Jeep dependability near last place

[haven]

This is a re-post, edited to correct mistakes I made in my
original summary of this study.

The JD Power Dependability study was released recently.
Jeep ranks close to last in number of problems reported.
The study is based on responses from 52,000 owners of 2007
models, describing what problems they experienced in the
last 12 months with their vehicles.

The result: Jeeps experience 45% more problems than the
industry average, and almost 2 times as many problems than
the most dependable brands.

Jeep fans can take solace in the fact that Land Rover is even
worse in terms of dependability.

Here's a summary of the JD Power study
http://www.autoobserver.com/2010/03...ves-industry-wide-caddy-dts-porsche-tops.html

Here's the JD Power press release on the subject
http://businesscenter.jdpower.com/news/pressrelease.aspx?ID=2010034

Cheer up, Wrangler owners! Your vehicle is among the cheapest
to insure. The Wrangler sits in 5th place, according to the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study, and reported at
Jalopnik.com.

http://jalopnik.com/5496627/

 

[profire]

Wow, that is not good to hear. I currently own a 2007 Wrangler X and I have had zero issues with the vehicle. I bought it used and have put 16k miles on it thus far with 36k on the odometer. Maybe I just got lucky or maybe breakdowns are in the future, but I love that thing more than any vehicle I have ever owned including the 4dr taco I used to have. The Taco was a solid truck though.

 

[Silver dude]

I would imagine most the issues would be city people and soccer moms complaining of wind noise on Wranglers. As I might recall weatherstripping was never a strong point.

Both of your links to JD didn't work for me.

 

[haven]

I fixed the links. Give them a try!

 

[Desert Dan]

My Jeeps have been 100% reliable.
A few water leaks and a few other issues but no major problems.
I can't speak for the V6 engine in the JK but the 4.0L was bulletproof.

The electronics on the starters and alternators were from and Asian county.

It's a Jeep thing!

Lets see what Fiat does with Jeep.

 

[Scott Brady]

I am certain this is not an Wrangler issue. We have had three total JKs and experienced zero warranty claims.

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

Both the 2002 TJ and my 2004 Unlimited were driven hard and never had a single problem. I'd buy another Wrangler in a heartbeat.

 

[BIGdaddy]

my jeep is 18 years old...been 100% reliable over the last year...

probably not talking about mine though..hahah!

 

[TJ Willy]

JD Power and the other print associated with value have never spoke well of the Wrangler. Only when you get to off-road prowess from a stock configuration do you see the Jeep get good press.

My .02 cents.

As for my experience, my TJ had zero issues save a bad 02 sensor (35,000 miles). My ZJ as well that were not self inflicted. My JK has had a few including leaking hard top seals (twice replaced) and a leaking head gasket which is due for warranty repair Monday-?. Also two recalls. (front tow bar assembly - first owner used had the Jeep behind an RV and the infamous Hot Oil Trany alert) 16,000 miles.

I am not swayed though... Jeep really is more than a just a vehicle to me.

 

[scarysharkface]

I've had steering shimmy issues with my '09, but the dealer eventually got those figured out and now it drives like new again (thankfully). I've had false "low tire" warnings and other small stuff, but I still love the vehicle because it does exactly what I need it to do (and I'm not afraid to slow down if I have a problem).

I believe the proverbial "soccer mom" might have issues with the vague steering and wind noise, and those (or their husbands) are the demographic these publications speak to, imho.

It's a niche vehicle, or should be.

John

 

[Xjaddiction]

As stated, a lot of people don't "get" the Jeep (Understand). Many articles are written by test drivers that have just finished testing a Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, etc. and jump into a wrangler with biased "seat of the pants". They have no desire to off-road the vehicle, and if they do it's so tame that the abilities of Jeep are not understood. I've owned many vehicles over the years, and have always returned to the Jeep. I love the Toyotas. One Toy Truck that I owned was an 80 series. a few years back I did a mild build on one, and sold it a year later because it just didn't have the Jeep Factor. Well, it also lacked the power of the Jeep V-8's.... or even the I-6 4.0 for that matter! The Yo's are solid rigs, and I still love them, but the ease, and inexpensive cost of building and maintaining a Jeep is what I love about them. AND, I love the Jeep V-8's, over any engine that Toyota offers.

Jeep is the only reason that Chrysler is still in business. Really none of the major reporters on vehicles that deal with the avg. pop. sector give any accolades to the Jeep. They lack true understanding of the American spirit, and are stuck inside that proverbial box... Many who buy the new wrangler are soccer mom's, I have one in my house, and they don't realize what they are buying. They purchase based on looks alone. They are thinking about the ride their Lex 350 used to give them, or the Yota Minivan they used to own. They are gong to be disappointed. Those are the reports that get sent back into the dealers, and ultimately to the consumer through reports. You can not buy a vehicle out there that is perfect in all the conditions that we like to put a vehicle through. We, tend to build them much better than they were off the show room floor. Still, they have a "give and take" way about them. That's why many of us have at least two vehicles to drive.

You can't drive a BMW 7 series through the Hammer's of the Rubicon, but you can drive a built Jeep on 35's through the school pick-up line.... and to soccer practice, any day of the week...

 

[Ronnie4283]

This just shows that our version of dependable and the other version of dependable is often very different. I'm sure 75% of the repairs I do on Wranglers is wind noise complaints. Which let's face it, that doesn't make a vehicle dependable or not.
I'd drive my '05 TJ anywhere, anytime. Damn the wind noise!!

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Saab appears to have gone way up, last time I looked they were just above Land Rover and Lexus was formerly at the top...

 

[Dennis David]

You can't drive a BMW 7 series through the Hammer's of the Rubicon, but you can drive a built Jeep on 35's through the school pick-up line.... and to soccer practice, any day of the week.

:xxrotflma

The 7 series was designed to travel along the autobahn at 200 kph. If you could even do that in a Jeep you'd be losing parts from Hamburg to Munich. I know we love our 4wds but let's get real.

 

[BIGdaddy]

:xxrotflma

The 7 series was designed to travel along the autobahn at 200 kph. If you could even do that in a Jeep you'd be losing parts from Hamburg to Munich. I know we love our 4wds but let's get real.

most of us live in North america...fyi.