There are 16 owner-reported body & structure complaints for the 2002 Jeep Wranglerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
EXCESSIVE FRAME ROT DUE TO POOR DESIGN BY MANUFACTURER.
THE MAIN RIGHT SIDE FRAME SUPPORT FOR THE CENTERLINE SKID PLATE/TRANSMISSION RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THIS RESULTED IN ALMOST DROPPING THE SKID PLATE AND TRANSMISSION WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. I WOULD DEARLY LOVE TO KNOW WHY JEEP SOLD VEHICLES THAT BEGIN RUSTING WHERE IT CAN'T BE FOUND UNTIL CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE OCCURS.
FOUND DURING VEHICLE INSPECTION FOR OTHER REPAIRS. CALLED CHRYSLER AND WAS TOLD THAT VEHICLE HAD TO BE TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS GIVEN CASE# 31813048 DEALER INSPECTED (SEE FILE BELOW) ON 7-10-17 CALLED CHRYSLER 800-992-1997 AND SPOKE WITH BRI, SHE SAID THAT THERE IS NO COVERAGE AVAILABLE THROUGH CHRYSLER. I FIND WITH MILEAGE AND KNOWING THAT I KEEP MY CAR INSIDE DURING WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HAVE MAINTAINED VEHICLE AS PER CHRYSLER THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUBFRAME OF THE VEHICLE SHOWED SEVERE RUST FROM THE FRONT TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE LEAF SPRING ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SUBFRAME ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE SHOWED A 60% FRACTURE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
DUE TO A POOR DESIGN OF SIDE HOLES BUT NO BOTTOM DRAIN HOLES, WATER AND DIRT, ETC COLLECTED INSIDE THE REAR FRAME SECTION AND RUSTED IT FROM THE INSIDE OUT.
"RUSTED FRAME" I BOUGHT A 2002 JEEP WRANGLER AND THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FRAME IN THE MIDDLE WHERE THE SKID PLATE BOLTS IN TO THE FRAME IS RUSTED OUT PRETTY BAD AND I HAVE A CAUSE FOR CONCERN FOR SAFETY. WELL I DIDN'T FIND THIS PROBLEM BUT I THOUGHT THE UNIVERSAL JOINT WAS CAUSING MY BAD SHAKE WHEN I PULLED THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT OUT I NOTICED THAT PROBLEM. ITS A 14 YEAR OLD VEHICLE BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE FRAME SHOULD BE RUSTED LIKE THIS. PLEASE FIX MY PROBLEM.. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN MY DRIVEWAY
FRAME IS RUSTING AWAY FROM INSIDE OUT, HOLES ARE STARTING TO APPEAR AROUND FRONT MOST DRIVER SIDE BODY MOUNT. RUST CHUNKS CAN BE SEEN AND REMOVED THRU HOLE WITHIN THE FRAME. 12 YEAR OLD VEHICLE IS TOO SOON TO HAVE A FRAME RUSTING OUT. CHRYSLER SHOULD DO AS TOYOTA HAS DONE WITH THEIR FRAME RUST ISSUE OF THE NORTH EAST USA AS WELL AS FOR ALL JEEP OWNERS THAT ROAD SALT HAS AFFECTED THE INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLES FRAME AND BODY WAY TOO SOON. *TR
THE FRAME IS DEVELOPING SEVERE RUSTING PREMATURELY AS COMPARATIVE TO OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS AGE OF MANUFACUTURE, MILEAGE, DRIVING CONDITIONS AND LOCATION OF OPERATION. *TR
FRAME RUST MAINLY INTERNAL WITH FRAME FAILURE ALONG TRANSMISSION MOUNT ON BOTH DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SIDE. *TR
I PURCHASED THE JEEP 6/04. I PURCHASED IT FOR TRANSPORTATION BACK AND FORTH TO WORK. IT WAS NEVER USED OFF ROAD. IT ONLY HAS APPROX 81000 MILES AND THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED FROM APPROX. THE BACK OF THE FRONT TIRES TO THE FRONT OF THE REAR TIRE. THERE MAY BE MORE BUT WE HAVE TO COMPLETELY STRIP DOWN VEHICLE TO ESTABLISH IF THERE IS MORE DAMAGE. ITS SO BAD THAT YOU CAN PUT A SCREW DRIVER THROUGH AND THROUGH THE FRAME AND THE TRANSMISSION AND THE TRAY IS DISCONNECTED FROM FRAME TO FRAME AND IS COMPLETELY HANGING. SCARE TO DRIVE IT. JEEP MAY FOLD CRUMBLE IN HALF. THIS I DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. IF I DIDN'T SEE ALL THE RUST ON THE DRIVEWAY I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING AND GOD ONLY KNOW IF THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A FATALITY. WITH THE JEEP ONLY BEING 11 YEARS AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AND THERE IS NO WARRANTY ON THIS THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND. SO SAD WITH OUT MY JEEP!!!! *TR
TAKATA RECALL- DRIVING DOWN A DARK COUNTY ROAD- LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND WENT OFF ROAD AND HIT A TREE- UPON IMPACT THE JEEP BURST INTO FLAMES- THE DRIVER WAS PULLED OUT BECAUSE SHE WAS TRAPPED INSIDE THE BURNING JEEP- THE JEEP WAS TOTALED DUE TO THE FIRE
THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE FRAME WAS FAULTY FROM THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE WHERE WATER AND DIRT CAN ENTER THE FRAME BUT NO WAY TO EXIT THEREFORE BECOMING TRAPPED TO ALLOW RUST TO FORM FROM THE INSIDE OF FRAME. THIS NOT ONLY PROMOTES BUT ALLOWS THE LIFE OF THE FRAME TO BECOME DANGEROUSLY WEAK AND IF IN A ACCIDENT NOT TO WITH STAND A IMPACT AND CREATE A SITUATION WHERE LIFE OR HARM TO PERSONS INCREASE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WATERMARK CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (LOCATED AT 1055 CROSSING PL, MADISONVILLE, KY 42431, (270) 875-4432), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
WATER LEAKS INTO FRONT PASSENGER SIDE COMPARTMENT FROM AIR CONDITIONER DRAIN HOLE IN FIREWALL. WATER SOAKS FRONT CARPET, AND THE DRAIN PLUG IN FLOOR MUST BE REMOVED TO ALLOW WATER TO DRAIN OUT OF VEHICLE. APPEARS FOAM SURROUNDING DRAIN HAS FAILED ALLOWING THE WATER INTO THE VEHICLE.*AK
PAINT IS FLAKING OF ON FENDER, HOOD, DOOR, AND REAR DOOR.*AK
FRONT/REAR FENDERS AND FRONT AND REAR BUMPERS ARE FADING BADLY. DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY.*AK
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