The Wrangler has amassed an impressive fan base. However, America’s favorite off-roader is not without fault. Here’s its best & worst years.
The Jeep Wrangler has been around for over 30 years and has long been the weapon of choice for those seeking a capable off-roader. There are many reasons people buy Wranglers. Reasons include light off-roading, taking the top off to feel the wind through their hair, delivering mail, or modifying them to be an off-roading beast.
Whatever your reason, the Wrangler can accommodate as it is a very adaptable vehicle and can be used for a multitude of functions. Overall, if you’re in the market for a Wrangler, it needs to be understood that they are not very reliable or safe. However, there are certain model years that are worse than others. Using the guide below, or the cheat-sheet at the end can help you avoid buying a dud.
Wrangler History
As you may know, the Wrangler’s roots stem from WWII. America reached out to the automotive industry and said that they required a vehicle that could transport equipment for the war. They gave manufacturers a list of requirements and asked for a prototype to be designed within 50 days. The Army asked 135 companies and two responded, Bantam and Willys-Overland.
Then the Army realized that Bantam was too small, so Ford and Willys would be chosen to work on their special project. Ford came out with the Pygmy and Willys came out with the Quad. Both of which looked very similar to Bantam’s prototype, the BRC.
The U.S. Army liked Willys’ version the best but needed a lot of vehicles, so both Ford and Willys made their vehicles using the Willys blueprint. Willys called theirs the MB, whereas Ford called theirs the GPW.
Ford ended up changing the front grille from having 11 slots to nine because it was cheaper and faster to manufacture. This would be the start of Jeep‘s famous grille which would eventually have seven slots. Post-war Jeep would trademark their seven-slot grille and Ford would unsuccessfully try to use it for their M151 design. The loophole Ford used for the M151 was switching the bars in the grille from vertical to horizontal.
Early Beginnings: The Civilian Jeep
The first vehicle to ever receive the Jeep name was the CJ, which stood for Civilian Jeep. The CJ came out right after the war and was around until 1986. In over 40 years, there were only 1.5 million CJs produced, making them exceptionally rare.
Distinguishing features of the CJ included a separate body and frame, leaf springs on both front and rear rigid live axles, a tapering nose design with flared fenders, a fold-flat windshield, and of course it could be driven without doors. Almost all CJs came with part-time four-wheel-drive (4WD) systems with the choice of high and low gearing as well as the famous open bodies with removable hard or soft tops.
By 1987, the CJ had seen several different owners of the Jeep name. These names included Willys-Overland, Kaiser Jeep, AMC, and Chrysler who would take over in 1987.
Also, through the years, there were several variations of the CJ. There were around 15 different models who wore the CJ badge. Not only did these vehicles resemble the old war Jeeps that we think of, but they also wore many other hats. Some were used by the Alaskan postal service, as an aircraft tug, by the Japanese regional forest office, and some even came equipped with a trench digger. It was in 1987 that the CJ-7 would be replaced by the first-ever Wrangler, the YJ.
First-generation YJ (1987-1995)
Almost immediately after the introduction of the YJ in 1987, Chrysler bought out AMC, the parent company of Jeep at the time. The YJ had several stark differences between it and its ancestor, the CJ. The first difference was that the acronym YJ didn’t stand for anything, unlike CJ which again stood for Civilian Jeep.
Also, it was on-road focused as opposed to the CJ’s rugged off-road emphasis. The YJ was wider, had slightly less ground clearance, had anti-roll bars, and track-bar suspension. All these improvements were not only made to increase handling but also to make it harder to flip. However, Jeep owners believe the worst of these changes were the headlights. It had square headlights instead of round.
It came equipped with a 2.5L I4 engine mated to either a three-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission. A 4.2L I6 was also offered until the 1991 model year when it would be replaced by a 4.0L I6. Surprisingly, both the 2.5L I4 and 4.2L I6 got the same gas mileage according to the EPA, with a combined mpg of 17.
The YJ is most easily distinguished from the previous CJ-7 by its square headlights, larger windshield, grille, and wipers that rest on the windshield. Two options were offered on the YJ, being the Islander and the Renegade. While the Islander was mostly visual, the Renegade offered several performance upgrades to the YJ. It included the new 4.0L I6 engine, larger tires, a full-size spare, power steering, and several appearance upgrades.
First-generation: Years to Avoid & Better Alternatives
- Years to Avoid: (1987-1991)
- Better Years: (1992-1995)
As the YJ is an older vehicle there are several problems potential buyers need to look out for. Buyers should check for rust, body damage, proper seals on the doors and tops, water damage under the dash from a leaky windshield, bashes on the undercarriage from off-roading, exhaust damage, and the tops should be inspected for holes and other indicators of wear.
Also, potential owners should ensure the 4WD system is in proper condition by shifting it in and out of 4WD to make sure it engages and disengages properly.
Since the YJ was never tested by the NHTSA or IIHS, there is no safety rating associated with it. However, there were some significant safety issues associated with the YJ. For instance, the “death wobble”. This wobble causes the vehicle to violently shake, usually around 60 mph. Also, it was recalled for a defective fuel pump that could catch on fire because it was routed across the exhaust manifold.
Finally, due to seatbelt malfunctions and the lack of standard safety measures such as ABS, side airbags, and stability control we can assume the YJ is not very safe. Because the 1987-1991 YJ’s did not have their seatbelts anchored into the roll bar, they were not remarkably safe. Furthermore, the 4.2L I6 engine, introduced in 1991 offered the YJ more power.
Second-generation TJ (1997-2006)
Jeep decided not to release a Wrangler for the 1996 model year, waiting until 1997 to roll out the new TJ. Thankfully, Jeep enthusiasts could put down their pitchforks and return to the brand they loved, as the new Jeep had round headlights yet again.
Jeep tried to make the TJ even more capable on the road than the previous Wrangler. They reduced the drag coefficient by .07, although no one would describe it as aerodynamic. Also, to make it more comfortable, it replaced the old leaf springs with a new coil-spring suspension. Interestingly, it kept the exact same engines that were offered on the TJ, the 2.5L I4 and the 4.0L I6.
It’s a valid argument that the TJ was just an updated YJ, rather than a completely new generation. However, the TJ came with some key refinements that need to be considered. These include a quadra-coil suspension, dual airbags, optional ABS, and of course those round headlights. Jeep made the driving experience more pleasant with reduced noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH).
However, these improvements do not mean the second-generation Jeep was nothing more than a comfortable grocery-getter, it still very much rode like its military predecessor.
Second-generation: Years to Avoid & Better Alternatives
- Years to Avoid: (1997-2000)
- Better Years: (2001-2002 & 2005-2006)
- Best Years (2003-2004)
To put it simply, the second-generation Wrangler was not a safe vehicle. In the moderate overlap front test, it scored a mark of acceptable. However, in the side crash test, it was rated as marginal by the IIHS. The side crash test received a mark of poor for the injuries inflicted on the torso of the driver.
Also, when the head restraints were tested from the 2001 model year on, they received the worst mark by the IIHS again with a score of poor. This is surprising because the TJ received a 100% increase in torsional stiffness over the YJ. Also, the frame stiffness increased by 15%. This can only lead us to the conclusion that although the TJ was unsafe, the YJ was much worse.
According to the NHTSA, common problems to look out for on the TJ are a defective fuel filler, rust, the “death wobble”, and a cracked manifold on the six-cylinder engine. The most expensive common problem listed on the NHTSA for the 1997-2000 model years was a cracked manifold on the 4.0L I6 engine. However, Jeep fixed this problem for the 2001 model year.
In addition to fixing the manifold, Jeep also upgraded their ABS system, making the Wrangler safer. For the 2003 model year, Jeep dropped the three-speed automatic transmission for a four-speed automatic. The new transmission, coupled with the lack of reliability issues is why the 2003-2004 model years are the best. The most common problem on the later model TJs (2005-2006) was when filling fuel, the filler would not shut off the flow of gasoline causing spillage.
Third-generation JK (2007-2018)
The new JK Wrangler hit the showroom for the 2007 model year. The new Wrangler brought with it great news, it would now be offered in a four-door version given the nomenclature Unlimited.
Compared to the TJ, the JK was taller, wider, and had a longer wheelbase. Thankfully, Jeep would add safety features to the new generation such as stability control and traction control. This was the first Wrangler designed without any AMC parts to be found on it. The JK was offered with an all-new 3.8L V6. Many found the new generation Wrangler more comfortable than the last.
However, it did not lose its off-roading ability.
Similar to previous Wranglers, the JK donned the fold-down windshield, removable doors, and a roll bar. However, to improve aerodynamics, the windshield glass was slightly curved. The new 3.8L V6 attained a combined mpg of 18 at best.
Interestingly, the 3.8L V6 used in the new Wrangler can be traced back to 1991 Chrysler minivans. This new engine was mated with a standard six-speed manual transmission or optional four-speed automatic. The JK weighed in over half of a ton more than the previous generation.
Third-generation: Years to Avoid & Better Alternatives
- Years to Avoid: (2007-2008 & 2012-2014)
- Better Years: (2009-2011)
- Best Years (2015-2018)
Although the third-generation Wrangler was not as unsafe as the previous generations it was certainly no safe-haven. Most believe that because the Wrangler is a big vehicle it is safe.
However, this has been proven to not be true. When the IIHS conducted the side crash test it received a score of poor for every model year. Also, it received a mark of marginal for both the head restraints & seat category as well as the small overlap front test on the driver’s side.
Reliability on the new Wrangler got even worse than the TJ. It received over 550 complaints per model year on average according to the NHTSA. Common problems for the JK include an airbag light that will not turn off, an overflowing gas tank, sporadic electrical problems, and the “death wobble”. The good news is that Jeep corrected most of these problems in the later model years.
The problem with the 2007-2008 model year Wranglers was a faulty Totally Integrated Power Module. If the module fails, it costs owners about $1,000 in repair costs. Other complaints included airbags either deploying prematurely or failing to deploy, strange electrical problems, and a leaky fuel tank.
Common problems for the 2009-2011 model years are the famous Jeep “death wobble”, faulty airbags, and the fuel filler problem. However, the 2009-2011 model year received half the complaints when compared to the 2007-2008 models.
For 2012, Jeep updated the engine and transmission on the Wrangler. Although this significantly enhanced performance, it also led to a host of problems. These problems were costly to fix as well. Some vehicles required a head replacement, module replacement, or heater core replacement.
It needs to be emphasized that the 2007-2008 and 2012-2014 model year Wranglers should be avoided at all costs. This is due to their hefty repair costs, poorly designed interior, and underpowered engine.
Although the 2009-2011 Wranglers have a poorly designed interior and underpowered engine, if you can find one for the right price, it’s a good purchase. However, if you plan on buying a JK, the 2015-2018 model years are your best bet.
Fourth-generation JL (2018-Present)
The new fourth-generation Wrangler received the nomenclature of JL. The new JL was sold alongside the previous-generation JK in 2018. Aesthetically, the third- and fourth-generations are very similar. There are few styling cues to identify the two. In the front, the headlights cut into the grille, the marker lights are now located on the fender, and there’s no Jeep emblem above the grille.
On the sides, there are now vents behind the fenders, and pull handles are used on the doors instead of buttons. The only difference to be found on the rear is the taillights, which are no longer completely rectangular. The new JL taillights are LED and convex on the sides.
The fourth-generation Wrangler had efficiency at the forefront of its design. For example, the tailgate is now made of magnesium, and the doors, hood, and windshield frame are made of aluminum to reduce weight. Although the standard engine remains the 3.6L V6, a new 2.0L I4 turbo engine is optional. This new four-cylinder engine has 15 fewer hp than the six-cylinder.
However, it gets four more combined mpg than the six-cylinder, being 24 and 20, respectively. The JL comes standard with a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Fourth-generation: Years to Avoid & Better Alternatives
- Years to Avoid: (2018)
- Better Years (2019-Present)
The 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL was riddled with problems, it was recalled 11 times and received over 1,100 complaints to the NHTSA. Unequivocally, the worst problem with the new Wrangler was the steering. It tracked all over the road and was an absolute pain for drivers to keep in their lane. This steering problem accounted for nearly 900 of the total complaints.
Otherwise, there were no other recurring problems with the JL. For the 2019 and 2020 model years it received around 250 complaints on average. The vast majority of the complaints received were due to the steering problem.
As for safety, the new fourth-generation Wrangler upped the game. It did not receive a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS. However, it received “good” marks from the IIHS in every category except for the small overlap front test on the driver’s side.
Another problem with the JL is the headlights not being bright enough. The standard headlights received a mark of “poor” from the IIHS. That aside, this new Wrangler seems to be much safer than the previous generation.
Cheat Sheet
Avoid:
- 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL
- 2012-2014 Jeep Wrangler JK
- 2007-2008 Jeep Wrangler JK
- 1997-2000 Jeep Wrangler TJ
- 1987-1991 Jeep Wrangler YJ
Have Some Problems (OK, if It’s for the Right Price)
- 2009-2011 Jeep Wrangler JK
- 2005-2006 Jeep Wrangler TJ
- 2001-2002 Jeep Wrangler TJ
- 1992-1995 Jeep Wrangler YJ
Best Buys
- 2019-Present Jeep Wrangler JL
- 2015-2018 Jeep Wrangler JK
- 2003-2004 Jeep Wrangler TJ
Photos: Jeep