11 of the 401 complaints about the 1998 Jeep Wrangler are about the throttle and cruise control — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 90,900 miles.
11
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO DISPLAY THE SPEED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000.
NHTSA complaint #10840221 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE USING CRUISE CONTROL SPEED INCREASED AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO SHUTTING OFF SPEED CONTROL OR BY HITTING THE BRAKES CAR COULD NOT BE STOPPED ONLY PUSHING IN CLUTCH WHILE THE ENGINE RACED UNCONTROLLABLY AND PULLING OFF THE INTERSTATE ONTO SIDE OF ROAD TURNING OFF KEY STOPPED THIS . WHEN STARTED BACK UP ENGINE STILL RACING. SAME THING HAPPENED ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO NEVER USED SPEED CONTROL AGAIN UNTIL THIS
NHTSA complaint #10762100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I WAS APPROACHING A RED LIGHT AND APPROXIMATELY 3 CAR LENGTHS AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE ALREADY STOPPED AT THE LIGHT I BEGAN BRAKING AND HEARD A NOISE UNDER THE FLOOR BOARD AND WHILE PUSHING THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT SLOW OR STOP THE VEHICLE AT ALL. I LIFTED THE BRAKE PEDAL FROM THE FLOOR AND REAPPLIED IT AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOP UNTIL IT RAN INTO THE BACK OF THE OTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO IDLE UP REALLY HIGH AS IF IT WERE TRYING TO DRIVE ITSELF. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BREAK PEDAL AND AFTER I PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND PULLED THE EMERGENCY BREAK THE VEHICLE STOPPED IDLING UP HIGH.
NHTSA complaint #10177441 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY, THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE SPEEDOMETER AND THE TACHOMETER SHOWED NO READING. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE IN MOTION FOR THE PROBLEM TO OCCUR. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THE PROBLEM MAY BE RELATED TO THE CLOCK SPRING, ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A LOCAL DEALER. THE TURN SIGANL WOULD NOT CNACEL, THE DEALER REPALCED THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH. UYPDATED 03/28/06.
NHTSA complaint #10149515 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING AN ERRATIC INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, AND AIR BAG LIGHT OPERATION. INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER ROLLED BACK TO ZERO, AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. ALSO, AT 82,000 MILES LEFT TURN SIGNAL ENGAGED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, AND AT 78,000 MILES WHEN DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS OPENED WHILE THE TRUCK WAS STILL RUNNING THE DEFROSTER LIGHT CAME ON. DEALERSHIP HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO TWO JEEP DEALERS AND SAID THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND MANY CUSTOMERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR.
NHTSA complaint #10061182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, TWO CARS WERE ALREADY AT FULL STOP, I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND MY CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP APPROXAMETELY 10 FEET BEHIND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. ALL THE SUDDEN MY ENGINE STARTED LIKE MY FOOT IS ON GAS INSTEAD OF THE BRAKES, I PUSHED ON THE BREAKS AS HARD AS I CAN WITHOUT ANY RESPONSE, I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT IT HAPPEN. I DROVE THE CAR THIS AFTERNOON, IT IS DRIVING FINE. I WENT TO A PARKING LOT AND I APPLIED THE BREAKS THEN PUSHED GAS AT THE SAME TIME, THE CAR DID NOT MOVE. MY BREAKS ARE FINE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPEN AND WHY IT HAPPENED, BUT I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT MY BREAKS EWRE FULLY APPLIED, AND THE CAR WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP BEFORE IT MOVED ON ITS OWN. SKID MARKS WERE VISIBLE, BUT THE CAR KEPT MOVING.
NHTSA complaint #742596 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
1. THE TRANSMISSION HAS STARTED JUMPING IN AND OUT OF 3RD GEAR IN THE 32 TO 50 MPH RANGE. BUBBLES ARE PRESENT IN THE FLUID INDICATING A SEAL IS FAILING. REPAIR ESTIMATE AT THIS TIME IS OVER $1000. THIS FAILURE IN SNOWY DRIVING CONDITIONS CAUSES VEHICLE CONTROL PROBLEMS.2. PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACTS INTERMITTENTLY. THE PASSENGER WILL LEAN FORWARD AND BACK MAY NOT NOTICE THE SEATBELT HAS NOT RETRACTED. THIS CAN CERTAINLY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. 3. SUDDEN ACCELERATION AT IDLE. VEHICLE IDLE WILL JUMP FROM 1.5K TO 3K WITHOUT WARNING. OBVIOUSLY A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. 4. ANTI-SWAY BAR LINK FAILURE. THIS IS PERHAPS THE MOST INSIDIOUS FAILURE. THE STABILIZER BAR LINK BALL WILL CORRODE IN THE SOCKET AND CAUSE IT TO SEPARATE. THE RUBBER BOOT AROUND IT COVERS THE FAILURE. WHEN AN EMERGENCY TURN IS REQUIRED, THE JEEP WILL SWAY VIOLENTLY. I TALKED TO THE CHRYSLER PARTS ATTENDANT AND HE SAID HE SELLS ABOUT 12 A WEEK TO THOSE LUCKY ENOUGH TO NOTICE THE FAILURE. FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT NOTICE THIS, IT IS A TIME BOMB. THE PARTS ATTENDANT TOLD ME I WOULD BE BACK SOON TO REPLACE MORE. WHAT HE SAID IS TRUE.
NHTSA complaint #736981 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR CAUSED ALL THE GAUGES TO FAIL AND AIR BAGS TO SHUT DOWN. *AK
NHTSA complaint #861152 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND CRUISE CONTROL.
NHTSA complaint #609684 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
CONSUMER HAD STARTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN THE ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK, CAUSING CONSUMER TO DRIVE THROUGH A WALL AND HIT A HOUSE . DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT THE TIME OF IMPACT WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURIES.
NHTSA complaint #837449 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CLOCK SPRING IN STEERING COLUMN SHORTED OUT ALSO, ENGINE CONTROLLER, AND HORN FAILURE.ALSO AIR BAG AND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON.
NHTSA complaint #781114 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.