2012 Jeep Wrangler reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 1,282
- 146 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- POWER TRAIN
- 278 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 9
- see below
- Reported harm
- 35 reported crashes · 46 injuries · 6 deaths · 28 fires
What owners report fails — 2012 Jeep Wrangler
- POWER TRAIN 278
- STEERING 203
- ENGINE 171
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 146
- AIR BAGS 128
9 recalls on record for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler
- NHTSA 19V680000 · 2020 · SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE A separated or severed seat belt buckle strap will result in an inoperable seat belt, increasing the risk of injury in t
- NHTSA 19V018000 · 2019 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with met
- NHTSA 18V021000 · 2018 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious in
- NHTSA 16V352000 · 2017 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, a
- NHTSA 16V288000 · 2016 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MO Failure of the air bag circuit may prevent the driver's frontal air bag from deploying in the event of a crash, increasi
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2012 Jeep Wrangler
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2012 Jeep Wrangler units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Jeep Wrangler reliable?
NHTSA has 1,282 consumer complaints on record for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler and 9 recalls. The most-reported problem area is power train (278 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2012 Jeep Wrangler units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Jeep Wrangler?
Owners most often report problems with: power train (278), steering (203), engine (171), electrical system (146). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2012 Jeep Wrangler?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.