The Lemon Index2003 Jeep Wrangler.
The 2003 Jeep Wrangler is better than average by owner complaints: 48 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 84, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 4 recalls, and it gets 16 to 17 mpg combined. The best Jeep Wrangler year is 2015.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 98 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Jeep Wrangler year. 2003 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 8K to 68K miles on the car (78 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 3K–26K miles
Recalls 4
- lights 2006
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE.
- brakes 2006
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT BRAKE CYLINDERS FOR CERTAIN FORD, DAIMLERCHRYSLER, AND JEEP PASSENGER VEHICLES.
- fuel system, gasoline 2006
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET AIRTEX ELECTRIC FUEL PUMPS INSTALLED FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR CERTAIN 1997-2004 JEEP WRANGLER; 1997-2001 JEEP CHEROKEE; 1997-2004 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE; AND 2000-2003 DODGE DAKOTA VEHICLES.
Show all 4 recalls
- equipment 2004
BESTOP AFTERMARKET REAR SHELL ROOF RACKS,MANUFACTURED BETWEEN APRIL 27 AND MAY 20, 2004, DESIGNED FOR USE WITH THE BESTOP HARDTOP MADE FOR THE 1986-1995 AND 1997-2003 JEEP WRANGLER.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Jeep told dealers about
Jeep sent dealers 51 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Delayed or temporary loss of transmission engagement after initial start up on various models…
- Transmission harsh 4-3 downshift on various models including the 2004 pacifica, sebring,…
- Transmission harsh 4-3 downshift
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★☆ · side — · rollover ★★★☆☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $3800–4000 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.4L 4-cyl, 4.0L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
I feel brake and gas pedal are too close together.I apply brakes but my foot sometimes hit gas pedal at the same time,and vise-Versa.
2003 Jeep Wrangler owner · NHTSA complaint 10061849
More owner reports
Harsh shifting from 2nd into first on my automatic transmission.
NHTSA complaint 10082370
Transmission failure - grinding noise is heard when shifting into 2nd and 3rd gears, jerks forward before clutch is let out, will not shift into 5th gear at highway speeds. This is the second transmission to fail in this vehicle.
NHTSA complaint 10028812
Quick answers
Is the 2003 Jeep Wrangler reliable?
Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.2× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 84; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Jeep Wrangler year by this measure is 2015.
What are the most common 2003 Jeep Wrangler problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (46%), brakes (12%) and suspension (12%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2003 Jeep Wrangler have?
4 safety recalls (latest: lights). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2003 Jeep Wrangler get?
16 to 17 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2003 Jeep Wrangler problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 8,600 and 68,900 miles. The middle report was at 26,900 miles, from 78 complaints.
Does the 2003 Jeep Wrangler have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 46% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2003 Jeep Wrangler cost in fuel a year?
About $3800 to $4000 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2003 Jeep Wrangler have?
2.4L 4-cyl, 4.0L 6-cyl.
What Jeep Wrangler year is better than the 2003?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2015, 2017 and 2011.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works