12 of the
553 complaints about the 1998 Jeep Cherokee are about the
steering — 2% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
56,402 miles.
MY NAME IS [XXX]....BOUGHT A 1998 JEEP CHEROKEE LIMITED APPROX. 2001 FROM A PRIVATE OWNER...FROM NORTHBORO MA.....MINT CONDITION...ONLY 11,000 MI. ....OWNER TOLD ME HE BOUGHT IT FOR HIS WIFE SO SHE COULD PLOW THEIR QUARTER MILE LONG DRIVEWAY.....HE INSTALLED A SMALL PLOW ASSEMBLY ON JEEP....WHEN ASKED WHY HE WAS SELLING HE TOLD ME IT WASN'T ENOUGH TRUCK TO GET THE JOB DONE.....DRIVEWAY HAD MULTIPLE SHARP CURVES AND A SIGNIFICANT INCLINE....I BOUGHT THIS FOR MY WIFE TO RUN LOCAL....GROC, SCHOOL, ETC.....SHE LOVED IT.....NEVER ONCE HAD IT ON THE FREEWAY.....I TOOK IT ONE DAY ON THE I-495....HIT A DIP WHERE THERE WAS A BRIDGE...GOING ABOUT 65....THIS VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING SO VIOLENTLY I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO LITERALLY FALL APART AROUND ME.....VERY SCARY [XXX]....SUBSEQUENTLY HAD THE FRONT END LOOKED AT.....FOUND SOME LOOSE [XXX]....SOLID....WIFE NEVER HAD IT ON HWY....I TOOK IT AGAIN A YR LATER....SAME [XXX] THING....I THOUGHT MAYBE THE PREVIOUS OWNER DID SOME DAMAGE INSTALLING THE PLOW ASSEMBLY.....SOLD IT AS-IS WITH VERY SPECIFIC CONCERNS ABOUT THE FRONT END TO THE BUYER......WHAT DO I DO.....I BUY A 2001 CHEROKEE SPORT....MY WIFE LOVED HER JEEP...."I WANT ANOTHER ONE!"....OK HONEY...FIGURED WAS A ONE TIME PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE PLOW ASSEMBLY.....WRONG....3 MOS IN.....IM GOING DOWN HWY....SAME EXACT [XXX] THING....LIKE WHEN THE SECOND PLANE HIT THE OTHER TOWER ON 9/11....NOT A COINCIDENCE....NOT 2 JEEPS IN A ROW....THAT'S WHEN I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH..."DEATH WOBBLE"......IM LUCKY TO BE ALIVE....YOU'VE GOT TO DO A RECALL ON THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10761993 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 82,805 milesMoores Hill, IN
STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL LOCKED IN APRIL 2004. HAD TO REPLACED THE CALIPERS ON 6-22-04. ON 9-15-04 HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS, THE CALIPERS, THE SEALS AND THE BRA BECAUSE THEY WERE BURNED OUT. ON 9-15-05 THE CONTACT WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY TOLD HER THE SPINDLE WAS BAD. THE SERVICE DEALERSHIP TOLD HER IF SHE DID NOT HAVE THE SPINDLE REPLACED SHE WOULD HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS BEFORE. THIS REPAIR WILL NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY.*AK UPDATED 11/4/2005.
NHTSA complaint #10138381 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Glendale Heights, IL
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS NOISEY AND LOOSE.
NHTSA complaint #566602 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Elgin, IL
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RECALL 00V136000 REPAIRS HAVE NOT CORRECTED THE RECALL PROBLEM. ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES SINCE FIRST TAKEN INTO DEALER FOR RECALL. *AK BATTERY FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. DASH GAUGES MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO CLUSTER HARNESS FAILURE. THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. FOG LAMP SWITCH FAILED. THE FRONT PINION SEAL WAS LEAKING. THE BUCKLE FOR REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT BROKE.
NHTSA complaint #8011077 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cakufon, NJ
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, AND WHEELS WERE STUCK IN DIRECTION OF PARKING SPACE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC. THEY REPLACED STEERING GEAR BOX.
NHTSA complaint #8005342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LOS Angeles, CA
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER STEERING MAKES NOISE. YH
NHTSA complaint #551041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ponte Vedr, FL
STEERING
STEERING DOES NOT RESPOND WELL, CONTINUED REPAIRS HOWEVER NOT ABLE TO RECTIFIED. MJS
NHTSA complaint #549061 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Poughkeepsie, NYCrash
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
THE CAR WANDERS, AND LOSES THE ABILITY TO STEER. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, AND HAS BEEN FOR 5000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES, AND REPAIRED TWICE. IT WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, DUE TO THE PROBLEM, AND WAS INSPECTED, BUT THEY FOUND NO PROBLEMS AT THE TIME. IT'S INTERMITTENT, THEY KNOW THAT BUT DON'T CARE. THE DEALERSHIP/MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO WORK ON THE CAR, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS TO THIS DAY. THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS ISSUE IN SIMILAR MODEL CARS NOW FROM THE SAME TIME PERIOD, THOUGH IT WAS APPARENTLY NOT ON THE BOOKS WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, AS MY INSURANCE COMPANY LOOKED FOR SIMILAR REPORTS BUT FOUND NONE.
NHTSA complaint #715026 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Marcos, CA
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
HATCHBACK. STEERING COLUMN BOOT.
NHTSA complaint #609789 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Colorado S, CO
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL LOCK UP RESULTING IN MINOR COLLISION WITH CURB, DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. MJS (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).
NHTSA complaint #546371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Newton, MA
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
WHILE TURNING LEFT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS PROHIBITING ME FROM TURNING. BROUGHT TO DEALER AND AFTER INVESTIGATING FOR LESS THAN 1/2 HOUR DETERMINED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED AGAIN SINCE SERVICE.
NHTSA complaint #705659 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Harrisburg, PA
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP. TOOK TO DEALER WHO HAD VEHICLE FOR 3 WEEKS & COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG W/STEERING WHEEL OR COLUMN.
NHTSA complaint #820839 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.