1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE Complaints

SOMETHING IN FRONT OF VEHICLE IS CAUSING NOISE, DEALER STATED POSSIBLY A DIFFERENTIAL PROBLEM, BUT CONSUMER COULD DRIVE AN ADDITIONAL 6000 MILES BEFORE NEEDING REPAIRS, HOWEVER HE ALSO STATED THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR A DEFECTIVE BEARING TO FREEZE WHILE DRIVING. SERPENTINE BELT REPLACED. FRONT BRAKES REPLACED. AIR CONDITIONER DOES NOT COOL PROPERLY, DEALER FOUND NO LEAKS. *SLC

TAPPING ON THE BRAKES THEY MAKE A GRINDING SOUND. THE REAR BRAKES WERE REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM HAS COME BACK. AFTER THE DEALER CHECKED IT OUT TO SEE WHY THE NOISE WON'T GO AWAY THE DEALER CLAIMED IT WAS NORMAL.

FUEL SENSOR WAS REPLACED IN 1997 AND MAY 2001, AND ONCE AGAIN. FUEL WAS NOT FEEDING THROUGH LINES, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HESITATE. VEHICLE CAME OUT REPAIR SHOP, AND IN RAIN 2 DAYS LATER, VEHICLE ALMOST CAME TO A STOP AT 60-65MPH. CONSUMER TOOK IT BACK, AND TECHINICIAN TEST DROVE VEHICLE WITH CONSUMER NOTING THE PROBLEMS. JUNE 8, DEALER KEPT IT FOR A WEEK, AND PROBLEM WAS STILL THERE. *AK

JEEP DID RECALL AND REPLACE THE 2 FRONT ROTORS IN THE NORTHEAST DUE TO RUST/SALT CORROSION, HOWEVER, AT 55 MPH MY VEHICLE SHOOK AND BOUNCED DUE TO EXTREMELY RUSTED/CORRODED REAR ROTORS THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED BY A LOCAL REPAIRSHOP. JEEP ONLY RECALLED THE FRONT ROTORS. HOW COULD THEY IGNORE THE REAR ROTORS WHEN THEY KNEW THAT THE FRONT ROTORS WERE DEFECTIVE?I KEPT THE OLD, RUSTED REAR ROTORS. *AK

VEHICLE HAS SAME PROBLEMS AS RECALL 97V194002 . FUEL TANK MOUNTED FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT ACCURACY HAS DEGRADED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO INDICATE THAT MORE FUEL IS IN RESERVE THAN IS ACTUALLY PRESENT. MANUFACTURER HAS ADVISED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

BRACKET ATTACHING POWER STEERING PUMP BROKE OFF WHILE DRIVING, MAKING THE CAR VIRTUALLY MPOSSIBLE TO STEER. SIMILAR PROBLEM REPORTED ON THIS VEHICLE TYPE ON JEEP OWNER RELATED I-NET SITES.

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND ERRATIC OPERATION. INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL FLICKER ON AND OFF/ ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK, AND LIGHT ON DASH SHOWED THAT DOORS WERE OPEN IN VEHICLE. ALSO, WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION, DRIVER'S SEAT MOVED FORWARD AND UP, WHICH PINNED DRIVER TO STEERING WHEEL. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL VEHICLE TO SIDE OF ROAD. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND COULD NOT DETERMINE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT SHOWED INACCURATE FUEL LEVEL, CAUSING CAR TO RUN OUT OF GAS DURING OPERATION. THIS WAS SUBJECT OF NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 97V194000, BUT THE SCOPE OF THE RECALL MAY HAVE BEEN TOO NARROW.

VEHICLE IS ALL WHEEL DRIVE FULL TIME. HAS LOW MILEAGE AND BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED BY AUTHORIZED DEALERS. AT 65,000 MILES THE CAR BEGAN EMITTING HIGH PITCHED SOUNDS ORIGINALLY THOUGHT TO BE FROM NEW TIRES(4 PUT ON CAR). IT WAS LATER DETERMINED AFTER SEVERAL THOUSANDS MILES THAT AT A MINIMUM THE BEARINGS IN THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL WERE BAD AND AT LEAST ONE AUTHORIZED DEALER HAS CLAIMED THAT THEY THE REAR ARE BAD AS WELL. BOTH DIFFERENTIALS SIMULTANEOUSLY. OBVIOUS CONCERN FOR SEVERAL REASONS: 1)THE CAR IS ALL WHEEL DRIVE FULL TIME. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE DIFFERENTIALS AT HIGH SPEED OR WHILE TOWING AS A RESULT OF BEARINGS AND GEARS BEING DAMAGED. 2) ALL DEALERS CLAIM THIS IS A REGULARLY OCCURING PROBLEM IN THE JEEP CHEROKEE OF THAT YEAR AS WELL AS OTHERS 3)IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT THE PROBLEMS WILL OCCUR IN THE SAME TIMEFRAMES THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE CAR IN SPITE OF "REGULAR AUTHORIZED AND SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE" AS HAS OCCURED ON THIS VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. IN LIEU OF SAFETY CONCERNS IS ALSO THE SUGGESTION THAT IT WILL COST 5-10% OF THE CAR'S PURCHASE PRICE EVERY 65,000 MILES TO REPAIR THIS SAME PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE FUEL SENDING UNIT REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK FUEL GUAGE INDICATES MORE FUEL THAN ACTUALLY HAVE, WILL RUN OUT OF FUEL WHEN GUAGE SAYS 1/4 TO 1/2 AVAILABLE. *JB