11 of the
297 complaints about the 1991 Jeep Cherokee are about the
electrical system — 4% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
184,000 miles.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH EXTREME PRESSURE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONTACT FILLED THE VEHICLE WITH BRAKE FLUID, THE FLUID LEAKED OUT QUICKER THAN ANTICIPATED. AS A RESULT, THE MANUAL BRAKING SYSTEM HAD TO BE USED INSTEAD OF THE POWER ASSIST BRAKING SYSTEM. THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE HORN SOUNDED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE POWER STEERING SEIZED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER ASSIST BRAKE UNIT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE POWER STEERING FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 184,000.
NHTSA complaint #10855159 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vancouver, WAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
I WAS DRIVING IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC ON MY WAY TO WORK AT 6:45AM AND WAS ON THE ROAD FOR APPROX. 10 MINS. I SMELLED A STRONG BURNING SMELL, THEN NOTICED DARK BLACK SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE DASHBOARD BY THE FRONT WINDOW ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO A SAFETY ZONE, A FIRE HAD STARTED AND FLAMES AND MELTED PLASTIC STARTED DRIPPING TO THE FLOORBOARD. WITHIN 20-30 SECONDS, THE FLAMES HAD ENGULFED THE ENTIRE DRIVER SIDE AND WAS SHOOTING UP FROM THE CEILING OF THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT AND RUN UP THE EMBANKMENT ON THE FREEWAY. IN THIS VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME,THE JEEP WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND THE ENTIRE CAR BURNT TO THE FRAME. TOTAL TIME OF VISABLE SMOKE TO FIRE IN THE DASH WAS LESS THAN A MINUTE.
NHTSA complaint #760509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cedarville, MIFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WHILE DRIVING, THE DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT. I TURNED THE DIMMER CONTROL AND THE DASH LIGHTS WOULD ONLY BE ON FULL BRIGHTNESS OR OFF, THERE WAS NO DIMMER CONTROL. APPROXIMATELY 60 SECONDS LATER WE COULD SMELL SOMETHING HOT. APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES LATER WE NOTICED A GLOW COMING FROM UNDER THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH BOARD. WE WERE CLOSE TO OUR HOME AND TURNED INTO THE DRIVEWAY, AT WHICH TIME I WAS FORCED TO OPEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW DUE TO BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE LEFT AIR CONDITIONING VENT. I PULLED UP TO THE GARAGE,SHUT OFF THE IGNITION, PULLED THE HOOD RELEASE AND EXITED THE CAR. MY WIFE GOT OUT OF THE PASSENGERS SIDE AND IMMEDIATLY HEADED FOR THE HOUSE TO GET WATER. I HURRIED INTO THE GARAGE TO RETRIVE A PAIR OF PLIERS TO PULL THE BATTERY GROUND CABLE. AS I EXITED THE GARAGE FLAMES WERE VISABLE ABOVE THE DASH INSIDE THE JEEP. I POPPED THE HOOD AND PULLED THE GROUND CABLE OFF, BY THIS TIME THE FLAMES WERE REACHING THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD. I MOVED AROUND TO THE DRIVERS DOOR AND OPENED IT AS MY WIFE ARRIVED WITH A BUCKET OF WATER AND WE WERE SUCCESSFUL; IN EXTINGUISHING THE FLAMES. THE REOSTAT FOR THE DASH LIGHTS HAD SHORTED OUT AND DID NOT BLOW THE FUSE. THE LIGHT SWITCH BECAME HOT ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE PLASTIC SURROUNDING THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS ABOVE IT, MELTING THE AIR CONDITIONER VENT, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH AND BURNING THE HEADLINER AND SUN VISOR. HAD WE NOT BEEN CLOSE TO HOME I BELIEVE THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BURNED COMPLETELY AS WE WOULD HAVE HAD NO MEANS OF PUTTING OUT THE FIRE. A FELLOW EMPLOYEE TOLD ME HE HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIANCE WITH A 1989 JEEP CHEROKEE. I HAVE REMOVED THE DASH AND WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE AND WOULD HAVE IT AVAILABLE IF ANYONE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OF A SIMILAR NATURE?
NHTSA complaint #760086 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Encino, CAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
MY CAR HAD BEEN PARKED AND 30 MINUTES LATER AFTER RETURNING TO MY CAR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS PUTTING OUT AN ENGINE FIRE. STILL AWAITING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT.
NHTSA complaint #720367 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Encino, CAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
MY CAR HAD BEEN PARKED AND 30 MINUTES LATER AFTER RETURNING TO MY CAR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS PUTTING OUT AN ENGINE FIRE. STILL AWAITING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT.
NHTSA complaint #720367 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Aurora, CO
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY FAILED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE WIRING TO THE BRAKE LIGHTS DUE TO CORROSION.
NHTSA complaint #536158 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kalamazoo, MIFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE DRIVING THE JEEP, DRIVER NOTICED HESITATION. AT THAT TIME DRIVER PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF ROAD AND NOTICED FIRE COMING FROM THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE JEEP WAS TOTALLED. *AK BECAUSE OF A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
NHTSA complaint #818442 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hermosa Beach, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION COIL FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #602520 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cinnaminson, NJFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
FUSES BLOCK CAUGHT ON FIRE, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #983806 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cinnaminson, NJFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
FUSES BLOCK CAUGHT ON FIRE, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #983806 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Roxbury, CT
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:RELAY
STARTER WIRE SHORTED OUT DUE TO A HOLE IN THE HARNESS CAUSED BY THE HARNESS RESTING AGAINST A HOT UNIT OF THE ENGINE, RESULTING IN A BURNING ODOR.
NHTSA complaint #484957 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.