Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Jeep Wrangler owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Consumer states while traveling at25 MPH, under snowy conditions, consumer lost control of vehicle, side swiped another vehicle before coming to a stop. Upon impact,none of the air bags deployed.
As per serveral service bulletins already submitted, my 1999 Jeep Wrangler was purchased early in 2000 with 30,000 miles on it. Several months later the airbag light comes on and all other gauges stop working. The dealership already did a repair on the part and it worked okay for about 6 months and since then, 20,000 + miles later it continues to do the same thing again. I am no longer under warranty and have not yet contacted the dealership again to let them know that the repair did not correct the failure. It still occurs erratically, but almost on a daily basis over 1 year after the repair was done.
1999 Jeep Wrangler had multiple rear differential failures before 70K miles. *** no answer required*** the original drive train was rebuilt using original mopar parts. The drive train failed for the second time at 69000 mile after only 11000 miles of use. This time the dealer refuses to provide any financial assistance. The vehicle had other failures which include water leaks, drive train seals failure, electrical failures, multiple ABS failures, air bag and seat belt problems, and the paint was peeling off the vehicle.
Intermittent electrical connection at passenger airbag override switch sometimes causes red service airbag light to illuminate on instrument cluster. Hitting the center console near the override switch causes the airbag warning light on the instrument cluster to go out. This is not to be confused with the light next to the override switch that says "off". This light functions normally.
My 1999 Jeep lost all gauges and the air bag light came on. I found out that Jeep has a TSB #08-15-99 since May 21 1999 because of a faulty connector.since this is a safety problem I believe they should pay for the repair. Thank you.
Red airbag warning light in gauge cluster comes on intermittently. Started when vehicle was approx 2 years old. Clock spring was replaced under warranty. Now out of warranty, airbag warning light is on intermittently again.
Driver's airbag and horn fail to operate due to defective clockspring assembly. Chrysler recalled this clockspring for several make/models but didn't include the 1999 Jeep Wrangler tj. See recall #04V480000.
Was driving 50mph & the driver fell asleep at the wheel and vehicle hit a telephone pole. Upon impact, air bags failed to deploy. Driver was wearing seat belts at the time. Suffered some bruises & sprains.
I was driving an old washed out and bumpy mountain road. Due to the bumps, I could not go much faster than 15mph. The road/ground was wet and slippery so I was in 4hi. After going down the road for about 30 minutes and going around a turn, the airbag light came on. As I turned the wheel in the opposite direction, to go around a large downed tree, it momentarily shut off, then returned to on. I immediately turned the Jeep off and checked the airbag fuses. Both are good. Puzzled and rather nervous that the airbag might go off in my face, I turned around to go back to the main road. After nervously driving a few miles down the road, I returned the Jeep to the speed limit and attempted to engage my cruise control but, the light wouldn't turn on. I tried all the cruise control buttons to no avail. …
If interior of vehicle becomes damp - either through rain with top inadvertantly left down, or by cleaning as indicated (with hose) in owner's video tape and information - the clock spring shorts out causing 1) air bag system failure 2) horn to go off constantly 3) intermittent drivability concerns. Dealership continually replaces rusty clock spring - however has no resolution for situation cause by normal use as indicated in owner's information (and all other previously owned Jeep wranglers).
Airbag complaints in other Wrangler years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 1999 Jeep Wrangler?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the air bags of the 1999 Jeep Wrangler, 10% of the model year's 213 complaints. The component named most often is frontal › sensor/control module (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Jeep Wrangler airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 1999 Jeep Wrangler, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1999 Jeep Wrangler airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.