JeepWagoneer1976Overview/jeep/wagoneer/1976/base/

1976 Jeep Wagoneer

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1976 Wagoneer.

The 1976 Jeep Wagoneer occupies an early position in a model lineage whose documented complaint history runs from 1990 through 2025, meaning this specific model year falls outside the available reliability dataset but belongs to a broader story of a vehicle that would later show wide variation in owner-reported issues. Across the years that are tracked, recorded complaints range from a single report in 1992 to a peak of 188 in 2022, a spread that points to sharply different reliability outcomes depending on generation — with the earliest tracked years standing among the quietest on record. For a researcher approaching the 1976 Wagoneer, this means the vehicle can be framed within a nameplate whose earliest documented years were comparatively trouble-free, while later iterations drew substantially more complaints, though the specific reliability record for 1976 itself remains outside the scope of the available data.

Model year202520242023202219901989198819871976

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length183.5 in
Overall width75.6 in
Overall height66.5 in
Wheelbase108.7 in
Curb weight4330 lb

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Wagoneer of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.1–16.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.10 sec — 1987 Limited
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1984Limited 2.5L I-415.70 sec20.00 sec105 hp4x4
1987Limited 4.0L I-69.10 sec17.00 sec173 hp4x4
1963SUV 3.8L I-616.10 sec20.50 sec140 hp4x4

Owner how-tos

Condensed service procedures for routine maintenance. Procedures that require dealer diagnostic equipment are identified and summarized only.

Common procedures

Key fob — remote (RKE) programming programming new fob buttons Dealer tool OEM · verified
Tool requiredDRBIII scan tool (dealer / locksmith)
WhyTransmitter codes are written into the receiver in the passenger door module
Anti-theft (SKIS) — module initialization after immobilizer module replacement Dealer tool OEM · verified
When neededAfter Sentry Key Immobilizer Module (SKIM) replacement
Tool requiredDRBIII scan tool
Also requiredThe vehicle's four-digit PIN code

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
0
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

No owner complaints on record with NHTSA for this vehicle.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

76V026000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 13/02/1976

Remedy:

76V025000Unknown Or OtherReported 13/02/1976

Remedy:

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Wagoneer. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 1976 Wagoneer have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.