1988 Jeep Cherokee Owner Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO IDLE EXCESSIVELY. THE CONTACT APPLIED BOTH FEET ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. SUDDENLY, THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INTO A DITCH. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESUME OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO A LOOSE WIRE IN THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE AND THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR WAS ALSO REPAIRED TWICE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10316792

Incident

Oct 20, 1993

Mileage

30,000 mi

DT* THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SHOULDER PART OF THE SEAT BELT STRAP DOES NOT LOCK UP. HAS HAD VEHICLE FOR 5 YEARS AND THE SEAT BELTS IN THE FRONT DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY AND HAVE NEVER FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THEY SHOULD LOCK UP WHEN VEHICLE BREAKS BUT THEY DO NOT. UPDATED 7/13/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ID

10160210

Incident

Jun 1, 2001

Mileage

189,000 mi

UPON PULLING OUT THE DRIVEWAY POWER STEERING WAS LOST. THE GEAR BOX DROPPED. THERE WAS ANOTHER FRAME WELDED TO THE ORIGINAL FRAME. FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

10112826

Incident

Aug 1, 2004

VEHICLE FAILED EMISSIONS DUE TO A HIGH HYDROCARBON OUTPUT/ PROBLEMS WITH LIGHTS, BRAKES, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, STARTER, AND SEAT BELTS. *MR THERE WAS A CRACK FOUND IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10042795

THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. *JB THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN LOUD NOISE HAD COME FROM THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WELL. THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED TO THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. (MODEL PEERLESS FORCE 4) *SCC

NHTSA ID

10019694

Incident

May 12, 2003

JEEP CHEROKEE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE DOES NOT STAY LATCHED... THE MECHANISM HAS COLLAPSED INSIDE THE BUCKLE.. DAIMLER-CHRYSLER REFUSES TO REPLACE THIS PART OF THE SEAT BELT UNDER WARRANTY.. THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THESE OLDER JEEP CHEROKEE SEAT BELT BUCKLES... THIS IS THE SECOND OLDER JEEP THAT WE HAVE OWNER THAT HAS HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM.. THE LAST TIME THE MANUFACTURER REPLACED IT UNDER WARRANTY.. THIS TIME THEY WON'T AND SAY THEY DON'T HAVE TO.. THIS BUCKLE SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE NO MATTER HOW OLD IT GETS UNLESS IT WAS PHYSICALLY ABUSED WHICH IT HAS NOT BEEN... FEDERAL MANDATES ARE IN PLACE ON BUCKLES FOR FOREIGN CARS; WHY NOT DOMESTIC CARS TOO... *NLM

NHTSA ID

10016461

Incident

Apr 14, 2003

Mileage

75,544 mi

VEHICLE STALLS OCCASIONALLY AFTER CLIMBING GRADES OR QUICK STOPS. *AK

NHTSA ID

763761

VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH ENGINE RUNNING, CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKE AND PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE. VEHICLE WENT BACKWARD AT HIGH SPEED, AND HIT PARKED VEHICLE. ACCIDENT REPORT STATED VEHICLE WENT 86 FEET, AND HIT PARKED VEHICLE AT 50 MPH. NO INJURIES. $ 2030 DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. *AK CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING AN IDLE PROBLEM PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE PROBLEM CHECKED A NUMBER OF TIMES BY THE MANUFACTURER, BUT NOTHING WAS EVER DONE TO CORRECT IT, THE IDLING PROBLEM WAS WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST STARTED, THE ENGINE WOULD REV AT A HIGH RPM FOR A FEW MINUTES.*SLC

NHTSA ID

897626

Incident

Jul 18, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

750807

Incident

Aug 2, 2001

VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED AND TURNED OFF. EMERGENCY BRAKES WERE APPLIED. VEHICLE HAD STARTED TO DRIFT BACKWARDS AFTER IT SLIPPED OUT OF PARK AND INTO NEUTRAL, PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT.*AK *JB

NHTSA ID

892611

WHEN I COME TO A STOP OR NEAR STOP, AND TURN EITHER TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AS I START ENTERING INTO THE INTERSECTION. IT DOES THIS ONLY WHEN I HAVE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO START MY TURN. IT HAS ACTUALLY STALLED WHEN I'M NOSE OUT INTO TRAFFIC. MOST OF THE TIME IT WILL CATCH AGAIN IF I QUICKLY APPLY MORE GAS AND SLIGHTLY TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. I'M CONCERNED THAT IT IS SOMETHING WITH THE IGNITION ASSEMBLY WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL HUB. A COUPLE TIMES THE JEEP HAS STALLED AND THERE IS TRAFFIC COMING IN THE LANE THAT I'M STALLED IN.*AK

NHTSA ID

747950

Incident

Jul 4, 2001

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS SET ON CRUISE CONTROL AT 60 MPH, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO INCREASE SPEED FOR NO APPARENT REASON, CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO INCREASE SPEED CONSUMER TRIED THE ON-OFF SWITCH OF THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT, AND ALSO STEPPING ON THE BRAKED HAD NO EFFECT, VEHICLE HAD REACHED 75 MPH CONSUMER REALIZED VEHICLE WAS OUT OF CONTROL SO HE TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND WITH NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES HE MANAGED TO DRIFT THE VEHICLE ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND STOP IT IN NEUTRAL, CONSUMER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND IT INSTANTLY WENT TO FULL THROTTLE CONSUMER TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AGAIN AND HE BEGAN CHECKING THE ACCELERATOR LINKAGE UNDER THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL EVEN WTH THE ENGINE OFF WAS HOLDING THE ACCELERATOR CONTROL TO ITS MAXIUM CONSUMER PULLED THE TWO VACUUM LINES OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL CONTROLLER AND THIS THEN RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR TO WHERE HE COULD RESTART THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID

561105

AFTER STARTING VEHICLE RPM'S GO UP TO 3000, AND WILL NOT GO DOWN. IF VEHICLE IS PUT IN DRIVE AT THAT TIME, VEHICLE WILL TAKE OFF LIKE A ROCKET. CONSUMER HAS TO SHUT OFF VEHICLE AND RESTART. SOMETIMES TWICE BEFORE RPM'S STAY DOWN. 1989 MODELS HAD RECALL ON HIGH ENGINE IDLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

885937

Incident

Oct 1, 2000

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH ON HIGHWAY ACCELERATOR PEDAL ALWAYS WENT TO THE FLOOR, THROTTLE STAYED OPEN. COULD STEP ON BRAKES PEDAL TO MAKE THROTTLE CLOSE, BUTIT WILL ACTIVATE AGAIN.*AK

NHTSA ID

885605

Incident

Apr 8, 2001

ONE TRANSMISSION REPLACED THE SECOND IS FAILING IT SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL CAUSING LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ALSO CAUSED ONE ENGINE FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID

743467

STRONG FUEL SMELL, THROTLE STICKS, ENGINE SURGE, TOLD BY AAA FUEL INJECTOR RECALL COMING? IF YES, WHEN?

NHTSA ID

743173

Incident

Feb 1, 2001

PARKED JEEP AND WIRING CAUGHT FIRE FOR NO REASON THERE WERE NO INDICTIONS OF A SHORT. *AK

NHTSA ID

742353

Incident

Feb 1, 2001

DESIGN OF FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM SEEMS POOR. MYSELF AND OTHERS I HAVE SPOKEN WITH HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE FUEL INJECTORS START LEAKING WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF WARNING, THIS TYPE OF LEAK CAN BE VERY SERIOUS WHEN FUEL SPILLS DOWN ON THE HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM, IT CAN CAUSE A FIRE AND POSSIBLE INJURIES.CAN YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM AND CONTACT ME ABOUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT . I HOPE THAT NOBODY HAS BEEN INJURED BY THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

741100

Incident

Feb 1, 2001

FUEL INJECTORS LEAK SPRAYING FUEL IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DEALER SAYS COMMON PROBLEM BUT VERY DANGEROUS.*AK

NHTSA ID

739637

Incident

Jan 1, 1997

FUEL INJECTORS CRACKED OR SEPARATED NEAR PRESSED SEALS. DEALER ESTIMATE OF 1000.00 TO REPLACE 6 INJECTORS AT 110.00 EACH. WITH ONE HOURS LABOR. I FOUND INJECTORS AT RETAIL SHOPS(I.E. TRAK, PEPBOYS, ETC.) FOR 55.00 EACH. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS POTENTIAL FATAL PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED DOZENS UPON DOZENS OF TIMES INCLUDING MANY REPORTS WITH NHTSA. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE NOT BLATANT ROBBERY FOR PARTS BY THE MANUFACTURER. NOW THIS OCCURS DURING COLD WEATHER, SO IT IS A SEASONAL OCCURRENCE. *AK

NHTSA ID

737127

Incident

Nov 28, 2000

WHEN I COME TO A STOP SIGN, AND AM STOPPED,AND I HAVE TO TURN EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT, WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS SLIGHTLY TURNED AND I RELEASE THE FOOT BRAKE AND APPLY THE GAS, THE ENGINE WILL COMPLETLEY STALL, UNLESS I MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL MORE AND THEN IT MAY CATCH AND START RUNNING AGAIN. THIS HAPPENS NO MATTER WHICH DIRECTION I ATTEMPT TO TURN AND THE STALLING MAY PUT ME A FEW FEET OUT INTO THE LINE OF TRAFFIC. I HAVE TO QUICKLY PUT THE SHIFT GEAR IN NEUTRAL AND TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH AGAIN AND THE ENGINE WILL EIMMEDIATELY START. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THE ENGINE WILL EVER STALL, BUT IT PUTS ME IN A VERY DANGEROUS POSITION. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THERE IS A CONNECTION WITH THE STALLING AND THE CERTAIN POSITION THAT THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. I THINK I REMEMBER A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT FORD ALSO HAD SOMEWHAT SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THEIR ENGINE STALLING OUT WHILE DRIVING AND ACCIDENTS HAPPENING. HAS JEEP EVER HAD ANY COMPLAINTS OR PROBLEMS SUCH AS WHAT I HAVE? AS IS, I CAN NOT DEPEND ON ENTERING A TRAFFIC PATTERN EITHER TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT IF I WILL NEED TO READILY GET INTO THE DESIRED LANE, FOR FEAR THAT THE ENGINE WILL STALL AND I'LL GET HIT BY SOMEONE WHO FAILS TO NOTICE THAT I HAVE STALLED OUT.*AK

NHTSA ID

735666

VEHICLE PURCHASED IN 1996 WIRING HARNESESS IN ENGINE HAVE CRIMP CONNECTORS COVERED WITH STANDARD OFF THE SHIEF DUCT TAPE . THIS IS FACTORY AND DEALER SAID THIS WAS DONE AT MANUFACTURE. THE TAPE HAS DRY ROTTED AND PROVIDES NO PROTECTION. 4 TIMES WIRES HAVE GROUNDED OUT TWICE CAUSING SMALL FIRES. ALL VEHICLES OF THIS ERA HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND MOST OF THE VEHICLES IN SALVAGE YARDS HAVE EVIDENCE OF FIRE DAMAGE FROM THESE CONNECTIONS. I REPAIRED EVERY CONNECTION AND SAVED THE FAILED CONNECTORS FOR EVIDENCE AND RESEARCH PURPOSES.

NHTSA ID

733043

Incident

Sep 1, 2000

I PURCHASED FOUR NEW FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES FROM A FIRESTONE SERVICE CENTER IN SCOTTSDALE, AZ IN OCTOBER OF 1999. I RECENTLY DISCOVERED, AFTER ALL THE NEWS COVERAGE, THAT ALTHOUGH MY TIRES DO NOT SHOW THE CODE FOR THE DECATUR PLANT, THREE OF THE FOUR TIRES ARE CRACKING AT THE POINT WHERE THE TREAD MEETS THE SIDEWALL. THE CRACKING APPEARS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE TREAD FAILURE OF FIRSTONES RECALLED TIRES. THIS DEFECT IN SUCH RELATIVELY NEW TIRES IS WORRISOME TO ME ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I AM IN NO FINANCIAL POSITION TO REPLACE THE TIRES ON MY OWN. I HOPE SOMETHING CAN BE DONE SOON.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235 75 R15 )

NHTSA ID

730208

Incident

Aug 20, 2000

SMELL FUEL WHEN STARTING CAR. CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH. REPAIR SHOP FOUND LEAKING FUEL INJECTORS AND REPLACED AT EXTEMELY HIGH COST. LEAKING FUEL COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE.

NHTSA ID

729148

Incident

May 19, 2000

WHILE DRIVING CAR, SMOKE BEGAN COMING FROM INTERIOR. STOPPED AND SHUT OFF CAR. HAD IT TOWED IN. REPAIR SHOP FOUND BURNED WIRE IN HANDBRAKE AREA. REPAIRED BUT INSIDE OF CAR STILL SMELLS LIKE SMOKE. CAN'T GET RID OF SMELL.

NHTSA ID

729147

Incident

Jul 13, 2000