1989 Jeep Grand Cherokee Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1989 Jeep Grand Cherokee, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes228.6%
- Engine228.6%
- Exterior lighting114.3%
- Powertrain (other)114.3%
- Steering114.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED VEHICLE VIBRATES. DEALER HAS RESURFACED BRAKES TWICE, BUT PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
ABS RECALL DONE, ABS ACTUATOR MAKES LOUD SOUND WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
CATALIC CONVERTER RECALL ELECTRIC RECALL COOLANT TEMP CIRCUIT RECALL OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD I WILL NOT TEST IT ON FREEWAY WITH ALL THE SEVERE SYSTOMS HAPPENING WITH MY JEEP BEEN SMOKING FROM ENGINE SOMETHING WITH MY COOLANT AND TEMP CIRCUIT INPUT MY HEADLIGHTS ELECTRIC SYSTEM PERIOD BEEN COMPLETELY NOT DOING WHAT THERE MADE TO DO EVEN WHEN I CHANGE THE LIGHT BULBS THEY STILL SEEM TO BE MESSING UP ALSO MY TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH SOLENOID CIRCUIT IT'S BEEN WRONG I MISFIRING ALL OF A SUDDEN FROM CYLINDER 3 + 6 AND THEN ALSO JUST RANDOM MISFIRES CUZ OF MY PERFORMANCE OF MY VEHICLE 2 TO BE UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD SOUNDS LIKE MY TRUCK IS GOING TO FALL APART AND JUST WHEN I DRIVE IT IT'S SOMETHING DEFINITELY WRONG STARING I PUT POWER STEERING FLUID DOES NOTHING SEEMS TO GO RIGHT AND ONCE I FIX ONE THING MORE MULTIPLE THINGS GO WRONG AND IT SOUNDS LIKE EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT IN THEIR COMPLAINT AND NOW MY VAN IS SHOWING THAT IT HAS A ZERO REPAIRED SHOWING I THINK THAT MINE'S DEFINITELY IS IN THE CATEGORY OF A RECALL VEHICLE
EXHAUST FIRE, CATALYTIC CONVERTER SYSTEM CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. NOT THE OWNER, BUT INSURANCE CO REPORTED THE FIRE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
CATALIC CONVERTER RECALL ELECTRIC RECALL COOLANT TEMP CIRCUIT RECALL OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD I WILL NOT TEST IT ON FREEWAY WITH ALL THE SEVERE SYSTOMS HAPPENING WITH MY JEEP BEEN SMOKING FROM ENGINE SOMETHING WITH MY COOLANT AND TEMP CIRCUIT INPUT MY HEADLIGHTS ELECTRIC SYSTEM PERIOD BEEN COMPLETELY NOT DOING WHAT THERE MADE TO DO EVEN WHEN I CHANGE THE LIGHT BULBS THEY STILL SEEM TO BE MESSING UP ALSO MY TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH SOLENOID CIRCUIT IT'S BEEN WRONG I MISFIRING ALL OF A SUDDEN FROM CYLINDER 3 + 6 AND THEN ALSO JUST RANDOM MISFIRES CUZ OF MY PERFORMANCE OF MY VEHICLE 2 TO BE UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD SOUNDS LIKE MY TRUCK IS GOING TO FALL APART AND JUST WHEN I DRIVE IT IT'S SOMETHING DEFINITELY WRONG STARING I PUT POWER STEERING FLUID DOES NOTHING SEEMS TO GO RIGHT AND ONCE I FIX ONE THING MORE MULTIPLE THINGS GO WRONG AND IT SOUNDS LIKE EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT IN THEIR COMPLAINT AND NOW MY VAN IS SHOWING THAT IT HAS A ZERO REPAIRED SHOWING I THINK THAT MINE'S DEFINITELY IS IN THE CATEGORY OF A RECALL VEHICLE
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
CATALIC CONVERTER RECALL ELECTRIC RECALL COOLANT TEMP CIRCUIT RECALL OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD I WILL NOT TEST IT ON FREEWAY WITH ALL THE SEVERE SYSTOMS HAPPENING WITH MY JEEP BEEN SMOKING FROM ENGINE SOMETHING WITH MY COOLANT AND TEMP CIRCUIT INPUT MY HEADLIGHTS ELECTRIC SYSTEM PERIOD BEEN COMPLETELY NOT DOING WHAT THERE MADE TO DO EVEN WHEN I CHANGE THE LIGHT BULBS THEY STILL SEEM TO BE MESSING UP ALSO MY TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH SOLENOID CIRCUIT IT'S BEEN WRONG I MISFIRING ALL OF A SUDDEN FROM CYLINDER 3 + 6 AND THEN ALSO JUST RANDOM MISFIRES CUZ OF MY PERFORMANCE OF MY VEHICLE 2 TO BE UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD SOUNDS LIKE MY TRUCK IS GOING TO FALL APART AND JUST WHEN I DRIVE IT IT'S SOMETHING DEFINITELY WRONG STARING I PUT POWER STEERING FLUID DOES NOTHING SEEMS TO GO RIGHT AND ONCE I FIX ONE THING MORE MULTIPLE THINGS GO WRONG AND IT SOUNDS LIKE EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT IN THEIR COMPLAINT AND NOW MY VAN IS SHOWING THAT IT HAS A ZERO REPAIRED SHOWING I THINK THAT MINE'S DEFINITELY IS IN THE CATEGORY OF A RECALL VEHICLE
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE POWER STEERING UNIT FELL OUT OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK UP. *ML
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .