1998 Jeep Wrangler Suspension Problems
- Complaints
- 26about this part
- Share
- 10%of 265 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 100,000miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 26 complaints about the suspension of the 1998 Jeep Wrangler, 10% of the 265 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 100,000 miles. 3 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Due to excessive rot that is common on this vehicle, while traveling I hit a bump and snapped my driver side control arm. This consequently made for a dangerous ride. While attempting to repair it I noticed how bad the frame was rotted, but unlike normal circumstances where the outside and inside would have equal corrosion. The inside was rotted much worse, and parts of the frame easily crumbled.”
NHTSA complaint #10713501, filed 2015-04, 99,945 miles“The rust is so bad on the jeeps it's ridiculous it's not safe your going to kill someone when there rear axle shoots out from under them this is a issue you should fix not the consumer I will not be buying this product again if it is my fixed. 98 tj Jeep Wrangler”
NHTSA complaint #10731857, filed 2015-07, 100,000 miles“I have a 1998 Jeep Wrangler. I've owned my Jeep for 15 years. It has been garage kept. We were changing the shocks a few weeks ago and noticed severe rust damage. The frame is rusting from the inside out. It's severe. Years before I was traveling down a 2 land rd and had to press my brakes harder than I usually would due to a car pulling out in front of me. At that moment I blew a brake line. I could not get my vehicle stopped. Luckily it's a 5 speed. I geared down as fast as I could and managed to pull it off the main road onto a hill to get it stopped. …”
NHTSA complaint #11165433, filed 2019-01, 69,000 miles“Rust has eaten completely through Jeep frame in rear support area through about midway of the door section. This is not minor surface rust, but large gaping holes that I can put my whole hand inside of. The Jeep was purchased new in 1998 and has never been offroad. It has very low highway mileage and is in an area where the winters are mild, so there's not a lot of road salt used during the winters here. It has been maintained and has been well taken care of. …”
NHTSA complaint #10454042, filed 2012-04, 54,986 miles“Noticed a noise while driving home the other day thought it may have been my exhaust rattling around, so I got under vehicle to inspect the noise, and what I found was that the rear part of the frame has rusted away and the brackets for the rear trailing arms had detached from the frame allowing the arms to drop, and on this particular side the brake lines are attached to this control arm. I know that toyota had a similar recall on the truck frames for rust perforation, and that Jeep had one on the liberty for the rear lower control arms rusting and breaking. …”
NHTSA complaint #10573095, filed 2014-03, 112,000 milesSuspension: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 | 2% |
| 2023 | 39 | 10% |
| 2022 | 60 | 15% |
| 2021 | 181 | 19% |
| 2020 | 51 | 8% |
| 2019 | 133 | 18% |
| 2018 | 343 | 19% |
| 2017 | 8 | 3% |
| 2016 | 8 | 2% |
| 2015 | 17 | 4% |
| 2014 | 15 | 2% |
| 2013 | 20 | 3% |
| 2012 | 20 | 2% |
| 2011 | 39 | 8% |
| 2010 | 42 | 6% |
| 2009 | 63 | 17% |
| 2008 | 108 | 12% |
| 2007 | 100 | 18% |
| 2006 | 72 | 10% |
| 2005 | 51 | 8% |
| 2004 | 59 | 31% |
| 2003 | 18 | 18% |
| 2002 | 19 | 18% |
| 2001 | 21 | 12% |
| 2000 | 25 | 10% |
| 1999 | 5 | 2% |
| 1998 | 26 | 10% |
| 1997 | 27 | 7% |
| 1995 | 7 | 3% |
| 1994 | 2 | 1% |
| 1993 | 3 | 3% |
| 1992 | 1 | 1% |
| 1991 | 2 | 3% |
| 1990 | 3 | 4% |
Other parts of the 1998 Jeep Wrangler
58 complaintsEngine cooling
53 complaintsAir bags
46 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
33 complaintsBody and structure
25 complaintsFuel system
20 complaintsBrakes
19 complaintsSeat belts
17 complaintsOther or unknown
16 complaintsSteering
16 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
16 complaintsVehicle speed control
11 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1998 Jeep Wrangler
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology