AI Damage1986 Jeep Wagoneer: common problems
Owners of the 1986 Jeep Wagoneer filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and tires. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 40% of all complaints
- 2 Tires 40% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 20% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (40% of all).
- Tires: 2 complaints (40% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The right rear tire blew I lost controll and totaled the vehicle with my two childern with me.( dot number: w1hl tire size: 9235/75r15 )
Pe#00020; front passenger's tire blewout. Vehicle was moving approximately 20 mph. Tire experienced a large rip where the tread met the sidewall. Tires were purchased brand new at a tire center. Approx. Mileage on the tires 500 miles.
Seatbelts in rear of vehicle are defective. Seatbelt retractors are faulty. They stick and jam. Consumer has replaced with manual seatbelts. Please provide further details.
Bolt holding adjustable steering wheel column has loosened, dealer tightened and put lock washers on them. Tt
The driver side seat belt buckle fell apart, called dealer, he said part is on national back order don't know when they going to get the part. Tt
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 14,282 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Wagoneer has 16 complaints (30 years in the data). This year has 5, below average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Other years of this model
- Wagoneer 19843 sources
- Wagoneer 198710 sources
- Wagoneer 19883 sources
- Wagoneer 198911 sources
- Wagoneer 199013 sources
- Wagoneer 19933 sources
- Wagoneer 19983 sources
- Wagoneer 20013 sources
- Wagoneer 2022830 sources
- Wagoneer 2023673 sources
- Wagoneer 2024521 sources
- Wagoneer 2025357 sources
- Wagoneer 2026164 sources
- Wagoneer 20273 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1986 Jeep Wagoneer?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, tires, steering. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (40%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1986 Jeep Wagoneer?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1986 Jeep Wagoneer from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1986 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.