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.
2012 Jeep WranglerProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 837 owner complaints about the 2012 Jeep Wrangler, most often about the power train. It is covered by 9 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 1, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2012 Jeep Wrangler has problems
837 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
282Power train5 crash/fire/injury
204Steering4 crash/fire/injury
173Engine12 crash/fire/injury
148Electrical system11 crash/fire/injury
128Air bags11 crash/fire/injury
47Service brakes
42Fuel/propulsion system
30Structure
30Electronic stability control (ESC)
15218 other systems11 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 282 | 5 |
| Steering | 204 | 4 |
| Engine | 173 | 12 |
| Electrical system | 148 | 11 |
| Air bags | 128 | 11 |
| Service brakes | 47 | 6 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 42 | 3 |
| Structure | 30 | 8 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 30 | 2 |
| 18 other systems | 152 | 11 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
9 recalls
2012 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 5 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
Automatic transmission: cooling unit and lines
Risk. A loss of transmission fluid may result in a loss of transmission function which may increase the risk of a crash.
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…
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 power train problems start?
19kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 90 power train complaints. 99% were reported before 100,000 miles.
62under 30k miles89under 100k miles1100k 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.
Electrical system
9 owners mentioned a cost$1,000median
Middle half: $950 – $1,200
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
2012 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
2012 Jeep Wrangler safety ratings
2012 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 2012 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 power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
My Oil pump and oil sensor keep going out every 4,000 miles. I have already had to replace it once. I don’t want to have to do it again. Clearly something is causing this issue.
Report from diagnostic service 1-9-2023 cylinder head - has premature failure of valve guides and cylinder head replacement is required for repair. Yes, Jeep extended the warranty but if your vehicle did not show problems they would not fix it, but they did learn and knew at the point the…
Engine Stalls Randomly while Driving. Will crank over several times and over approx 10-15 min. of cranking(Say every 3-5min) vehicle will and will restart. No check engine lights and no warning. The loss of power can be dangerous since brake and steering assist require engine to be running. Vehicle…
Own a 2012 Wrangler?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.