1999 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE Complaints

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE HOLIDAYS AND THE TRIP WAS ABOUT AN HOUR LONG ON A MAJOR HWY. PARKED TRUCK OUTSIDE OF GARAGE, TOOK SOME ITEMS IN THE HOUSE AND WHEN I CAME BACK OUTSIDE, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. POPPED THE HOOD RELEASE AND TRIED TO OPEN THE HOOD, BUT BURNED MY HAND. I RAN INSIDE TO CALL 911 AND THE MINUTE THE DOOR CLOSED, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION AND FLAMES WERE UNDER THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE AND UNDER THE HOOD.

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FILL GAS TANK, GAS FREQUENTLY SPILLS OUT WHEN TANK IS FULL WITHOUT KICKING OFF AUTO-SHUTOFF FEATURE OF NOZZLE. ON ONE OCCASSION, WITH THE TANK NEARLY EMPTY AND THE NOZZLE PROPERLY INSERTED INTO TANK, GASOLINE IMMEDIATELY FLOWED OUT OF TANK AND ONTO GROUND WHEN PUMPING BEGAN. AGAIN WITHOUT SHUTTING OFF AUTO-SHUTOFF FEATURE OF NOZZLE. ON NUMEROUS OTHER OCCASIONS, WHEN INSERTING NOZZLE INTO TANK, BEFORE BEGINNING TO PUMP, GASOLINE FROM THE TANK WOULD SPEW OUT WHEN NOZZLE WAS INSERTED. IN ALL OCCASIONS, I WAS SPRAYED WITH GASOLINE.

I WILL BE STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR IN TRAFFIC WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE RPM'S WILL BECOME VERY ERRATIC. THE NEEDLE WILL JUMP UP AND DOWN FROM 700 TO 200 TO 0 ETC. THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC ALMOST CAUSING A REAR END COLLISION. THE PROBLEM ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS IN DRIVE, WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE. BEEN TO DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES. THEY HAVE CONNECTED A CHRYSLER CO-PILOT TO MONITOR AND RECORD PROBLEM. HAVE RECORDED PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES. CURRENTLY WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. I DO KNOW OF 3 OTHER PEOPLE WITH 1999 GRAND CHEROKEES THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. SINCE THE VEHICLE DOES STALL OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, IT DOES REPRESENT A SAFETY ISSUE. SINCE THIS OBVIOUSLY IS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO ME, CHRYSLER NEEDS TO FIX THE PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY, OR TAKE BACK THE VEHICLE. AGAIN THIS IS A BRAND NEW JEEP. FOR THE RECORD, I HAVE HAD OTHER DEFECTS WITH THIS VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH MINOR COMPARED TO THIS ONE. DEFECTS INCLUDE RATTLES, WINDOW MOTOR FAILURES ETC.

REAR SUSPENSION SQUEAKS ON DROP-OFF/BODY ROLL MOVEMENTS; TRANSMISSION GEAR LINKAGE SCRUBS INTO PARK. *AK

ENGINE STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE DRIVE PLATE SENSOR. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AGAIN. *AK

THIS VEHICLE IS A POTENTIAL WRECK, IT DOESN'T IDLE AND DIES, KLUNKS AND LURCHES FORWARD, AND ROARS LIKE ITS LOSING ITS REAR AXLE OR TRANSMISSION. A POTENTIAL WRECK THAT AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS WILL NOT IMPROVE.

SINCE DATE OF PURCHASE WIPERS DID NOT FUNCTION, AIR CONDITIONER INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO BLOW AIR FOR PERIODS UP TO 30-60 SECONDS. CAN OCCUR REPEATEDLY, WITH ONLY SECONDS IN BETWEEN. OVERHEAD COMPUTER SYSTEM REPEATEDLY SOUNDS ALARMS THAT THE LIFT GATE IS OPEN WHEN IT IS CLOSED. REAR DEFROSTER COMES ON AT ITS OWN WHIM, AND AT TIMES WILL NOT TURN OFF UNLESS KEY IS TURNED OFF. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. ON BOARD PANIC SYSTEM (INTEGRATED WITH THE KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM) GOES OFF AT WILL, SOUNDING THE HORN AND FLASHING LIGHTS. OCCURS ALMOST CONTINUALLY WHEN VEHICLE IS LOCKED. THE BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED, NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS AT INVESTIGATING THE WIRING, REPLACING CONNECTORS AND SENSORS HAVE STILL LEFT US WITH THE DEFECTS. THE VEHICLE IS WELL KNOWN IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT SIMPLY CANNOT BE SILENCED. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT NUMEROUS OTHER 1999 AND 2000 MODELS OF GRAND CHEROKEES HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE TRANSMISSION WHICH HAS CAUGHT FIRE WHEN IT FAILED DURING DRIVING (AS RELATED BY A JEEP DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT) WE WERE LUCKY MY HUSBAND NOTICED A PROBLEM BEFORE IT REACHED THE POINT OF NO RETURN. PLEASE CONTACT IF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NEEDED, WILL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE WHATEVER IT NECESSARY TO BEGIN AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE PLAGUE KNOWN AS THE GRAND CHEROKEE. *AK

PROBLEMS WITH THE 1999 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE'S DRIVESHAFT ARE WELL-KNOWN AMONG JEEP OWNERS, BUT MANY DEALERS, AND APPARENTLY THE MANUFACTURER, ARE FAILING TO BE FORTHCOMING IN PROVIDING FIXES OR AN OFFICIAL RECALL. DRIVESHAFT ON THIS VEHICLE BINDS UNDER MANY DRIVING CONDITIONS, MAKING LOUD "CLUNKING" NOISES AND RESULTING IN UNSAFE VEHICLE "LURCHING" AS THE DRIVESHAFT BINDS/UNBINDS. THE DEALER'S FIRST ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PROBLEM WAS ONLY TEMPORARY - IT REAPPEARED WITHIN TWO WEEKS. DEALER NOW PROMISES A FACTORY FIX "SOMETIME IN JANUARY" - A TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE RESPONSE. *AK

REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH AC/HEAT BEING ERRATIC, WILL TAKE VEHICLE IN FOR 4TH TIME. VEHICLE SHUDDERED, FIXED BY CHANGING FLUID. WEATHER SEAL FELL OFF. BRAKE SHUDDER FIXED BY REPLACEMENT OF ROTORS, ETC. ENGINE STALLED FIXED, BUT THE REV UP AND LURCH AT STOP IS NOT YET. SETTING ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH SERVICE. *AK

SUBJECT VEHICLE HAS BEEN RETURNED TO TWO (2) DIFFERENT DEALERS ON FIVE (5) OCCASIONS FOR WARRANTY WORK ON EXCESSIVE NOISE WHEN PLACED IN GEAR. SUBJECT VEHICLE ALSO HAS BEEN RETURNED TO REPLACE FRONT BRAKE ASSEMBLY DUE TO BRAKE FADE AND EXCESSIVE NOISE. SUBJECT VEHICLE HAS ALSO BEEN RETURNED FOR WARRANTY WORK TO CORRECT VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SLIP (WHEN ACCELERATING FROM STOP (I.E AT TRAFFICE LIGHT)). SUBJECT VEHICLE HAS ALSO BEEN RETURNED FOR REPLACEMENT OF FRONT PASSENGER SEAT CUSHION FABRIC BUNCHING UP - THIS WAS NOT REPAIRED AS CHRYSLER REP SAID THIS IS "NORMAL" FOR SEAT CUSHION. *AK