RoadVitals

1990 Jeep Cherokee Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
29
Latest Jun 23, 2005
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
11%
of 270 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
5
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1990 Jeep Cherokee submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 29 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

The 25 most recent of 29, in the owner's own words

Engine
Filed Jun 23, 2005

DRIVING OVER A NORMAL POT-HOLE ON A CITY STREET, THE THREE BOLTS WHICH HOLD THE PASSENGER SIDE MOTOR MOUNT ONTO THE ENGINE BLOCK SHEARED OFF. UPON RESEARCHING THIS ON WWW.NAXJA.ORG ON THE INTERNET, I HAVE DETERMINED THAT THIS IS IN FACT A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 4.0L EQUIPPED, MANUAL TRANSMISSION JEEP XJ CHEROKEES. VEHICLE IS NOT IN A DRIVEABLE STATE PRESENTLY DUE TO THIS FAILURE. WILL HAVE TO DRILL OUT OLD BROKEN BOLT STUDS, REPLACE STUDS, AND INSPECT FOR ADDITIONAL DAMAGE.

NHTSA ID
10126308
Incident
Jun 20, 2005
Mileage
200,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 18, 2003

WITHOUT WARNING OUR 1990 JEEP FUEL INJECTORS STARTED LEAKING/SPRAYING GAS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE CAR COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE OR POSSIBLY EVEN EXPLODE DUE TO ALL THE GASOLINE THE WAS BEING LEAKED.

NHTSA ID
10002906
Incident
Jan 16, 2001
Mileage
180,000 mi
BrakesEngineFuel system
Filed Jan 4, 2002
1 injury reported

CONSUMER COMPLAINS OF ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CONTINUOSLY COMING ON, VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS FOR REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENT PARTS, ALSO VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF SAID FAILURES. *JG

NHTSA ID
563902
Incident
Nov 1, 2000
EngineTransmission
Filed Apr 20, 2000

MY PROBLEM MATCHES NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 90V177000 EXACTLY, INCLUDING MAKE, MODEL, ENGINE, AND TRANSMISSION SPECIFICATIONS, BUT FOR SOME REASON, ACCORDING TO MY VIN, MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED. *AK

NHTSA ID
721712
Incident
Apr 18, 2000
BrakesEngineInterior & seats+3 more
Filed Jul 14, 1999

KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM HAS NEVER WORKED, REPAIR ATTEMPTS ON 17 OCCASIONS.

NHTSA ID
547228
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed May 14, 1999

VEHICLE STALLS AT ALL SPEEDS, ESPECIALLY WHEN HITTING BUMPS AND PARKED ON HILLS. SHUTS OFF AT IDLE, SHUTTING DOWN MOTOR/POWER STEERING/BRAKES, ETC. SHUTS OFF AND RESTARTS WHEN AT SPEED, CAUSING SEVERE BUCKING/JERKING.

NHTSA ID
706514
Incident
Jul 1, 1994
BrakesEngineTransmission
Filed Apr 30, 1999

MUFFLER AND TAIL PIPE FAILED. MJS.

NHTSA ID
545303
Incident
Jan 29, 1997
BrakesEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Apr 21, 1999

UNIVERSAL JOINTS FAILED. *YC

NHTSA ID
545177
Incident
Apr 6, 1999
Engine
Filed Jan 21, 1999

THE EXHAUST HAS A CONTINUAL RATTLE AT IDLE AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN ,IT JUST STARTED ONE DAY AND I CAN NOT GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER ON WHAT IT IS OR IF SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. IT IS A MAJOR CONCERN AS I NEED TO KNOW IF IT IS A FIRE HAZARD. THANK YOU. *K

NHTSA ID
701106
Incident
Jul 9, 1997
Engine
Filed Jan 19, 1999

NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY CONSUMER

NHTSA ID
702378
Incident
Sep 10, 1997
Engine
Filed Jan 11, 1999
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE ENGINE. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. THE CHEROKEE BURNED COMPLETELY. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LINE LEAK OR A FUEL INJECTOR LEAK. THE FIREWALL PROTECTED THE PASSENGERS UNTIL THEY WERE ABLE TO ESCAPE. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
833258
Incident
Jan 1, 1999
Engine
Filed Oct 16, 1998
Fire reported

CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE, APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES AFTER THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. FIRE INSPECTOR DISCOVERED FIRE STARTED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VIN.# WILL BE ADDED AT LATER TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID
829057
Incident
Oct 15, 1998
Engine
Filed Sep 8, 1998

AFTER DRIVING ALL DAY (A COUPLE HOURS) VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. USUALLY HAPPENS IN HOT WEATHER. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
827691
Incident
Jun 24, 1996
Engine
Filed Jan 29, 1998
Fire reported

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER NOTICED LEFT SIDE OF ENGINE WAS ON FIRE CAUSING THE WHEEL AREA AND ENGINE TO COMPLETELY BURN. CONSUMER BURNED HANDS AND GOT SMOKE IN LUNGS. *AK

NHTSA ID
821012
Incident
Jan 18, 1998
Engine
Filed Nov 4, 1997

ENGINE STOPPED.

NHTSA ID
524406
Engine
Filed Jul 11, 1997

DEFECTIVE REAR ENGINE SEAL. *AK

NHTSA ID
518068
Incident
Apr 1, 1997
BrakesDriver assistanceEngine+2 more
Filed Jun 16, 1997

ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED BEFORE/AFTER RECALL REPAIR.

NHTSA ID
518559
BrakesDriver assistanceEngine
Filed Jun 13, 1997

ABS PUMP FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL REPAIR.

NHTSA ID
518517
BrakesEngineTransmission
Filed Apr 8, 1997

ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED, VEHICLE HAS DEFECTIVE ROTORS. EXPANSION TANK EXPLODED UNDER THE HOOD. TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. *SLC

NHTSA ID
516229
Incident
Feb 7, 1997
Engine
Filed Feb 28, 1997
Fire reported

OWNER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FOR NO REASON, THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *AK

NHTSA ID
807717
Incident
Jan 9, 1997
BrakesEngine
Filed Sep 4, 1996
Fire reported

ENGINE FIRE.

NHTSA ID
503804
Incident
Jul 7, 1995
Engine
Filed Aug 23, 1996

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE MOTOR MOUNT CAME LOOSE, TOOK TRUCK TO DEALER . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK

NHTSA ID
801215
Incident
Aug 5, 1996
BrakesDriver assistanceEngine+2 more
Filed Mar 19, 1996

TRANSFER CASE VACUUM SWITCH FAILED, CAUSING PART-TIME 4X4 WARNING LIGHT TO STAY ON.

NHTSA ID
502758
Incident
Oct 14, 1992
Body & structureBrakesElectrical+2 more
Filed Aug 10, 1995

GAS CAP LEAKS.

NHTSA ID
484984
Incident
Aug 10, 1995
Engine
Filed Jun 1, 1995

CRACKED EXHAUST. TT

NHTSA ID
966183
Incident
Mar 15, 1994

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .