YearToAvoid

2012 Jeep Wrangler Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

73/100

#5 most-complained of 16 Wrangler years

The 2012 Jeep Wrangler has a Complaint Index of 73 and ranks 5th worst out of 16 model years, earning a Caution verdict. NHTSA lists 834 complaints and 9 recalls, with Transmission & Powertrain issues making up 34% of complaints, the largest share.

Complaints
834
Recalls
9
incl. Do Not Drive
Crashes / fires
22 / 19
Injuries / deaths
22 / 2
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18
16.5 city / 21 hwy

Top 2012 Jeep Wrangler problems

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

  1. Transmission & Powertrain282 (34%)
  2. Steering204 (24%)
  3. Engine199 (24%)
  4. Electrical System153 (18%)
  5. Airbags128 (15%)
  6. Brakes75 (9%)
  7. Other54 (6%)
  8. Fuel System45 (5%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers39 (5%)
  10. Structure & Body34 (4%)

What owners report

  • Owners report the vehicle rolling away and crashing while parked on an incline, apparently without warning.
  • Some describe the steering wheel detaching at highway speed, causing loss of control and a crash into a barrier.
  • Several owners report engine compartment fires, including one that started less than three hours after purchase.
  • Electrical fires have been reported near the battery and starter, in one case while the vehicle was parked in a closed garage.
  • Owners describe brake pedal failure at low speed that resulted in a collision with another vehicle.
  • One owner reported the clutch smoking and burning out at very low mileage, causing repeated stalling.
2012 Jeep Wrangler complaints: complaints filed per quarter1622011 Q32013 Q32015 Q32017 Q32019 Q32021 Q32023 Q32025 Q3
1253 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2011 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2014 Q2 (162).

2012 Jeep Wrangler recalls

9 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 9 recalls for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler →

2012 Jeep Wrangler fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16.5 MPG
Highway
21 MPG
Combined
18 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,600
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.

2012 compared with other Wrangler years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Good4768510 !17
2011Best2048510 !17
2012Caution738349 !18
2013Good336506 !18
2014Good406544 !18

All Jeep Wrangler years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Jeep Wrangler reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2012 Wrangler a Complaint Index of 73, ranking it 5th worst among 16 model years, with a Caution verdict relative to other Wrangler years.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Jeep Wrangler?
Transmission & Powertrain complaints make up 34% of all reports, followed by Steering at 24% and Engine at 24%. The median mileage at failure for transmission complaints was 18,250 miles.
Does the 2012 Jeep Wrangler have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 9 recalls for the 2012 Wrangler, including 3 do-not-drive recalls tied to airbag clockspring and inflator issues.
How does the 2012 Wrangler compare to other Wrangler years?
Its Complaint Index of 73 is higher than 2010 (47), 2011 (20), 2013 (33), 2014 (40), 2015 (13), 2016 (27), and 2017 (7), but lower than 2018 (93), 2021 (87), 2023 (80), and 2024 (100).
What is the fuel economy of the 2012 Jeep Wrangler?
The EPA rates the 2012 Wrangler at 18 mpg combined, 16.5 mpg city, and 21 mpg highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,600.

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.