2003 Jeep Wrangler Transmission Problems

Your transmission's parking pawl (the mechanism that keeps your Jeep in Park) can slide out of its brackets, preventing the vehicle from staying in Park. This means your Jeep could roll away unexpectedly, even when you think it's safely parked. While newer model years have a recall for this same issue, your 2003 has the identical problem and poses the same safety risk. The fix will likely involve inspecting and possibly replacing or repositioning the parking pawl mechanism and its brackets.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL, HIS FOOT WOULD STRIKE THE CLUTCH PIN AND KNOCK IT LOOSE. THIS CAUSED CLUTCH FAILURE AND PREVENTED HIM FROM SHIFTING GEARS. HE WOULD HAVE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE TO PUT THE PIN BACK IN PLACE. THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED WHEN HIS FOOT STRUCK THE CLUTCH PIN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER; HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FURTHER STATED THAT THE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH PEDAL BIN WOULD FALL STRAIGHT DOWN AS IF HIS FOOT SLIPPED OFF THE PEDAL. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 57,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 49,000.

I HAVE A 2003 JEEP WRANGLER WITH 48,000 MILES. I AM EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT STICKING OF THE SHIFTING LEVER WHEN ENTERING 3RD FROM 2ND GEAR. AT OTHER TIMES THERE IS NO PROBLEM SHIFTING. I HAD IT IN TO THE DEALER THIS WEEK. WE CHANGE THE OIL. THE PROBLEM IS NOT A BAD. *JB

VEHICLE: 2003 JEEP WRANGLER SPORT SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN 2003, I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD, SOMETIMES HIGHER WOULD CAUSE VEHICLE TO WIND UP AND THEN HARSHLY SHIFT INTO GEAR. OTHER TIMES, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE AT ALL. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES FOR REPAIR (UNDER WARRANTY), THREE TIMES THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM IN THE COMPUTER. THEY REPLACED CONVERTER MOST RECENTLY. TODAY, WAS DRIVING IN VEHICLE AND SUDDENLY TRANSMISSION PROBLEM REAPPEARED 1000 TIMES WORSE - WOULDN'T ACCELERATE BEYOND 30 MPH, THEN NO HIGHER THAN 20 MPH, AND THEN 10 MPH UNTIL IT WOULDN'T ENGAGE AT ALL. WAS STRANDED APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES FROM HOME. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND AM WAITING FOR THEM TO LOOK AT AFTER LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND. I AM REQUESTING THEY GIVE ME A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE AS I BELIEVE THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE ITS PURCHASE AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN DOING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE IN RESOLVING THE ISSUE.

DT: CONSUMER STATED THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER FAILED ON A 2003 JEEP WRANGLER. THIS OCCURRED ON JUNE 23, 2005. CONSUMER HAD NO PROBLEMS PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE. THE CLUTCH ACTIVATION ROD PULLED AWAY FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER, CAUSING THE FAILURE. CONSUMER TOOK THE JEEP TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE JEEP HAD 37,000 MILES ON IT, AND THE DEALERSHIP DID NOTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. CONSUMER TRIED TO TELL THE DEALERSHIP THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT THE DEALERSHIP INSISTED IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. CONSUMER HAD TO ORDER THE MASTER CLUTCH AND THE SLAVE CYLINDER TO REPLACE IT HIMSELF. THE CLUTCH FAILED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. *AK

THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL ON MY 2003 JEEP WRANGLER IS GETTING WATER IN IT FROM JUST DRIVING IN THE RAIN. THE DEALER FIXED THE WORN RING AND PINION AND BEARINGS FROM THE WATER DAMAGE BUT THEY DID NOT FIX THE MAIN PROBLEM, WHICH IS THE WATER GETTING IN THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. ABOUT A MONTH LATER THE SAME BEARING PROBLEM STARTED OCCURRING. DAIMLERCHRYSLER IS REFUSING TO FIX THE PROBLEM AGAIN BECAUSE THEY SAY IT IS CUSTOMER ABUSE. I HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT DRIVE THE JEEP ON THE ROAD. THIS IS NOT CUSTOMER ABUSE. DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL FIND ANY EXCUSE NOT TO HONOR THEIR WARRANTY. *AK

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, PLACING IT IN DRIVE IT WILL GO A FEW FEET AND THEN IT WON'T MOVE. THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO FIND THE DEFECT. *NM

HARSH SHIFTING FROM 2ND INTO FIRST ON MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *LA

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENLY DOES NOT PROVIDE A POSITIVE GEAR POSITION LOCK. VEHICLE SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL FROM DRIVE. TRANSMISSION ALSO WILL NOT PROPERLY LOCK INTO PARK POSITION MAKING IT WHERE YOU CAN NOT REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. TAKEN VEHICLE BACK TO DEALERSHIP TWICE AND THEY CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. CONCENERED THE VEHICLE COULD SLIP INTO REVERSE FROM DRIVE ACCIDENTLY.

THE GEAR SHIFTER MECHANISM HAS A CABLE THAT CONNECTS TO THE IGNITION. WHEN THIS MECHANISM FAILS AND LOCKS UP VEHICLE STALLS IMMEDIATELY. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE SHIFTER STICKS IN THE GEAR. THIS DESTROYS THE IGNITION. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CABLE TWICE, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

I HAVE AN 03 WRANGLER, YELLOW THAT HAS THE PAINT CHIPPING OFF IN SEVERAL PLACES. THIS VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 8K MILES & IS NEVER TAKEN OFF ROAD. THESE ARE ALL INNER CITY MILES. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY 2 DIFF DEALERSHIPS THAT THIS IS CAUSED FROM BUGS! THIS SAME JEEP HAS ALSO HAD DRIVELINE PROBLEMS. SO MUCH FOR A HEAVY DUTY OFF ROAD VEHICLE. *NM

I HAVE A 2003 WRANGLER WITH A 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION THAT SUFFERS FROM INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WHERE SHIFTING GEARS IS DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE. THE PROBLEM OCCURS MOST OFTEN WHEN ACCELERATING WHILE SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEARS, AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DOWNSHIFT FROM 5TH TO 4TH GEARS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IF THE VEHICLE DOES SHIFT A GRINDING/BANGING NOISE IS HEARD. I HAVE HAD THE LOCAL DEALER LOOK AT IT 4 TIMES AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM(S).*AK

I HAVE A 2003 WRANGLER WITH A 5-SPEED TRANSMISSION. I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WHEN SHIFTING INTO SECOND AND THIRD GEAR. IT IS EITHER HARD TO GET INTO GEAR OR IT GRINDS AS IT GOES IN. THE DEALERSHIP HAS LOOKED AT THREE DIFFERENT TIMES AND HAS FOUND NO PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 14,000 MILES ON IT AND IT NOW SEEMS TO BE WORSE DURING COLDER WEATHER.*AK

WE BOUGHT A 2003 JEEP WRANGLER SPORT 4X4 IN JANUARY 2003. THE DEALERSHIP HAD PUT A 3" LIFT AND 32" TIRES ON THE JEEP PRIOR TO IT BEING SOLD. WE PURCHASED IT DIRECTLY FROM THE SHOWROOM FLOOR. THREE WEEKS AGO THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WENT OUT IN THE JEEP. FIRST WE WERE TOLD THAT THE REPAIRS WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THE LIFT VOIDED IT. AFTER ADVISING A CHRYSLER REPRESENTATIVE THAT THE DEALERSHIP PUT THE LIFT ON THE JEEP, THEY SAID THE SIZE OF THE TIRES CAUSED THE DAMAGE AND I INFORMED THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT THE DEALERSHIP MADE ALL MODIFICATIONS TO THE JEEP PRIOR TO OUR PURCHASE. I WAS TOLD I'D HAVE TO CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THEY WOULD STAND BEHIND THE VEHICLE WARRANTY. WE'RE IN TEXAS NOW, THE DEALERSHIP WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM IS IN WASHINGTON. WE WENT ROUND AND ROUND BETWEEN THE DEALERSHIPS WITH THE ONE IN WASHINGTON SAYING THE VEHICLE WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THE ONE IN TEXAS SAYING, "NO". AFTER 3 WEEKS, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY 'MISUSE/ABUSE' BY THE VEHICLE BEING TAKEN OFF-ROAD AND A STICK HITTING THE PLUG ON THE REAR AXLE CAUSING THE FLUID TO LEAK OUT. THE JEEP BROKE DOWN THE DAY AFTER IT WAS TAKEN OFF-ROAD. CLEARLY NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR ANY FLUID TO LEAK OUT, ESPECIALLY WITH NO SIGN OF LEAKAGE ONCE IT WAS PARKED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN LESS THAN 60 MILES THE NEXT DAY. BESIDES, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN 'OFF-ROAD' SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I BELIEVE WE PURCHASED A VEHICLE THAT HAD A FAULTY REAR AXLE AND THE DEALERSHIPS HAVE FOUND ANOTHER WAY TO PICK THE CONSUMERS POCKETS WITHOUT STANDING BEHIND A VEHICLE WARRANTY. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH DRIVESHAFT FELL OUT. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE'S REAR END COLLAPSED. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE - GRINDING NOISE IS HEARD WHEN SHIFTING INTO 2ND AND 3RD GEARS, JERKS FORWARD BEFORE CLUTCH IS LET OUT, WILL NOT SHIFT INTO 5TH GEAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS IS THE SECOND TRANSMISSION TO FAIL IN THIS VEHICLE.*AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE - GRINDING NOISE IS HEARD WHEN SHIFTING INTO SECOND AND THIRD GEARS. CLUNK IS HEARD WHEN SHIFTING INTO FIRST GEAR FROM A STOP AND VEHICLE JERKS FORWARD BEFORE CLUTCH IS LET OUT. *NLM