Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Jeep Wrangler owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Frame is rotted out. Vehicle is well maintained and it is upsetting. After spending good money for a reputable brand, the frame did not last. It is not drivable and is unsafe to be on the road. It is not safe to travel with my family. Everyone I know that has these years wrangler TJ model has this problem. Lower and upper control arms need to be welded back because they rotted off.
Takata recall- driving down a dark county road- lost control of vehicle and went off road and hit a tree- upon impact the Jeep burst into flames- the driver was pulled out because she was trapped inside the burning Jeep- the Jeep was totaled due to the fire
I know the Jeep is a 2002, but this rusting, to be this bad, had to have started awhile ago. I went to have two new tires installed and was told by the shop that they could not jack or lift the vehicle due to the rust. This is part of the frame, god forbid if it would have failed. It is so rusted that I can put my finger through the frame in spots. I do not use the Jeep for off road activities nor park it in the ocean. I also wash the road salt off during the winter. I have included pictures of the rusted pass side and the not too rusted driver side. This is just an around town vehicle. This is ridiculous and Jeep should be ashamed to release a vehicle with such a dangerous defect. I wonder if this is a vehicle from a flood. For this amount of deterioration, I would not doubt it and I will try to find out. Thanks for any help you can provide.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle vibrated abnormally. The contact stated that the subframe of the vehicle showed severe rust from the front to the rear of the vehicle. Additionally, the leaf spring on the passenger's side of the vehicle was fractured. The contact also stated that the subframe on the driver and passenger's side of the vehicle showed a 60% fracture. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
"rusted frame" I bought a 2002 Jeep Wrangler and the left side of the frame in the middle where the skid plate bolts in to the frame is rusted out pretty bad and I have a cause for concern for safety. Well I didn't find this problem but I thought the universal joint was causing my bad shake when I pulled the front drive shaft out I noticed that problem. Its a 14 year old vehicle but I don't believe that the frame should be rusted like this. Please fix my problem.. The vehicle was stationary in my driveway
Found during vehicle inspection for other repairs. Called Chrysler and was told that vehicle had to be taken to a dealer and was given case# 31813048 dealer inspected (see file below) on 7-10-17 called Chrysler [phone] and spoke with bri, she said that there is no coverage available through Chrysler. I find with mileage and knowing that I keep my car inside during winter weather conditions and have maintained vehicle as per Chrysler that this should not have happened.
The main right side frame support for the centerline skid plate/transmission rusted from the inside out. This resulted in almost dropping the skid plate and transmission while the vehicle was in motion. I would dearly love to know why Jeep sold vehicles that begin rusting where it can't be found until catastrophic damage occurs.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that the vehicle's frame was rusted. The vehicle was taken to watermark Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram (located at 1055 crossing pl, madisonville, ky 42431, [phone]), but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 200,000.
The frame is rotting terribly and the front control arms are about to crack off and the trans/skid plate has already rusted through causing the transfer case and trans to fall off of the frame, vehicle was city driving when this happend
Jeep frame has rusted in half in several places costing$3,000.00 in repairs luckily it broke at a low speed without harm to anyone if this happens at highway speeds who knows how many people could have been injured.
Body complaints in other Wrangler years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2002 Jeep Wrangler?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the body & structure of the 2002 Jeep Wrangler, 24% of the model year's 108 complaints. The component named most often is body (22 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Jeep Wrangler body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2002 Jeep Wrangler, though it has 2 recalls 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 2002 Jeep Wrangler body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 92,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 1 injury to body & structure 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.