Most common 2008 Jeep Wrangler problems
Share of the 1,863 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Jeep Wrangler complaints by model year
Best Wrangler years: 2017, 2015. Years to avoid: 2024, 2018, 2021, 2023, 2019. Compare all years →
2008 Jeep Wrangler recalls (7)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2010 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2010 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM owners. Mitsubishi owners will be notified by their company.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Jeep Wrangler JK vehicles manufactured March 2, 2006, to August 13, 2010. The clockspring assembly may become contaminated with dust and cause the air bag circuit to fail.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the clockspring, wheel back cover, and column shroud, free of charge. The recall began on December 14, 2016.
Air bags
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Jeep Wrangler right-hand drive vehicles manufactured February 1, 2007, through October 10, 2011. The affected vehicles have airbag clockspring assemblies that could experience broken airbag circuits.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the clockspring and add a steering wheel dust shield, free of charge. The recall began on June 10, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753.
Air bags › Frontal
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 right hand drive (rhd) Jeep wrangler vehicles manufactured from February 1, 2007, through October 10, 2011. Some vehicles May be equipped with driver's airbag clockspring assemblies that could experience a compromised airbag circuit resulting in an airbag lamp illumination,…
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners and remedy the vehicles as necessary free of charge. Chrysler will mail to owners an interim notification during March 2012. Owners May contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Service brakes, hydraulic
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2010 Jeep wrangler left and right hand drive passenger vehicles manufactured from May 15, 2006 through April 22, 2010. There May be contact between the right and left front inner fender liners and the right front and left rear brake tubes which could cause wear of the tubes…
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. Owners May contact Chrysler toll-free at 1-800-853-1403.
Power train › Automatic transmission
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2008 Jeep wrangler vehicles manufactured from June 2006 through July 2008, equipped with automatic transmissions. These vehicles were not equipped with a transmission fluid temperature warning system.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and install a "hotoil" message in the instrument cluster and a chime indicating an elevated transmission fluid condition. The recall began on February 22, 2010.
Show 1 more recall
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Chrysler is recalling 1,585 my 2007-2008 Jeep wrangler, right hand drive only, vehicles. Some vehicles May have insufficient clearance between the steering intermediate shaft and rear brake tubes.
Remedy: Dealers will install a revised brake tube clip to retain the tubes, inspect the brake tubes for damage due to potential contact with the steering intermediate shaft, and replace the brake tubes if necessary.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 8 possible defects involving the 2008 Jeep Wrangler:
Air Bag Clockspring Wiring Failure
In it's response to ODI's PE15-025 Information Request letter, FCA identified 1,703 consumer complaints, field reports and legal claims responsive to the subject defect condition on the subject Wrangler vehicles.Six of these reports alleged an air bag non-deployment in a crash in which either the air bag warning light was allegedly on or came on afterward the crash, one of which also alleged injuries as a result of…
Airbag Clockspring Failure
In its July 29, 2011 response to ODI's May 27, 2011 information request letter, Chrysler provided 153 MY 2007-2008 owner reports, additional to the 28 ODI Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs), which related to the illumination of the air bag light (ABL) due to a faulty clockspring (CS) wiring circuit.The right hand drive (RHD) vehicles, which were first produced in MY 2008 and account for only 1% of vehicle…
Fuel Spill During Refueling
ODI found the rate of warranty claims related to fuel spit back on the subject vehicles is lower than other vehicles previously recalled to correct defects related to fuel spit back.Although the rate of complaints reported to the agency on the subject vehicles is higher than or similar to the rates experienced in previous investigations where safety recalls were conducted, ODI suspects that the NHTSA safety…
Transmission overheating / fire
In a letter dated November 3, 2009, Chrysler group llc (Chrysler), notified NHTSA that it will conduct a safety recall of approximately 161,000 model year (my) 2007 and 2008 Jeep wrangler vehicles built with automatic transmissions.Chrysler stated that these vehicles were not equipped with a transmission fluid temperature warning system and the operation of these vehicles beyond the limits of reasonable usage over a…
Tow bar assembly failure
The defective tow bar assemblies involved in this recall were supplied to Chrysler for use on some of its Jeep wrangler vehicles.the purpose of this investigation was to identify any additional purchasers of identical or substantially similar defective assemblies and to initiate additional defect reporting and safety recalls as necessary.to accomplish this rmd contacted the supplier of the assemblies, valley towing…
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Air Bag Clockspring Wiring Failure
On May 10, 2016, Fiat Chrysler America (FCA) submitted a Part 573 Defect Information Report announcing NHTSA recall 16V290 involving 394,258 model year (MY) 2007-2010 Jeep Wrangler vehicles.Under the recall FCA will replace the clockspring and install a steering wheel back cover and steering wheel column shroud.This recall also includes approx.
Totally Integrated Power Module Failure
In a letter dated August 21, 2014, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a defect investigation of alleged failures associated with the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) installed in Chrysler SUV?s, trucks, and vans beginning in the 2007 model year.
What 2008 Jeep Wrangler owners say
Air bags all 535 →
The contact owns a 2008 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the air bag clockspring had failed. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V176000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V290000 (Air Bags) however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the clock spring was replaced. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring and the turn signal switches were no longer responding. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that she would be responsible for the cost of the repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2008 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V290000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that MOPAR was contacted regarding parts availability and the contact was informed that approval had not been granted to distribute the parts for the repair through the parts hub. The failure mileage was 111,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Fuel & propulsion system all 472 →
I own the Jeep for 6 months now and at each fill up, fuel gets spit out of f the filler neck at the end. I try running slow, manual and the noses in different position. The jeep dealer say, there is no problem or recall for my VIN. But there is a recall part :(CNNNX321AC Tube) available form Mopar, there don't sell to the public. I like to fix this problem for more than one reason. Environmental, wasting Fuel, damaging the paint and plastic, fire hazard and fuel smell on my closes. I am a retired senior master Car technician, German (Kraftfahrzeug mechaniker Meister)with 50 years experience.
This has happened on more than 1 occasion. Driving on the highway and I lose power, the Jeep slows way down, the accelerator pedal is dead, and the Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) light comes on. It does the same thing driving in town. Sometimes you can turn the vehicle off, wait a couple minutes, start it back up and it will be ok for a little bit. Sometimes it won't. I have replaced some parts, read forums, communicated with a dealer service department and it doesn't sound like there is a "fix" for this. This is very dangerous and someone could get seriously injured or killed.
Electrical system all 335 →
Car was purchased 1 hour prior to incident from a dealership. Car was in idle and was shifted to drive and automatically accelerated rapidly without foot on gas pedal and breaks did not work when breaks were forcefully applied during the incident. The car crashed into a house deck and went off the cement pad and crashed into trees in the yard. Unable to remove key from ignition, had to be placed in neutral to remove key. We had the car for less than an hour after purchase. Damage was sustained to the deck and significant damage to car, air bags did not deploy. Claim was immediately filed with insurance.
The contact owns a 2008 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that the horn, alarm, windows, and windshield wipers spontaneously engaged. There were several unknown warning lights flashing. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the clockspring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact was then informed that the TIPM needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified if the failure, however, no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 125,000. The VIN was not available.
2008 Jeep Wrangler engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 16 / 21 / 18 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 19 / 17 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 19 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Jeep Wrangler a good car?
Based on 1,863 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Wrangler rates avoid: 4.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the Wrangler at the same age. It is one of the Wrangler years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Jeep Wrangler?
The air bags — 535 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (472) and electrical system (335).
How many recalls does the 2008 Jeep Wrangler have?
There are 7 recalls for the 2008 Jeep Wrangler, the most recent from May 24, 2016 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Jeep Wrangler?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017 and 2015. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2024, 2018, 2021, 2023 and 2019. See the full Jeep Wrangler years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Jeep Wrangler problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 52,000 miles; 46% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.