1998 Jeep Wrangler Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/12/2026

28Air Bags complaints

10.6%Of all 265 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How air bags ranks on this vehicle

AIR BAGS28 · 10.6%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH23 · 8.7%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM21 · 7.9%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE19 · 7.2%

Unspecified / other16 · 6%

Share of the 265 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1998 Jeep Wrangler overview page.

What owners report

“GAUGES ON INSTERMENT PANEL WILL GO OUT AND THEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT WILL COME ON. THIS HAVE HAPPENED REPETEADLY.”NHTSA complaint 740138 — filed 01/30/2001

“AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON, INDICTATING A DEFECT IN THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. ALSO SPEEDOMETER FAILED. . DEALER HAS NOT FIXED THE DEFECTS. THE TACHOMETER FAILS…”NHTSA complaint 858662 — filed 03/16/2000

“FIRST INCIDENT WAS THE DRIVERS SIDE AREA UNDER THE DASHBOARD FILLING WITH AT LEAST TWO INCHES OF WATER THAT HAD TO BE DRAINED. ALL WINDOWS…”NHTSA complaint 706487 — filed 05/13/1999

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1998 Jeep Wrangler have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the most-reported problem area on the 1998 Jeep Wrangler: 28 of 265 complaints on file (10.6%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1998 Jeep Wrangler have in total?

265 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 23 involved a crash, 9 involved a fire, 16 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.