1996 JEEP CHEROKEE Complaints

A FIRE STARTED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

IF VEHICLE IS ON A SLGHT INCLINE WITH IGNITION ON AND SHIFTER IN PARK, VEHICLE WILL ROLL BACKWARDS, EVEN WHEN IGNITION IS OFF. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN.*AK

THE FRONT LEFT CORNER OF THE DRIVERS SEAT HAS BROKEN LOOSE FROM THE ADJUSTMENT SLIDE. THIS CAUSES THE SEAT TO TILT BACK WHEN ACCELERATING. THE METAL IS TORN FROM AROUND THE BOLT. THE BOLT IS STILL INTACT. THE UPPER LEFT DOOR HINGE IS ALSO COMING LOOSE FROM THE BODY. THE WELD THAT SECURES THE HINGE TO THE BODY IS FAILING. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER (NOT THE ONE WHO I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM) AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT HE HAD NOT SEEN THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE. SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY HE SUGGESTED I TAKE IT TO A BODY SHOP. THE FELLOW AT THE BODY SHOP INFORMED ME HE HAS SEEN QUITE A FEW DOOR HINGE FAILURES. HE EVEN HAD A CHEROKEE IN THE SHOP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. HE ALSO SAID THE SEAT FAILURE IS NOT UNCOMMON. I FEEL THESE ARE SAFETY ISSUES AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD AT LEAST REIMBURSE PART OF THE COST OF REPAIR, IF NOT FIX IT AT NO CHARGE. THE SEAT IN PARTICULAR IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE IF THE OTHER SIDE BREAKS, I'LL BE LAYING DOWN TRYING TO DRIVE!*AK

SLID OUT OF CONTROL AFTER SLOWING DOWN ON HIGHWAY, CAR PULLED LEFT AND WOULD NOT STOP WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. ROTORS HAVE BEEN RESURFACED TWICE AND THE CAR STILL VIBRATES WHEN SLOWING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WOULD TAKE PHOTO AND REFER TO OEM, CONTACTED LOCAL GARAGE PER DEALERSHIP REFERENCE TO REPAIR AND GARAGE SAID THEY HAVE FIX 3-4 OF THIS TYPE FAILURE. THE DOOR WOULD FALL OFF IF NOT FIXED.*AK

WHILE STARTING VEHICLE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN. SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, BATTERY WAS DRAINED. PROBLEMS HAD RETURN. *AK THE REPLACED FUEL PUMP FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. *YH

THE FRONT SEAT FRAMES ARE NOT MADE STRONG ENOUGH, FRAME WELDS BROKEN, BOLT PULLED THROUGH, OTHER FRAME CRACKS. I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER SEAT FAILURES,IN JEEP XJS, TALKED ABOUT ON INTERNET JEEP LIST-SERVES. SEAT WAS HELD ON BY ONLY 2 POINTS. IF ONE MORE MOUNTING HAD BROKEN, THE SEAT WOULD HAVE FALLEN INTO THE BACK SEAT AREA.*AK

SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE, CONSUMER HAS REPLACED BRAKE ROTORS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT VEHICLE IS RUSTED UNDERBODY WHICH CAN CAUSE BRAKE PROBLEMS, DEALER SPRAYED UNDERBODY WITH COATING, BUT BRAKE PROBLEMS STILL OCCUR. *TT

THREE FAILURES IN 99 DAYS. FACTORY NEW PART EACH TIME. DEADLY. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK

FUEL PUMP FAILED AND WAS REPLACED WITH ORIGINAL PART. FAILED SECOND TIME WITHIN 3 WEEKS DUE TO FAULTY GAS TANK, AS ADVISED BY DEALER. CHRYSLER HAS HUGE BACKLOG FOR SAME PROBLEM AND HAD PRIOR RECALLED FOR JEEP CHEROKEE 95 & 96. (MINE IS A GRAND CHEROKEE). CAR CAN STOP LITERALLY AT ANY SPEED.*AK