1999 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE Complaints

CHRYSLER IS SELLING ALL GRAND CHEROKEES WITH ALUMINUM RIMS, WHICH BEND WHEN DRIVEN OFF ROAD, IT IS A 4 WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE. I FEEL THAT WHEN I DRIVE BACK ON ROAD, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE TIRES MAY COME OFF OF THE BEND RIMS. CHRYSLER WILL NOT REPLACE THEM WITH STEEL RIMS, NOR WAS EVEN AWARE THAT HTE RIMS SOLD WOULD NOT WORK OFF ROAD.*AK

MY WIFE WAS TRAVELING DOWN I-20 IN GA, IN THE FAR LEFT LANE AT THE SPEED LIMIT WHEN RIGHT REAR TIRE SIDEWALL BLEWOUT, CAUSING HER TO STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE. MANEUVERED TO THE ROADSIDE EMERGENCY LANE ON THE RIGHT,THROUGH SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC. A PASSING TOW TRUCK ASISSTED HER, AND ADVISED THAT HAD THE TIRE BLOWEN OCCURRED ON THE FRONT OF THE CAR, SHE WOULD HAVE UNDOUBTABLY LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND WOULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.*AK (TIRESIZE: P245/70R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P245/70R16 )

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35-40 MPH +, THERE IS VIBRATION EVERY TIME WHEN BRAKING WHICH MAY CAUSE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. TOOK TO DEALER 3 TIMES. DEALER RESURFACED ROTOR AND REPLACED ROTOR. CURRENTLY, THERE IS A TSB ON THIS PROBLEM WHICH DEALER NEEDS TO REPLACE ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS. *AK RECENTLY , THE DEALER REPLACED BRAKE PADS AND RESURFACED FRONT AND REAR ROTORS. *YH

AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER NOTICED HARD SHAKING WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKES. VEHICLE WOULD TRAVEL TO LEFT AND RIGHT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

ROTORS FADE FAST. VERY LOUD NOISE COMING FROM BRAKES AT 22,000 MILES, THE SOUND OF METAL AGAINST METAL. BRAKES REPLACED, NOISE STOPPED FOR 2 OR 3 WEEKS AND NOW CONTINUES. I SEE THAT THEY HAD A RECALL FOR A PROBLEM LIKE THIS FOR THE CHEROKEE AND GRAND CHEROKEE, BUT I MISSED THE RECALL BY ONE YEAR AND I BELIEVE THAT MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

BRAKES HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM FOR THE PAST 8 MONTHS BUT WAS TOLD THAT I MAY NOT BE DRIVING JEEP "PROPERLY". THE BRAKES WOULD SQUEAK,STEERING WOULD SHUDDER, OCCASIONALLY BRAKE WOULD LOSE PRESSURE AT A STOP & THE SOUND OF METAL ON METAL HEARD. BRAKES WERE CHECKED WITH NO REPORTED PROBLEM. I HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES & ROTORS AS IT WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE &ANOTHER INCIDENT OF BRAKES GOING TO FLOOR AT A STOP SIGN. DEALER SAID ITS NORMAL FOR BRAKES/ROTORS TO BE REPLACED AT THIS TIME(IT'S POOR QUALITY MATERIALS IN ROTORS IN MY OPINION) & SINCE THEY CAN'T REPRODUCE THE BRAKE PROBLEM, THERE IS NO PROBLEM.

LOTS OF WOBBLING/SHAKING UPONBRAKING AT SPEEDS OF 50-55 AND ABOVE. FIRST NOTICED AT 11,000 MILES. BY 16,000 SHAKING WAS VIOLENT AND RISKED LOSING CONTROL OV VEHICLE -- BROUGHT TO DEALER FOR SERVICE. SHAVED FRONT ROTORS -- CHARGED $150. NOTED THAT 40% OF PADS STILL LEFT. TOLD REAR BRAKES OK. SHAKING BEGAN AGAIN AT 22,000 MILES. NOW BACK AT DEALER AT 26,000 FOR YET ANOTHER BRAKE JOB -- RETOOL BOTH FRONT AND BACK ROTORS, AND REPLACE FRONT PADS. TOLD THAT BRAKES ARE BUILDING UP "TOO MUCH HEAT" BUT THAT THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. ANOTHER $150 CHARGE, THIS TIME FOR THE REAR ROTORS. DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE ROTORS UNLESS I PAY FOR IT.*AK

I HAVE DONE SOME LIMITED RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND THAT DAIMAR-CHRYSLER HAS ISUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM SINCE IT INVOLVES THE BRAKES AND THE ROTORS ARE WARPING FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IF THE METAL IN THE ROTORS CANNOT HANDLE THE HEAT AND WARP, WHAT EFFECT DOES THIS HAVE ON THE MOLECULAR STRUCTURE OF THE ROTOR? WILL IT BREAK APART NEXT TIME? THEIR FIX FOR THE PROBLEM IS TO "TURN" OR GRIND THE ROTORS. SURE FIXES PROBLEM FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. THIS IS SECOND TIME IN ABOUT 10,000 MILES. THANKS!

INITIAL PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS "EXCESSIVE RUNOUT ON FRONT ROTORS" AND WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY BY TURNING THE ROTORS WITH AN "ON THE CAR LATHE". THE SAME SYMPTOMS BEGAN TO REOCCUR AT APPROX. 22000 MILES. LIGHTLY AT FIRST, AND NOW VERY SEVERE SHAKING HAPPENS BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MPH WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. IT IS CURRENTLY BEING REAPAIRED, BUT I'M TOLD NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE ADVISOR SAYS IT IS CAUSED BY IMPROPER TORQUING OF WHEEL BOLTS. OF ALL THE VEHICLES I'VE OWNED, I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM BEFORE. I BELEIVE THESE PARTS ARE DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. BRAKES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPAIRED EVERY 12000 MILES.

EVERY 3,000 MILES BRAKING SYSTEM PULSATED, CAUSING STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE OR VIBRATE DUE TO THE ROTOR BEING WARPED. OCCURRED 5 TIMES. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK BRAKES ARE CONTINUOUS PROBLEM. NEW ROTORS WERE INSTALLED ALSTO BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. *YH