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 2011 Jeep Wrangler owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Hood latches failed 3 days after vehicle purchase. Hood blew into the windshield obstructing my view at highway speeds. Dealership claims they are not responsible for damages as the vehicle was sold as is, but states the vehicle passed safety inspections and was able to be driven on public roads. Insurance company is currently investigating. No warning lamps upon incident.
Driving down road vehicle started to flame from right front passenger side near front. Pulled over. Got out in time at which time vehicle went up in flames. Called 911 and fire department came put out fire left fire reignited and they came back to put out. Called insurance, filed case with Chrysler got no response. Vehicle was not modified or used for off road this was a vehicle used for regular commute to work. The vehicle was traveling a speed of approx 35 MPH on a city street. Raymond street. Believe it was an issue with fuel system in relation to engine. Salvage yard phone [phone] vehicle id for salvage 27404152 Chrysler case #[redacted] geico claim #[redacted] wayne township fire dept indpls, in about 8:45 pm responded to this ('parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 U.S.c. …
I was driving down the road going 55 MPH and a huge gust of white smoke came thru the dash vent system so I pulled over and got out of my Jeep sahara and noticed a big mass of white smoke coming out from under the hood... 2 minutes later, fire started and within a couple minutes my whole front part of the jeeps engine was engulfed in flames. Than from there it burned up the rest of the Jeep.. This vehicle was completely destroyed in a matter of 10-15 minutes.. I was driving on a paved road in the country ..
I started my Jeep this morning in my driveway with the factory remote start, 10 min later I walked out of my house and saw flames and smoke coming from my drivers side door. A car driving by had stopped and called 911. Another neighbor ran over with a fire extinguisher and we were able to get the fire in control before the fire department got there. The driver side door is completely destroyed and melted, the window is gone. The roof, seat and surrounding area are also damaged. The fire appeared to have started somewhere in the driver side door. I called Jeep twice today thinking they would be concerned and responsive, but I was told it would be 2-5 days before they could have someone come out and inspect the car. In the meantime I wait carless...thank goodness my 2 children were not in the car when it happened. …
Purchased the vechicle new, within 2500 miles vechicle leaked with over 1inch of water on the passenger side floor board, the dealer replaced the seals move forward 40K miles drive side does the same, replaced the seals. As soon as the seals have were replaced the passenger side and the center seam of the freedom panel started leaking. My vechicle has mood and mild all over the inside of the roof and under the seats. Was told by the dealer that the very first fix was an obsolete fix and they have come out with a better seal kit but it would be at my cost to replace. My vechicle is now just over 70K miles and has never been dry since we bought it new. Not to mention I've gone through three stereos due to the leak and shorting out as well.
The front two doors of my Jeep leak water. If it rains over night the passenger floor board will have 3/4 inch of standing water, the door leaks more when driving while raining. The driver side door leaks, but only when driving and not enough to fill the floor board. I shop vacuum the passenger floor board every time it rains to get the standing water out, then put towels down to soak up what is left. The carpet now smells moldy, this is a safety issue concerning my health. Jeep has a service bulletin of 23-010-13 (formally 23-001-12) out, so they know about the issue. Why can they not do a recall on the issue?
The oe hood latches degrade over time allowing the hood to vibrate and "lift" especially at highway speeds. This is well documented anecdotally - google "Wrangler jk hood flutter". I saw the front of my hood moving at least 1" to the point where I feared it would fly up over the windshield. I replaced my latches with those from the 2018-19 Wrangler jl model which now uses a metal ring in place of the rubber band on the jk latch. This indicates to me that FCA realizes the jk design is faulty.
My 2011 Jeep Wrangler sport has less than 50,000 miles and my airbag light is on and has been on for at least 6 months or more. Why is the recall only for rh drive wranglers, from what I am reading there are several lh drive wranglers with the same issue. Also every time it rains front driver and passenger floors are wet underneath floor mat. I have read several owner complaints on this issue but manufacture does not seem to care.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact also stated that the roof leaked into the vehicle, which created electrical failures. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where they replaced the stereo. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000. Updated 05/24/16 updated 6/6/18
Since I have had the Jeep the top has leaked and this happened before I had ever taken the top off. In doing my research this has happened to 100s of other people. One was able to successfully initiate the lemon law and after that succeeded she found crysler manipulated the VIN records. I have gotten no help bringing the Jeep back it happens I dry it out. If not the carpet gets moldy and smells. My neighbor has the same year and make same issue we have both given up and just have to deal with it. I cannot keep taking time out of my day to bring it back to the dealer as I had 5 times prior. I love the Jeep but having rain pour in if its coming down hard enough or coming into puddles is frustrating and for a new vehicle it's unacceptable. The only response I have gotten from Jeep is bring it in again there is no design flaw yet the deales will admits there is. …
Body complaints in other Wrangler years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2011 Jeep Wrangler?
NHTSA has 28 complaints about the body & structure of the 2011 Jeep Wrangler, 6% of the model year's 485 complaints. The component named most often is body (19 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Jeep Wrangler body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2011 Jeep Wrangler, though it has 10 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 2011 Jeep Wrangler body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 11,000 miles, and 58% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 4 fires 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.