2001 Jeep Wrangler Body & Structure Problems

MY JEEP WAS MAKING GRINDING SOUNDS WHEN I SHIFTED GEARS. AT FIRST IT WAS JUST A QUICK GRIND (METAL AGAINST METAL). THEN IT GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AS THIS LAST WEEK WENT BY. IT BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE AND IT WOULD POP OUT OF GEAR UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD.LUCKILY I DIDN'T DRIVE IT MUCH. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID I WAS LUCKY- MY TRANSMISSION(?) WAS TILTED AND SITTING ON SOMETHING AND THAT WAS CAUSING THE NOISE (THE LUCK WAS THAT THE TRANSMISSION DIDN'T FALL ALL THE WAY DOWN). THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM FROM PRESTIGE HI-TECH IS "CHECK FOR NOISE/ GRINDING IN DRIVETRAIN. FRAME BADLY RUSTED OUT, CROSS MEMBER UNDER TRANSFER CASE, BOLTS PULLED OUT OF RUSTED FRAME." I WAS THEN TOLD IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. VISUALLY IT IS IN GREAT CONDITION WITHOUT RUST ON THE BODY. PRESTIGE SAID BOTH SIDES OF THE FRAME ARE RUSTED THROUGH BECAUSE OF POOR DESIGN. THERE WERE NO HOLES FOR TRAPPED WATER TO ESCAPE THROUGH.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP WRANGLER. UPON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE'S FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FRAME WAS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000.

ENTIRE FRAME IS RUSTED CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO FALL OUT. ALMOST MADE MY SON CRASH INTO A TREE AFTER LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED ONLY 90K MILES. THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED BECAUSE THE STRUCTURE HOLDING IT UP WAS BOLTED TO THE FRAME AND BECAUSE THE ENTIRE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED IT CANT BE FIXED. ITS SO BAD A NO BODY SHOP WILL FIX IT, RUST KIT IS NO HELP WITH HOW BAD THIS FRAME IS RUSTED. THIS IS COMPLETELY RIDICULES THAT A FRAME IS THIS BADLY RUSTED AT 90K MILES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS EXTENSIVE RUST AND CORROSION TO THE FRAME. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO RECOMMENDED SOLUTION TO PREVENT THE CONDITION THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND A DEALER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 06/13/17*LJ *CN

2001 JEEP WRANGLER SPORT, FRAME IS RUSTING FROM INSIDE OUT DUE TO IMPROPER DRAINAGE HOLES. CURRENTLY WITH 139,000 MILES THE CENTER SKID PLATE/TRANSFER CASE MOUNT IS READY TO DROP OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT CONTROL ARM HAS ALSO BROKE OFF REQUIRING ESTENSIVE REPAIRS.

THIS 2001 JEEP WRANGLER TJ FAILED NY STATE SAFETY INSPECTION DUE TO FRAME RUST. PURCHASED NEW ON 06/01/2001 FROM A JEEP DEALERSHIP IN LINDENHURST, NY AND ONLY HAS 116,097 MILES ON A 4.0 ENGINE. THIS TUBULAR FRAME RUST IS PREMATURE DUE TO LACK OF "WEEP HOLES" THAT ALLOWS WATER TO EXIT THE FRAME, THEREBY PROMOTING RUST FROM THE INSIDE, OUT AND IS COSTLY TO REPAIR (SEE ATTACHMENT). NOTE... TOYOTA HAS HAD SIMILAR "RUSTY FRAME" ISSUES, BUT TOYOTA HAS DONE THE "RIGHT THING". SEE WRITE-UP AND VIDEO HERE: HTTP://AUTOWEEK.COM/ARTICLE/RECALLS/TOYOTA-FRAME-SETTLEMENT-COULD-COST-COMPANY-34-BILLION ... I LOVE MY WRANGLER, BUT IF JEEP REFUSES TO HELP WITH THIS (WIDE SPREAD) RUSTY FRAME ISSUE, I MAY VERY WELL MAKE A TOYOTA MY NEXT PURCHASE! THIS IS NOT JUST A CUSTOMER SERVICE ISSUE, THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE!!!

(*NOTE: I LIVE IN CT, USA. I PARK MY JEEP IN THE GARAGE WHEN IT SNOWS, AND IN THE DRIVEWAY THE REST OF THE TIME.) WHILE RETRIEVING SOMETHING OUT OF THE BACK SEAT, I STEPPED UP ON THE RUNNING BOARD (AKA. SIDE STEP) AND AS I LEANED IN, IT RIPPED RIGHT OUT OF THE FRAME. WITHIN A MONTH OF THIS, MY SKID PLATE ROTTED OUT OF THE FRAME AND LEFT MY TRANSMISSION UNSUPPORTED AND MY UNIVERSAL JOINT HANGING AT 30 DEGREE ANGLE. I BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC, WHO TOLD ME TO TAKE IT STRAIGHT TO A BODY SHOP. IT'S BEEN THERE TWO WEEKS NOW! I PURCHASED 2 SKID PLATE MOUNT REPLACEMENTS WHICH THEY ARE WELDING ON RIGHT NOW. *NOTE: I'D UPLOAD PICTURES OF MY FRAME, BUT MY JEEP IS STILL IN THE SHOP. SO... (ATTACHED) ARE SOME PICTURES OF THE RUNNING BOARD AND RUSTED-OUT MOUNTS.

THE FRAME ON THE TJ MODEL YEARS WRANGLERS ARE MADE IN A BOX DESIGN WITH NO DRAIN HOLES AT THE BOTTOM SO WHEN WATER OR OTHER CORROSIVES GET IN THEY ARE TRAPPED AND THIS MAKES THE FRAME RUST FROM THE INSIDE OUT. BY THE TIME THIS IS DETECTED IT'S TO LATE ,THE FRAME IS UNSAFE AND WON'T PAS INSPECTION. DON'T WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE IS KILLED BECAUSE OFF THIS VERY UNSAFE DESIGN, DO SOMETHING NOW.

THIS IS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE THE FRAME IS PRETTY MUCH COMPLETELY ROTTED AWAY BASICALLY SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT IT IS COST ME ALMOST $4000 TO GET THE FRAME REPAIR OF REPEATABLY. ONE SUCH TIME MY TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE ACTUALLY FELL OUT BECAUSE THE SKID PLATE ROTTED OUT FOR BOLTS ON. THIS SPECIFIC REPAIR COST ME ALMOST $3000 TO FIX AS I HAD TO GET ANOTHER TRANSFER CASE AND A NEWPORT OF RAIL MADE. I ALSO HAVE MY REAR UPPER CONTROL ARM MOUNTS RUST OFF OF THE FRAME DESTROYING MY REAR AXLE . THAT WAS ANOTHER $2000 REPLACEMENT. I HAVE SEEN INSTANCES AT THE SHOP WHERE PORTS OF FALLING OFF OF THESE VEHICLES DUE TO THE SAME ISSUE. I RESPECT THE TOYOTA RECALL THE RUSTED FRAMES AND I THINK IT'S FINALLY TIME TO MAKE CHRYSLER DO THE SAME . THEY HAVE KNOWN THIS IS AN ISSUE SINCE THE 80S AND CONTINUE TO DO THIS.

THE WRANGLER FRAME IS EXTREMELY PRONE TO RUST AND IS VERY EASILY ROTTED OUT OVER THE YEARS. I BELIEVE THIS IS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW ON CHRYSLERS PART. THERE ARE NO DRAINAGE POINTS AT THE LOWEST PARTS OF THE FRAME WHICH HOLDS IN WATER AND ROAD SALT AND ACCELERATES RUST. *TR

MY JEEP FRAME RUSTED OUT, FORCING US TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE IN 2015. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER, FEMALE, NEVER WENT OFF-ROAD WITH IT AND IT WAS GARAGE KEPT. LESS THAN 90,000 MILES ON IT TODAY. UPSET THAT I CANNOT DRIVE IT BECAUSE OF THE FRAME AND CANNOT FIND FRAME TO REPLACE IT. I STILL OWN IT AND STILL WAITING TO FIND A FRAME FOR IT. NOW SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY. EXCELLENT CONDITION, EXCEPT FOR THE FRAME! SEE PHOTO AS PROOF.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR SUB FRAME WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

THE FRAME HAS RUSTED TO A UNSAFE CONDITION BECAUSE OF BAD METAL AND BAD DESIGN.

HIT A SMALL ROUGH SPOT IN THE ROAD, NOTICED A RUMBLING RIGHT AFTER. STOPPED TO CHECK - NOTICED SKID PLATE HANGING DOWN ON ONE SIDE . FRAME HAD RUSTED THROUGH ALLOWING SKID PLATE AND TRANSMISSION TO SAG. FURTHER CHECKING REVEALED FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH IN MULTIPLE PLACES. IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING AN ESTIMATE OF POSSIBLE REPAIR THOUGH THE MECHANIC WAS NOT ENCOURAGING.. APPARENTLY THIS IS VERY COMMON ON THE TJ SERIES OF WRANGLER. DISAPPOINTING, CONSIDERING A FEW WELL PLACED DRAINAGE HOLES MAY HAVE PREVENTED IT. HOPEFULLY JEEP HAS TAKEN STEPS TO PREVENT THIS HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE . I HAD A FORD F150 FOR 13 YEARS & THE FRAME WAS STILL SOLID THE DAY I PARKED IT. I REALLY ENJOY MY JEEP , BUT IT MAY BE TIME TO SWITCH. :-( UPDATED 4/24/15 *JS

ALL JEEP WRANGLERS FROM 1987-2006 HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE FRAMES RUSTING OUT CAUSE THEM TO BE UNSAFE FOR DRIVING ON PUBLIC ROAD UNLESS THE FRAME IS REPAIRED OR REPLACED, MY FRAME ON MY 2001 JEEP RUSTED OUT WITH ONLY 92000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS CAUSED BY THE FRAME NOT BEING PREPED, PAINTED, AND DESIGNED PROPERLY ALLOWING WATER TO SIT IN THE FRAME BECAUSE THERE ARE NO DRAIN HOLES AT THE LOWEST POINT OF THE FRAME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE FRAME BEING RUSTED AND CORRODED FROM THE FRONT CONTROL ARM TO THE REAR CONTROL ARM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP WRANGLER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING 65 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE. THE CONTACT ALSO CONFIRMED THE FRAME WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 78,105.

RE: MAJOR FRAME ROT: WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE AND ALWAYS MAINTAINED IT PER THE SCHEDULE. I BOUGHT THE JEEP TO MY MECHANIC FOR SOME ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. WHEN HE REMOVED THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR WHEEL HE NOTICED SERIOUS FRAME ROT. HE TOLD ME THE JEEP IS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE AND NOT WORTH PUTTING ANY MORE MONEY INTO. WHEN I GOT HOME, I SCRATCHED THE RUST WITH MY FINGERNAIL AND WAS EASILY ABLE TO POKE MY FINGER RIGHT THROUGH THE FRAME. A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED THE FRAME ROT IS A VERY COMMON DESIGN FLAW FOR THE WRANGLER TJ SERIES. APPARENTLY MOISTURE, ROAD DEBRIS, ETC. IS ALLOWED TO ENTER THE INTERIOR OF THE FRAME BUT NOTHING IN THE DESIGN ALLOWS FOR ITS EXIT. SINCE THIS CREATES A CONDITION THAT ALLOWS THE FRAME TO ROT FROM THE INSIDE-OUT, BY THE TIME IT IS DISCOVERED IT IS TYPICALLY TOO LATE. MANY COMPANIES NOW MANUFACTURE SPECIAL FRAME PIECES TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES WHO ARE MADE AWARE OF WHAT TO LOOK FOR BEFORE TOO MUCH DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE. I SINCERELY HOPE JEEP WILL TREAT THIS DEFECT THE WAY TOYOTA DID WITH THE TACOMA IN 2008-2009! *JB

FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH AT ALL POINTS WHERE SKIDPLATE ATTACHES TO FRAME!! THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH/GONE AT THE AREA WHERE SKIDPLATE BOLTS TO. AS A RESULT THE SKIDPLATE IS HANGING DOWN AND NOT PROPERLY SUPPORTING TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE.. BECAUSE OF THIS HANGING IT IS CAUSING MISALIGNMENT OF THE DRIVETRAIN.. DAMAGING COMPONENTS OF THE DRIVETRAIN. I CANNOT IMAGING IF THIS GOES UNDETECTED AND THE FRAME CRACKS AND/OR BREAKS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, AT WHAT IS THE MIDDLE OF THE FRAME. *JS