Car · Jeep problems

2012 Jeep Wrangler problems

836 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler. The most reported area is power train (transmission and drive) (34% of them). NHTSA also lists 109 service bulletins and 9 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 22. Deaths: 2.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 836 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Power train (transmission and drive)282 · 34%
• Steering204 · 24%
• Engine and engine cooling178 · 21%
• Electrical system148 · 18%
• Air bags128 · 15%
• Other or unknown53 · 6%
• Service brakes52 · 6%
• Fuel system45 · 5%

14 smaller areas not shown (195 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 109 repair bulletins from Jeep for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. 107418Received October 2, 2025

   Service brakes

   Switch - clutch starter interlock & master cylinder assembly - clutch.

2. 9100645Received August 21, 2025

   Verify Reman part number availability.

3. 103954Received May 1, 2025

   Actuator - A/C and heater.

4. 101232Received November 7, 2024

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Plate - Planetary.

5. 100192Received October 2, 2024

   Body and structure

   Bow - folding top.

6. 9100226Received January 8, 2024

   Electrical system

   Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability.

7. 9100229Received January 8, 2024

   Equipment

   LIFTER, Hydraulic Roller Deactivating Please do not replace MDS lifters because the disconnecting pin is not lined up, this is normal and not a defect.

8. 9003357Received January 2, 2024

   Backup camera and sensors

   ADAPTER, Engine Oil Filter (Pentastar V6) For all 2014MY replace the Oil Filter Adapter (OFA).

Recalls

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler. Recall repairs are free at a Jeep dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 13V234000June 4, 2013

   Steering

   The power steering line may contact and wear a hole in the transmission oil cooler line resulting in a loss of transmission fluid.

2. 19V018000January 15, 2019Do not drive notice

   Air bags

   Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

3. 18V021000January 9, 2018Do not drive notice

   Air bags

   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...

See all 9 recalls for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Wrangler will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Power train (transmission and drive) 282 complaints · 34%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Steering 204 complaints · 24%

• Tie rod end replacement (one side)$130 to $380
• Wheel alignment (four-wheel)$85 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 178 complaints · 21%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 148 complaints · 18%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

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Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2012 Jeep Wrangler: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2012 Jeep Wrangler?

Of the 836 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler, 282 (34%) name power train (transmission and drive), and 204 (24%) name steering. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2012 Jeep Wrangler reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 22 of the 836 complaints as involving a crash and 19 as involving a fire. They also reported 22 injuries and 2 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2012 Jeep Wrangler have?

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler. Recall repairs are free at a Jeep dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 109 repair bulletins for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler.

More

• 2024 Wrangler problems
• 2023 Wrangler problems
• 2022 Wrangler problems
• 2021 Wrangler problems
• 2020 Wrangler problems
• 2019 Wrangler problems
• 2018 Wrangler problems
• 2017 Wrangler problems
• 2016 Wrangler problems
• 2015 Wrangler problems
• 2014 Wrangler problems
• 2013 Wrangler problems
• 2011 Wrangler problems
• 2010 Wrangler problems
• 2012 recalls
• All Jeep recalls
• Jeep problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.