Everything NHTSA's vPIC database knows about this exact vehicle:
Decoding from NHTSA…
Vehicle history — accidents, title & owners
The decode above is what this vehicle is. For what it's been through — accidents, title brands, odometer, theft/total-loss and previous owners — pull a full history report.
NHTSA publishes the first 11 characters of the VIN with every complaint — that identifies the plant, model year, body and engine. So these are reports from cars built exactly like this one, not an average across the whole model.
1J4FY19S3VP••••••1997 Jeep WRANGLER YJ
This build draws 11.4× more complaints than the average 1997 Jeep WRANGLER YJ build (13 vs 1).
13on this build
8on the model
7builds in total
Most reportedEngine And Engine Cooling 4Fuel System 3Seat Belts 2Other 2
What owners of this build wrote
SteeringJan 2014
Violent wobbling of front of jeep , it comes and goes at different speeds and you must come to a sudden stop to avoid loosing control of vehicle . I don't know what is causing this as there is no apparent damage to repair. In my opinion it is a factory defect and the vehicle is…
Engine And Engine CoolingJul 2003
1997 jeep wrangler sport 4.0 liter exhaust manifold crack noted at approximately 60,000 miles. Mechanic stated it appeared to be welded, no one had previously welded exhaust manifold. My understanding is that the exhaust manifold in this year tends to crack. Is there a recall by…
Seat BeltsJul 2002
Gen 3 seat belt released seat belt when I leaned over and hit it with my elbow. The car was parked at the time that it happened
Fuel SystemJun 2002
Fuel gauge quit working, consumer noticed a fuel level sending unit recall when on yahoo, after calling chrysler, consumer was informed that vehicle was not included due to VIN. *yh consumer has ran out of gas several times resulting in two near accidents. Chrysler responded…
Latches/locks/linkagesAug 2000
Hood flew open at 30mph. Chrysler redesigned latch but not recalled. Original hood latch not appropriate without use of side latches, even at low speeds
Read all 13 complaints on this exact buildFull text, search by keyword, and the systems that fail most on cars built like yours.Unlock with Pro →
Owner complaints…
Now the whole model — all 7 builds of it, not just this build. Same NHTSA reports, wider net:
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Exact value for this VIN, adjusted for mileage
The original window sticker and factory options
Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
Decoded via NHTSA vPIC. Recalls, complaints and safety from NHTSA; MPG from EPA fueleconomy.gov. Full history reports from our partner. VIN 1J4FY19S3VP494943 · decoded Aug 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.