Owner-reported complaints naming the interior system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Jeep Grand 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.
The 25 most recent of 29, in the owner's own words
THE SEATS COLLAPSED IN A 45MPH REAR END CRASH THE FRAMES WERE COMPLETELY SNAPPED MY DAD AND I FLEW IN THE BACK SEAT I WAS HANGING OVER THE BACK SEAT AND I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON SO DID MY DAD. I WAS THE DRIVER AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO REACH THE PEDALS TO STOP THE JEEP AFTER THE CRASH. *TR
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BREAKS, MAKING DRIVING DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS! *TT
DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE, METAL SNAPPED WHERE ATTACHED TO TRACK. *TR
1. CAME OUT OF GEAR WHEN IN PARK AND CRASHED SUSTAINING 5000.00 DOLLARS IN DAMAGE. HAD RECEIVED A LETTER FROM DAIMLER-CHRYSLER IN 2002,HOWEVER IT WAS NOT DATED STATING THE CAR COULD DO THIS. NO RECALLS WERE PRESENT AT THE TIME. THEY DENIED ANY PROBLEM WHEN CAR CRASHED. CALLED AN ATTORNEY WHO WAS A RELATIVE THAT TOLD WITHOUT A DOUBT (100%) THE CAR WOULD DO THIS. HE THEN CALLED ME BACK AND STATED HE COULD NOT REPRESENT ME BECAUSE HE REPRESENTED DAIMLER-CHRYSLER. HE WAS HIRED BY CHRYSLER AFTER HE BOUGHT A VIPER FROM THEM THAT WAS A LEMON AND HE SHOVED IT YOU KNOW WHERE AND WON. THEY REALIZED WHAT AN OUTSTANDING ATTORNEY HE WAS THEN HIRED HIM. TALK ABOUT FAMILY ETHICS. THEY FINALLY INSTALLED THE SECONDARY DETENT SYSTEM IN 12/2008. I WAS TOLD IT WAS REPAIRED. 2 THE CAR IS STALLING AT HIGH SPEEDS,DURING U TURNS, WHILE AT STOP SIGNS. IT TO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. JEEP KEEPS TELLING ME THEY CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING ON DIAGNOSTICS. I WAS OUT OF TOWN 250 MILES FROM HOME AND THEY WANT ME TO DRIVE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE BACK TO THE. THEY HAVE BEEN RUDE,EVASIVE AND BLAMING ME. AFTER 500.00 THERE DIAGNOSTICS SHOWED NOTHING. IT HAS BEEN TO 5 OTHER MECHANICS AND KNOW ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I NOW HAVE A 1997 GRAND CHEROKEE LIMITED THAT IS LOADED THAT IS DANGEROUS AND WORTH NOTHING. 3 IF THEY INSIST ON ARBITRATION AND A CHANCE TO FIX IT YOU WILL LOSE. IT IS WORTH YOUR MONEY TO HIRE A LEMON LAW ATTORNEY FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. *TR
THE DRIVERS SEAT MOUNTING BRACKET THAT BOLTS TO FLOOR BOARD IS DEFECTIVE AND CANNOT BE CONSIDERED TO BE SAFE TO ALL DRIVERS WHO OWN THIS VEHICLE. I HAD ORIGINAL BRACKET BRAKE AFTER ONLY 50,000 AND NOW AFTER 108,000 HAVE HAD THAT BRACKET BRAKE. IF BRACKET BRAKES SO EASILY THEN IN A WRECK THE PROBABILITY OF IT BREAKING HAS TO BE GREAT AND WOULD RESULT IN ADDITIONAL INJURIES. THE SEAT WOULD BE MOVABLE AND WOULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *TR
REAR HOOD LATCH THINKS THAT THE BACK HATCH IS OPEN WHEN IT IS SHUT. COULD THIS BE RELATED TO THE INVESTIGATION OF THE HOODS OPENING ON THEIR OWN? *NM
FAILURE OF DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LATCH, THE FASTENERS HAVE RIPPED THROUGH THE METAL OF THE DOOR CAUSING AN UNEXPECTED DOOR OPENING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS...THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM FOR GRAND CHEROKEE'S, THERE ARE VERY FEW DRIVER'S DOOR THAT HAVE NOT FAILED...MY OPTIONS FOR REPAIR OF A POORLY DESIGNED COMPONENT ARE QUITE FEW AND NO ONE IS SHARING ANY INFORMATION...WITHOUT METAL TO SECURE THE LATCH TO THE DOOR I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO USE A BUNGIE CORD (NOT OSHA RATED...AT ALL) UNTIL THE DOOR CAN BE WELDED SHUT...THEN I HAVE A THREE DOOR TRUCK WITHOUT A WAY TO EASILY EXIT THE VEHICLE... THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER.
(1)PRIOR TO BEGINNING A TRIP, MY HUSBAND CHECKED THE FLUIDS UNDER THE HOOD AND THEN CLOSED THE HOOD. I DROVE FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS WITH NO PROBLEMS. (2)THEN WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 68 MPH, GOING DOWNHILL, THE HOOD SUDDENLY FLEW OPEN AND CRASHED INTO MY WINDSHIELD. BOTH THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY LATCHES FOR THE HOOD HAD FAILED. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE ROAD, EXCEPT FOR A TINY AMOUNT OF THE WHITE LINE THAT I WAS ABLE TO SEE BELOW THE HOOD THAT WAS NOW RESTING UPON THE WINDSHIELD. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN AS WELL AS NAVIGATE, USING THE WHITE LINE, AND GET THE CAR SAFELY OFF THE ROAD. I HAD THREE SMALL GIRLS IN THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE, WHO WERE ALL VERY FRIGHTENED. WITH THE HELP OF SOME PASSING MOTORISTS I WAS ABLE TO FORCE THE HOOD BACK INTO PLACE, THOUGH THIS WAS QUITE DIFFICULT SINCE THE HINGES WERE NOW HYPER-EXTENDED. I SHOVED THE HOOD INTO PLACE AND CONFIRMED (SEVERAL TIMES) THAT IT SEEMED TO BE SECURE ENOUGH TO CONTINUE. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO MY DESTINATION, THOUGH I WAS QUITE FRAZZLED BY THE TIME I ARRIVED. (3)THE HOOD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AS WELL AND THE HINGES ON BOTH SIDES. WE STRAIGHTENED THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE PROBLEM. IT IS MADE OF METAL THAT IS TOO SOFT AND BENDABLE FOR IT'S INTENDED PURPOSE. PER THIS DATABASE, OUR MODEL OF JEEP IS KNOWN TO HAVE HOOD LATCHES THAT FAIL. I AM VERY UPSET THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL PUT INTO EFFECT YET. THIS WAS A VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND THE CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND COULD HAVE EASILY ENDED IN A TERRIBLE CRASH. LUCKILY EVERYTHING WORKED OUT AND NO ONE WAS HURT, EXCEPT FOR A MINOR COMPLAINT OF A CAR SEAT HURTING A LEG (IT PROTECTED MY DAUGHTER FROM GETTING THROWN IN OR FROM THE CAR). PLEASE CONSIDER HOW DANGEROUS THIS CAN BE WHEN THE VISION OF THE DRIVER IS BASICALLY COMPLETELY BLOCKED BY THE HOOD COVERING THE WINDSHIELD. I BELIEVE THAT THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY HOOD LATCHES SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY. *NM
HOOD WAS RECENTLY OPENED FOR NORMAL CHECKS OF ENGINE. THE HOOD DID SHUT ALL THE WAY. AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 5 MILES AT THE SPEED OF ABOUT 45 THE HOOD CAME UNLATCHED AND FLEW UP. THE HOOD IS UNREPAIRABLE, HOOD AND HINGES MUST BE REPLACED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM THE FRONT POWERE DRIVE SEAT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MPH WHEN HOOD FLEW OPEN CAUSING CONSIDERALBLE DAMAGE TO HOOD AND HINGE MECHANISM. NO PERSONAL INJURIES.*AK
I WAS INVOLVED IN A SEVERE CAR ACCIDENT IN WHICH I WAS REAR-ENDED. I WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP WHEN I WAS HIT BY A TUNDRA AT 45-50 MPH. MY 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE WAS TOTALED AND MY SEAT (DRIVER'S SEAT) BROKE BACKWARDS ON IMPACT, WHICH RESULTED IN SEVERE BACK, NECK AND KNEE PAIN (DUE THE SEAT BACK BREAKING MY RIGHT KNEE HIT THE AREA UNDERNEATH THE STEERING WHEEL -SURGERY IS STILL PENDING; I AM ATTENDING PHYSICAL REHABILITATION 3X PER WEEK). *LA..UPDATED 10/30/13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE ALSO BEGAN LEAKING GAS. UPDATED 11/4/2013 * JS
THE HOOD LATCH FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE HOOD TO OPEN, HIT THE ROOF AND CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD.*JB RELATED INVESTIGATION EA-02-029.
HOOD FLEW OPEN AT 70 MPH, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
WHILE DRIVING AT 65MPH HOOD CAME UN LATCHED AND DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SEE.*AK
*AK CONSUMER STATES TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT THE WAY IT SHOULD, THERE IS A DELAY WHEN GOING INTO GEAR AND IT MAKES A NOISE, REAR SEAL, PAN GASKET, AND COOLER LINES LEAKING, HUMMING IN ENGINE AT 59-62 MPH, THE WIPER BLADES FAILED, WHILE USING REMOTE THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM DOOR AREA, THE RIGHT FRONT ROTOR IS WORN, THE DEQLER REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKE PADS, AND HEADLIGHTS NEED TO BE ADJUSTED.*YD
REAR END WENT OUT AND VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE. CONTACTED DEALER AND WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED. REAR END HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE ALREADY.*AK KEYLESS REMOTE FAILED. FUEL GAUGE FAILED. BUZZING NOISE WHEN UNLOCKING THE DOORS. TRANSFER CASE LEAKING. REAR END MAKES NOISE, DEALER REBUILT DIFFERENTIAL. LEFT FRONT WHEEL MAKES NOISE. *YH
CONSUMER HAS HAD RECALL, 00V136, WORK DONE, HOWEVER ROTORS CONTINUE TO WARP, ABS MODULE NEEDED REPAIRED, BRAKES ARE NOISY, BRAKES PULSATE, AND ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATES, BECAUSE OF BRAKE PROBLEMS, TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED AND HAVE TO BE ROTATED OFTEN, DEALER STATED THERE MAY BE A HAZARDOUS CONDITION IN THE FUTURE WITH THE ABS. *SLC
FIRST PROBLEM : IGNITION STOPS WORKING, IF STEERING IS TRUNED AND THEN TRIED IT STARTS.THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS ANYTIME. DASH LIGHT DIMS IF I PUTS ON THE HEADLIGHT AND FLICKERS WHILE DRIVING.
CONSUMER WAS CALLING IN REGARD TO NHTSA RECALL 97V194002N/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 755. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC VEHICLE RAN OUT OF GAS, ALTHOUGH GAS GAUGE READ 1/4 OF A TANK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT REFUSED TO REMEDY PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEM. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED THREE DAYS AFTER THE CUT-OFF DATE AS STATED ON RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK WHEN THE DRIVER DEPRESSES THE GAS THE VEHICLE BOGS DOWN AND THEN TAKES OFF, THE DRIVER'S DOOR DOME LIGHT IS INOPERATIVE INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO OPEN CIRCUIT, DEALER REPLACED DOME LIGHT SWITCH. NLM
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND ERRATIC OPERATION. INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL FLICKER ON AND OFF/ ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK, AND LIGHT ON DASH SHOWED THAT DOORS WERE OPEN IN VEHICLE. ALSO, WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION, DRIVER'S SEAT MOVED FORWARD AND UP, WHICH PINNED DRIVER TO STEERING WHEEL. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL VEHICLE TO SIDE OF ROAD. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND COULD NOT DETERMINE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
1)"FRONT SWAY LINK ELIMINATOR BARS" BOTH FAILED AFTER FRONT CV JOINT REPLACEMENT CAUSING VERY POOR/DANGEROUS HANDLING. DEALER REFUSES TO CONSIDER THAT PRIOR REMOVAL CAUSED DAMAGE, SAYS THEY WERE RUSTY. 2) WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL WHILE GOING OVER BUMPS. DEALER REFUSES TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY. WANTS NEARLY $400 FOR REPAIR. 3) DOOR LOCKS, DOME LIGHTS LOCK AND UNLOCK BY THEMSELVES WHILE VEHICLE IS RUNNING OR NOT, CAUSING PASSANGERS/KEYS TO BE LOCKED INSIDE. DEALER REFUSES TO FIX. 4) CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND VEHICLE FAILS TO START, AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES VEHICLE THEN STARTS. DEALER REFUSES TO BELIEVE THERE IS A PROBLEM AND WON'T FIX UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
I'VE HAD THE RADIO REPLACED 11/1998, A TRANSMISSION FILTER REPLACE 02/1998, AND THE TRANSMISSION CLUTCHES REPLACED 03/1999, BRAKE ROTARS NEED REPLACING, NOW I HAVE LOST ALL DASH LIGHTS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, GAS TANK STAYS ON EMPTY, AND HASASTATION IN TRANSMISSION FAILING AGAIN, NOT UNDER WARRENTY WILL NOT SERVICE ANYMORE, MOST FAILURES STARTED AT 38,000 MILES. WARRENTY OVER AT 36,000.
GAS GAUGE. SIGNAL SWITCH. DOOR LOCK.
REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED. YH
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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