1997 Jeep Cherokee electrical problems

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

HEADLIGHTS WHILE DRIVING WERE OCCASIONALLY TURNING OFF AND ON. SIDE LIGHTS REMAINED ON AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS REMAINED ON. UPON INVESTIGATION FOR CAUSE, DISCOVERED CONNECTOR ON HEADLIGHT/DIMMER SWITCH WAS MELTED DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILDUP. SUSPECT DUE TO SEVERAL CONNECTORS ON DIMMER SWITCH WERE LOOSE ADDING RESISTANCE TO THE FLOW OF CURRENT CREATING EXCESSIVE HEAT IN SWITCH AND CONNECTOR. SWITCH WAS REPLACED AND PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. SINCE THE SWITCH PROVIDES POWER DIRECTLY TO THE HEADLIGHTS, THIS CREATES A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. THERE SHOULD BE A RELAY CONFIGURATION TO THE HEADLIGHTS TO REDUCE CURRENT FLOW THROUGH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH.

NHTSA complaint #10676302 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO 4.0L I6 BEGAN STALLING IN 2010 UNDER SEEMINGLY RANDOM CONDITIONS. REPLACED SEVERAL PARTS (SPARK PLUGS, WIRES, DISTRIBUTOR CAP & ROTOR, IGNITION COIL, PCM) OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS TO NO AVAIL. THE DIFFERENCE CURRENTLY IS THAT THE STALL NOW ONLY SEEMS TO OCCUR AT TEMPERATURES LESS THAN 65-70 DEGREES F. THE COLDER THE ENVIRONMENT, THE WORSE STALL PROBABILITY. COLDER TEMPS ALSO INCREASE PROBABILITY VEHICLE WILL NOT START AFTER A STALL. VEHICLE WILL ALWAYS FIRE UP ON A COLD START. STALL OCCURS AT VARYING SPEEDS (INCLUDING AT IDLE), BUT ABOVE APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH STALL BECOMES WHAT SEEMS LIKE A MISFIRE. BELIEVE I HAVE NARROWED THE PROBLEM DOWN TO AN INTERMITTENT CONNECTION IN THE WIRING HARNESS, EITHER AT THE GRAY PCM CONNECTOR (CLOSEST TO BODY), OR IN THE WIRE LEADING TO THIS CONNECTOR. PUTTING ENOUGH PRESSURE ON THE WIRES UNDER THE PCM IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION WILL CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO HICCUP OR STALL. ONLY CODE EVER SHOWN RELATED TO STALL WAS THE UNSPECIFIC P0351 IGNITION SYSTEM CODE. FORTUNATELY, IF A STALL OCCURS AT HIGHER SPEEDS, ENGINE/VEHICLE SPEED MUST STILL DROP TO A CERTAIN LEVEL BEFORE POWER STEERING/BRAKING ARE LOST. OTHERWISE VEHICLE WOULD BE TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. NEVERTHELESS THIS IS STILL A HAZARDOUS CONDITION.

NHTSA complaint #10627898 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

STALLING WHILE DRIVING. NO CODE = ONBOARD COMPUTER BAD?, NO ACCIDENT YET!! WHEN IT STALLS I HAVE A HARD TIME TO START THE JEEP ... IT HAPPENED 2 TIMES ... ONCE WHILE DRIVING, THE OTHER WAS AT A STOPLIGHT ........ALREADY HAVE A RECALL 10583287 FOR A TRAILER HITCH TO MAKE THE GAS TANK SAFER AND STILL WAITING...NO ACCIDENT YET!!

NHTSA complaint #10618501 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

CAR STALLS ,SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING, HARD TO START. INSTRUMENT PANELS LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK. DOME LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK. HAD TO TAKE FUSE OUT TO EXTINGUISHED DOME LIGHTS, OTHERWISE STAY ON ALL THE TIME . GAS GAGE SHOWS THAT MORE GAS IN TANK THAN REALLY IS.

NHTSA complaint #10551970 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STARTED BOUNCING BACK AND FORTH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD THE CODE READ AND IT SAID THE COOLANT TEMP SENSOR WAS BAD, CHANGED THAT STILL SAYS THAT SENSOR IS BAD. I CANNOT PASS EMISSIONS AND INSPECTION TO GET LICENSED.

NHTSA complaint #10546687 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR COMING TO A STOP. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, HOWEVER; THE CODE THAT COMES UP IS FOR THE IGNITION WHICH WAS ALREADY REPAIRED AND NOT THE ISSUE CAUSING AT HAND. THIS MALFUNCTION IS FREAKISHLY COMMON WHEN I LOOK IT UP ONLINE FOR THIS MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT MAY OR CAN CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY IF IN INTERSECTION OR BUSY ROAD/HIGHWAY. PLEASE NOTIFY ME OF ANY SOLUTIONS OR INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER. WE HAVE ALSO CHANGED SPARK PLUGS AS WELL AS WIRES & COIL.

NHTSA complaint #10520681 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

VIC DISPLAY SHOW "COOLANT SENSOR BAD." ONLINE INVESTIGATIONS REVEAL MANY OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM OVER THE YEARS. THEIR TRIAL SOLUTIONS HAVE RANGED FROM REPLACING THE "COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR," THE COOLANT LEVEL SENSOR," REPLACING "CONNECTING WIRING" TO THE VIC, AND TO REMOVING THE VIC TO REPAIR SOLDER JOINTS AND CRACKS AT THE CIRCUIT BOARD THAT IS LOCATED IN THE VIC. MOST REPORT THAT THE FIRST THREE ATTEMPTED REMEDIES DID NOT RESOLVE THE DEFECT. SOME REPORT SUCCESS IN RE-SOLDERING JOINTS ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD. THE LATTER,--REMOVING THE VIC AND REPAIRS AT THE CIRCUIT BOARD-- IS AN INVOLVED PROCESS AND REQUIRES EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE AND REPAIR TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT. ALL REPORT THAT THIS CONDITION LEFT UNRESOLVED COULD LEAD TO THE ENGINE OVERHEATING AND/OR FAULTY DATA SENT TO THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, AND POSSIBLE ENGINE FIRE. WITH SO MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS DEFECT, A RECALL OR A MANUFACTURE REPAIR BULLETINS, SHOULD BE ISSUED AT THE MANUFACTURER'S EXPENSE.

NHTSA complaint #10508248 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

BLOWER MOTOR FAILED AT 78K MILES EXCESSIVE LIQUID DRAINING WHEN RUNNING AC WAS TOLD THAT MOTOR HAD BEEN "REDESIGNED" AND THAT PARTS ALONE WOULD COST OVER 300.00 BECAUSE IN ADDITION TO REDESIGNING THE MOTOR, A NEW WIRING HARNESS HAS TO BE INSTALLED!!! REMEMBER THE 300.00 IS FOR THE HARD PART AND WIRING ONLY, NOT THE LABOR TO INSTALL...THIS IS COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS WHEN A MOTOR FOR THE SAME MODEL MANUFACTURED A YEAR EARLIER IS ONLY 20.00!!!!! AS FAR AS THE EXCESSIVE LIQUIDS RUNNING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE WHILE THE AC IS RUNNING, THIS SITE WAS THE FIRST INDICATOR AS TO WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT...(I SIMPLY THOUGH IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW) ALSO THIS COMPLAINT HAS BEEN EDITED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT "RUNNING BOARDS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS...IT SEEMS ONE HAS TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS FLAWLESSLY OR BEGIN AGAIN COMPLETELY!!!

NHTSA complaint #10093790 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

WIRE HARNESS HAS BURN MARKS DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #10024480 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

MY GUESS IS THE WATER BUILD UP FROM THE A/C EVAPORATOR IS CAUSING SOME KIND OF SHORT TO THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL, HORN, AND RADIO

NHTSA complaint #766495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

WHILE TRAVELING 40MPH VEHICLE STALLED AND DIED. NO PRIOR WARNINGS, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. TOWED IT TO DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #880859 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WENT OUT. FUSES WERE CHECKED AND REPLACED TO REPAIR. THE NEXT DAY THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT OUT OTHER THAN THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE DEFECT DOES NOT ALLOW THE CONSUMER TO HAVE ACCESS TO SEE SPEEDOMETER AND OTHER IMPORTANT PARTS.

NHTSA complaint #865323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

WHILE DRIVING ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WENT OUT. FUSES WERE CHECKED AND REPLACED TO REPAIR. THE NEXT DAY THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT OUT OTHER THAN THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE DEFECT DOES NOT ALLOW THE CONSUMER TO HAVE ACCESS TO SEE SPEEDOMETER AND OTHER IMPORTANT PARTS.

NHTSA complaint #865323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

WHILE DRIVING ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WENT OUT. FUSES WERE CHECKED AND REPLACED TO REPAIR. THE NEXT DAY THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT OUT OTHER THAN THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE DEFECT DOES NOT ALLOW THE CONSUMER TO HAVE ACCESS TO SEE SPEEDOMETER AND OTHER IMPORTANT PARTS.

NHTSA complaint #865323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

INITIAL FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY FAILURE 5/98 OCCURRED AT FREEWAY SPEEDS ON HIGHWAY OVERPASS 680/24 WALNUT CREEK, CA. VEHICLE RAN OUT OF GAS EVEN THOUGH GAUGE INDICATED FUEL LEVEL ABOVE 1/8 TANK. CREATED HAZARDOUS TRAFFIC BACKUP FOR SEVERAL MILES ON SOUTHBOUND INTERSTATE 680 REQUIRING POLICE ASSISTANCE. SUBSEQUENT PROBLEMS WITH REPLACEMENT FUEL TANK ASSEMBLIES 3/29/99 AND 8/30/99, CURRENTLY UNRESOLVED. TRANSMISSION FAILURE AFFECTED DRIVABILITY REQUIRING REPLACEMENT 8/30/99. BEGAN EXPERIENCING DANGEROUS ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, INCLUDING ABRUPT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PRECEDING ENGINE BUCKING, SEVERE ENGINE SURGING, FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF POWER, NEAR STALL AT 35 MPH, RADIO AND POWER WINDOW FAILURE 8/23/99, CREATING HAZARDOUS SITUATION FOR VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND OTHER DRIVERS ON ROAD. THE FUEL ASSEMBLY FUSE FAILURE ON 11/1/99 OCCURRED AT FREEWAY SPEED IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON EASTBOUND HIGHWAY 4 IN MARTINEZ NEAR PACHECO BLVD. OFF-RAMP WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING. LOSS OF ENGINE, POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES AT THIS SPEED AND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS CREATED POTENTIAL FOR FATAL COLLISION INVOLVING MULTIPLE VEHICLES. VEHICLE AT LEHMER'S DEALERSHIP FROM 11/1/99-11/5/99. DEALERSHIP FAILED TO DUPLICATE, LOCATE, OR REPAIR FAILURE. VEHICLE RELEASED ON 11/5/99. THE SECOND FUEL SYSTEM FUSE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING ON 11/6/99, ON WESTBOUND YGNACIO VALLEY, A SECONDARY 4 LANE ROAD AT 45 MPH SPEED, AGAIN CREATING A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. POLICE CALLED TO PREVENT POSSIBLE COLLISIONS WHILE WAITING FOR TOW. DUE TO THESE RECURRING AND UNRESOLVED SERVICE PROBLEMS WE HAVE LOST ALL FAITH IN THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE. WE REFUSE TO PUT OUR FAMILY OR OTHER DRIVERS AT RISK AND WISH TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA AND TO PURSUE RESOLUTION OF THIS MATTER UNDER THE LEMON LAW. WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN GOOD FAITH, BUT CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE SELL IT OR TRADE IT IN DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF LIFE IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION.

NHTSA complaint #714457 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

STARTER.

NHTSA complaint #609180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

STARTER FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #607550 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

IGNITION KEY FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #607550 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

COMPLETE LOST OF POWER IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

NHTSA complaint #701836 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WILL STALL UNEXPECTEDLY DUE TO A FAULTY WIRING HARNESS WHICH CAUSED THE FUSE TO BLOW OUT. DEALER REPLACED AND REPAIRED THE WIRING HARNESS 3 TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #832228 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

ALTERNATOR FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #539166 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

ENGINE STOPS WITHOUT COMMAND AT SPEEDS UP TO 65 MPH. DIAGNOSTICS REVEALED AN APPARENT LOSS OF IGNITION RUN TO ENGINE'S COMPUTER.

NHTSA complaint #530115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THREE OCCASIONS, INDICATING MALFUNCTION. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS, THE VEHICLE WILL ALSO HESITATE AND LOSE POWER WHEN ACCELERATING. DEALERS HAS REPLACED THE COMPUTER SYSTEM WHICH DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #815817 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

IMPROPER READING OF FUEL GAUGE DUE TO FAULTY CIRCUT CHIP BOARD FOR FUEL CONTROL, RENDERING VEHICLE INOPERATIVE.

NHTSA complaint #814284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

VEHICLE STALLS WITH NO WARNING AND CANNOT BE RESTARTED, VEHICLE HAS TO BE TOWED. THIS IS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #806079 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.