← New search

1999 Jeep Wrangler

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1999 Jeep Wrangler do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 265.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

108 reports with mileage · 105 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

15 crash reports6 fire reports9 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

22 reports
Clear category filter
146,331 miles · May 2, 2013
Air BagsElectrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

I WAS DRIVING AN OLD WASHED OUT AND BUMPY MOUNTAIN ROAD. DUE TO THE BUMPS, I COULD NOT GO MUCH FASTER THAN 15MPH. THE ROAD/GROUND WAS WET AND SLIPPERY SO I WAS IN 4HI. AFTER GOING DOWN THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND GOING AROUND A TURN, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. AS I TURNED THE WHEEL IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, TO GO AROUND A …

Read full complaint

I WAS DRIVING AN OLD WASHED OUT AND BUMPY MOUNTAIN ROAD. DUE TO THE BUMPS, I COULD NOT GO MUCH FASTER THAN 15MPH. THE ROAD/GROUND WAS WET AND SLIPPERY SO I WAS IN 4HI. AFTER GOING DOWN THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND GOING AROUND A TURN, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. AS I TURNED THE WHEEL IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, TO GO AROUND A LARGE DOWNED TREE, IT MOMENTARILY SHUT OFF, THEN RETURNED TO ON. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE JEEP OFF AND CHECKED THE AIRBAG FUSES. BOTH ARE GOOD. PUZZLED AND RATHER NERVOUS THAT THE AIRBAG MIGHT GO OFF IN MY FACE, I TURNED AROUND TO GO BACK TO THE MAIN ROAD. AFTER NERVOUSLY DRIVING A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD, I RETURNED THE JEEP TO THE SPEED LIMIT AND ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE MY CRUISE CONTROL BUT, THE LIGHT WOULDN'T TURN ON. I TRIED ALL THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS TO NO AVAIL. PULLED OVER AND CHECKED THE FUSEBOX AGAIN FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL FUSE BUT, I COULDN'T FIND ONE ANYWHERE. AFTER DRIVING ANOTHER 100 MILES HOME, I LET MY SISTER'S FIANCE, WHO'S A MECHANIC, CHECK IT WITH HIS SCAN TOOL. ACCORDING TO HIS SCAN TOOL, THE CLOCKSPRING HAS MALFUNCTIONED. AFTER DOING A FEW GOOGLE SEARCHES, IT'S APPARENT THAT THE COST TO HAVE THIS FIXED IS VERY HIGH. THE PART ITSELF IS OVER $200 AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BY A MECHANIC! LABOR IS GOING TO BE AT LEAST ANOTHER $200 BASED ON HOW MUCH TIME IT WILL TAKE AND THE FACT THAT IT WILL MORE THAN LIKELY HAVE TO BE DONE AT A DEALERSHIP. SHOULDN'T THIS BE A LIFETIME PART? WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THIS FIXED IF IT'S A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE? ANY RESPONSE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED AS I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO HAVE THIS FIXED AND I'M RATHER NERVOUS TO DRIVE IT NOW. WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF THE AIRBAG GOING OFF?[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10510341

243,000 miles · Aug 16, 2011
Air BagsElectrical System

AIRBAG CONTROL MODULE FAILS. CAUSES GAUGES IN DASHBOARD NOT TO WORK PROPERLY. GAUGES WILL NOT READ OIL PRESSURE, SPEED, ETC. AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10419688

15,000 miles · Dec 22, 2007
Air Bags

INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL CONNECTION AT PASSENGER AIRBAG OVERRIDE SWITCH SOMETIMES CAUSES RED SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. HITTING THE CENTER CONSOLE NEAR THE OVERRIDE SWITCH CAUSES THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER TO GO OUT. THIS IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE LIGHT NEXT TO THE OVE…

Read full complaint

INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL CONNECTION AT PASSENGER AIRBAG OVERRIDE SWITCH SOMETIMES CAUSES RED SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. HITTING THE CENTER CONSOLE NEAR THE OVERRIDE SWITCH CAUSES THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER TO GO OUT. THIS IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE LIGHT NEXT TO THE OVERRIDE SWITCH THAT SAYS "OFF". THIS LIGHT FUNCTIONS NORMALLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10212585

85,000 miles · Apr 12, 2007
Air Bags

DRIVER'S AIRBAG AND HORN FAIL TO OPERATE DUE TO DEFECTIVE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY. CHRYSLER RECALLED THIS CLOCKSPRING FOR SEVERAL MAKE/MODELS BUT DIDN'T INCLUDE THE 1999 JEEP WRANGLER TJ. SEE RECALL #04V480000. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10187729

Mileage unknown · Apr 10, 2006
Air Bags

AT ANY SPEED MY RED AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND KNOCKS OUT THE WHOLE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. PREVIOUS TWO TIMES THE JEEP WRANGLER 1999 WAS TAKEN TO DEALER AND APPARENTLY 'FIXED.' *NM

NHTSA ODI #10155003

69,500 miles · Jan 23, 2006
Air BagsElectrical SystemPower Train

1999 JEEP WRANGLER HAD MULTIPLE REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURES BEFORE 70K MILES. *TS *** NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** THE ORIGINAL DRIVE TRAIN WAS REBUILT USING ORIGINAL MOPAR PARTS. THE DRIVE TRAIN FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME AT 69000 MILE AFTER ONLY 11000 MILES OF USE. THIS TIME THE DEALER REFUSES TO PROVIDE ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. …

Read full complaint

1999 JEEP WRANGLER HAD MULTIPLE REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURES BEFORE 70K MILES. *TS *** NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** THE ORIGINAL DRIVE TRAIN WAS REBUILT USING ORIGINAL MOPAR PARTS. THE DRIVE TRAIN FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME AT 69000 MILE AFTER ONLY 11000 MILES OF USE. THIS TIME THE DEALER REFUSES TO PROVIDE ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD OTHER FAILURES WHICH INCLUDE WATER LEAKS, DRIVE TRAIN SEALS FAILURE, ELECTRICAL FAILURES, MULTIPLE ABS FAILURES, AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT PROBLEMS, AND THE PAINT WAS PEELING OFF THE VEHICLE. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10148712

62,400 miles · Nov 11, 2004
Air Bags

RED AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IN GAUGE CLUSTER COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. STARTED WHEN VEHICLE WAS APPROX 2 YEARS OLD. CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. NOW OUT OF WARRANTY, AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON INTERMITTENTLY AGAIN. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10098691

52,000 miles · Oct 4, 2004
Air Bags

AS PER SERVERAL SERVICE BULLETINS ALREADY SUBMITTED, MY 1999 JEEP WRANGLER WAS PURCHASED EARLY IN 2000 WITH 30,000 MILES ON IT. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND ALL OTHER GAUGES STOP WORKING. THE DEALERSHIP ALREADY DID A REPAIR ON THE PART AND IT WORKED OKAY FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND SINCE THEN, 20,000 + MILES L…

Read full complaint

AS PER SERVERAL SERVICE BULLETINS ALREADY SUBMITTED, MY 1999 JEEP WRANGLER WAS PURCHASED EARLY IN 2000 WITH 30,000 MILES ON IT. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND ALL OTHER GAUGES STOP WORKING. THE DEALERSHIP ALREADY DID A REPAIR ON THE PART AND IT WORKED OKAY FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND SINCE THEN, 20,000 + MILES LATER IT CONTINUES TO DO THE SAME THING AGAIN. I AM NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND HAVE NOT YET CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THE REPAIR DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. IT STILL OCCURS ERRATICALLY, BUT ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS OVER 1 YEAR AFTER THE REPAIR WAS DONE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10093550

Mileage unknown · Jul 26, 2004
Air BagsEngine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AIR BAG LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD . THIS CAUSED THE SPEEDOMETER TO FAIL. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT HOME. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT THE DEALER IN THE NEAR FUTURE. *AK *LA

NHTSA ODI #10079825

Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 2004
Air BagsElectrical System

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH DASHBOARD INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ALSO, AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH OTHER INDICATOR LIGHTS FOLLOWED BY THE VEHICLE SHUTTING OFF. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT DASH CLUSTER CAME APART.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10064698

Official recalls

1

99V117000 · Unknown Or Other

May 6, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE LEFT SIDE AND RIGHT SIDE INSTRUMENT PANEL WIRING GROUND ATTACHMENT SCREWS COULD LOOSEN OVER TIME.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE LEFT SIDE SCREW LOOSENS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES MAY NOT FUNCTION WHEN THE HEADLAMPS ARE TURNED ON. IF THE RIGHT SIDE SCREW LOOSENS, THE DEFROSTER BLOWER MOTOR MAY NOT FUNCTION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE GROUND SCREWS, DRILL A NEW PILOT HOLE ADJACENT TO THE ORIGINAL HOLE, AND THE SCREWS WILL BE REINSTALLED IN THE NEW HOLES.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

RQ99011 · Instrument Panel Ground Screw

Opened Jun 1, 1999 · Closed May 30, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WIRING GROUND ATTACHMENT SCREWS CAN LOOSEN

Go deeper into Jeep Wrangler problems