2016 Jeep WRANGLER

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2016 Jeep WRANGLER has 633 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 7.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is brakes problems (20% of all complaints), specifically: my jeep was bought brand new less than a month ago and when i take my foot off the brake or press the brakes there's a noise. its not the same noise that the car would make if the brakes where bad. i brought my car back to the dealer that i got it from and they said all jeeps do that which doesn't m. ⚠️ 22 fire reports filed.

22 fire reports 32 crash reports 40 injuries

633

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

7.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

BRAKES

126 complaints

20%

• MY JEEP WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW LESS THAN A MONTH AGO AND WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE OR PRESS THE BRAKES THERE'S A NOISE. ITS NOT THE SAME NOISE THAT THE CAR WOULD MAKE IF THE BRAKES WHERE BAD. I BROUGHT MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER THAT I GOT IT FROM AND THEY SAID ALL JEEPS DO THAT WHICH DOESN'T M
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND, UPON RELEASE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, IT ALSO FAILED TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 SECONDS. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS RELEASED,
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. T

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“MY JEEP WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW LESS THAN A MONTH AGO AND WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE OR PRESS THE BRAKES THERE'S A NOISE. ITS NOT THE SAME NOISE THAT THE CAR WOULD MAKE IF THE BRAKES WHERE BAD. I BROUGHT MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER THAT I GOT IT FROM AND THEY SAID ALL JEEPS DO THAT WHICH DOESN'T M”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

92 complaints

15%

• I HAVE A 2016 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED WITH 20,000 MILES., TODAY I WAS GOING UP A HILL STOPPED AT A MAILBOX THEN STARTED TO TAKE OFF AND THE MOTOR STALLED WHILE IN DRIVE. IT CASED ME TO ROLL BACK ABOUT 3' BEFOR I COULD HIT THE BRAKE ALMOST CAUSED A ACCIDENT. I THEN RESTARTED THE JEEP PLACED IT BACK I
• I HAVE A 2016 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED WITH 20,000 MILES., TODAY I WAS GOING UP A HILL STOPPED AT A MAILBOX THEN STARTED TO TAKE OFF AND THE MOTOR STALLED WHILE IN DRIVE. IT CASED ME TO ROLL BACK ABOUT 3' BEFOR I COULD HIT THE BRAKE ALMOST CAUSED A ACCIDENT. I THEN RESTARTED THE JEEP PLACED IT BACK I
• MY SON CAME HOME FROM SCHOOL TO GET HIS WALLET TO GO FILL UP HIS JEEP WHEN HE CAME OUT BACK OUTSIDE THE FRONT OF HIS JEEP WAS SMOKING, WHEN HE OPENED THE HOOD HE FOUND THE RADIATOR FAN ON FIRE. HE QUICKLY RAN AND GOT THE HOSE AND PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT IT CONTINUED TO SMOKE FOR ABOUT 5 MINS. THE JEEP

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 5 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“I HAVE A 2016 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED WITH 20,000 MILES., TODAY I WAS GOING UP A HILL STOPPED AT A MAILBOX THEN STARTED TO TAKE OFF AND THE MOTOR STALLED WHILE IN DRIVE. IT CASED ME TO ROLL BACK ABOUT 3' BEFOR I COULD HIT THE BRAKE ALMOST CAUSED A ACCIDENT. I THEN RESTARTED THE JEEP PLACED IT BACK I”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

77 complaints

12%

• THIS VEHICLE HAS A POSSIBLE AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING MALFUNCTION..THIS IS A SERIOUS THING BUT THIS IS A 2016 MODEL....NOW WE TRADED IN S 2011 WRANGLER THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. 5 YEARS LATER AND STILL NOT FIXED SO I NEED AN ANSWER... THE CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED ON THE 2011 ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO BUT B
• OUR 2 WEEK OLD 2016 JEEP WRANGLER WILLYS WAS IN A SOLO COLLISION IN JULY 2016. MY PARTNER HIT WATER, HYDROPLANED, AND THEN HIT A GUARDRAIL WITH THE FRONT END AT 50+ MPH ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY. SHE WENT AIRBORNE, FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SEATS CAME OUT AND ROLL BARS FA
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 40 MPH, THE CONTACT VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 20 crashes

“THIS VEHICLE HAS A POSSIBLE AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING MALFUNCTION..THIS IS A SERIOUS THING BUT THIS IS A 2016 MODEL....NOW WE TRADED IN S 2011 WRANGLER THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. 5 YEARS LATER AND STILL NOT FIXED SO I NEED AN ANSWER... THE CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED ON THE 2011 ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO BUT B”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

72 complaints

11%

• I HAVE A 2016 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED WITH 20,000 MILES., TODAY I WAS GOING UP A HILL STOPPED AT A MAILBOX THEN STARTED TO TAKE OFF AND THE MOTOR STALLED WHILE IN DRIVE. IT CASED ME TO ROLL BACK ABOUT 3' BEFOR I COULD HIT THE BRAKE ALMOST CAUSED A ACCIDENT. I THEN RESTARTED THE JEEP PLACED IT BACK I
• I HAVE A 2016 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED WITH 20,000 MILES., TODAY I WAS GOING UP A HILL STOPPED AT A MAILBOX THEN STARTED TO TAKE OFF AND THE MOTOR STALLED WHILE IN DRIVE. IT CASED ME TO ROLL BACK ABOUT 3' BEFOR I COULD HIT THE BRAKE ALMOST CAUSED A ACCIDENT. I THEN RESTARTED THE JEEP PLACED IT BACK I
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AT 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME STUCK IN LOW GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

56 complaints

• I HAVE A 2016 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED WITH 20,000 MILES., TODAY I WAS GOING UP A HILL STOPPED AT A MAILBOX THEN STARTED TO TAKE OFF AND THE MOTOR STALLED WHILE IN DRIVE. IT CASED ME TO ROLL BACK ABOUT 3' BEFOR I COULD HIT THE BRAKE ALMOST CAUSED A ACCIDENT. I THEN RESTARTED THE JEEP PLACED IT BACK I
• ROOF LEAKS EVERY TIME IT RAINS REAL HARD MY FLOOR BOARD FEELS UP WITH WATER FROM THE HARD TOP LETTING WATER LEAK IN.
• ROOF LEAKS AND SOAKS CARPET ON PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR EVERYTIME IT IS PARKED IN THE RAIN OR SNOW AND CAUSES WINDOWS TO FOG UP BECAUSE OF MOISTURE IN THE COCKPIT AND CREATES A SAFETY PROBLEM NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE IN OUR COLD WISCONSIN CLIMATE , VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALER TWICE NOW FOR THAT PROBLEM AND

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 8 fire reports💥 3 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 633 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
BRAKES: MY JEEP WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW LESS THAN A MONTH AGO AND WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE OR PRESS THE BRAKES THERE'S A NOISE. ITS NOT THE SAME NOISE THAT THE CAR WOULD MAKE IF THE BRAKES WHERE BAD. I BROUGHT MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER THAT I GOT IT FROM AND THEY SAID ALL JEEPS DO THAT WHICH DOESN'T M
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: I HAVE A 2016 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED WITH 20,000 MILES., TODAY I WAS GOING UP A HILL STOPPED AT A MAILBOX THEN STARTED TO TAKE OFF AND THE MOTOR STALLED WHILE IN DRIVE. IT CASED ME TO ROLL BACK ABOUT 3' BEFOR I COULD HIT THE BRAKE ALMOST CAUSED A ACCIDENT. I THEN RESTARTED THE JEEP PLACED IT BACK I
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: THIS VEHICLE HAS A POSSIBLE AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING MALFUNCTION..THIS IS A SERIOUS THING BUT THIS IS A 2016 MODEL....NOW WE TRADED IN S 2011 WRANGLER THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. 5 YEARS LATER AND STILL NOT FIXED SO I NEED AN ANSWER... THE CLOCK SPRING WAS REPLACED ON THE 2011 ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO BUT B
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: I HAVE A 2016 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED WITH 20,000 MILES., TODAY I WAS GOING UP A HILL STOPPED AT A MAILBOX THEN STARTED TO TAKE OFF AND THE MOTOR STALLED WHILE IN DRIVE. IT CASED ME TO ROLL BACK ABOUT 3' BEFOR I COULD HIT THE BRAKE ALMOST CAUSED A ACCIDENT. I THEN RESTARTED THE JEEP PLACED IT BACK I
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)