1998 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THERE WAS A VIOLENT VIBRATION THROUGHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE RUSTED.

FOR OVER A YEAR THE FRONT BRAKES HAVE SQUEAKED (A RUBBING NOISE) WHEN DRIVING (NOT DURING BRAKING, WHICH STOPS THE NOISE). DEALER CLAIMS NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. TOOK THE CAR IN TODAY TO HAVE TIRES ROTATED AN BALANCED. DEALER CLAIMS THE FRONT PADS ARE THIN AND CRUMBLING AND THAT BOTH PADS AND ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER STATES THE FRONT ROTORS ARE TOO THIN TO BE TURNED. THIS IS UNUSUAL SINCE THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED IN 2000 UNDER RECALL 00V136000. THE SUV HAS BEEN DRIVEN 90,000 MILES SINCE THEN - THE PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED - THE ROTORS HAVE NOT BEEN TURNED PREVIOUSLY. RELATED TO THE RECALL, OTHER USERS REPORT TOO HARD PADS WITH TOO SOFT ROTORS. IN ONE DRIVING STYLE THIS LEADS TO EXCESSIVE HEAT THAT WARPS THE SUB-PAR ROTORS. IN MY DRIVING STYLE THE PADS GET HOT (WHICH CAUSES THEM TO CRUMBLE EVENTUALLY), NOT HOT ENOUGH TO WARP ROTORS, BUT SUFFICIENT TO GRIND AWAY THE ROTORS LEADING TO PREMATURE FAILURE OF BOTH PARTS. IF ROTORS CAN GET SO THIN THEY CAN'T BE TURNED (HAVING NEVER BEEN TURNED), THEN THE COMBINATION OF CRUMBLY PADS MAKES FOR A DANGEROUS COMBINATION. SINCE DEALER IS AWARE OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT TOO-HARD PADS AND TOO-SOFT ROTORS FROM THESE AND ITS OTHER MAKE/MODELS... IT APPEARS THIS MISMATCHED COMBO IS INTENTIONAL. DEALER SHOULD REPLACE OR HEAVILY DISCOUNT PREMATURE FAILURE PARTS. DEALER CLAIMS ALL WEAR IS NORMAL AND 90K LIFE FOR ROTORS IS GOOD (AND PROBABLY IS STATISTICALLY IF YOU INCLUDE 15K LIFE OF RECALLED DEFECTIVE ROTORS). THE RECALL REPAIR REPLACED ONE PART OF THE DEFECT COMBO WITH ANOTHER DEFECTIVE PART, JUST LESS PRONE TO RAPID FAILURE IF DRIVEN EASY, I.E. IT FAILS PREMATURE TO NORMAL LIFE OF SIMILAR PARTS ACROSS INDUSTRY. I ELECTED TO WAIT ON REPLACING PARTS UNTIL I COULD GATHER MORE INFO. I CAME ACROSS OTHER REPORTS AND COMPLAINTS FOR CHRYSLER WITH THE PAD/ROTOR COMBO. *NM

AIR CONDITIONING - AFTER 100,000 MILES I HAD TO REPLACE MY AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM DUE TO LEAKS. NOW I AM HAVING PROBLEM WITH WATER LEAKING INTO MY CAR. THE REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING ARE NOT PROPERLY MADE (IN MY OPINION). THERE IS NO DRAIN HOSE TO THE EVAPORATOR - JUST A LIP - THAT IS SUPPOSE TO DRAIN OUT ONTO THE GROUND. THE LIP IS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE WATER TO DIP PROPERLY. THEREFORE, I KEPT GETTING WATER IN MY BACKSEAT FLOORBOARD. *NM

VEHICLE PARKED FOR THE NIGHT AT 11PM 5/20/06. THIS MORNING AT 6AM WHILE LEAVING FOR WORK AN ENGINE FIRE WAS NOTICED. CONTACTED 911 AND THEY SENT FIRE FIGHTERS TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. CURRENTLY UNABLE TO OPEN TO HOOD BECAUSE THE LATCH IS MELTED. HAD NO RECENT SIGNS OF VEHICLE PROBLEMS. FIRE LOOKED TO BE MAINLY ON DRIVERS SIDE. REPLACED PARTS IN PAST SUCH AS TIRES, LIGHTS, BRAKES (6 TIMES), TRANSMISSION (JAN 2006), DIFFERENTIAL, ROTORS, CALIPERS, BATTERY (3 TIMES) AND ACCESSORIES. DON'T KNOW IF THE ENGINE IS REPAIRABLE AT THIS TIME. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60MPH, SMOKE EMERGED FROM THE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE NEAREST DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THEY DETERMINED THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL UNIT HAD BEGUN TO SMOKE DUE TO EXTREME HEAT BUILDUP IN THE DIFFERENTIAL; ALTHOUGH, NO FLAMES WERE VISIBLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE WHERE IT REMAINS.

THE HORN WILL NOT WORK CONSISTENTLY. THE LIGHTS WILL FLASH ON AN OFF ERRATICALLY WHILE DRIVING. THE LIGHTS WILL COME ON AFTER BEING TURNED OFF AND PARKED OVERNIGHT LEAVING THE BATTERY DEAD. THE FAN MOTOR HAS FAILED FOR THE DEFROSTER AGAIN. THIS IS THE SECOND REPAIR. IN THE SNOW BELT THIS IS A SAFETY RELATED FEATURE. *JB

WE HAVE THIS ROARING NOISE IN THE REAR END WHICH IS SO LOUD YOU CAN'T HEAR THE RADIO IF IT'S ON ALL THE WAY. ALSO HAVE TROUBLE WITH THE SURGING AT HIGH SPEEDS OR GOING UP A HILL. ALMOST DIDN'T MAKE IT HOME THE LAST TIME WE DROVE IT 40 MILES AWAY. SINCE MY HUSBAND HAS A HEART CONDITION WE HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT ANY MORE. AFTER READING THE LETTERS THAT HAVE HAD THIS REAR END NOISE FIXED AND IT COMES BACK NOT SURE WHAT TO DO. *NM

DT: CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND APPLYING THE BRAKES VEHICLE LURCHED OUT OF GEAR EVEN IF VEHICLE WAS RUNNING. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 3 OR 4 MONTHS AGO. NO CRASHES REPORTED . NO POLICE REPORTS . TAKEN. NO FIRE.*AK

DT: IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT AND THE SEAT BELTS ARE SUPPOSE TO LOCK TO KEEP CONSUMER FROM GOING FORWARD ,AND THEY DID NOT LOCK. *AK

THE VEHICLE IS A 1998 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS 1/4 FULL OR LESS, WHILE MAKING A SWEEPING LEFT TURN, THE ENGINE WILL NEARLY STALL OUT. IT WILL DO THIS ON ANY LEFT TURN WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS AT THAT LEVEL. IT DID NOT DO THIS EVER FOR THE FIRST 100,000 MILES OR SO. WHAT PART COULD BE CAUSING THIS AND WHY ONLY ON LEFT TURNS?