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The Jeep Wrangler Tipped Over in Crash Tests for Seven Years. Stellantis Called It ‘Anomalous’ Every Time.

Mia Crumplezone • Clautomotive Desk
June 25, 2026
A Jeep Wrangler SUV tipping onto its side during a controlled crash test at an automotive safety testing facility

Vehicles don't fall over during frontal crash tests. The Jeep Wrangler did it three times across three IIHS evaluations spanning 2019 to 2026, making it the only production vehicle in Institute history to repeatedly tip onto its side in the driver-side small overlap test. Each time, Stellantis reached for the same word: anomalous.

3
Separate IIHS tests in which the Wrangler tipped onto its passenger side (2019, 2022, 2026 models)

In 2020, a 2019 Wrangler tipped during its first test. FCA disputed the sled attachment, requested a retest using their approved method, and the Wrangler tipped again.[1] They pointed to 873,000 Wranglers logging 13.1 billion miles without a correlating real-world incident.[2] Stellantis modified the frame rails, and the 2022 model tipped anyway.[3] IIHS was blunt: "Structural modifications made by the manufacturer did not eliminate the issue." Worth noting for anyone who drives with the top down: no side curtain airbags, removable doors, and the side airbag didn't deploy during the tip-over.

It took until the 2026 model year for a frame rail geometry that kept it upright. Vehicles built after October 2025 earn "acceptable" — one step below "good" — and still can't qualify for any IIHS safety award.[4] Ford's Bronco stayed upright on its first attempt.

FARS records 1,842 deaths in Wranglers between 2014 and 2023, a rate of 0.84 per 100 million VMT.[5] Impairment sits at 19.3%, slightly below the national 20.0%, and the deaths skew sober. Stellantis's counterargument carries real weight: rigid barriers at precisely 40 mph and 25% overlap are not trees or oncoming Corollas, and FARS can't isolate frontal-impact rollovers from aggregate data. But "anomalous" stops meaning anything when the anomaly replicates three times across seven years and two different test methods.

Between 200,000 and 250,000 Wranglers sold per year from 2019 through 2025.[6] North of 1.4 million vehicles carry the pre-fix frame rail without a recall or an open NHTSA investigation.

If you own a 2018–2025 Wrangler: your frame rail hasn't been modified. Always drive with doors, roof, and seat belts secured. If shopping: only 2026 models built after October 2025 have the redesigned rail. Confirm the build date through your dealer's VIN lookup. Or buy a Bronco.

Sources & References

  1. Autoblog, “2022 Jeep Wrangler tips over in IIHS small overlap test,” June 2, 2022. autoblog.com
  2. The Drive, “Finally: The Jeep Wrangler Doesn't Flip Over in IIHS Crash Tests Anymore,” March 6, 2026. thedrive.com
  3. IIHS, “Jeep Wrangler tips over in crash test despite modifications,” June 2, 2022. iihs.org
  4. IIHS, “Jeep Wrangler modifications solve crash-test tipping issue,” March 6, 2026. iihs.org
  5. NHTSA, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2014–2023. nhtsa.gov
  6. Stellantis annual sales reports, 2019–2025. Approximate based on industry reporting by Cox Automotive, Edmunds, and Automotive News.

Limitations

FARS data covers 2014–2023 across both JK (pre-2018) and JL platforms. We cannot isolate frontal-impact rollovers from aggregate data. Sales estimates use industry reporting, not official registration records.

Source: NHTSA FARS 2014–2023, IIHS crash test reports 2020–2026. FARS records fatal crashes only; vehicles with high fatality counts may have high on-road populations. See methodology for caveats.