Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Jeep Cherokee submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 141 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.
The 25 most recent of 141, in the owner's own words
I WENT TO A LOCAL DEALER SHIP BECAUSE I HAD LOOKED UP ON THIS SITE MY RECALLS ONE WAS BRAKES THEY DID HAPPILY AND WOULD CALL ME WHEN THE PARTS CAME IN FOR THE FUEL IT HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR AND IT'S A 1997 HOW CAN THEY NOT GET THE PARTS TO FIX IT YET I RAN OUT OF GAS A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES ON BUSY HIGHWAYS AND ON MY WAY TO WORK WHAT ELSE IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME WHEN I NEED MY CAR THE MOST
VEHICLE HAS HARD STARTS AND FREQUENT HESITATION AND STALLING, AT ALL SPEEDS CITY STREET DRIVING AS WELL AS HIGHWAY DRIVING. I HAVE HAD A NEW DISTRIBUTOR CAP, ROTOR, PLUGS, WIRES, COIL, INSTALLED, YET SYMPTOMS PERSIST. SUDDEN DECELERATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IS A SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS CONDITION. MY RESEARCH SUGGESTS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE JEEP CHEROKEE XJ. I NARROWLY ESCAPED A CRASH ON A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY THIS MORNING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. JEEP OUGHT TO BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, YET THERE SEEMS TO BE NO REMEDY FOR OWNERS. I WOULD AT LEAST LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. POSSIBLE REMEDIES (FROM MY RESEARCH) INCLUDE MULTIPLE PARTS AND MANY HOURS OF LABOR: O2 SENSOR, THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, PLUGS, WIRES, CAP, ROTOR, FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR, ENGINE CONTROL MODULE, ALTERNATOR, NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH, BALLAST RESISTOR, TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE, TORQUE CONVERTOR, POWER CONTROL MODULE, TRANSMISSION CONTROL SOLENOID, ETC. WHAT IS CAUSING ALL OF THESE VEHICLES TO STALL DANGEROUSLY?
I HAVE A 1997 JEEP WITH 150,000 MILES ON IT AND I AM HAVING A LOT OF ISSUES WITH IT STALLING OUT FOR NO REASON. IT'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR OVER A YEAR. IT STARTED ALL OF A SUDDEN OUT OF THE BLUE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP OVER 20 TIMES TO TRY AND GET THE PROBLEM RESOLVED AND THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE EVEN KEPT IT OVER NIGHT AND HAD IT ON MACHINES TO FIGURE OUT WHY IT STALLS AND AM NOT ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT. I HAVE REPLACE SENSORS, FUEL FILTER, BATTERY, NOT TO MENTION SO MANY OTHER PARTS AND NOTHING IS STOPPING IT FROM STALLING OUT FOR NO REASON. I HAVE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY AND I LOVE MY JEEP BUT I AM REAL NERVOUS TO DRIVE IT THAT I MIGHT GO TO TURN AND THE JEEP WILL STALL WHILE TURNING A CORNER AND GET T-BONED BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. OR DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL SPUTTER AND STALL OUT. I HAVE READ THAT "MANY" JEEPS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE FROM THE SAFETY CAR SITE LOOK INTO THIS AS THERE WILL BE A FAMILY IN THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE DRIVING AND THE PROBLEM COULD OCCURE AND CAUSE A DIASTER IN SOMEONES LIFE. I HAVE DRIVEN IN DIFFERANT ARES ON THE ROAD, HIGHWAY, RESIDENTIAL AREAS, GOING THE SPEED LIMIT, AND ALSO GOING 15 MILES AN HOUR AND IT WIL STALL OUT. I HAVE AGAIN SEEN SO MANY POSTING REGARDING THIS ISSUE SO THERE HAS GOT TO BE SOME KIND OF A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM WITH THESE JEEPS ...PLEASE, PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS.
IN RESPONSE TO THE LATEST ON THE RECALL OF JEEP GRAND CHEROKEES AND JEEP LIBERTIES, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST A FULL REVIEW OF THE 1993 - 2001 JEEP CHEROKEES REAR IMPACT SAFETY. IN NHTSA'S INITIAL REQUEST TO CHRYSLER, THIS GROUP OF CHEROKEES WAS INCLUDED AS A SUBJECT VEHICLE, NOTING YOU HAD ONLY RECEIVED 15 VOQ'S AND ONLY (1) WAS FOR A CHEROKEE, ONE IS TOO MANY. NHTSA ALSO STATED THAT "ASSESSMENT OF AVAILABLE DATA FOR THE CHEROKEE DID NOT ESTABLISH AN UNREASONABLE RISK." WAS THE AVAILABLE DATA AT THE TIME ACCEPTABLE? OR HAVE YOU SUBJECTED THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES TO A LIFE OF FEAR DRIVING VEHICLE NOT PROPERLY TESTED. WHY WAS THERE NO REAR END IMPACT TESTING OF THE CARS WHEN THEY INITIALLY CAME ON THE MARKET? THE LOCATION OF THE GAS TANK IS IN EXACTLY THE SAME POSITION AS THE GRAND CHEROKEE AND THE GAS TANK IS ALSO "PLASTIC". MY GRANDCHILDREN RIDE IN THE BACK SEAT OF A 1997 CHEROKEE AND IF IT WAS TO GET REAR-ENDED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WOULD TAKE THEIR PARENTS TO GET THEM OUT OF THEIR RESTRAINTS? DID YOU TEST THAT? AS A FAMILY WE DO NOT FEEL SAFE AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS DONE NOTHING TO REASSURE US EITHER. WHY IS IT UP TO THE PUBLIC TO FILE COMPLAINTS? HAVE YOU NOT THOUGHT THAT INDIVIDUALS DRIVING THESE CARS ARE JUST BARELY GETTING BY, MAYBE NOT KNOWING THAT FIRES FROM REAR IMPACTS ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY REPORTED? PLEASE, INVESTIGATE FURTHER, I DO NOT WANT TO LOSE MY GRANDCHILDREN! KINDLY, [XXX]- GRANDMA INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB
THE JEEP SHUT DOWN ON THE HWY,WOULDN'T START HAD GET A TOW. SPENT OVER 500 DOLLARS ON REPAIRS AND TOW ,FOUR DAYS LATER IT DID THE EXACT SAME THING. LUCKY I WAS HOME IS TIME .WAITED TWO DAY'S WENT OUTSIDE AND IT STARTED WITH NO PROBLEM .IM NOT DRIVING IT ANYMORE ITS TO MUCH TROUBLE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V252000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, STRUCTURE) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
CAR STALLS ,SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING, HARD TO START. INSTRUMENT PANELS LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK. DOME LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK. HAD TO TAKE FUSE OUT TO EXTINGUISHED DOME LIGHTS, OTHERWISE STAY ON ALL THE TIME . GAS GAGE SHOWS THAT MORE GAS IN TANK THAN REALLY IS. *TR
THE VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR COMING TO A STOP. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, HOWEVER; THE CODE THAT COMES UP IS FOR THE IGNITION WHICH WAS ALREADY REPAIRED AND NOT THE ISSUE CAUSING AT HAND. THIS MALFUNCTION IS FREAKISHLY COMMON WHEN I LOOK IT UP ONLINE FOR THIS MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT MAY OR CAN CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY IF IN INTERSECTION OR BUSY ROAD/HIGHWAY. PLEASE NOTIFY ME OF ANY SOLUTIONS OR INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER. WE HAVE ALSO CHANGED SPARK PLUGS AS WELL AS WIRES & COIL. *TR
WENT OUT TO GO SOMEWHERE AND IT HAD A HARD TIME STARTING. AS I BEGAN TO DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD MY JEEP STARTED TO BACKFIRE, ALL OF A SUDDEN IT CUT OFF AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IT WAS DARK SO I COULD OF BEEN INJURED. WHEN I GOT IT TO CRANK BACK MY ABS LIGHT HAS BEEN ON EVER SINCE AND WE HAVE BOUGHT ABOUT 5 HUNDRED DOLLARS IN PARTS AND TRIED EVERYTHING WE KNOW TO DO EVEN THE MECHANICS WE HAVE ASKED ABOUT IT HAVE NO ANSWERS FOR US, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE AND NO ONE WANTS TO BUY IT FROM US BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE HAD WITH OUR JEEP! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JEEP CHEROKEE SPORT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGE READING FLUCTUATING. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE ACCURATE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 97V194000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY) AND HAD REPAIRS PERFORMED PRIOR TO THE CONTACT ASSUMING OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
CAR STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY. THIS SEEMS TO OCCUR MOST OFTEN WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN AND WHEN THE GAS TANK IS AT 1/2 TANK OF GAS OR LESS. ONGOING PROBLEM FOR YEARS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE VEHICLE HESITATES TO START WHEN THE CONTACT TURNS THE IGNITION. THERE IS MINIMAL FUEL PRESSURE WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTS. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, WITH A HALF TANK OF GAS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AS IF IT WERE OUT OF FUEL. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO HESITATE WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25 TO 65 MPH OR GREATER. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF FAILURE AS THE FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE DELIVERY: FUEL PUMP. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR TWO MONTHS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 119,000.
FUEL GAUGE READS INCORRECTLY. THE GAUGE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF WHEN THE FUEL LEVEL IS ANYWHERE BELOW 1/2 TANK. NOT SURE HOW MUCH GAS IS IN THE VEHICLE UNLESS IT IS TOPPED OFF. THERE WAS A RECALL 97V194000 FOR THE FUEL SENDING UNITS, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *NM
PLASTIC GAS TANK WARPED WHERE FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT IS LOCATED ON TOP OF TANK. CAR WAS PARKED IN GARAGE OVERNIGHT AFTER A FILL UP. NEXT MORNING GASOLINE WAS NOTED ON FLOOR OF GARAGE WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN FIRE. DEALER STATED TANK WARPED IN HEAT OF D.C. WEATHER. REPLACEMENT COST WAS $800. I WONDER IF OTHER SIMILAR EIGHT-YEAR OLD JEEP PRODUCTS WILL BEGIN TO SHOW THIS FAILURE, WHICH COULD BE THE BEGINNING OF A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR UNSUSPECTING OWNERS OF JEEP VEHICLES WITH PLASTIC GAS TANKS. GAS TANKS AREN'T SUPPOSED TO FAIL AFTER ONLY EIGHT YEARS OF USE. *NM
FUEL GAUGE READS INCORRECTLY. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING BECAUSE OF INACCURACY. A RECALL 97V194000 WAS ISSUED FOR THE FUEL SENDING UNITS, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK
NHTSA RECALL 97V194000 SUBJECT/FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT. AFTER HAVING THE FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT REPLACED OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FUELED THE NEEDLE REGISTERED AT A HALF A TANK OF FUEL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY STOP RUNNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE FUEL SENDING UNIT SENDING FALSE READINGS TO THE GAS GAUGE. *NM
RADIATOR & VARIOUS AC PARTS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. STEERING GAVE OUT IN 2002. A SCREW WENT THROUGH AN ENGINE PART. RECENTLY, A JOINT CONNECTING THE AXEL TO THE STEERING MECHANISM HAD TO BE REPLACED. FUEL PUMP FAILED. INCREDIBLY, IT IS INSIDE THE GAS TANK. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT JEEP GAS TANKS CORRODE ON THE INSIDE, THUS CLOGGING THE FUEL PUMP. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR BECAUSE OF THE LABOR. THERE IS STILL THE POSSIBILITY THAT THIS NEW FUEL PUMP MAY ALSO FAIL, BECAUSE THE GAS TANK WAS NOT REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. I\\\\\\'VE HEARD NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE FUEL SYSTEM FROM OTHER JEEP OWNERS. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL.
FUEL TANK INDICATOR IS GIVING FALSE READINGS. *AK THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO BE STALLING, IT WAS REFUELED AND WAS GIVEN NO DIAGNOSIS AT THE GAS STATION. THE VEHICLE STOPPED RESPONDING TO THE PRESSING OF THE GAS PEDAL FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON, THE VEHICLE WAS REFUELED BUT WAS STILL GIVEN NO DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AGAIN WITHOUT WARNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET, OBTAINED EMERGENCY FUEL, THEN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THERE WAS A FUEL PROBLEM. (THE FUEL LEVEL REGISTERED WRONG) THE 20 GALLON GAS TANK GETS 15 TO 18 MPG. THE FUEL LEVEL REGISTERS 7/8 TANK AFTER DRIVING 100 MILES CURRENTLY. BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER REFUSED TO PAY FOR REPAIR AND DENIED THE RECALL #97V194000 . *SC *JB
WHILE DRIVING, THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED THE INCORRECT AMOUNT OF FUEL. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE RAN OUT OF GAS WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *NLM
ENGINE STALLS AT 70 MPH, STOP CAR RESTART, STALLS AGAIN. WITH FUEL TANK READING 1/2 OR BELOW,FILLED UP ONLY HELD 10 GALS. OK UNTIL IT GETS BELOW 1/2 TANK. KEEP ABOVE 1/2 TANK NO PROBLEMS. *LA
HAVING TROUBLE WITH STARTING THE CAR DUE TO WHEN CAR IS PARKED ON AN INCLINE THE CAR IS NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS. WHEN DRIVING IT ALSO FEELS AS IF THE CAR IS NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS EVEN WHEN THE TANK IS FULL. JUST FOUND SOMEONE THAT WILL CHANGE THE FUEL FILTER AND CHECK THE FUEL PUMP. EVERY OTHER PLACE HAS DENIED DOING THE JOB DUE TO THE FUEL FILTER AND FUEL PUMP IS ON TOP OF THE GAS TANK. *JB
I READ ABOUT THE RECALL OF THE FUEL SENSOR FAILING ON YOUR SITE. I CALLED CHRYSLER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT FOR MY VEHICLE. I HAVE A 1997 JEEP CHEROKEE AND I HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. IT HAS BEEN ACTING UP FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS. I HAVE RAN OUT OF GAS 3 TIMES ON THE INTERSTATE ALONE AND HAVE HAD TO CALL A GARAGE TO BRING ME GAS. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT IF THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT THEY DO NOT FIX IT. DO I HAVE ANY OTHER RECOURSE?*AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER 97V194000 CONCERNING THE FUEL LEVEL, BUT DEALER DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE LETTER. *AK THE FUEL WAS NOT RELIABLE. THE DEALER ADMITTED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL, BUT SAID THAT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WASN'T INCLUDED. *SCC *JB
CONSUMER STATES THAT FUEL GAUGE IS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY.*AK
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.
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