There are 43 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2009 Jeep Wranglerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The manual transmission malfunctioned, it is available for inspection upon request. My safety and others are put at risk due to the transmission not accepting first gear when in 1st gear, and it “pops” out of gear unexpectedly, leaving me and others in the middle of an intersection. The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by dealers, the manufacturer knows about the problem, to my knowledge. There were not any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior to the failure. This issue happens very frequently, and happens to thousands of others with this Jeep. And it’s extremely dangerous.
TIPM failure while driving is very unsafe. Can cause lights, wipers, and other failures while driving, including intermittent dangerous stalling and non starting. Please don’t wait until deaths or injury occur before action of this widely known issue.
FIRST GEAR KEEPS POPPING OUT WHEN CROSSING INTERCEPTION IT COULD GET DANGEROUS
FIRST GEAR POP OUT
MANUAL TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF 1ST GEAR ON ACCELERATION FORCING THE DRIVER TO QUICKLY PUT INTO 2ND GEAR. THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AND DOES CAUSE A SAFETY HAZARD. IF THE VEHICLE STALLS OUT WHEN GOING INTO 2ND GEAR IT COULD EASILY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED WHEN SHIFTED INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V290000 (AIR BAGS) AND 16V352000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 118,000. PART DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE FIRST GEAR SLIPPED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED IF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.
BROUGHT MY JEEP TO AN AUTOMOTIVE SHOP TO HAVE CRANK CASE AND TRANSMISSION OIL CHANGED. THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR DRIVE SHAFT WAS IN DIRE STRAIGHT. THERE ARE 16 BOLTS; 8 AT EACH END THAT KEEP THE DRIVE SHAFT IN PLACE. 1 WAS COMPLETELY MISSING, 12 WERE BROKEN (IN MULTIPLE PLACES ON MULTIPLE BOLTS) AND 3 BOLTS WERE ALL THAT WAS KEEPING THE DRIVE SHAFT IN PLACE AND THEY WERE ALL ATTACHED TO THE REAR OF THE SHAFT. THE SHOP INSISTED THAT I SEE IT FIRST HAND AND THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE. I WAS COMPLETELY HORRIFIED, THERE IS NO TELLING HOW LONG IT HAD BEEN THAT WAY. I AM NOT HARD ON MY VEHICLE, I DON'T HOT ROD, OFF ROAD OR GO MUDDING. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF A PROBLEM AND THE JEEP SERVICE DEPARTMENT DIDN'T DISCOVER ANYTHING DURING THEIR "UMPTEEN" VEHICLE POINT INSPECTION. THE ONLY THING I CAN FIGURE IS THAT THE FACTORY TORQUED THE BOLTS TOO HARD OR USED DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT OR BOTH. THE COMPLACENCY IN QUALITY CONTROL IS DISTURBING; MY LIFE MATTERS AND THERE IS NO TELLING WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IF THAT PART DECIDED TO LET GO. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING AT A VERY LOW SPEED, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE GEAR SHIFTER AS IT INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED OUT OF THE FIRST GEAR. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY AND MULTIPLE PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO PART UNAVAILABILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.
WHEN PULLING OUT INTO THE ROAD AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF 1ST GEAR. IT WAS DANGEROUS AS I LOST MY ABILITY TO ACCELERATE WHEN I NEEDED IT THE MOST (CROSSING A BUSY ROAD). IT HAS BEEN SLIPPING OR POPPING OUT OF 1ST GEAR W INCREASING FREQUENCY. I TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP AND THEY FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN POSTED BY THE MANUFACTURE OF ESSENTIALLY A KNOWN ISSUE THAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. THE JEEP HAS 28K MILES ON IT AND IS IN GREAT CONDITION OTHERWISE. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT AND NOT CAUSES BY NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THIS PROBLEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP WON'T FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY AND I FEEL IT SHOULD BE COVERED AS THIS PROBLEM IS BOTH A SAFETY ISSUE AND KNOWN DEFECT. *TR
TRANSMISSION OVERHEATS WHEN DRIVING UPHILL EVEN IN THE SNOW. (NEEDS A TRANNY COOLER). AIR BAG SENSOR FAILED. NOT COVERED BUT SAME PART FAILED IN 2007 AND IS COVERED BY WARRANTY. *TR
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY JEEP SHUT DOWN. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC TRYING TO MISS CARS BUT I HAD NO POWER STEERING. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOOK IT TO THE SHOP. THEY HAD TO REPLACE MY TIPM MODULE. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOMEONE CONTACT CHRYSLER TO HAVE THEM PUT IN A RECALL SO THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. *TR
TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING. TOOK VEHICLE (3.8L V6 4X4) IN FOR TRANS COOLER LINE REPLACEMENT. WAS TOLD BY DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT COOLER LINE CONNECTION PARTS WERE BAD (NOTE: THIS IS A RECALL ITEM ON THE 2009 3.6 L ENGINE). *TR
CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD DRIVE SIDE, BROKEN BOLT ON PASSENGER SIDE EXHAUST MANIFOLD
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO SPECIFY WHY THE FAILURE OCCURRED, BUT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED THREE TIMES FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 171,907. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
THE JEEP CAUGHT FIRE FROM WHAT IS THOUGHT TO BE VEGETATION CAUGHT UP AND UNDER THE SKID PLATE. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON AND OFF ROAD. *TR
COUPLE THINGS. WHILE IN MOTION IN 1ST GEAR, THE VEHICLE WILL POP OUT OF GEAR SUDDENLY, MAKING A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE. ALSO, WHEN FILLING UP THE TANK, IT WILL OVERFLOW. *TR
2009 JEEP WRANGLER X 2 DOOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRANSMISSION FIRST GEAR POPS OUT OF GEAR DURING ACCELERATION. SHIFT TO FIRST, LET OFF OF CLUTCH WITH OR WITHOUT THROTTLE APPLIED AND THE TRANSMISSION WILL KICK OUT OF FIRST GEAR, LEAVING THE VEHICLE AND OCCUPANTS IN NEUTRAL IN AN INTERSECTION, OR ON TRAIN TRACKS FROM A STOP, FORCING QUICK CLUTCH PEDAL APPLICATION AND SHIFTING INTO FIRST AGAIN, WITH THE PROBLEM MOST OFTEN RECURRING. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN 3RD OF 5TH GEAR. DEALER DID A DIAGNOSIS PAID FOR BY OWNER, AND DETERMINED IT WAS THE 1/2 GEAR AND SYNCHRO GEARS. CHRYSLER HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN THAT I WAS INELIGIBLE. VEHICLE HAD 20K MILES WHEN PURCHASED, 25000 WHEN DIAGNOSED, NOW AT 46,000 MILES, WITH AN EVEN MORE OFTEN OCCURRENCE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHIFTING INTO FIRST GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED ABNORMALLY, ACCOMPANIED BY A LOUD NOISE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,000.
UNDER NORMAL DRIVING OF THE JEEP IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE HIGH RANGE, THE TRANSMISSION WARNING OF OVERTEMPERATURE COMES ON. THIS IS TO WARN OF A HIGH TEMPERATURE AND HELP PREVENT THE OIL FROM OVERFLOWING ONTO THE EXHAUST AND CAUSING A FIRE. THIS WARNING HAPPENS EVERYTIME THE JEEP IS DRIVEN IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE HIGH RANGE ON ANY SANDY SURFACE. THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE PROPER SIZING OF THE TRANSMISSION COOLER. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH NUMEROUS PERSONS WITH THE SAME RESULTS. THE DEALERSHIPS RESPONSE IS TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION COOLER WITH THE AUX COOLER NOW OFFERED, BUT THIS IS A THE OWNER'S COST. I WAS INSTRUCTED BY A CLAIMS AGENT, [XXX], AT CHRYSLER THAT THERE IS NO RECALL SO THEY DECLINED MY CLAIM. IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT I WANT TO BE PROACTIVE IN PREVENTING A KNOW ISSUE WITH MY JEEP AND THE ANSWER IS THAT THERE IS NO RECALL SO THE ARE DECLINING TO ADDRESS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS MORE INFORMATION THAT I CAN GIVE ON THE SITUATION. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 43 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026