repaired · 2021 Q2
Front: anchorage
Risk. A separated or severed seat belt buckle strap will result in an inoperable seat belt, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
2011 Jeep WranglerProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 486 owner complaints about the 2011 Jeep Wrangler, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 10 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-352 the manufacturer reports only 34% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 7, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2011 Jeep Wrangler has problems
486 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
146Air bags4 crash/fire/injury
88Fuel/propulsion system5 crash/fire/injury
84Electrical system10 crash/fire/injury
58Steering5 crash/fire/injury
40Power train4 crash/fire/injury
39Suspension
36Engine
28Structure
26Service brakes
10514 other systems8 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 146 | 4 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 88 | 5 |
| Electrical system | 84 | 10 |
| Steering | 58 | 5 |
| Power train | 40 | 4 |
| Suspension | 39 | 0 |
| Engine | 36 | 8 |
| Structure | 28 | 5 |
| Service brakes | 26 | 4 |
| 14 other systems | 105 | 8 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
10 recalls
2011 Jeep Wrangler recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2020 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Do not driveRisk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle…
repaired · 2019 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Do not driveRisk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2018 Q3
Passenger side: inflator module
Do not driveRisk. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or…
Show 6 more recalls
repaired · 2017 Q4
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. Failure of the air bag circuit may prevent the driver's frontal air bag from deploying in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
repaired · 2016 Q2
Electrical system
Risk. An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
no report yet
Air bags
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating airbag deployment, a broken electrical circuit in the airbag clockspring wiring assembly can lead to non-deployment of…
no report yet
Air bags: frontal
Risk. A BROKEN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT IN THE AIRBAG CLOCKSPRING WIRING ASSEMBLY CAN LEAD TO NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER FRONTAL AIRBAG AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY…
no report yet
Steering: column
Risk. A MISSING OR INCORRECTLY INSTALLED RIVET COULD COMPROMISE THE ABILITY OF THE STEERING COLUMN TO SUPPORT THE OCCUPANT LOADS IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL CRASH,…
no report yet
Power train: axle assembly
Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN NOISE, OR ULTIMATELY, DEGRADATION IN STEERING AND HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE…
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Jeep.
Mileage at failure
When do air bags problems start?
78kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 95 air bags complaints. 76% were reported before 100,000 miles.
11under 30k miles72under 100k miles23100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Air bags
8 owners mentioned a cost$500median
Middle half: $500 – $653
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2011 vs. every other Wrangler year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Wrangler median. How we score
3850627976771081512022401265213251170108981926507305588733726864868376576584814643121,8297496199624143777607512
'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2011 Jeep Wrangler safety ratings
2011 Jeep Wrangler SUV 4WD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Rollover: 3 stars (27.9% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
6 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2011 Jeep Wrangler, and the recalls they led to.
- Totally Integrated Power Module FailureNo recall
- Air Bag Clockspring Wiring FailureLed to recall 16V-288
- Electrical overstressLed to recall 20V-024
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
- Air Bag Clockspring Wiring FailureNo recall
- Seat belt buckle bracket failureLed to recall 19V-680
In owners' words
What Wrangler owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding multiple safety-related issues with my 2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara. My vehicle is experiencing ABS and airbag warning lights, along with an illuminated BRAKE warning light on the dashboard. In addition, the emergency/parking brake is not…
The contact owns a 2011 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the clock spring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The…
When braking since these lights are on it will cause issue with the brakes themselves as if they don’t want to brake fully. Now I’m a 32 year old man and am aware of making sure your brakes are good and fully functioning. I’ve noticed also the steering when slowing down too from this. Nothing…
Own a 2011 Wrangler?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.