AI Damage2016 Jeep Wrangler: common problems
Owners of the 2016 Jeep Wrangler filed 462 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and engine. The maker issued 114 service bulletins for this year. We found 1 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 462
- involving a crash
- 28
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 114
- YouTube repair videos
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 30% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 19% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 17% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 16% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 12% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 6% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 4% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 137 complaints (30% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 6.
- Engine: 88 complaints (19% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 6.
- Air bags: 77 complaints (17% of all), 20 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
- Powertrain: 74 complaints (16% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 10.
- Electrical system: 57 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 33.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.6 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 5 complaints
- automatic, 5-speed
- manual, 6-speednamed in 9 complaints
Drive: 4WD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 462 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 137 | 3 | 6 |
| Engine | 88 | 1 | 6 |
| Air bags | 77 | 20 | 4 |
| Powertrain | 74 | 0 | 10 |
| Electrical system | 57 | 1 | 33 |
| Vehicle speed control | 36 | 4 | 2 |
| Steering | 28 | 0 | 2 |
| Structure | 18 | 1 | 7 |
| Electronic stability control | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 10 | 1 | 2 |
| Wheels | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 8 | 0 | 3 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
My airbags never deployed however. Also my buttons on the left side of my steering wheel do not work and my horn does not work. After realizing all this I believe it is an issue with the clock spring. I did research and found in 2024 there was a recall for the clock spring but only in the RHD model.
With only the seatbelt to restrain me it severely twisted my body to the left. I have head, neck, back pain with 6 herniated disks. I have dizziness, nausea and loud nonstop ringing in the ears. Airbags have not been inspected by anyone. Only the damages were inspected by the insurance carrier.
With the brake pedal depressed to the floorboard, the vehicle continued to lurch forward as the contact clipped the vehicle in front of him. As the engine continued to rev, the contact immediately shut off the ignition. A police report was not filed and no injuries were reported.
I was in a high speed impact collision rear ended at full speed and thrown into vehicle in front of me, me and my husband both suffered facial trauma as airbags did not deploy and both front seats twisted ans broke backwards in backseat where my 2 minor children were located.
The manufacturer's engineer performed a diagnostic at an unknown dealer and was unable to locate a failure code; however, there was an abnormal reading in the radio frequency. The engineer concluded that the acceleration failure was not caused by a manufacturer defect. The vehicle was not repaired.
It began to roll away backwards over a hillside, about a 20 foot drop, into the middle of a busy roadway. The jeep landed on the back bumper/back door.
Traveling on a two lane highway under clear conditions, mid-day, light drizzle, this 2016 jeep wrangler 4wd with less than 5,000 miles on it hydroplaned into an on-coming semi tractor trailer resulting in a head on collision and rollover. No other car in front of nor behind this vehicle had hydroplaning issues.
Due to the oil contacting the hot exhaust, a strong burning oil odor entered the vehicle cabin. The contact explicitly stated that their life was in danger due to the continuous failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer was fully aware of the common safety defect.
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 114 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 5% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Wrangler has 475 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 462, about average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Start Stop Charging Warning Lamp Illuminated On, Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) State of Charge (SOC)…
Start Stop Charging Warning Lamp Illuminated On, Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) State of Charge (SOC) Inaccurate, Battery Charging Message, Presence of IBS related Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), or Battery Warning…
- Verify "Z" part number availability. Order a "Z" part number for all Exchange Orders
Warranty, Mopar, Customer pay and Service contract. Order"68" part number for New unsold units only
- SWITCH - CLUTCH STARTER INTERLOCK & MASTER CYLINDER ASSEMBLY - CLUTCH
- Verify Reman part number availability. Order the "R" part number for all orders
Warranty, Mopar, customer pay and service contract. Order "68" part number for New unsold units only.
- ACTUATOR - A/C AND HEATER
- FUEL VAPOR CANISTER FILTER EVAP Fuel Filters are to be checked for restriction / blockage on a regular…
FUEL VAPOR CANISTER FILTER EVAP Fuel Filters are to be checked for restriction / blockage on a regular schedule as indicated in the Owner s Manual. If the Filter is restricted or blocked then replace the part. For…
- Plate - Planetary
- BOW - FOLDING TOP
- "Start Stop Charging Warning Lamp Illuminated On, Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) State of Charge (SOC)…
"Start Stop Charging Warning Lamp Illuminated On, Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) State of Charge (SOC) Inaccurate, Battery Charging Message, Presence of IBS related Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), or Battery Warning…
- Freedom Panel Underside Rough And Or White Coating Flaking
- Suspected Engine Coolant Leak
- Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair…
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
NHTSA lists 114 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Jeep Wrangler?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, engine, air bags. Total complaints: 462. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (22%), smoke, burning smell, fire (8%), stalls while driving (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2016 Jeep Wrangler?
NHTSA lists 114 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 2016 Jeep Wrangler 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 2016 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 2026-11-04.