Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. 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. 47 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 47, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. IN ADDITION, WATER SPILLED FROM THE VEHICLE'S WATER PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JEEP CHEROKEE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V252000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, STRUCTURE), THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS EXCESSIVE SMOKE COMING FROM THE TIRE AND RIM ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 141,501.
DRIVING ABOUT 50MPH AND THE FRONT END FELT LIKE IT WAS COMING APART. STEERING WHEEL SHAKING BAD AND WHEELS FELT WOBBLY. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND NOTICEABLY WHEN I HIT A BUMP OR POTHOLE AT OR ABOVE 45MPH. WHAT SCARED ME THE MOST I WAS COMING UP ON TRAFFIC AND HAD TO BRAKE. BRAKING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS WOBBLY IS VERY SCARY AND FEELS AS IF THE WHOLE THING IS COMING APART.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THERE WAS A VIOLENT SHAKING AND VIBRATION THAT WAS PROGRESSING IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHO REPLACED THE FRONT BALL JOINTS AND THE FAILURE RECURRED WITH EXTREME WOBBLING AND THE FRONT SUSPENSION WAS UNSTABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL AND THEN THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A TECHNICIAN DROVE THE VEHICLE AND INDICATED THAT THERE WAS AN EXTREME CASE OF WOBBLING AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND NEEDED TO BE FURTHER DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, I HIT A BUMP AND MY JEEP STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY. I HAD TO PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO MAKE IT STOP. EVERY TIME I HIT A SMALL BUMP THIS HAPPENS ONLY GOING ABOVE 55. HITTING THE BRAKES DOES NOT WORK, YOU HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO ABOUT 40 TO GET IT TO STOP. THIS IS UNSAFE WHEN YOU ARE ON A HIGHWAY AND THE SPEED LIMIT IS 65 OR 70.
WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED A TOTAL/VIOLENT LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL OCCURRED CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLAM INTO THE LEFT GUARD RAIL AND SPIN OUT. ANTI LOCK BRAKES HAVE ALSO GONE OUT ON THIS VEHICLE CAUSING ANOTHER ISSUE AND EXPENSIVE REPAIR. THE TRANSMISSION HAS GONE OUT AND HAS BEEN EXPENSIVELY REPLACED. THIS IS A DANGEROUS LEMON.
I WAS DRIVING MY JEEP TO WORK ALL OF A SUDDEN IT BUCKED AND BACKED FIRED 2 TIMES AND THEN COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN NO STEERING BUT WAS ABLE TO GET TO SIDE OF ROAD RESTARTED GOT IT BACK HOME THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES CANT COUNT HOW MANY TIMES, I HAVE HAD IT TOWED HOME 4 TIMES THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM AND COULDNT RESTART SOMETIMES IT BUCKS AND FEELS LIKE ITS GOING TO SHUT DOWN BUT RESTARTS BY ITS SELF WITHOUT TURNING KEY THIS HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED CHANGED TPS, CRANK SENSOR, STARTER, FUEL PUMP, PICK UP COIL,DISTRIBUTOR CAP AND ROTOR PLUGS AND WIRE, ALTERNATOR NOW INSIDE DASH LIGHTS ARE STARTING TO FLASH DIM AND BRIGHT. I BOUGHT IT 2009 USED WITH A LITTLE OVER 100,000 MILES RAN GREAT BUT THE LAST COUPLE YEARS BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THIS SITUATION EVERY TIME I CHANGE THINGS IT WILL WORK FOR AWHILE AND THEN STARTS TO ACT UP AGAIN.
WHEN DRIVING OVER A BIG PUDDLE OF WATER THE STEERING BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. DISPLAY PANEL SAID "CHECK BATTERY". SLOWED DOWN AND FINALLY PULLED OVER. AFTER A FEW MINUTES IT WAS FINE. WENT DOWN THE ROAD AGAIN AND HIT A BIG PUDDLE. STEERING AGAIN BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. LUCKILY NOT MANY CARS AROUND AND I WAS ON A SIDE STREET. MECHANIC CAN NOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM AS THERE HAS BEEN NO RAIN LATELY TO TRY AND DUPLICATE. I FEAR A MAJOR OR FATAL ACCIDENT IS FORTH COMING. *TR
I HAVE CONTACTED YOUR OFFICE BEFORE FOLLOWING THE JAN. 24, 2014 CRASH THAT TOOK MY WIFE'S LIFE, ON THE VEHICLE INDICATED, IT WAS EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN TIRES NOTED DURING THE PERIOD BEFORE THE RECALL THIS YEAR. I HAD CONTACTED YOU EARLIER ABOUT THE AIR BAGS ON A 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE THAT FAILED TO DEPLOY IN THIS CRASH. COULD YOU PLEASE GET BACK TO ME TO DISCUSS THIS LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE DEATH OF MY WIFE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WAS DRIVING AT RELATIVELY LOW HIGHWAY SPEED (50MPH) UP A SMALL INCLINE. LOW RPM (1200RPM). WITH SHARP HIGHWAY CURVE COMING UP, VEHICLE STALLED FOR NO REASON. STEERING BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. TURNED KEY OFF AND ON SEVERAL TIMES TRYING TO TURN STEERING TO FOLLOW CURVE. LUCKILY SUNDAY NIGHT TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT OR COULD HAVE RESULTED IN ACCIDENT. ENGINE FINALLY STARTED UP AND STEERING PRESSURE WAS RESTORED. KEPT RPM OVER 2500RPM FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND CAR BUCKED A NUMBER OF TIMES IN THE FIRST 5 OR SO MINUTES. RAN SMOOTHLY AFTERWARDS WITH ENGINE RPM KEPT HIGHER (2500+). HAD TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND FOLLOW SIDE STREETS TO GET HOME. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR 3000-4000 MILES AND I'VE HAD NEARLY EVERYTHING REPLACED, COIL, SPARK PLUGS, PLUG WIRES, DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR, DISTRIBUTOR CAP, STARTING ON SENSORS NOW. *TR
TURNED STEERING WHEEL LEFT TO STOP IN PREPARATION FOR LEAVING PARKING SPACE. HEARD LOUD BREAK/SNAP SOUND AND FELT CHANGE IN STEERING WHEEL TENSION. REALIZED A TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. SAW SIGNIFICANT VOLUME OF FLUID ON GROUND. REVIEW BY MECHANIC FOUND STEERING BOX MOUNT BOLTS HAD SHEARED/FAILED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO WOBBLE ABNORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.
ENGINE STALLS EITHER AT SPEED OR DURING IDLE AFTER 20 MINUTES. WILL CONTINUE TO STALL FOR ABOUT 4 MINUTES, SOMETIMES VERY HARD TO START DURING THIS TIME. THEN VEHICLE WILL RUN FINE WITH NO PROBLEMS FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THE NEXT DAY, OR AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING FOR SEVERAL HOURS, THE PROCESS WILL START AGAIN. EVERY DAY IT WILL STALL AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES - SOMETIMES WHILE TURNING, WHICH WILL CAUSE A TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING ABILITY, OR WHILE ON THE FREEWAY, OR WHILE AT A RED LIGHT OR INTERSECTION. I NARROWLY ESCAPED AN ACCIDENT WHEN IT STALLED AND A BIG RIG ALMOST SLAMMED INTO ME. I HAVE BEEN STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION MULTIPLE TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS. WHEN THE CAR STALLS, SOMETIMES IT RUNS VERY ROUGH AND BACKFIRES, WHICH CAUSED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO BLOW OUT. NOW THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER RATTLES AND CAUSED MY EMISSIONS TEST TO FAIL WITH HIGH NO(PPM) OUTPUT. I'M GOING TO NEED TO CHANGE THE PCM AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO FIX THIS, BUT THIS WAS COVERED UNDER A RECALL FOR 1996 VEHICLES WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. JEEP ISSUED AN EMISSIONS RECALL IN LATE 2006 TO UPDATE THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) SOFTWARE ON CERTAIN 1996 VEHICLES. AS PART OF THE RECALL, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WILL ALSO BE INSPECTED FOR DAMAGE AND REPLACED AS NECESSARY. 1997 VEHICLES EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL FOR SOME REASON. PLEASE INCLUDE THE 1997 VEHICLES IN THIS RECALL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING BOX FAILED WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING, CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN MANEUVERING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE AND PROVIDED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 147,000.
DRIVING DOWN ROAD AND OUR 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE VEERED TO RIGHT WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THE STEERING. OUR CAR HIT ANOTHER CAR CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE PARKED CAR AND TOTALLING OUR CAR. UPON INSPECTION, THE STEERING KNUCKLE AND SPINDLE HAD BROKE. *TR
1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. TURNING VEHICLE IN DRIVE. STEERING BOX SECURING BOLTS SHEARED. RESULT TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING POTENTIAL FOR CRASH AND DEATHS. ONE BRACKET ON THE STEERING BOX CASTING HAD FAILED AND BEEN UNDETECTED FOR SOME TIME. REPLACED STEERING BOX. *NM
97 JEEP CHEEROKE TSI, POWER STEERING PUMP BRACKET BROKE. RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. VEHICLE THEN GOES TO BATTERY DRAIN TO KEEP ENGINE RUNNING. THIS LOSS CAN RESULT IN ACCIDENT OR DEATH. THERE WAS NO SOLD ASSOCIATED WITH THE BREAK THAT COULD BE HEARD FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. *JB
MY WIFE STARTED THE CAR AND BEGAN TO BACK OUT OF HER PARKING SPACE. SHE SUDDENLY FOUND THAT SHE COULD NOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD STARTED TO GO ON. IF THIS HAD OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, SHE MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED. WHEN I CHECKED, I FOUND THAT THE CAST ALUMINUM BRACKET HOLDING THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD BROKEN IN 3 PLACES, ALLOWING THE SERPENTINE BELT TO FALL OFF. EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURES SHOWED THAT ONE WAS MUCH OLDER THAN THE OTHERS, SUGGESTING THAT THE BRACKET HAD BROKEN IN ONE PLACE MUCH EARLIER AND THAT THE FIRST BREAK HAD INCREASED THE STRAIN ON OTHER PARTS OF THE BRACKET, RESULTING IN THE EVENTUAL TOTAL FAILURE. WHEN I REPLACED THE BRACKET, I NOTED THAT MANUFACTURER HAD INCREASED THE THICKNESS OF THE REINFORCING RIBS IN THE CASTING AND ADDED A NEW RIB IN THE AREA WHERE THE OLDER FRACTURE HAD OCCURRED. THE DEALER PARTS CLERK ALSO ANTICIPATED WHICH ENGINE OPTION I HAD IN THE VEHICLE WHEN I TOLD HIM THE MODEL AND THE PART I NEEDED, AND INDICATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAD AROUND 30 PIECES OF THE REPLACEMENT PART IN STOCK. SINCE THE MANUFACTURER CLEARLY KNOWS THAT THIS PART IS DEFECTIVE AND SINCE THE FAILURE OF THE PART HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT, THIS REALLY SHOULD BE THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT MAJOR CRASHES HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THIS FAILURE WITHOUT BEING ATTRIBUTED TO IT SINCE A FRONTAL IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO BE LIKELY TO BREAK THIS BRACKET, OBSCURING THE FACT THAT THE BRACKET BROKE PRIOR TO IMPACT. OTHER MODEL YEARS WITH THIS ENGINE AND OTHER ENGINE OPTIONS IN THIS MODEL YEAR HAVE THE POWER STEERING PUMP BOLTED DIRECTLY TO THE ENGINE BLOCK (NO BRACKET REQUIRED). THE PURPOSE OF THIS BRACKET APPEARS TO BE TO ALLOW THE USE OF THE SAME POWER STEERING PUMP ON TWO DIFFERENT ENGINE OPTIONS (REDUCING COST). *JB
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE STEERING BECAME VERY HARD TO MANEUVER ALL OF A SUDDEN. THE DEALER STATES THAT THE BEARING FOR THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS AT LOW SPEEDS THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT MOVE ANY FURTHER TO THE LEFT. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. *AK *NM
POWER STEERING PUMP BRACKET BROKE IN HALF MAKING THE VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. BECAUSE OF THE BROKEN BRACKET THE FAN BELT CAME OFF SO THERE WAS NO COOLING SYSTEM OR ALTERNATOR AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP.
RATTLING IN FRONT END OVER MINOR BUMPS. SHOCKS ALREADY REPLACED, FRONT-END CHECKS OUT BY MECHANIC. ALSO, POPPING AND SLIPPING OF FRONT-END INTO TURNS AT SLOW SPEEDS AND RIGHT AFTER A TURN. IT SOUNDS DANGEROUSLY LIKE FRONT-END IS GOING TO FALL APART. I HEARD IT'S EXPENSIVE AND EVERYTHING CHECKS OUT SO I DESPERATELY NEED HELP BEFORE I DISCARD THE VEHICLE ALTOGETHER.*AK
THE BOLT IN THE STEERING GEAR BOX FELL OUT WHILE DRIVING.*AK *JB
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN VEHICLE WAS IN PARK ON A HILL THE VEHICLE CAME OUT OF PARK CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL BACK. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
TOOK IN TO DELAER FOR A RECALL B02 SECONDARY DETENT SYSTEM ON FLOOR SYSTEM, AFTER RECALL WAS PERFORMED, NOW THERE IS A SHIMMEY THAT WAS NOT THERE BEFORE RECALL WAS DONE. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
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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