Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Jeep Wrangler, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train282
- Steering204
- Engine172
- Electrical system148
- Air bags128
- Unknown or other52
- Service brakes47
- Fuel/propulsion system42
- Visibility/wiper30
- Electronic stability control (esc)30
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 22 injuries and 2 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 93 2012 Wrangler vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 41 people died inside them, and 41 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2012 Jeep Wrangler failed the safety check 1.92% of the time — 24% less often than the average 2012 passenger car (2.52%). Median odometer at inspection: 102,310 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2012
6,991 new Jeep Wrangler cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2012; the largest markets were Germany (2,054), France (1,646), Italy (1,455).
- Average mass
- 2,015 kg
- Average power
- 142 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 94% · Petrol 5.7%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Engines
The most common engines in 2012 Jeep Wrangler cars on Dutch roads are the 3.6 petrol (209 kW, 280 hp) and 2.8 diesel (147 kW, 197 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 3.6 petrol | 209 kW 280 hp | 75 |
| 2.8 diesel | 147 kW 197 hp | 34 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
132 first registered in 2012 are on Dutch roads; 89% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €70,875.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde81
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm77
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld52
- Waarschuwingsinrichting controlesysteem bandenspanning geeft39
- Fusee(kogel) te veel speling29
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt28
- Zijrichtingaanwijzer(s) werkt niet (goed)24
- Mistachterlicht werkt niet (goed)19
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
144 cars built in 2012 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 28 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 107 of these cars first registered in 2012 took their annual MOT test. 64% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2012 the figure was 66%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2012 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 23.4% | 14.3% |
| Brakes | 14.0% | 7.7% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.6% | 3.2% |
| Suspension | 3.7% | 12.2% |
| Visibility | 2.8% | 5.0% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 1.9% | 0.9% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In New Zealand
116 2012 cars are on the New Zealand register; 48% arrived as used imports, 50% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 variant; not yet fully rated. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Jeep Wrangler SUV 4WD | — | 27.9 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
- Best overall rating
- —
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 12.8–13.4 L/100 km (about 18 mpg US), CO₂ 294–308 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wrangler 4X4 · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 14.2 | 11.2 | 12.8 |
| Wrangler 4X4 · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 14.3 | 11.0 | 12.8 |
| Wrangler 4X4 Unlimited · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 15.0 | 11.3 | 13.3 |
| Wrangler 4X4 Unlimited · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 14.8 | 11.8 | 13.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler.
| 2016265 27 May 2016 | Airbag On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, could eventually degrade the propella… |
| 2014447 9 Oct 2014 | Electrical On certain vehicles equipped with power heated mirrors, an electrical connector within the door may corrode, potentially resulting in an electrical short. This … |
| 2013197 7 Jun 2013 | Steering On certain vehicles, the power steering return line may wear against the automatic transmission oil cooler line, causing a transmission fluid leak. This would r… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2018 Jeep Wrangler right hand drive vehicles. The driver's seat belt buckle mounting strap may fracture and separate from the seat frame.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2010 Dodge Ram 3500, Ram 4500/5500, 2010-2011 Dodge Dakota, 2010-2014 Dodge Challenger, 2010-2015 Dodge Challenger, Chrysler 300, and 2010-2016 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger vehicles, and 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Chrysler is recalling certain 2009-2010 RAM 4500 Cab Chassis, RAM 5500 Cab Chassis, RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Dakota, Dodge Challenger, and Dodge Charger vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Chrysler is also recalling certain 2009 RAM 3500, RAM 2500, RAM 4500 Cab Chassis, RAM 5500 Cab Chassis, Dodge Durango, Chrysler Aspen, RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Dakota, Dodge Challenger, and Dodge Charger vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2010 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2010 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2009 Dodge Durango, 2007-2009 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2012 Jeep Wrangler, 2008-2012 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2012 Chrysler 300, 2006-2012 Dodge Charger, 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Chrysler is also recalling 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2009 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2009 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2009 Dodge Durango, 2007-2009 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2009 Jeep Wrangler, 2008-2009 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2009 Chrysler 300, 2006-2009 Dodge Charger, 2005-2009 Dodge Dakota and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in AZ, AR, DE, Washington D.C., IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV, or "Zone B." Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Chrysler is recalling certain 2005-2008 RAM 2500, 2006-2008 RAM 3500, 2007-2008 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2008 Dodge Durango, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2008 Jeep Wrangler, 2008 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2008 Chrysler 300, 2006-2008 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2008 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or registered, in AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Right Hand Drive Jeep Wrangler vehicles manufactured February 16, 2010, to May 2, 2016. The clockspring assembly may become contaminated with dust and cause the air bag circuit to fail.
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Jeep Wrangler vehicles manufactured February 16, 2010, to July 19, 2013. Corrosion in the exterior heated power mirror electrical connector may result in an electrical short.
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Jeep Wrangler vehicles equipped with a 3.6L engine and an automatic transmission and manufactured January 23, 2011, through February 23, 2013. The power steering line may contact and wear a hole in the transmission oil cooler line resulting in a loss of transmission fluid.
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Jeep Wrangler right-hand drive vehicles manufactured February 1, 2007, through October 10, 2011. The affected vehicles have airbag clockspring assemblies that could experience broken airbag circuits.
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2012 RIGHT HAND DRIVE (RHD) JEEP WRANGLER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 1, 2007, THROUGH OCTOBER 10, 2011. SOME VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH DRIVER'S AIRBAG CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLIES THAT COULD EXPERIENCE A COMPROMISED AIRBAG CIRCUIT RESULTING IN AN AIRBAG LAMP ILLUMINATION, WHICH INDICATES THAT THE AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Jeep told its dealers about the 2012 Jeep Wrangler: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11010205 | Plate - Planetary |
| 11008246 | BOW - FOLDING TOP |
| 10248517 | LIFTER, Hydraulic Roller Deactivating Please do not replace MDS lifters because the disconnecting pin is not lined up, this is normal and not a defect. |
| 10248509 | Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service Library that is causing the incorrect repair kit part number to populate. Please use the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website until this issue is resolved. |
| 10247906 | ADAPTER, Engine Oil Filter (Pentastar V6) For all 2014MY replace the Oil Filter Adapter (OFA). For any other MY review and follow instructions from the latest STAR Online S1809000007 available on Dealer Connect. Also, consider the following: 1) Remove OFA 2) Replace only the oil inlet O-ring and gaskets (seals kit in SOL above). 3) Re-install the OFA. For 2023MY and beyond use black O-ring. For 2022MY and prior use red O-ring. Note: When replacing OFA, it may be necessary to transfer the Oil Temp/Pressure Sensor from the old OFA to the new OFA. |
| 10247905 | ADAPTER, Engine Oil Filter (Pentastar V6) For all 2014MY replace the Oil Filter Adapter (OFA). For any other MY (with mileage above 30,000) review and follow instructions from STAR Online S1809000007 REV. C available on Dealer Connect. Also, consider the following: 1) Remove OFA 2) Replace only the oil inlet O-ring and gaskets (seals kit in SOL above). 3) Re-install the OFA. For 2023MY and beyond use black O-ring. For 2022MY and prior use red O-ring. Note: When replacing OFA, it may be necessary to transfer the Oil Temp/Pressure Sensor from the old OFA to the new OFA. |
| 10244356 | LIFTER, Hydraulic Roller Deactivating Please do not replace MDS lifters because the disconnecting pin is not lined up, this is normal and not a defect. |
| 10244348 | Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service Library that is causing the incorrect repair kit part number to populate. Please use the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website until this issue is resolved. |
| 10242717 | Lubrication and Maintenance Fluids If MOPAR fluids and chemicals are not readily available, please review Service Library for specifications so a suitable alternative can be used |
| 10236933 | wiTECH Small Leak Verification Test (SLVT) - P0456-EVAP SYSTEM SMALL LEAK |
| 10234379 | ADAPTER, Engine Oil Filter (Pentastar V6) For all 2014MY replace the Oil Filter Adapter (OFA). For any other MY review and follow instructions from the latest STAR Online S1809000007 available on Dealer Connect. Also, consider the following: 1) Remove OFA 2) Replace only the oil inlet O-ring and gaskets (seals kit in SOL above). 3) Re-install the OFA. For 2023MY and beyond use black O-ring. For 2022MY and prior use red O-ring. Note: When replacing OFA, it may be necessary to transfer the Oil Temp/Pressure Sensor from the old OFA to the new OFA. |
| 10234378 | ADAPTER, Engine Oil Filter (Pentastar V6) For all 2014MY replace the Oil Filter Adapter (OFA). For any other MY (with mileage above 30,000) review and follow instructions from STAR Online S1809000007 REV. C available on Dealer Connect. Also, consider the following: 1) Remove OFA 2) Replace only the oil inlet O-ring and gaskets (seals kit in SOL above). 3) Re-install the OFA. For 2023MY and beyond use black O-ring. For 2022MY and prior use red O-ring. Note: When replacing OFA, it may be necessary to transfer the Oil Temp/Pressure Sensor from the old OFA to the new OFA. |
| 10232025 | Cowl Trim Panel Fastener Water Leak |
| 10230180 | Issue involves overheating, running hot, coolant leaks and related symptoms after a Mopar replacement engine has been installed in the vehicle. |
| 10229998 | KEY, BLANK WITH TRANSMITTER Please note that after programming the new key integrated transmitter that Lock, Unlock and Remote Start will all function as expected but the Remote Start Cancel button requires a double (2x) button press versus the original single (1x) button press to cancel the remote start function and turn the vehicle off. |
| 10229986 | Cowl Trim Panel Fastener Water Leak |
| 10229980 | HVAC System Improvements |
| 10229970 | Tailgate Retaining Strap Over Extends And Breaks |
| 10229966 | MIL Illumination For P0730 And Transmission Shift Enhancements |
| 10229955 | MIL Illumination, P0830 Clutch Pedal Switch ?A? Circuit |
| 10229945 | MIL Illumination: P0300, P0302, P0304 or P0306 (X56 Warranty Extension) |
| 10229936 | RBZ Or RHB Radio Software Enhancements |
| 10229935 | RBZ Or RHB Radio Software Enhancements |
| 10229899 | MIL Illumination: P0300, P0302, P0304 or P0306 (X56 Warranty Extension) This bulletin involves checking for excessive cylinder leakage and replacing the cylinder head if necessary. Customers may experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumination. Upon further investigation the Technician may find that any the following Diagnostic Trouble Codes have been set: P0300- Multiple Cylinder Misfire P0302- Cylinder 2 Misfire P0304- Cylinder 4 Misfire P0306- Cylinder 6 Misfire |
| 10229881 | Flash: J8 Mining Vehicle Speed Limiting This bulletin involves selectively erasing and reprogramming the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with new software. A small number of J8 Vehicles built as over-the-road units for non-reg BUX markets and sold to US-based mining operations with the intent of re-programming the diesel PCM to limit vehicle-speed in the mining environment. The discretion of which mining flash is to be used is left to the discretion of the operator. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Seat belt buckle bracket failure
Electrical overstress
Air Bag Clockspring Wiring Failure
Air Bag Clockspring Wiring Failure
Totally Integrated Power Module Failure
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation