12 of the 553 complaints about the 1998 Jeep Cherokee are about the seats — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 96,500 miles.
12
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SEATS
A DRIVERS SEAT FRAME WELD HAS FAILED, CAUSING THE SEAT TO BECOME UNSTABLE. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10566109 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
I NOTICED MY SEAT LEANING TO THE SIDE. LOOKING UNDER THE SEAT, I SAW WHERE THE METAL RAILS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT, WHERE IT ATTACHED TO THE FLOOR MOUNT, TO HAVE COMPLETELY BROKEN AWAY FROM THE BOLTS. I NOW HAVE A ROCKING DRIVERS CHAIR. IT IS DIFFICULT TO DRIVE LAYING ON YOUR BACK.
NHTSA complaint #10504857 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
1998 JEEP CHEROKEE SE 2-DOOR - FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT FRAME BROKE AT THE FRONT-LEFT POINT WHERE IT MOUNTS TO THE RAILS ASSEMBLY. THE SEAT HAD BECOME A LITTLE WOBBLY IN BUMPY/UNEVEN AREAS ON THE ROAD (I LIVE IN NEW ENGLAND WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF HILLS AND THE ROADS ARE NOT FLAT AND SMOOTH) AND ONE DAY, COMING OVER THE BUMP AT THE END OF A CONSTRUCTION ZONE THE SEAT MADE A POPPING NOISE AND I WAS JARRED TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR. NOW THE SEAT TOTTERS FROM SIDE TO SIDE DEPENDING ON WHAT WAY I AM TURNING OR THE ANGLE OF THE ROAD/BUMPS. TO CORRECT THIS I WILL EITHER HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW SEAT, WHICH WILL BE PRETTY DIFFICULT CONSIDERING THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY WIDE-SPREAD SO THERE ARE BASICALLY NONE OF THESE SEATS AVAILABLE, OR I WILL HAVE TO WELD THE SEAT FRAME BACK TOGETHER WHERE IT BROKE. THE LAST ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE TO PURCHASE AN AFTERMARKET SEAT, WHICH IS A LITTLE PRICEY AT $250USD.
NHTSA complaint #10359873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
CONSUMER HAS HAD THE DRIVER'S SEAT REPAIRED THREE TIMES BECAUSE THE ANCHORAGE BROKE. ALSO, PASSENGER'S FRONT SEAT BROKE. MANUFACTURER REPAIRED THE SEAT THE FIRST TIME. THE LAST COUPLE OF TIMES CONSUMER REPAIRED THE SEAT.
NHTSA complaint #10083237 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
I SAT IN THE DRIVERS SEAT AND IT PITCHED BACK SO BAD I FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO LAND IN THE BACK SEAT. I CHECKED A FEW JEEP CHEROKEE GOUPS ON THE WEB AND FOUND OUT SEAT FRAMES HAD A TENDANCY TO BREAK. I THEN CALLED MY JEEP DEALERSHIP AND ASKED ABOUT A POSSIBLE RECALL. THE SERVICE WRITER RESEARCHED IT AND TOLD ME JEEP HAD NO HISTORY OF SEAT PROBLEMS AND HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF A PROBLEM. I REMOVED THE SEAT AND INSPECTED IT. AT FIRST IT LOOKED LIKE THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE SEAT FRAME HAD BROKEN ON THE FRONT RIGHT CORNER. I REMOVED THE SEAT BACK, FABRIC AND PADDING TO REPAIR THE FRAME, AND FOUND THAT THE SEAT FRAME HAD BROKEN NEAR EVERY WELD.
NHTSA complaint #10056153 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HAS BECOME UNSAFE DUE TO BOLT SECURING FRONT LEFT OF SEAT TO VEHICLE BEING TOO SMALL FOR HOLE AND EVENTUALLY WORE THROUGH. NOW DUE TO STRESS FAILURE FROM POOR DESIGN THE SEAT IS UNREPAIRABLE. BASED ON OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE, IT APPEARS FRUITLESS TO ASK DEALER FOR APPROPRIATE REPAIRS AT NO COST. THIS POOR DESIGN SHOULD NOT HAVE RESULTED IN ADDED EXPENSE TO OWNER.
NHTSA complaint #10018933 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
DRIVERS SEAT OF 1998 JEEP CHEROKEE CLASSIC FAILED. LEFT FRONT ATTACHMENT RAIL NUT WORKED IT'S WAY THROUGH THE RAILING CAUSING FRONT LEFT PART OF SEAT TO DISLODGE ITSELF FROM SEAT TRACK, WHICH ALLOWED SEAT TO FALL BACK AND TO THE RIGHT. NUTS WHICH ATTACH SEAT TO TRACK ARE SMALLER THAN BOLT HOLES CAUSING NUTS TO WORK THROUGH BOLT HOLES RESULTING IN SEAT TRACK AND SEAT BASE FAILURE. I EXPLAINED TO DEALER THAT THIS WAS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. DEALER DID NOT REIMBURSE ME FOR THE COST OF A NEW BASE, WHICH COST $350.00. THE NEW BASE INCLUDED LARGER ATTACHMENT NUTS WITH A NOTE STATING DO NOT USE OLD ATTACHMENT NUTS. THE NOTE AND LARGER ATTACHMENT NUTS REINFORCES THE FACT THAT THE MANUFACTURER KNEW THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THESE ATTACHMENT BOLTS, BUT REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT OR REIMBURSE CONSUMERS FOR THEIR EXPENSES RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10018550 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
THE SEAT FRAME ON THE FRONT DRIVE SIDE IS CONSTANTLY MOVING. THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO MANUEVER WITH A UNSTABLE SEAT TO SIT IN. THE SEAT TRACK WAS RECENTLY REPAIRED. THE DEALER IS AWARE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8013248 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
LEFT FRONT ATTACHMENT OF DRIVER'S SEAT TORE LOOSE. HOLE FOR ATTACHMENT BOLT WAS VERY NEAR EDGE OF PART ALLOWING (STARTING?) TEAR.
NHTSA complaint #753142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
: FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BOLT HAS CAME THROUGH THE LEFT PART OF THE FRAME OF THE SEAT WHICH CAUSED THE SEAT TO FALL BACK AND TO THE RIGHT, CONSUMER STRONGLY BELIEVES THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE, CUST TOOK VEH TO DLR, DLR STATED THAT THIS IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE TO ANOTHER JEEP I SAW IN THIS SITE. CONSUMER SEEKS TO HAVE THE SEAT REPAIRED AT NO COST AS THIS IS CLEARLY UNSAFE IF VEH WAS TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #747001 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BOLT HAS CAME THROUGH THE MIDDLE FRAME OF THE SEAT WHICH COULD CAUSE THE SEAT TO FALL BACKWARDS IN THE EVENT THE OTHER BOLT SEPARATES. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #866924 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
SEAT BACK DOES NOT ADJUST IN FULL UPRIGHT POSITION DUE TO DESIGN.
NHTSA complaint #537517 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.