Home › Cars › Jeep › Wrangler › 2017
2017 Jeep Wrangler problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
42% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2017 Jeep Wrangler are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 50% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 35 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 37%).
Does the 2017 Jeep Wrangler have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 115 of 274 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Jeep Wrangler concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (42%), and the largest group is filed under engine (62). For comparison, the 2016 scores 41% and the 2018 scores 15%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2017 compares with other Jeep Wrangler years
Of the 14 Jeep Wrangler years with enough complaints to score, the 2017 is the 6th-best on engine and transmission share (42%). The worst is the 2014 (68%), the best the 2018 (15%). By volume, the 2017 drew 309 complaints (115 drivetrain), against 460 for the 2016 and 1,823 for the 2018.
Jeep Wrangler years to avoid and best years →
2010 Wrangler problems · 2011 Wrangler problems · 2012 Wrangler problems · 2013 Wrangler problems · 2014 Wrangler problems · 2015 Wrangler problems · 2016 Wrangler problems · 2017 · 2018 Wrangler problems · 2019 Wrangler problems · 2020 Wrangler problems · 2021 Wrangler problems · 2022 Wrangler problems · 2023 Wrangler problems
The rest of the picture on the 2017 Jeep Wrangler
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2017 Jeep Wrangler said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 115 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2017 Jeep Wrangler fuel system recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2017 Jeep Wrangler involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 5 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2017 Jeep Wrangler vehicles manufactured November 1, 2016, to November 3, 2016. The affected vehicles may have a fuel tank that has a cracked or broken control valve, possibly resulting in a fuel leak in a rollover event, debris in the fuel tank and/or the potential of over fueling the vehicle.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and Jeep dealers will inspect the fuel tank and replace fuel tank and sending unit, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 12, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer…
4 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2017 Jeep Wrangler? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.Questions people ask about the 2017 Jeep Wrangler
Does the 2017 Jeep Wrangler have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 115 of 274 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Jeep Wrangler concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (42%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2017 Jeep Wrangler?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2017 Jeep Wrangler is service brakes: 76 of 309 complaints (25%) name it, followed by engine (62) and power train (50). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 42% of the relevant total.
Is the 2017 Jeep Wrangler reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 42% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (high signal). That is worse than 50% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Jeep Wrangler years we score, it ranks 6th-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2017 Jeep Wrangler?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2017 Jeep Wrangler involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 5 in total: 16V849000 (fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Jeep Wrangler years are better?
Among the Jeep Wrangler years we track, the 2018 (15%), the 2019 (17%) and the 2020 (21%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2017 (42%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/jeep-wrangler
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.