YearToAvoid

2014 Jeep Wrangler Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

40/100

#10 most-complained of 16 Wrangler years

The 2014 Jeep Wrangler has a complaint index of 40, ranking 10th worst out of 16 model years, and earns a 'Good' verdict compared to other Wrangler years. Engine problems dominate at 53% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 51,747 miles. It carries 4 recalls, one of them a do-not-drive airbag recall.

Complaints
654
Recalls
4
incl. Do Not Drive
Crashes / fires
21 / 24
Injuries / deaths
13 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18
16.5 city / 21 hwy

Top 2014 Jeep Wrangler problems

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

  1. Engine346 (53%)
  2. Transmission & Powertrain88 (13%)
  3. Electrical System87 (13%)
  4. Brakes81 (12%)
  5. Airbags70 (11%)
  6. Other50 (8%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires29 (4%)
  8. Steering26 (4%)
  9. Structure & Body23 (4%)
  10. Fuel System19 (3%)

What owners report

  • Engine compartments produce gray smoke that turns black and thick, sometimes progressing to visible flames near the front of the vehicle.
  • Vehicles parked on an incline in gear with the parking brake set have rolled away and struck other vehicles.
  • Drivers report sudden unintended acceleration while stopped with the brake firmly applied, resulting in rear-end collisions.
  • Steering wheels have seized or failed to respond during low-speed turns, causing the vehicle to drift into barriers or other vehicles.
  • Brake pedals have felt hard and failed to engage, with brakes reportedly losing pressure before returning to normal.
2014 Jeep Wrangler complaints: complaints filed per quarter432013 Q42015 Q32017 Q22019 Q12020 Q42022 Q32024 Q22026 Q1
841 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2021 Q1 (43).

2014 Jeep Wrangler recalls

4 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 16V288000May 11, 2016Airbags7,196 vehicles

    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 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 August 11, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S40.

See all 4 recalls for the 2014 Jeep Wrangler →

2014 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.

2014 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
2012Caution738349 !18
2013Good336506 !18
2014Good406544 !18
2015Best134723 !18
2016Good274605 !18

All Jeep Wrangler years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 Jeep Wrangler reliable compared to other Wrangler years?
Yes, relative to other Wrangler model years. It has a complaint index of 40 and ranks 10th worst out of 16 years, earning a 'Good' verdict.
What is the biggest problem area for the 2014 Jeep Wrangler?
Engine issues make up 53% of complaints, the largest share of any problem area, with a median failure mileage of 51,747 miles.
Does the 2014 Jeep Wrangler have any do-not-drive recalls?
Yes. Of its 4 recalls, one covering airbags is classified as do-not-drive.
How many complaints does NHTSA list for the 2014 Jeep Wrangler?
NHTSA lists 654 complaints for the 2014 Jeep Wrangler, including 21 crashes, 24 fires, and 13 injuries.
How does the 2014 Wrangler compare to the 2018 model?
The 2018 Wrangler has a much higher complaint index of 93 and an 'Avoid' verdict, while the 2014 model's index of 40 and 'Good' verdict make it a comparatively better choice.

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.