1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE Complaints

(1)PRIOR TO BEGINNING A TRIP, MY HUSBAND CHECKED THE FLUIDS UNDER THE HOOD AND THEN CLOSED THE HOOD. I DROVE FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS WITH NO PROBLEMS. (2)THEN WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 68 MPH, GOING DOWNHILL, THE HOOD SUDDENLY FLEW OPEN AND CRASHED INTO MY WINDSHIELD. BOTH THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY LATCHES FOR THE HOOD HAD FAILED. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE ROAD, EXCEPT FOR A TINY AMOUNT OF THE WHITE LINE THAT I WAS ABLE TO SEE BELOW THE HOOD THAT WAS NOW RESTING UPON THE WINDSHIELD. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN AS WELL AS NAVIGATE, USING THE WHITE LINE, AND GET THE CAR SAFELY OFF THE ROAD. I HAD THREE SMALL GIRLS IN THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE, WHO WERE ALL VERY FRIGHTENED. WITH THE HELP OF SOME PASSING MOTORISTS I WAS ABLE TO FORCE THE HOOD BACK INTO PLACE, THOUGH THIS WAS QUITE DIFFICULT SINCE THE HINGES WERE NOW HYPER-EXTENDED. I SHOVED THE HOOD INTO PLACE AND CONFIRMED (SEVERAL TIMES) THAT IT SEEMED TO BE SECURE ENOUGH TO CONTINUE. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO MY DESTINATION, THOUGH I WAS QUITE FRAZZLED BY THE TIME I ARRIVED. (3)THE HOOD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AS WELL AND THE HINGES ON BOTH SIDES. WE STRAIGHTENED THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE PROBLEM. IT IS MADE OF METAL THAT IS TOO SOFT AND BENDABLE FOR IT'S INTENDED PURPOSE. PER THIS DATABASE, OUR MODEL OF JEEP IS KNOWN TO HAVE HOOD LATCHES THAT FAIL. I AM VERY UPSET THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL PUT INTO EFFECT YET. THIS WAS A VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND THE CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND COULD HAVE EASILY ENDED IN A TERRIBLE CRASH. LUCKILY EVERYTHING WORKED OUT AND NO ONE WAS HURT, EXCEPT FOR A MINOR COMPLAINT OF A CAR SEAT HURTING A LEG (IT PROTECTED MY DAUGHTER FROM GETTING THROWN IN OR FROM THE CAR). PLEASE CONSIDER HOW DANGEROUS THIS CAN BE WHEN THE VISION OF THE DRIVER IS BASICALLY COMPLETELY BLOCKED BY THE HOOD COVERING THE WINDSHIELD. I BELIEVE THAT THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY HOOD LATCHES SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY. *NM

DT: CONTACT STATES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IT BEGAN JUMPING. TOOK VEHICLE TO SERVICE DEALER, THEY STATED THE VEHICLE WAS FINE. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED, THE SERVICE MECHANIC STATED THERE WAS A SCREW THAT BROKE IN THE HANDLE CONTROL BOX.*AK

THE CONSUMER LOCATED FOUR RECALL NOTIFICATIONS ON HIS 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LIMITED .***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE DEALER INDICATED THAT ONLY ONE RECALL APPLIED TO THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AND MADE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM SENDING UNIT RECALL SHOULD ALSO APPLY SINCE HIS VEHICLE EXHIBITS SYMPTOMS OF THAT RECALL (RECALL# 97V194000). *NM

THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING SUDDEN THROTTLING WHEN TRAVELING AT ABOUT 35 MPH. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS DANGEROUS BY A MECHANIC, BUT THE CAUSE WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK WHEN TURNING THE AIR CONDITIONER OR HEATER IT MAKES THE ENGINE THROTTLE UP AND STAY AT ACCELERATED SPEED. WHEN THE CONSUMER TAKES HIS FOOT OF THE GAS PEDAL THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN UNTIL YOU TURN ON THE HEAT OR AIR. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN YOU START FROM A STOPPED POSITION WITH THE FAN ON, AFTER YOU ATTAINED THE SPEED YOU WANT AND TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATORTHE SPEED AND RPM WILL STAY THE SAME AND WILL NOT SLOW DOWN UNTIL THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE HAD TO TURN THE FAN OFF AT A COMPLETE STOP IN NEUTRAL TO GET THE VEHICLE TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. UNDER HEAVY BRAKING THE BRAKES HAD A BAD PULSATION WHICH CAUSED THE ABS LIGHT TO COME ON. RADIO AND SPEAKERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TC

SINCE MID DECEMBER 2004, I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. IT HAS SINCE BEEN IN THE SHOP ON A WEEKLY BASIS, WITH THE SAME PROBLEM OF THE MOTOR HESITATING OR CUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING. SO HERE WE ARE $1400 LATER DRIVING OFF THE LOT AND THE CAR CUTS OFF TWICE BEFORE DRIVING 1/4 OF A MILE. THEY HAVE CLEANED THE THROTTLE PLATE TWICE, REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, REPLACED A PRIMARY COIL TWICE, REPLACED THE O2 DOWNSTREAM SENSOR, REPLACED WIRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND THEN THIS WEEK REPLACED THE O2 UPSTREAM SENSOR. AND I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE HESITATION AND CUTTING OFF. THE ONLY RESPONSE FROM THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS THAT WITH THIS MANY MILES I'M GOING TO BE NICKELED AND DIMED WITH REPAIRS. THE CAR HAS NEVER GIVEN ME ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS PRIOR TO DECEMBER. I AM NOT GETTING ANYWHERE WITH THIS SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND AM NOT READY TO GIVE UP ON THIS CAR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE REPAIRS FEELING THAT THEY WOULD BE THE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE CAR. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED AT NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND OUT THE PROBLEM AND HAVE IT CORRECTED. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY SUGGESTIONS. I HAVE REQUESTED A PRINT OUT FROM SADLER THAT DETAILS ALL THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO THIS CAR SINCE DECEMBER. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF SOMEONE COULD CONTACT ME CONCERNING THIS ISSUE.*AK

WHEN MAKING LEFT HANDS TURNS ON A HALF OF TANK THE VEHICLE STALLED. ONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

REAR DIFFERENTIAL ROARING SOUND AGAIN IN 3000 MILES AFTER REPLACEMENT OF ALL REAR BEARINGS/SEALS AND BOTH AXLES BY DEALER. RECENT ROADTEST/INSPECTION BY DEALER CONFIRMS CONTINUED EXCESSIVE WEAR OF NEW BEARINGS AND AXLES. DEALER NOW RECOMMENDS NEW DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING OR REPLACE ENTIRE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. SEE PAST ODI ID NUMBER: 10100860 POWER TRAIN:AXLE

1. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THAT LED TO A SPONTANEOUS FIRE IN MY AUTOMOBILE (JEEP) 2) IT WAS DETERMINED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND CONFIRMED BY THE INSURANCE INVESTIGATOR THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY A SHORT IN THE WIRING. *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

NHTSA CAMPAIGN 97V194000. DAIMLER CHRYSLER ISSUED A FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT RECALL. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. CONSUMER HAD A DIFFICULT TIME DETERMINING HOW MUCH FUEL WAS IN THE GAS TANK. *AK