Recalled components: air bags and seat belts. Most-described problem: stalling or shutting off (41 complaints, 9%). Most-reported area: brakes (135 complaints, 29%; median mileage when it happened: 52,300).
Fewer complaints than a typical Wrangler year
The 2016 drew 96 owner complaints in its first three years, against 257 for a typical Wrangler year. It is not picked as a best year: it has a recall telling owners not to drive or to park outside until it is repaired.
Years to avoid: 2018. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
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.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
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.
Debris contamination may cause the clockspring to fail, preventing the driver's air bag from deploying in a crash.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy in a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will replace the clockspring, steering wheel back cover, and steering column shrouds, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 27B.
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) (Stellantis) is recalling certain right hand drive 2016 Jeep Wrangler 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.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2018 Jeep Wrangler right hand drive vehicles.
In certain crash conditions, the front impact sensor wiring may be pulled until it detaches before a signal can be received by the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC).
Risk: If the ORC module does not receive a signal from the front impact sensor, both frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will reroute the front impact sensor wiring and relocate the impact sensor branch, free of charge. The recall began on November 10, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S76.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Jeep Wrangler vehicles manufactured June 16, 2015, to August 14, 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.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
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.
NHTSA listing: WRANGLER. Jeep campaign S40.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA has opened 3 investigations that name the 2016 Jeep Wrangler; 1 is still open. An investigation means NHTSA is reviewing reports of a problem. It is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.
Desiccated air bag inflator rupture
Engineering analysis EA21002Open since Sep 17, 2021
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant - propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L.
NHTSA listing: WRANGLER. Component: Air bags (frontal, driver side, inflator module, passenger side). This investigation names 352 models.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.
NHTSA listing: WRANGLER. Component: Air bags (air bag/restraint control module). This investigation names 46 models.
Seat belt buckle bracket failure
Preliminary evaluation PE19008Closed Dec 12, 2019 (opened Jul 29, 2019)
On July 17, 2019, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) 19-008 after receiving three Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports alleging the driver's side seat belt buckle… NHTSA's full summary
NHTSA ties this investigation to recall 19V-680, listed above.
A preliminary evaluation is NHTSA's first step, to gather information and decide whether to look further. An engineering analysis is a deeper review, usually opened after a preliminary evaluation. NHTSA lists investigations by make, model and model year only, so one can apply to only some versions of a model, such as one engine; its summary says which.
What owners report
Owners have filed 464 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Wrangler. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Stalling or shutting off41 · 9%
Median 39,000 miles at failure, from 30 reports with mileage
Most named: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, abs warning light (3) · Median 52,300 miles at failure, from 40 reports with mileage
Engine88 · 19%
Median 44,000 miles at failure, from 48 reports with mileage
Air bags77 · 17%
Median 62,500 miles at failure, from 34 reports with mileage
Powertrain74 · 16%
Median 31,000 miles at failure, from 49 reports with mileage
Electrical system57 · 12%
Median 37,000 miles at failure, from 23 reports with mileage
Speed control36 · 8%
Median 27,500 miles at failure, from 20 reports with mileage
Steering28 · 6%
Unknown or other54 · 12%
Median 17,000 miles at failure, from 29 reports with mileage
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Jeep Wrangler recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2016 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2018 Wrangler drew the most (1,152) and the 2016 drew 96.
Owner complaints
2016: 464 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Jeep Wrangler
Model year
Complaints
2010
686
2011
486
2012
837
2013
657
2014
658
2015
481
2016
464
2017
312
2018
1,829
2019
749
2020
619
2021
967
2022
417
2023
381
2024
977
2025
84
2026
12
Safety recalls
2016: 5 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Jeep Wrangler
Model year
Recalls
2010
10
2011
10
2012
9
2013
6
2014
4
2015
3
2016
5
2017
5
2018
14
2019
9
2020
13
2021
17
2022
16
2023
16
2024
14
2025
6
2026
3
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 464 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Jeep Wrangler, the problems described most are stalling or shutting off (41), smoke or a burning smell (27), and the airbag warning light or an airbag fault (25). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2016 Jeep Wrangler?
Yes. NHTSA has 1 open investigation that names the 2016 Jeep Wrangler: desiccated air bag inflator rupture (EA21002, opened Sep 17, 2021). It has closed 2 others. An investigation is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.
How do I check if my Wrangler has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Jeep dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: WRANGLER.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.