2000 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE Complaints

VEHICLE: 2000 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO. WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT PULSATED AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THIS OCCURRED THREE TIMES: SEPT 2001 (13,700 MILES), JAN 2003 (24,800 MILES) AND MAR 2006 (43,600 MILES). THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO INHERENT FLAW WITH THE VEHICLE'S BRAKING SYSTEM OR EQUIPMENT (INCLUDING THE ORIGINAL BRAKE ROTORS & CALIPERS, AND THE REPLACEMENT PARTS). *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE TIRES FELT SQUARE AND THERE WAS AN EXCESSIVE STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO DETERMINED THE ROTORS WERE WARPED. THE ROTORS AND PADS WERE REPLACED. THE BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE CRANKSAHFT POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED HE COULD FEEL THE TRANSMISSION SHUDDER. UPDATED 03/22/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO APPLY BRAKE PRESSURE AT 50 MPH, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE HIT A GUARD RAIL AND THEN A BRIDGE RAIL HEAD ON. THE DRIVER WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT AND SUSTAINED INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND PICTURES WERE TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE GEAR SHIFTER CHANGED THE GEARS FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL OR THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE TURNING. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOP, PULLING OUT OR TURNING WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 20 TO 30MPH. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 99V312000, REGARDING THE GEAR BOX. THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

OUR JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE HAS A TRANSMISSION SELECTOR (AUTOMATIC) THAT HAS SLIPPED SO THAT THERE IS NO PARK. PARK NOW OPERATES AS REVERSE, REVERSE AS NEUTRAL, NEUTRAL AS DRIVE ETC. THERE IS NO LONGER A WAY TO REACH 1ST GEAR AND THE CAR WILL ROLL WHEN IT IS IN PARK. THE CAR IS IN THE DAIMLER CHRYSLER SHOP NOW AND NOTHING WAS DONE TO CAUSE THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FAILURE. *NM

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT A DEFECT IN 1999- 2001 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS. 90% OF ALL OF THE STATED MODELS WILL HAVE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW IN THE CONTACT AND LOCKING MECHANISM THAT KEEPS THE BULB LOCKED IN PLACE. I HAVE REPLACED THE BULB AND THE REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY ONLY TO HAVE THE SAME THING HAPPEN AGAIN. WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON AND THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT OR LIGHTS WILL FAIL TO LIGHT UP BECAUSE THE DEFECTIVE LOCKING MECHANISM WON'T ALLOW THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT TO MAKE TO THAT PARTICULAR BULB. THIS CAUSES AN INCREASE RISK OF THESE SUV'S BEING HIT FROM BEHIND BECAUSE THE LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS OTHER MODELS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT IS ALMOST LAUGHABLE. BUT ON A SERIOUS NOTE WHEN DRIVING ON DARK AND HILLY ROADS MAKING SURE THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE WORKING EFFECTIVELY COULD SAVE SOMEONE FROM BEING HURT. *NM

WE PURCHASED A NEW $41,000. 2000 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LIMITED. AFTER ONE SEASON THE HEAT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FAILED TO PRODUCE ANY HEAT, ONLY COLD AIR. WE WERE TRAVELING TO MICHIGAN WHEN WE DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM. MY WIFE WAS NOT HAPPY TRAVELING WITH A BLANKET OVER HER ENTIRE BODY FOR OUR 2500 MILES TRIP. THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM THE FIRST YEAR. HOWEVER, THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THERE HAS BEEN MANY ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM EACH YEAR SINCE 2002. THEY WERE TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITH UT TAKING THE DASHBOARD APART, IT WOULD COST THEM TOO MUCH TO DO THAT., WE KEPT TAKING THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP(FOR THE SAME PROBLEM 10 TIMES. I HAVE A HISTORY REPORT OF ALL MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS. FROM THE WINTER OF 2002 UP UNTIL THIS WINTER 2005 WE HAVE HAD THE SAME CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THE HEAT. ITS WAS ALWAYS ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE DEALER FINALLY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS THE MIXING DOORS OF THE HEATING SYSTEM, AND IT WILL COST $800 TO FIX. WE HAD BEEN CHARGED A $100 DEDUCTIBLE EACH TIME THE DEALER SAID IT WAS FIXED. NOW THAT THEY HAVE PUT US OFF ALL THIS TIME, OUR 5 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. WE DIDN'T NEED HEAT IN OCTOBER, SO WE DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS THE PROBLEM AGAIN THIS YEAR. WE ONLY USE THE HEAT FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS OF THE YEAR. WHEN WINTER COMES AROUND WE EXPECT A $40,000 CAR TO HAVE HEAT. I AM 52 YEARS OLD, OWNED MANY CARS, AND NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE HEATING SYSTEM LIKE I DO WITH THIS CAR. HOW CAN SOME MECHANISMS BREAK IN THAT SHORT OF TIME, YEAR AFTER YEAR UNLESS ITS A PRODUCE DEFECT OR THE DEALER DOES NOT KNOW HOW THE FIX THE PROBLEM PROPERLY? THE SALES PERSON SAID HE HAS SEEN OTHER GRAND CHEROKEES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *AK

DRIVER'S SEAT FRAME BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO WOBBLE AND MAKE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO OPERATE SAFELY. COST TO REPAIR WAS $750.*AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH THE BRAKES PULSATE AND AT 55 MPH THEY SHUDDER MAKING IT HARD TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE CALIPERS AND ROTORS THREE TIMES. THE REPAIR DOES NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM FOR MORE THAN 10,000 MILES. *NM UPDATED 2/7/2006 - *NM

I OWN A 2000 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO 4WD. I HAD BEGUN TO NOTICE A SHUDDER WHEN BRAKING AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP (MIDAS). THEY ADVISED ME THAT I WOULD NEED NEW ROTORS, PADS, AND CALIPERS ON AT LEAST THE FRONT BRAKES. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH JEEPS AND THAT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN HAD BEEN GIVEN TO THEM REFERRING THEM TO THIS PROBLEM. WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS; IF THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT JEEP KNOWS ABOUT AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM THAT IS SAFETY RELATED, THEN HOW CAN IT NOT BE A RECALL. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THE CALIPERS HAVE A PROBLEM OF 'STICKING', CAUSING UNEVEN ROTOR WEAR AND SHOE FAILURE. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED LESS THAN A YEAR AGO, AND NOW HAVE NO REAL RECOURSE TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED. *JB