YearToAvoid

2009 Jeep Wrangler Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

25/100

#16 most-complained of 21 Wrangler years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2009 Jeep Wrangler has 372 owner complaints and 6 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 25 out of 100 — #16 highest of 21 Wrangler model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is airbags (104 complaints, 28% of the total). Complaints report 10 crashes, 14 fires, and 8 injuries.

Complaints
372
Recalls
6
incl. Do Not Drive
Crashes / fires
10 / 14
Injuries / deaths
8 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
17
15 city / 19 hwy

Top 2009 Jeep Wrangler problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags104 (28%)
  2. Fuel System80 (22%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires75 (20%)
  4. Steering65 (17%)
  5. Electrical System38 (10%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain34 (9%)
  7. Engine30 (8%)
  8. Brakes22 (6%)
  9. Other19 (5%)
  10. Structure & Body10 (3%)
2009 Jeep Wrangler complaints: complaints filed per quarter292010 Q12012 Q12014 Q12016 Q12018 Q12020 Q12022 Q22024 Q4
486 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2014 Q2 (29).

2009 Jeep Wrangler recalls

6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 18V021000Jan 9, 2018Airbags328,177 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    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.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 28, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U03.

  2. NHTSA 16V352000May 24, 2016Airbags4,648,270 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    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.

    Risk: These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. These inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM owners. Mitsubishi owners will be notified by their company. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S43. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-7700.

  3. NHTSA 16V290000May 11, 2016Airbags388,532 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Jeep Wrangler JK vehicles manufactured March 2, 2006, to August 13, 2010. The clockspring assembly may become contaminated with dust and cause the air bag circuit to fail.

    Risk: Failure of the air bag circuit may prevent the driver's frontal air bag from deploying in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the clockspring, wheel back cover, and column shroud, free of charge. The recall began on December 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S33.

See all 6 recalls for the 2009 Jeep Wrangler →

2009 Jeep Wrangler fuel economy and fuel cost

City
15 MPG
Highway
19 MPG
Combined
17 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,800
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2009 compared with other Wrangler years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007Best155578 !16.5
2008Caution558737 !17
2009Good253726 !17
2010Caution6568610 !17
2011Good3548510 !17

All Jeep Wrangler years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Jeep Wrangler a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Jeep Wrangler ranks #16 of 21 among Wrangler model years (Complaint Index 25/100, verdict: Good). It has 372 complaints and 6 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Jeep Wrangler?
The most reported problem areas are airbags (104 complaints), fuel system (80 complaints), and suspension, wheels & tires (75 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 51,000 miles.
Does the 2009 Jeep Wrangler have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2009 Jeep Wrangler, most recently reported 2018, covering airbags and brakes. At least one carries a Do Not Drive advisory.
What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Jeep Wrangler?
EPA rates the 2009 Jeep Wrangler at 17 MPG combined (15 city / 19 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,800. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.