The Lemon Index2004 Jeep Wrangler.
The 2004 Jeep Wrangler is about average by owner complaints: 70 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 106, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 3 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 192 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Jeep Wrangler year. 2004 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 23K to 72K miles on the car (163 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- steering complaints mostly came at 29K–70K miles
- suspension complaints mostly came at 27K–68K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 5K–57K miles
Recalls 3
- 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.
- equipment 2004
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, DUE TO A RECENT SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING ERROR, THE TIRE, WHEEL, AND INFLATION PRESSURE INFORMATION WAS INADVERTENTLY OMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABEL.
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 47 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Clutch slipping
- Spark knock or powertrain rattle-like sound from transfer case shifter area
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
Motor rattles going from 3rd to 4th in the 4l automatic engine.
2004 Jeep Wrangler owner · NHTSA complaint 10072841
More owner reports
Motor rattles from 42mph to 60mph in 4l I-6 automatic transmission in od. With o/d off, it rattles from 35 to 45mph.
NHTSA complaint 10105648
Right rear axle seal leaking fluid onto brake shoes.
NHTSA complaint 10205050
Quick answers
Is the 2004 Jeep Wrangler reliable?
About average by government complaints. It drew about the average number of complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 106; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Jeep Wrangler year by this measure is 2015.
What are the most common 2004 Jeep Wrangler problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (23%), brakes (23%) and steering (14%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2004 Jeep Wrangler have?
3 safety recalls (latest: brakes). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2004 Jeep Wrangler get?
16 to 17 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2004 Jeep Wrangler problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 23,000 and 72,800 miles. The middle report was at 46,200 miles, from 163 complaints.
Does the 2004 Jeep Wrangler have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 23% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2004 Jeep Wrangler cost in fuel a year?
About $3800 to $4000 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2004 Jeep Wrangler have?
2.4L 4-cyl, 4.0L 6-cyl.
What Jeep Wrangler year is better than the 2004?
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