1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE Complaints

I HAVE A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LIMITED WHICH I TOOK INTO THE SHOP FOR OPTIONAL MAINTENANCE WHILE I WAS AWAY ON VACATION. MERELY ONE DAY AFTER PICKING UP THE CAR, MY POWER STEERING MOUNTING BRACKET BROKE COMPLETELY AWAY FROM THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY. I LOST ALL STEERING CAPABILITY. FORTUNATELY I WAS ONLY 2 BLOCKS FROM HOME IN A 35MPH ZONE, AND HAD NOT GOTTEN ON THE FREEWAY AT THAT POINT. I MANAGED TO DRIVE IT TO A POINT IN THE ROAD THAT CURVED IN AND GOT THE VEHICLE HAPHAZARDLY TO THE CURB WHERE I CALLED AAA. THE CAR WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT HAD JUST DONE THE MAINTENANCE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THE STEERING BRACKET/PUMP COME FULLY AWAY FROM AN ENGINE BEFORE. NOT HAVING ANY OPTIONS, I HAD THEM REPAIR AND REPLACE WHATEVER PARTS WERE NECESSARY. BUT I'M SHOCKED THAT THIS HAPPENED, AND I'M JUST THANKFUL THAT NO ONE WAS KILLED OR INJURED INCLUDING ME. BECAUSE THIS IS (IN THE WORDS OF THE SERVICE MANAGER) AN "EXTREMELY RARE" OCCURANCE WHICH THEY HAD "NEVER SEEN BEFORE", I HAVE TO SUSPECT ONE OF TWO THINGS, 1. EITHER FAULTY EQUIPMENT ON THE PART OF JEEP, OR 2. TAMPERING BY THE MECHANIC TO CAUSE FAILURE. IF THIS OCCURED REGULARLY, THERE WOULD BE DEATH TOLLS IN THE THOUSANDS EVERY DAY FROM LOSING ALL STEERING ON ONE'S VEHICLE. THE STEERING MALFUNCTION ALSO CAUSED OTHER DAMAGE TO MY COOLING SYSTEM AND MY FAN COVER DUE TO THE SERPENTINE BELT COMING LOOSE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING THE BELT SPUN AROUND FREELY AT ABOUT 1000 RPMS ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICIAN HE SUSPECTED THAT THIS WAS WHAT CAUSED THE OTHER DAMAGE, SO THE CAR WAS ALSO OVERHEATING. *AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND RUNNING AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE JUMPED INTO REVERSE GEAR. PROCEEDED TO GO DOWN HILL AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE/ TREE, AND STOPPED ON IMPACT. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK *LA

VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING WITH FOOT ON GAS CAUSING POTENTIAL ACCIDENT WITHOUT WARNING. CRANKSHAFT SENSOR WAS REPLACED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. THIS ALSO OCURRED IN MARCH, 2003. THE SAME SENSOR WAS REPLACED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. VEHICLE WILL NOT RUN WITHOUT THIS SENSOR, AND THERE IS NO SAFTEY DEFAULT MODE PROVIDED TO THE COMPUTER TO KEEP VEHICLE RUNNING IF CRANK SENSOR CIRCUIT FAILS.*AK

I WAS HAVING BRAKE TROUBLE WITH THE CHEROKEE AND FOR A MONTH I KNEW I HAD TO GET BRAKE PADS ON MY TRUCK 1996 GRAND CHEROKEE. ON AUGUST 21, 2003 I WAS IN CAR ACCIDENT WHICH CAUSED ME TO LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND NOT BE ABLE TO GAIN IT BACK I WENT UP ON TWO AND CRASHED INTO A MEDIAN THE TRUCK OVER THREE TIMES AND I CAME OUT OF THE SEAT BELT AND LANDED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I DID HAVE ON MY SEAT BELT BUT CAME UP OUT OF IT. I THINK THE ROTORS MAY HAVE BEEN CORRDID AND HELPED WITH THE ACCIDENT MY SECOND CONCERN IS HOW I WAS ABLE TO COME OUT OF THE SEATBELT AND BECOME SEVERELY INJURED. I SHATTERED MY LEG AND HAD TO RELEARN TO WALK. I JUST WENT THROUGH MY SECOND SURGERY PERTAINING TO THIS ACCIDENT. WHAT STEPS DO I NEED TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE SEATBELT ISSUE AND THE FACT THAT IT DIDNT SECURE ME FROM THE ACCIDENT. MY HEAD STILL WENT INTO THE WINDSHILED AND I THINK SOMETHING HAPPENED WITH THE AIR BAGS AS WELL BECAUSE THEY WERE TORN BY THE TIME THE TRUCK STOPPED ROLLED AND MY HEAD ISTILL WENT INTO THE WINDOWSHIELD AND WAS CUT UP BAD. *AK

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, I IMMEDIATELY HEARD A BANG FOLLOWED BY LOUD CLANGING UNDER THE HOOD. I BEGAN BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE AND NOTICED I HAD NO POWER STEERING. AT THIS POINT I ESTIMATED THAT THE BELT HAD BROKEN AND SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. ON EXAMINING UNDER THE HOOD THE POWER STEERING PUMP PULLEY WAS VISIBLY OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND THE BELT WAS WRAPPED AROUND THE FAN. CLOSER EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP BRACKET WAS BROKEN INTO THREE PIECES. I ALSO HAVE ONE BOLT SHEERED OFF WITH THE STUD STILL STUCK IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. I HAVE ACQUIRED A REPLACEMENT PART BUT THE NECESSARY REPLACEMENT BOLT WAS OUT OF STOCK. BEFORE REPAIRS CAN PROCEED, I WILL NEED TO DRILL THE EXISTING BOLT OUT, POSSIBLY HAVING TO REMOVE THE CYLINDER HEAD ASSY TO GAIN THE PROPER ACCESS. ALTHOUGH NO INJURIES RESULTED, THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE IN THIS CONDITION AND THE FAILURE HAS CAUSED MY FAMILY MAJOR INCONVENIENCE. HAD THIS HAPPENED AT A DIFFERENT TIME THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE SEVERE. *JB

FOR YEARS WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR HEATING UP EVERY SUMMER. AS SOON AS THE AIR CONDITIONING GOES ON THE CAR HEATS UP. AND EVERY YEAR WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TRYING TO FIX IT. NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WE A COPIES OF ALL OF OUR BILLS. IT'S HOT AGAIN AND WE HAVE A PROBLEM AGAIN. *AK

THE VEHICLE'S FRONT ROTORS WERE STARTING TO PIT AND CORRODE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. RECALL # 00 V 136 000. *NM BOTH DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO HONOR RECALL REPAIR ON CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. THEY'RE CLAIMING THAT THE RECALL DOESN'T APPLY TO THE VEHICLE BECAUSE WAS NOT IN OHIO WHEN RECALL WAS ISSUED. *LA

I HAVE A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO 4X4 WHICH HAS HAD 5 FUEL PUMP MODULES AND ONE GAS TANK REPLACED SINCE 08.10.2000. THE VEHICLE IS IN NEED OF ANOTHER FUEL PUMP MODULE. THE DEALERS HAVE DIFFICULTY IN REPLICATING THE CONDITION. THE FUEL GAUGE IS PROVIDING FALSE READINGS; TYPICALLY GIVING AN EMPTY TANK READING WHEN FULL, 3/4 FULL OR 3/4 EMPTY. I HAVE HEARD THE SAME COMPLAINT FROM NUMEROUS OTHER GRAND CHEROKEE OWNERS. I WOULD THINK THE MAKER/DEALER WOULD HAVE SPOTTED A TREND BY NOW OR IS OVERLOOKING IT BECAUSE OF THE COST INVOLVED WITH FINDING A NEW VENDOR. ALL RECEIPT COPIES OF WORK PERFORMED CONCERNING THIS MATTER ARE INTACT. *JB

THE BULBS THAT ILLIMINATED THE SWITCH ENABLING THE CONSUMER TO TURN ON THE FOG LIGHT, DIM THE PANEL LIGHT, AND LOCATE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH, BURNT OUT. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE AND UTILIZE THE COMPONENTS. THE BULBS COULD NOT BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER OR AFTER MARKET.*AK

MY JEEP HAS BEEN REALLY LOUD FOR SOMETIME AND IS GETTING LOUDER. IT IS WHEN YOU START IT UP (REALLY BAD) AND THE WHOLE TIME IT'S RUNNING. I ASK MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID TO TRY A HEAT RISER. WHEN WE WENT TO THE JEEP DEALER TO ORDER IT, THE PARTS GUY SAID WE COULD TRY THE HEAT RISER, BUT MORE THAN LIKELY IT WAS A CRACKED/BUSTED MANIFOLD. WHEN WE LOOKE, THE MANIFOLD IS CRACKED IN TWO OR THREE PLACES. I HAVE CONTACTED SEVERAL MECHANICS IN MY AREA...THEY ALL SAY THE SAME THING....MANIFOLDS ON THESE JEEPS ARE BAD ABOUT CRACKING. THE MANIFOLD LISTS FOR $431 AND THEY SAY ABOUT $200 TO PUT ONE IN. PLUS, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT'S NO GOOD TO FIX THE ONE FROM THE MANUFACTURER BY WELDING IT, BECAUSE IT WILL CRACK AGAIN. THE SUGGESTION I AM GETTING IS TO BUY A NEW AFTERMARKET MANIFOLD...ALL THE MECHANICS SAY THEY WORK BETTER BECAUSE THEY HAVE 2 PIECES ON THEM THAT GIVE FOR EXTRA SUPPORT. I THINK THIS IS REALLY SAD. ONE SINGLE MECHANIC IN THE SMALL TOWN I LIVE IN HAS REPLACED AT LEAST 5 IN THE PAST YEAR. I THINK THIS IS OVERWHELMING! THERE SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT IN THIS PART TO ME.