1998 Jeep Cherokee Steering Problems

MY NAME IS [XXX]....BOUGHT A 1998 JEEP CHEROKEE LIMITED APPROX. 2001 FROM A PRIVATE OWNER...FROM NORTHBORO MA.....MINT CONDITION...ONLY 11,000 MI. ....OWNER TOLD ME HE BOUGHT IT FOR HIS WIFE SO SHE COULD PLOW THEIR QUARTER MILE LONG DRIVEWAY.....HE INSTALLED A SMALL PLOW ASSEMBLY ON JEEP....WHEN ASKED WHY HE WAS SELLING HE TOLD ME IT WASN'T ENOUGH TRUCK TO GET THE JOB DONE.....DRIVEWAY HAD MULTIPLE SHARP CURVES AND A SIGNIFICANT INCLINE....I BOUGHT THIS FOR MY WIFE TO RUN LOCAL....GROC, SCHOOL, ETC.....SHE LOVED IT.....NEVER ONCE HAD IT ON THE FREEWAY.....I TOOK IT ONE DAY ON THE I-495....HIT A DIP WHERE THERE WAS A BRIDGE...GOING ABOUT 65....THIS VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING SO VIOLENTLY I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO LITERALLY FALL APART AROUND ME.....VERY SCARY [XXX]....SUBSEQUENTLY HAD THE FRONT END LOOKED AT.....FOUND SOME LOOSE [XXX]....SOLID....WIFE NEVER HAD IT ON HWY....I TOOK IT AGAIN A YR LATER....SAME [XXX] THING....I THOUGHT MAYBE THE PREVIOUS OWNER DID SOME DAMAGE INSTALLING THE PLOW ASSEMBLY.....SOLD IT AS-IS WITH VERY SPECIFIC CONCERNS ABOUT THE FRONT END TO THE BUYER......WHAT DO I DO.....I BUY A 2001 CHEROKEE SPORT....MY WIFE LOVED HER JEEP...."I WANT ANOTHER ONE!"....OK HONEY...FIGURED WAS A ONE TIME PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE PLOW ASSEMBLY.....WRONG....3 MOS IN.....IM GOING DOWN HWY....SAME EXACT [XXX] THING....LIKE WHEN THE SECOND PLANE HIT THE OTHER TOWER ON 9/11....NOT A COINCIDENCE....NOT 2 JEEPS IN A ROW....THAT'S WHEN I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH..."DEATH WOBBLE"......IM LUCKY TO BE ALIVE....YOU'VE GOT TO DO A RECALL ON THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10761993

Incident

Sep 5, 2001

Mileage

30,000 mi

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL LOCKED IN APRIL 2004. HAD TO REPLACED THE CALIPERS ON 6-22-04. ON 9-15-04 HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS, THE CALIPERS, THE SEALS AND THE BRA BECAUSE THEY WERE BURNED OUT. ON 9-15-05 THE CONTACT WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY TOLD HER THE SPINDLE WAS BAD. THE SERVICE DEALERSHIP TOLD HER IF SHE DID NOT HAVE THE SPINDLE REPLACED SHE WOULD HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS BEFORE. THIS REPAIR WILL NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY.*AK UPDATED 11/4/2005. *NM

NHTSA ID

10138381

Incident

Sep 15, 2005

Mileage

82,805 mi

CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE THE EROTORS REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE. AFTER COMPLETING THE WORK, CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE (00V136000) IN THE MAIL REGARDING THE ROTORS. CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR MONIES PAID. *JG

NHTSA ID

566602

RECALL 00V136000 REPAIRS HAVE NOT CORRECTED THE RECALL PROBLEM. ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES SINCE FIRST TAKEN INTO DEALER FOR RECALL. *AK BATTERY FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. DASH GAUGES MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO CLUSTER HARNESS FAILURE. THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. FOG LAMP SWITCH FAILED. THE FRONT PINION SEAL WAS LEAKING. THE BUCKLE FOR REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT BROKE. *YH

NHTSA ID

8011077

Incident

May 2, 2002

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, AND WHEELS WERE STUCK IN DIRECTION OF PARKING SPACE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC. THEY REPLACED STEERING GEAR BOX. *AK

NHTSA ID

8005342

Incident

Mar 2, 2001

TRANSMISSION CLUNCKS SEVERELY WHILE SHIFTING GEAR. YH

NHTSA ID

551041

THE CAR WANDERS, AND LOSES THE ABILITY TO STEER. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, AND HAS BEEN FOR 5000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES, AND REPAIRED TWICE. IT WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, DUE TO THE PROBLEM, AND WAS INSPECTED, BUT THEY FOUND NO PROBLEMS AT THE TIME. IT'S INTERMITTENT, THEY KNOW THAT BUT DON'T CARE. THE DEALERSHIP/MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO WORK ON THE CAR, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS TO THIS DAY. THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS ISSUE IN SIMILAR MODEL CARS NOW FROM THE SAME TIME PERIOD, THOUGH IT WAS APPARENTLY NOT ON THE BOOKS WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, AS MY INSURANCE COMPANY LOOKED FOR SIMILAR REPORTS BUT FOUND NONE. *AK

NHTSA ID

715026

Incident

Jun 20, 1999

STEERING DOES NOT RESPOND WELL, CONTINUED REPAIRS HOWEVER NOT ABLE TO RECTIFIED. MJS

NHTSA ID

549061

Incident

Jun 1, 1998

HATCHBACK. STEERING COLUMN BOOT.

NHTSA ID

609789

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL LOCK UP RESULTING IN MINOR COLLISION WITH CURB, DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. MJS (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).

NHTSA ID

546371

Incident

May 16, 1999

WHILE TURNING LEFT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS PROHIBITING ME FROM TURNING. BROUGHT TO DEALER AND AFTER INVESTIGATING FOR LESS THAN 1/2 HOUR DETERMINED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED AGAIN SINCE SERVICE.

NHTSA ID

705659

Incident

Mar 20, 1999

WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP. TOOK TO DEALER WHO HAD VEHICLE FOR 3 WEEKS & COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG W/STEERING WHEEL OR COLUMN. *AK

NHTSA ID

820839

Incident

Nov 15, 1997