A late-JK Wrangler whose two real risks are a Takata park-it airbag recall and the solid-axle death wobble — buy one with the airbag done and the front-end tight.

The Wrangler's signature complaint: over a bump at 50-plus mph, the front end can shake violently, forcing you to slow to regain control. It is a solid-front-axle oscillation, and a mechanic who diagnoses it for a living is blunt about the cause — 'the most common is worn ball joints,' made worse by out-of-balance or oversized tires, lifts, and any slop in the track bar or steering links. On the JK there is no safety recall for it; Chrysler later issued a steering-damper program on newer years, which the same mechanic calls 'a band-aid.' The real fix is fresh ball joints and tight steering components. On a test drive, find a rough road and a highway on-ramp; any shimmy is a bargaining point and a to-do list.

The JK's 3.6L Pentastar V6 is generally durable but is known for oil leaks and an oil-cooler housing that can weep — an issue owners and mechanics tie to both the JK and the later JL 3.6L, with the engine as the only common denominator. Most of these are a few-hundred-dollar fix if caught before they make a mess. Check for oil residue around the cooler and valve covers and confirm there's no milky coolant intrusion on the dipstick.

Two more 2016 recalls: the front impact-sensor wiring can detach so the airbags and seat-belt pretensioners may not deploy (16V-734, code S76), and right-hand-drive fleet trucks have a clockspring and seat-belt-buckle recall (16V-288, 19V-680; a later 24V-196 as well). Separately, a clockspring warranty extension (Chrysler program X68, a Customer Support Program — quiet extended coverage) covered 2011-2016 for airbag-lamp faults. Verify 16V-734 by VIN; the RHD items apply only to those imported trucks.