There are 7 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2002 Jeep Wranglerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKET WAS DEFECTIVE, LEAKING, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 46,000.
VEHICLE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO 0, CHECK GAUGES LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OVER TO PARK AND RIDE LOT AND TURNED VEHICLE OFF ASSUMING LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. WAITED 15 MINUTES AND TRIED TO START IT AGAIN, WOULD NOT START. CHECKED OIL DIP STICK AND DISCOVERED ANTIFREEZE MIX, OPENED OIL CAP AND SAW COFFEE-COLORED MIX. DEALERSHIP I HAD IT TOWED TO AT THE TIME STATED AT CYLINDERS 3 & 4 HAD CRACKED, WAS NOT OWNERS FAULT AS THIS WAS A COMMON ISSUE WITH CYLINDERS HEADS WITH CASTING 0331. WOULD NOT REPAIR AS IT WAS NOT A MANUFACTURE RECALL. MEANWHILE VEHICLE IS INOPERABLE. I LOOKED UP THIS ISSUE AND IT I SEE OVER 500 RESPONSES FOR THE SAME VEHICLES 2000 YEAR AND UP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND SMOKED STARTED TO EMIT FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE BY LIFTING THE HOOD, IT ENGULFED INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT HER AT A LATER DATE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 173,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COOLING COMPONENT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD WAS FRACTURED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000.
MARCH 2009: WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH, HEAR A RATTLE NOISE, THEN THE SHIFT ON THE FLOOR SHAKES VIOLENTLY. PULL OVER, CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, TRAVEL HOME LESS THAN 50 MPH, FINE. FEW MORE TIMES, ON THE HIGHWAY, CAR DOES IT AGAIN. PUT IN FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER, CHANGE OIL, CLEAN ALL AROUND BATTERY. DOES NOT DO IT FOR A WEEK OR TWO THEN DOES IT AGAIN. TOLD TO REPLACE CAMSHAFT SENSOR & CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. DID AND RAN FINE NO ISSUES FOR TWO WEEKS. 4/13/09 AFTER SITTING AT A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT, PROCEEDED TO TURN RIGHT, ENGINE DIED. NO WARNING NO SOUND,NO DASH LIGHTS ON, WAITED A FEW MINUTES, STARTED UP & TRAVELED HOME. 4/15/09 AFTER SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHILE DRIVING FORWARD, CAR DIED, NO SOUND,CHUGGING, NO DASH LIGHTS WE WENT TO JEEP IN FORT MYERS FLORIDA. THEY SAID WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR OIL, ADD A FUEL ADDITIVE, INJECTOR CLEANER & CLEAN OUR BATTERY IN ADDITION TO REPLACE ONE OF THE SENSORS. ALL OF THIS WAS ALREADY DONE. IF THAT DOES NOT SOLVE THE ISSUE, THEN IT IS OUR IGNITION SWITCH. COST TO US FOR THIS DIAGNOSIS $110.19. 4/27/09 TOWED JEEP WITH RV TO MAINEWENT TO JEEP DEALER MACDONALD MOTORS BRIDGTON MAINE. 5/04/09 CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING TO THE APPOINTMENT, THIS TIME 45-50MPH. WANTED TO REPLACE CRANK SENSOR WITH A ?MOPAR? BRAND, EVEN THOUGH WE TOLD HIM IT WAS JUST DONE. ALSO WANTED TO COMPLETE COMBUSTION CHAMBER CLEANER FROM BULLETIN 09-003-03. DECLINED. COST $55.81 5/18/09 TOOK CAR INTO MACDONALDS MOTORS FOR BULLETIN 09-003-03 TO BE DONE & ASKED THEM TO CHECK GROUNDING MOUNTS. REC'D CALL THAT THEY PERFORMED FUEL SYSTEM CLEANING & NEED A NEW CRANK SENSOR. WE SPOKE TO THE MANAGER, BECAUSE THE WORK WE REQUESTED WAS NOT PERFORMED, AND OTHER ITEMS WERE. HE ASSURED US THE BULLETIN WOULD BE PERFORMED THE INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED, NO REPAIR WAS NEEDED AND THE GROUNDING MOUNTS WERE FINE AND THE COMPUTER NO LONGER TELLS THEM IT NEEDS A CRANK SENSOR. THIS VEHICLE HAS DIED THREE MORE TIMES SINCE THEIR REPAIRS. *TR
WHILE EXITING THE OFFRAMP FROM A HIGHWAY, I DOWNSHIFTED MY JEEP WRANGLER. THE CLUTCH WENT ON ME, AND I PROCEEDED TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY. BEFORE I COULD STOP THE VEHICLE, AN EXTREMELY QUICK FIRE ERUPTED FROM UNDER THE ENGINE, AND SPREAD TO THE CAB, COMPLETELY PLACING MYSELF AND GIRLFRIEND IN A LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION. WITHIN MINUTES, THE ENTIRE JEEP WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES, WITH US BARELY ESCAPING. HAVE HAD NO COOPERATION FROM THE DEALER, OR CHRYSLER. THE VEHICLE WAS IN PERFECT RUNNING CONDITION, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A MECHANICAL ERROR. CHRYSLER HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, TOLD ME THAT IT WASN'T THEIR FAULT, BUT HAS YET TO EXPLAIN WHAT ACTUALLY WAS THE CAUSE. *TR
CHRYSLER ORIGINALLY OFFERED TO REIMBURSE FERRY FARE REQUIRED TO TAKE CAR IN FOR A SAFETY RECALL. I HAVE SUBMITTED RECEIPTS AND CHRYSLER HAS NOW REFUSED TO MAKE THE REIMBURSEMENT. CHRYSLER'S REFERENCE CODE IS 11552946. *JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026