2004 Jeep Wrangler Problems, Recalls & Reliability
281 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2004 Jeep Wrangler, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 15/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Steering leads the reports, typically around 48,678 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2004 Jeep Wrangler has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2004 sits among all Wrangler years
What owners report
“After hitting a bump, (pot hole, dip, etc) with the left front wheel the vehicle begins to shake violently.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Wrangler
“Front end shakes violently. This has happened before, usually when the jeep is approaching 50 mph on the highway. Feels like the jeep is going to explode. Putting on the brakes, and praying, and down shifting from 5th to 4th, and praying, and eventually slowing down to below 40 is the only thing…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Wrangler
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 230 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 48,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 24,000 and 75,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT BRAKE CYLINDERS FOR CERTAIN FORD, DAIMLERCHRYSLER, AND JEEP PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF NAPA, RAYBESTOS, AIMCO, AC DELCO, CARQUEST,…
Fix: AFFINIA (BRAKE PARTS, INC.) WILL REPLACE THE SUBJECT BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 20, 2006. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AFFINA GROUP CUSTOMER SERVICE AT…
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET AIRTEX ELECTRIC FUEL PUMPS INSTALLED FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR CERTAIN 1997-2004 JEEP WRANGLER; 1997-2001 JEEP CHEROKEE; 1997-2004 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE; AND 2000-2003 DODGE DAKOTA VEHICLES. THE PLASTIC ELECTRICAL GROMMET…
Fix: AIRTEX WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 25, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AIRTEX CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT…
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, DUE TO A RECENT SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING ERROR, THE TIRE, WHEEL, AND INFLATION PRESSURE INFORMATION WAS INADVERTENTLY OMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABEL.
Fix: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A CORRECTED TIRE CERTIFICATION LABEL. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MARCH 1, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2004 Jeep Wrangler reliable?
The 2004 Jeep Wrangler drew 281 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 15/100, scored against the model's worst year (2008).
What are the most common 2004 Jeep Wrangler problems?
The top reported problems for the 2004 Jeep Wrangler are steering (67 complaints), suspension (59), and transmission & drivetrain (29).
At what mileage do 2004 Jeep Wrangler problems show up?
Owners most often report 2004 Jeep Wrangler problems around 48,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 24,000 and 75,000 miles.
Does the 2004 Jeep Wrangler have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2004 Jeep Wrangler. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.