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Engine & cooling

2017 Jeep Wrangler Engine problems

Owners have filed 63 complaints about the 2017 Jeep Wrangler's engine & cooling with NHTSA - 20% of all its complaints, most recently on August 26, 2026. They describe 0 crashes, 5 fires and 0 injuries. Stalling, loss of power, oil consumption, overheating, head gaskets, timing chains and engine failure.

Complaints
63
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Fires
5
Injuries
0
Deaths
0

Engine complaints

Engine & cooling

The first time happening I was driving on the interstate going about 70 miles an hour in the dark, the car completely shut down with no warning I was able to coast then tried to restart the vehicle and it started. I was able to get off the road and to my destination. The second time this happened, it was 5am in the morning getting on the interstate going about 40 miles an hour I got to the end of the ramp and merged into traffic again no warning the car shut down. This time the vehicle would not restart. I was able to coast to the shoulder with traffic approaching on me. Had to wait for a tow in the dark by myself.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11759825
Engine & cooling

Oil cooler split due to warming up and cooling down in winter and being made of plastic All brake calipers needed to be replaced on it too

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11743349
Engine & cooling

Oil plug in engine gets brittle and fails by cracking. This cause a complete engine failure with only 36k miles on it. Mechanic says this is a known issue. I could not operate the vehichle and broke down without warning. I have a reciept for the nrand new engine.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11730182
Transmission & drivetrainAcceleration & cruise controlEngine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30-45 MPH, the vehicle lost power. On another occasion, while driving at 20 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. While shifting into gear, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The check engine warning light illuminated after the failure. The driver was able to pull over safely. The vehicle was running, and the heat was functioning. The vehicle was towed to a AAA Service Center, where the filter and oil were changed;...

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however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to AAA again, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Filed Incident Power train · Vehicle speed control · EngineNHTSA 11716113
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle or while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the valves and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the engine was not under warranty. The manufacturer offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 47,000.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11676176
BrakesEngine & coolingVisibility & wipers

May 14, 2025 Dear NHTSA, I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara, which has only 60,000 miles and has already required several major repairs that raise serious safety concerns. To date, I have had to replace three brake calipers and the emergency brake, at a cost of over $2,500. The calipers were seizing, and the emergency brake would not release properly, both of which posed clear risks while driving. I understand through forums and peer discussions that other owners...

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have faced similar issues. In addition, my vehicle now has an oil leak that will cost over $700 to repair, and the windshield washer fluid hose burst, requiring another replacement. These repeated failures on a relatively low-mileage vehicle suggest underlying quality and reliability issues. I believe these concerns warrant review, particularly the safety-related brake defects. I respectfully ask NHTSA to investigate whether these failures are part of a broader pattern that may justify further scrutiny or a formal recall. Thank you for your attention.

Filed Incident Service brakes · Engine · Visibility / wiperNHTSA 11661058
Engine & cooling

Vehicle had a DTC P0302 and a misfire at idle. Upon diagnosis cylinder #2 was found to have 80psi compression which is significantly lower than compression in all other cylinders. Cylinder head was found to be bad. This vehicle only has 61,303 miles. There are many owners complaining about the same problem and FCA indicated they fixed the head issues in 2013. They have offered an extended warranty for 2011-2013 vehicle but the issue still exists. The warranty should be expanded to include more year models.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11656900
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle started to lose motive power. The oil change soon warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the independent mechanic informed the contact that the oil and coolant needed to be replaced or could cause damage to the engine. The independent mechanic informed the contact that he had experienced the failure with his vehicle due to the failure. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer...

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however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered the contact an extended satisfaction warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000.

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 11656865
Acceleration & cruise controlBrakesEngine & cooling

ABS module failed 2 years ago. No traction control, no cruise control, no stability management. This part has been on backorder for 2 years and affects many years. Issue started intermittently about 3 years ago while driving, now the vehicle is extremely unstable in wet conditions. Dealership has diagnosed and said to check back every few months for a solution. Additionally the plastic oil filter housing has been replaced 2 times in 2 years at a cost of $1,200, the second install was covered by parts warranty. Dealers won't install the metal version available on other years that do not have a cracking issue, aftermarket metal versions are available but dealers won't install them.

Filed Incident Vehicle speed control · Service brakes · EngineNHTSA 11642976
Seats & seat beltsEngine & cooling

My seat belt is always loose and i have to jam it back in place all the time. I noticed an oil spot on the floor of my garage and it looks like it's the oil cooler housing that is bad. Both of these items are recalled but my vin shows It's not.

Filed Incident Seat belts · EngineNHTSA 11638433
Engine & cooling

The oil cooler leaks and the oil runs down the intake valley, down the back of the engine, and onto the frame and the exhaust pipe, this can create a fire hazard under the driver's seat. It also causes oil puddles on the ground which is a hazard. The dealer says oil cooler leaks are the most common issues on the Chrysler/Jeep 3.6L engine. I was told by the dealer, when making an appointment for replacement, that they have to change these oil coolers a ridiculous number of times. I can safely assume that thousands...

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of people are having this same issue, by the amount of blogs, videos and beware when buying warnings and the fact that there are hundreds of aftermarket options for this item. This leak is going to cost me $1,000 to have fixed because they did not engineer it properly, not to mention cleaning the undercarriage and my driveway. Send me a rebate to cover my cost on this flawed engineering issue please!

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11631092
Transmission & drivetrainEngine & cooling

The plastic oil filter housing cracked leading to large oil leaks. This had been leaking for awhile and was not immediately noticed due to its placement in the valley between cylinder banks atop the engine. While investigating separate U-joint noise and driveshaft vibration that came on suddenly at 58,000 miles I found oil all over the driveshaft and traced it to the cracked housing. The repair was ~$650. Mechanics stated this is a common issue when oil change technicians over tighten the filter in the plastic housing.

Filed Incident Power train · EngineNHTSA 11589646
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring for the past two months. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to be started 50 percent of the time. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with a failed ECM. The contact was informed that the ECM needed to be replaced. The contact was informed of an unknown recall for the 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11576591
Engine & cooling

While driving in city or highway the engine will shut off randomly, causing the steering almost impossible to turn. Had a few close calls because of this. There is no check engine light to come on.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11573409
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal ticking sound emanating from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle lost significant motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway. After a visual inspection, the contact observed an oil leak underneath the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the piston in cylinder #3. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 52,000.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11572220
Engine & cooling

The oil cooler leaks when cold and the oil runs down the intake valley, down the back of the engine, and onto the exhaust pipe, which makes it a fire hazard. It also causes oil puddles on the ground which is a hazard when the oil drips splatter other vehicles windshields, as well as making areas slippery for walking. The dealer says oil cooler leaks are very common on the Chrysler/Jeep 3.6L engine. I was told by the dealer, when making an appointment for replacement, that they have to change these oil coolers all...

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the time. Thousands of people have this same issue and there are hundreds of aftermarket options. This leak is going to cost me $1,000 to have fixed because they did not engineer it properly.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11568766
Engine & cooling

Oil filter housing cracked

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11566592
Engine & cooling

Vehicle started leaking a substantial amount of oil. I took it to a mechanic to have it diagnosed, they stated that the engine oil cooler filter housing is made of plastic and over time warps and leaks. Apparently this is a major issue and has been noted on MANY dodge/jeep vehicles. Prior to this happening, the check engine light came on, I had it diagnosed and it showed as a cylinder 6 misfire. This could have caused major issues in the future if it had not been caught when it was including damage to the bearings and the cylinders (probably what is causing the misfire now).

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11566040
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, he became aware of an oil leak underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had persisted. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11558728
Engine & cooling

The oil filter housing on this engine is made out of plastic and if you search online you will notice that it has failed for many many people. The housing cracks causing motor oil and coolant to mix and leak. We were fortunate to notice it before our engine seized up, but others have not been as fortunate. I believe this defect should be a recall, but there is no recall on this engine even though many many people have experienced this part failing prematurely. Ours failed when the Jeep was under 80,000 miles.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11551087
Transmission & drivetrainEngine & coolingFuel systemFire

Jeep caught on fire on the interstate. 17 year old boy had to pull over and escape vehicle. Vehicle left the side of the road even after being in park and brake. Vehicle continued unmanned on interstate into oncoming traffic engulfed in flames. It has not been confirmed by a dealer. Vehicle was inspected by State Farm. NO warnings given prior to incident.

Filed Incident Power train · Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11536634
Engine & cooling

Engine light came on stating cylinder #4 miss fire. After taking it in, the mechanic said that they can repair the head but it will most likely be an issue again in another 30k or it will be another cylinder. They said it is still causing the air to leak. This Jeep only has 51k miles and is in mint condition. After further research, Jeep had previously recalled this same issue on Jeeps a little older than 2017.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11524448
Engine & cooling

Check engine light flashing then steady all of a sudden. Oil leaks

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11514961
Engine & cooling

Transmission went out at 86k miles, all maintenance has been kept up with. Jeep broke down while driving, pouring transmission fluid in road, losing all power and unable to go forward or reverse. Problem has been confirmed by service center. Jeep has not yet been inspected by manufacturer, no warnings at all.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11512709
Engine & cooling

I smell oil burning as I drive then found oil on the garage floor. Found the oil adaptor (Oil filter housing) worped causing oil to drip out and onto the hot exhaust. Oil on heat is a safety issue and should be addressed.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11506358

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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