1997 Ford Explorer vs 1997 Jeep Wrangler
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1997 Ford Explorer | 1997 Jeep Wrangler |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 1,731 | 401 |
| Recall campaigns | 4 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 369 | 84 |
| Investigations | 6 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 156 | 32 |
| Fire reports | 53 | 5 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 14–18 | 15–18 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 100,000 mi | 83,379 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Explorer | Jeep Wrangler |
|---|---|---|
| Tires | 669 | 6 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 198 | 109 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 202 | 9 |
| Power Train | 104 | 53 |
| Suspension | 105 | 27 |
| Visibility | 90 | 21 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 83 | 22 |
| Electrical System | 80 | 14 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 71 | 16 |
| Vibration / shaking | 69 | 10 |
| Hesitation / surging | 25 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 20 | 18 |
| Clunking / rattling | 19 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 16 | 0 |
| Overheating | 15 | 0 |
| Brake problems | 12 | 0 |
1997 Ford Explorer
1997 Jeep Wrangler
Compare all Ford Explorer vs Jeep Wrangler years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.