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2014 Jeep Wrangler: engine and transmission complaints

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
68%
391 of 577 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

68% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2014 Jeep Wrangler are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.

Worse than 90% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 77 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 60%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
391
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
654
this model year
Fires reported
24
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
21 crashes · 13 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE322 · 49%
POWER TRAIN88 · 13%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM82 · 13%
SERVICE BRAKES72 · 11%
AIR BAGS70 · 11%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER49 · 7%

The years either side

2010
53%
269 of 686
2011
49%
164 of 485
2012
67%
458 of 833
2013
63%
358 of 650
2014
68%
391 of 654
2015
45%
177 of 469
2016
41%
154 of 459
2017
42%
115 of 309
2018
15%
268 of 1,815
2019
17%
124 of 737
2020
21%
122 of 608
2021
39%
353 of 912
2022
43%
160 of 383
2023
45%
150 of 342

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other midsize SUVs with no elevated signal in 2014

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

ENGINE12/15/2016FIRE1 INJURED
ON 12/04/2016 I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT AROUND 80MPH WHEN A LOAD EXPLOSION STOPPED MY ENGINE. I IMMEDIATE STOPPED AS SMOKE STARTED TO COME INSIDE THE CABIN. AS SOON AS I EXITED THE VEHICLE I NOTICED A BIG FIRE UNDER THE CAR AND INSURE THE HOOD. I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT USING 3 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. THIS REALL…
ENGINE07/06/2026
The plastic oil filter housing was leaking oil onto my exhaust I had to quit driving it because of fear of a FIRE, SO MY QUESTION IS : IF YOU HAVE OIL RUNNING DOWN AND DRIPPING OF YOUR EXHAUST AND YOU GUYS WONT RECALL IT BECAUSE YOU SAY ITS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE? YOU GUYS ARE NUTS, THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD BE MADE TO MAN UP…
STEERING,SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN03/22/2026
Death wobble. Dealership that has it now (Campbell Chevorlet in Bowing green ky) knows and fails to fix or report it.

Three of 391 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (4)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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 30…
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
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…
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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 as…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2014 Jeep Wrangler

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.