr 14, 2015serious
Powertrain

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2006 Dodge Viper and Jeep Wrangler and Liberty vehicles manufactured July 1, 2005, to July 31, 2006. In the affected vehicles, the springs within the clutch pedal position switch that prevents the vehicle from starting unless the clutch pedal is pushed down may break. As a result, the vehicle may not be started when the clutch pedal is pushed down or the engine may crank and start without the clutch pedal being pushed down causing the vehicle to unexpectedly lurch.

06E026000Mar 22, 2006serious
Exterior Lighting

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.

06E022000Mar 12, 2006serious
Service Brakes

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.

06V147000Mar 4, 2006serious
Powertrain

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, THE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER LINKAGE ROD MAY BREAK. THIS MAY NOT ALLOW DISENGAGEMENT OF THE CLUTCH WHEN THE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

06E011000Jan 1, 2006serious
Fuel System

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.

05V460000Jun 9, 2005serious
Powertrain

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 42RLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE CUP PLUG THAT RETAINS THE PARK PAWL ANCHOR SHAFT MAY BE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. IF THE SHAFT MOVES OUT OF POSITION, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE 'PARK' POSITION.

04E041000Jul 5, 2004serious
Equipment

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.

04V048000Mar 1, 2004cosmetic
Equipment

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.

02V104000Aug 3, 2002serious
Fuel System

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.

02V075000Aug 2, 2002serious
Electrical System

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

00V366000Sep 10, 2000serious
Child Seat

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." SOME OF THE OWNER'S MANUALS FOR THESE VEHICLES ARE MISSING INSTRUCTIONS THAT PROVIDE A STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE, INCLUDING DIAGRAMS, FOR PROPERLY ATTACHING A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM'S TETHER STRAP TO THE TETHER ANCHORAGE.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common 2000-2006 Jeep Wrangler problems?

The 2000-2006 Jeep Wrangler has accumulated 2,186 NHTSA complaints. The most frequently reported problem areas are Fuel System, Suspension, Steering. As with any used vehicle, an inspection before buying and a vehicle history report are recommended.

Which Jeep Wrangler engine is most reliable?

The 2000-2006 Jeep Wrangler was offered with 11 engine options. Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 2.5L 4-cyl has the lowest complaint density and is considered the most reliable choice for buyers.

Is the 2000-2006 Jeep Wrangler a good used car?

The 2000-2006 Jeep Wrangler can be a sound used car depending on trim, mileage, and maintenance history. With 2,186 total NHTSA complaints on record, prospective buyers should review the known problem areas and check for open recalls before buying.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2000-2006 Jeep Wrangler have?

The 2000-2006 Jeep Wrangler has 2,186 complaints filed with NHTSA as of our latest data pull. Complaint counts reflect owner-reported issues and do not necessarily indicate defects or safety risks on their own.

What recalls affect the 2000-2006 Jeep Wrangler?

There are 11 NHTSA recalls affecting some 2000-2006 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. Recall status varies by VIN — check the NHTSA recall database at recalls.nhtsa.dot.gov with your specific VIN to confirm which campaigns apply.

What should I check before buying a used Jeep Wrangler?

Before buying a used Jeep Wrangler, verify all open recalls are completed via the NHTSA VIN lookup tool. Pay particular attention to Fuel System, Suspension, Steering, which are the most commonly reported problem areas. Request maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle, and run a vehicle history report to check for prior accidents or title issues.

What are the NHTSA crash test ratings for the Wrangler?

The 2006 Jeep Wrangler received an overall N/A-star safety rating from NHTSA. Frontal crash: N/A stars. Side crash: N/A stars. Rollover: 4 stars (19.8% rollover probability). Electronic Stability Control: No. Forward Collision Warning: No. Lane Departure Warning: No. These ratings are based on standardized crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 2,186 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-05-23.

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