YearToAvoid

2011 Jeep Wrangler Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

35/100

#14 most-complained of 21 Wrangler years

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

The 2011 Jeep Wrangler has 485 owner complaints and 10 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 35 out of 100 — #14 highest of 21 Wrangler model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is airbags (145 complaints, 30% of the total). Complaints report 13 crashes, 20 fires, and 13 injuries.

Complaints
485
Recalls
10
incl. Do Not Drive
Crashes / fires
13 / 20
Injuries / deaths
13 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
17
15 city / 19 hwy

Top 2011 Jeep Wrangler problems

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

  1. Airbags145 (30%)
  2. Fuel System99 (20%)
  3. Electrical System85 (18%)
  4. Engine60 (12%)
  5. Steering58 (12%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires44 (9%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain40 (8%)
  8. Brakes37 (8%)
  9. Other33 (7%)
  10. Structure & Body33 (7%)
2011 Jeep Wrangler complaints: complaints filed per quarter552010 Q42012 Q42014 Q42016 Q42018 Q42020 Q42023 Q12025 Q1
662 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2015 Q1 (55).

2011 Jeep Wrangler recalls

10 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V680000Sep 26, 2019Seat Belts11,463 vehicles

    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 the seat frame.

    Risk: A separated or severed seat belt buckle strap will result in an inoperable seat belt, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

    Remedy: FCA US will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's seat belt buckle, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed November 19, 2019. Owners will received a second letter and the recall began March 26, 2020. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is VA6.

  2. NHTSA 19V018000Jan 15, 2019Airbags1,413,222 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    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 300, and 2010-2016 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially 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 4, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V01.

  3. 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.

See all 10 recalls for the 2011 Jeep Wrangler →

2011 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.

2011 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
2009Good253726 !17
2010Caution6568610 !17
2011Good3548510 !17
2012Avoid808349 !18
2013Good406506 !18

All Jeep Wrangler years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Jeep Wrangler a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2011 Jeep Wrangler ranks #14 of 21 among Wrangler model years (Complaint Index 35/100, verdict: Good). It has 485 complaints and 10 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Jeep Wrangler?
The most reported problem areas are airbags (145 complaints), fuel system (99 complaints), and electrical system (85 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 50,510 miles.
Does the 2011 Jeep Wrangler have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for the 2011 Jeep Wrangler, most recently reported 2019, covering seat belts, airbags, visibility & wipers, and steering. At least one carries a Do Not Drive advisory.
What is the fuel economy of the 2011 Jeep Wrangler?
EPA rates the 2011 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.