Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Jeep Cherokee submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 28 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 28, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS EXPOSED DUE TO THE TRAILER HITCH BEING REMOVED AND COULD NOT BE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, ALL THE DOORS BECAME DIFFICULT TO OPEN. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO THE PUSH BUTTON ON THE DOOR HANDLES IN ORDER TO OPEN THE DOORS. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK HEADED SOUTH ON I-69 IN FORT WAYNE, INDIANA. I HAD JUST PASSED THE INDIANA STATE ROAD 14 UNDERPASS WHEN A SEMI TRUCK TIRE AND RIM (THE WHOLE THING) CAME OFF A SEMI TRUCK AND ROLLED ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC WHERE MY JEEP HIT IT. IT HIT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF MY JEEP. DIRECTLY IN THE FRONT BUT THE RIGHT HALF OF THE BUMPER/FRONT END. THE TIRE THEN WENT UNDER MY CAR WHERE IT FORCED ME TO SLIDE IN TO THE CEMENT MEDIAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY HITTING MY DRIVER SIDE FRONT BUMPER AT ABOUT 35 MILES AN HOUR OR SO. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
LOCAL JEEP DEALER KEY - MOLINE, IL) FURTHER DAMAGED MY VEHICLE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO INSTALL SAFETY RECALL N45/NHTSA 13V-252. THE REAR BUMPER ATTACHING STUDS WERE TWISTED OF THE FRAME WHILE PREPARING TO INSTALL THE (RECALL REQUIRED) TOW HITCH TO IMPROVE PROTECTION OF FUEL TANK FROM A REAR END COLLISION. THE SAFETY OF MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN FURTHER DEGRADED - KEY DEALERSHIP HAS CONTACTED CHRYSLER - HOWEVER, NO SOLUTION HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO ME TO DATE. MEANWHILE, I DO NOT FEEL SAFE TRANSPORTING MY FAMILY IN SUCH AN UNSAFE VEHICLE WITH A LOOSE AND RATTLING BUMPER! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V252000 (FUEL SYSTEM). HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND EXPLAINED THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DELAY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
IN JUNE 2013 A SAFETY RECALL NUMBER N45/NHTSA 13V-252 WAS MADE FOR MY VEHICLE. I GOT NOTICE THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. IT IS NOW MARCH 2014, 9 MONTHS SINCE THE SAFETY RECALL AND I HAVE YET TO HAVE THE CORRECTION ON MY VEHICLE MADE! HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET THE PARTS THEY NEW? HOW LONG CAN THEY DRAG THEIR FEET AT THE POSSIBLE EXPENSE OF SOMEONE'S LIFE? *TR
I JUST FOUND OUT I HAVE A CRACKED MANIFOLD, MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR HAS BROKEN PUT A NEW PART IN IT AND NOW THAT IS BROKEN,I HAVE ALSO HAD TO PUT A NEW TRANSMISSION IN IT WITH ONLY 148,000.00 MILES. IN 2006 I HAD TO FIX THE GAS TANK BECAUSE IT WAS BROKEN TOO. IS THIS NOT A RECALL PROBLEM????? ANY OF THESE, I HAVE HAD THE JEEP SINCE 2000 AND I BOUGHT IT WHEN IT HAD 20,000 MILES ON IT. PLEASE HELP BECAUSE THIS IS 2012 AND I ONLY HAVE 156,000 MILES ON IT NOW. THANK YOU. *JS
HOOD LATCHES ON 1998 JEEP CHEROKEE SPORT ARE CORRODED AND HOOD WOULD NOT STAY CLOSED, HAD ONE REPLACED ALREADY, NOW THE ONE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF VEHICLE IS ACTING UP CAUSING BOTH TO MALFUNCTION. THIS IS A SEVERE HAZARD. WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR
WHILE DRIVING FUEL GAGE FLUCTUATES LEAVING THE CONSUMER WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF HOW MUCH GAS IS IN THE GAS TANK. ALSO, THE ELECTRICAL LOCKING MECHANISM FOR THE DOORS MALFUNCTIONED. UPON USING THE AUTOMATIC LOCK BUTTON, IT WILL NOT LOCK UNLESS CONSUMER GETS OUT OF THE VEHICLE, AND USES THE KEY. ALSO, CONSUMER HAS TO USE THE KEY TO LOCK THE TAILGATE. *AK THE CONSUMER SITED THE RECALL FOR THE FUELGAGE NEEDED TO FIX THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL FOR THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. *TC
NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH 1998 JEEP CHEROKEE SPORT. DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNING THE VEHICLE THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER 12 TIMES FOR RUST MARKS ON THE VEHICLE WHICH THE DEALER DESCRIBED AS FALL OUT AND THEY INSISTED IT WAS SOMETHING THE CONSUMER HAD DONE TO CAUSE IT TO HAPPEN SO SOON, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED, AS THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ALL THE GAUGES WENT OUT AND THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED, THE AIR CONDITION AND RADIO WERE INOPERATIVE AND STILL IS, THERE WAS A THUMPING NOISE WHICH WAS ATTRIBUTED TO THE ROTORS WHICH WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED. THE MOST RECENT PROBLEM WAS WITH THE POWER WINDOWS. *JB
THREE MONTHS AFTER THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, RUST MARKS APPEARED. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNTIONED WITH OUT ANY WARNING. THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER AND THE RADIO. THERE IS A THUMPING NOISE IN THE ROTORS THAT WAS FIXED BUT THE NOISE STILL REMAINS. *JG
ELECTRICAL ARCING WHERE CONNECTOR IS INSERTED INTO LAMP. LAMP HSG. CHARRED AND MELTED. MR
CONSUMER STATES A MOLD ODOR HAS DEVELOPED IN VEHICLE. DEALER FUMIGATED, THEN REMOVED CARPET, HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *TT
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRUCK PISTON, THAT HOLDS UP THE TRUCK SNAPPED, WITHOUT ANY EFFORT, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE TRUCK TO STAY UP WHEN OPEN, WHICH MAY CAUSE BODILY HARM IF RELEASED. NLM
WHILE BACKING UP THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE, UPON CHECKING THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE LIFTGATE HAD FALLEN, THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO LIFT THE GATE BACK UP WHEN THE PLASTIC PIECE THAT HOOKS ONTO THE BOTTOM OF THE LIFTGATE BROKE AWAYHITTING THE CONSUMER ON THE HEAD. NLM
MY VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON IN PARK; WHILE IN PARK FOR LESS THAN 2 MINUTES THE VEHICLE WENT FROM PARK TO REVERSE; VEHICLE WAS STOPPED BY HITTING A TREE. NOW MY TRUNK IS DAMAGED, AND MY POWER LOCKS DON'T WORK; IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY THERE IS A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION GOING ON WITH MY PARTICULAR BRAND OF JEEP; THE DEALER SAID THEY WILL NOT FIX MY JEEP; SO WHAT I AM SUPPOSE TO DO. *AK
AFTER PARKING VEHICLE, CONSUMER APPLIED EMERGENCY BRAKE AND THE BUTTON AND SPRING POPPED OUT. DEALED ORDERED THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY .*AK THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS FIXED, BUT THE CONSUMER STATES THAT HE WAS NOT SATISFIED. THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WAS NOT CLOSING PROPERLY DUE TO MISSING BOLTS. *YH
AS I HAVE REPORTED, I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS SERIOUS ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I DO NOT FEEL IT IS A SAFE CAR. THIS VEHICLE HAS ALSO BEEN RECALLED TWICE, FOR FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND DEFECTIVE AIR BAG MODULE, (REPLACED AND MOVED FROM UNDER THE PASSANGER SEAT FRONT TO UNDER THE CONSOLE). I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER CORP. WITH THIS SAME INFORMATION AND MY FEELINGS THAT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE AND AM AWAITING A REPLY. I DO NOT EXPECT ANY MONETARY OR NEW VEHICLE ETC., I'M JUST REPORTING THE SAFETY PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE TO ANY AND ALL AGENCIES TO HAVE SOMETHING ON RECORD. I WISH TO STATE ALSO THAT THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM HAVE BEEN VERY ACCOMODATING AND THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THEM AT ANY TIME.*AK
THE SPEEDOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, TACHOMETER, AND OTHER PARTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BECOME INOPERATIVE WHILE DRIVING. NLM
WHENEVER IT RAINS WATER ENTERS INTO PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT, WETTING MATS AND CARPET, WHICH COULD CAUSE MOLD TO GROW INSIDE PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. THIS COULD ESULT IN A HEALTH HAZARD TO OCCUPANTS OF VEHICLE. ALSO, PROBLEM COULD CAUSE VARIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER HAS SEALED WINDOWS, BUT PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED, DEALER BELIEVED PROBLEM WAS LINKED TO BLOWER UNIT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
FUEL GAUGE MOVES UP AND DOWN WHILE DRIVING. I CAN NEVER DETERMINE HOW MUCH FUEL I HAVE IN THE TANK AT ANY GIVEN TIME. ALSO, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSES THE POWER LOCKS NOT TO WORK PROPERLY ON HOT/HUMID DAYS. DEALER COULD NOT FIX LOCKS SUCCESSFULLY.
BRAKE PEDAL PAD FELL OFF. *MJS
TRANSMISSION COOLER LINE QUICK CONNECT FITTING FAILED CAUSING LEAKAGE. *MJS
WAS REPLACING SPEAKER WIRE HARNESS. HAD NOTICED DOOR WAS WARPED. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC INDICATED DOOR PANEL HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WARPING. DRILLED HOLE IN PANEL TO SECURE PANEL TO DOOR. *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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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