Most common 2013 Jeep Wrangler problems
Share of the 654 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 →
2013 Jeep Wrangler recalls (6)
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2018 Jeep Wrangler right hand drive vehicles. The driver's seat belt buckle mounting strap may fracture and separate from the seat frame.
Remedy: FCA US will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's seat belt buckle, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed November 19, 2019.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2010 Dodge Ram 3500, Ram 4500/5500, 2010-2011 Dodge Dakota, 2010-2014 Dodge Challenger, 2010-2015 Dodge Challenger, Chrysler 300, and 2010-2016 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger vehicles, and 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa,…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Right Hand Drive Jeep Wrangler vehicles manufactured February 16, 2010, to May 2, 2016. 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 August 11, 2016.
Electrical system
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Jeep Wrangler vehicles manufactured February 16, 2010, to July 19, 2013. Corrosion in the exterior heated power mirror electrical connector may result in an electrical short.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will move the exterior mirror power feed to a separate connector, free of charge. Chrysler issued an interim notification to owners on December 8, 2014.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Cooling unit and lines
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Jeep Wrangler vehicles equipped with a 3.6L engine and an automatic transmission and manufactured January 23, 2011, through February 23, 2013.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering return tube assembly, free of charge. The recall began on September 23, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2013 Jeep Wrangler:
Seat belt buckle bracket failure
On July 17, 2019, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) 19-008 after receiving three Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports alleging the driver's side seat belt buckle separated from the seat frame, rendering the seat belt non-functional. The VOQs involved model year (MY) 2015 and 2016 Jeep Wrangler (JK platform) that were configured for right-hand drive (RHD) use.
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.
Electrical overstress
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect. During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events.
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 2013 Jeep Wrangler owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 230 →
The contact owns a 2013 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that after her husband had arrived at his destination, upon returning to the vehicle and attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was eventually able to restart and returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The contact stated that the failure seemed to occur after driving the vehicle for longer than 45 minutes to one hour. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure Safety Recall J30. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 92,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, while depressing the accelerator pedal the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that it felt as if the transmission had seized. The contact stated that the RPM was revving however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that during a state inspection, the contact was informed that the passenger's side rear axle shaft seal was leaking. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.
Steering all 167 →
The contact owns a 2013 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the contact crashed into the guard rail. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact exited the vehicle and noticed the steering box shaft was snapped. There were no air bags deployed. There were no injuries or medical treatment on the scene. The police arrived at the scene and contacted a towing service. There were minor damages to the front of the vehicle. There was a police report filed. The vehicle was towed several times; however, ended up at the local independent mechanic. There was an unknown diagnosis. There was a steering box shaft and tie rod end replacement, in addition to an alignment done. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the horn button failed to operate and the steering wheel was difficult to turn. Additionally, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving to his residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,120.
Engine & cooling all 144 →
The contact owns a 2013 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that the vehicle was overheating while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the thermostat was replaced several times. However, the failure persisted. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning illuminated and several chimes were heard. The contact veered to the side of the road and noticed that engine oil was leaking onto the ground. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed that the radiator needed to be replaced. The part was replaced; however, the contact stated that upon parking the vehicle, the failure reoccurred and the engine oil leaked out onto the ground. The vehicle was towed to a second dealer, Perkins Motors (1205 Motor City Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80905) where it was diagnosed that the engine cooler needed to be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2013 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at highway speeds, the check engine and traction control warning lights suddenly illuminated, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and decelerated to under 45 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the cylinder head oil plugs, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was later taken to a second dealer who diagnosed that the engine had experienced low compression leak and multiple misfires. The contact was informed that the cylinder head, engine valves, and springs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that that a VIN was not included in the Extended Coverage for the failure. The failure mileage was 57,000.
2013 Jeep Wrangler engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD | 17 / 21 / 18 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | 4WD | 17 / 21 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2013 Jeep Wrangler a good car?
Based on 654 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 Wrangler rates use caution: 1.6× 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 2013 Jeep Wrangler?
The transmission & drivetrain — 230 complaints, 35% of all complaints for this model year, most often about manual transmission. Next are the steering (167) and engine & cooling (144).
How many recalls does the 2013 Jeep Wrangler have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2013 Jeep Wrangler, the most recent from September 26, 2019 (anchorage). 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 2013 Jeep Wrangler problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 50,000 miles; 50% 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.