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2018 Jeep Wrangler
Common Problems

Ranked from 876 federal NHTSA complaints and 5 recalls. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.

2
Safety
5
High severity
5
Medium
2 problems on this vehicle involve a crash, fire, or injury risk. If you are experiencing one, stop driving and have it inspected.

12 Common Problems

Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.

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  1. 1

    Death Wobble at Highway Speeds

    743complaints
    Safety riskSteering

    The vehicle experiences violent shaking and loss of control when hitting bumps or driving over uneven surfaces at highway speeds.

    Related recall: 18V343000

  2. 2

    Steering Dampening System Failure

    46complaints
    High severitySteering

    The steering dampening system fails, causing violent shaking and loss of control at highway speeds or after hitting bumps.

    Related recall: 18V343000

  3. 3

    Power Steering Issues

    40complaints
    Medium severitySteering

    The power steering system intermittently fails, causing the steering wheel to become difficult to operate and the vehicle to become unresponsive.

    $200–$1,500est. power-steering / eps repair · 16 hrs labor
    Get local quotes

    Related recall: 18V343000

  4. 4

    Steering Issues - Death Wobble

    38complaints
    Safety riskSteering

    The steering becomes excessively loose and shakes violently at highway speeds, posing a significant safety hazard.

    Related recall: 18V343000

  5. 5

    Death Wobble

    28complaints
    High severitySteering

    The vehicle experiences violent vibrations and shaking at highway speeds, posing a significant safety risk.

    Related recall: 18V343000

  6. 6

    Engine Misfire and Stall

    20complaints
    High severityEngine

    The engine misfires and stalls, often due to issues with the fuel system or electrical components, affecting acceleration and overall vehicle performance.

    $200–$900est. ignition service (coils/plugs) · 14 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  7. 8

    Electrical System Malfunction

    5complaints
    Medium severityElectrical

    The electronic stop-start system fails, causing multiple warning lights and loss of power steering and other vehicle functions.

    Related recalls: 18V332000, 18V524000, 24V652000

  8. 9

    Transmission and Clutch Issues

    3complaints
    High severityTransmission

    The transmission and clutch system fail suddenly, causing the vehicle to become inoperable and requiring immediate towing.

    $200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 18 hrs labor
    Get local quotes

    Related recall: 18V280000

  9. 10

    ABS Module Failure

    2complaints
    High severityOther

    ABS module failure leading to loss of braking power and traction control, increasing the risk of accidents.

    $800–$2,000est. abs module replacement · 25 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  10. 11

    Battery Issues

    2complaints
    Medium severityOther

    Battery swelling and failure of the Battery Pack Control Module (BPCM), potentially causing the vehicle to become inoperable or pose a fire risk.

  11. 12

    CAN Bus Connector Failure

    2complaints
    Medium severityElectrical

    Faulty CAN bus connector causing intermittent engine stalls, power steering failure, and inability to start the vehicle.

    Related recalls: 18V332000, 18V524000, 24V652000

Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.

2018 Jeep Wrangler Problems & Recalls | WrenchConnect