FaultScore

1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee tire problems

17 of the 1,433 complaints about the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee are about the tires — 1% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 103,000 miles.

A

17

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Tires 12 70.6%
Tread/Belt 3 17.6%
Sidewall 1 5.9%
Temporary/Emergency Spare Tire 1 5.9%

Tires across every Jeep Grand Cherokee year

1993 14 5.5%
1994 14 5.5%
1995 22 8.6%
1996 36 14.1%
1997 17 6.7%
1998 14 5.5%
1999 22 8.6%
2000 13 5.1%
2004 10 3.9%
2005 19 7.5%
2006 13 5.1%
2007 20 7.8%
2008 20 7.8%
2012 10 3.9%
2013 11 4.3%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 163,097 miles Dublin, VA

TIRES

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR WRANGLER RADIAL (P) TIRES, SIZE P235/75R15. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE OUT OF ROUND AND HAD BUBBLES ON THE SIDEWALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH ANOTHER SET OF THE SAME TIRES. A WEEK LATER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,097 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 165,660.

NHTSA complaint #10362792 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Geneva, FL

TIRES

I HAD A UNIROYAL TIRE EXPLODE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE WAS BEING USED AS A SPARE INSIDE A 97 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHEN IT EXPLODED IT BENT THE REAR HATCH HINGES OUT 2 INCHES AND SHREDDED ALL THE PLASTIC TRIM PIECES CAUSING OVER TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DAMAGES. THANK GOD THERE WASN'T ANYONE IN THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10330211 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 71,976 miles Naperville, IL

TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE

I OWN A 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE THAT I BOUGHT AS A 'DEMO' IN MARCH, 1997. IN IT WAS A SPACE SAVER SPARE. THIS JEEP HAS FULL TIME 4-WD. LAST THURSDAY, 5/6/2004, I HAD MY FIRST FLAT TIRE EVER WITH THIS CAR, AND I MOUNTED THE SPACE SAVER SPARE. I DROVE ABOUT 20 MILES BEFORE I HAD TO STOP DUE TO THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL'S HEAT AND RESULTING BLUE SMOKE AS IT BURNED UP INSIDE. IN YOUR DATABASE, THERE IS A RECALL FOR 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEES WITH FULL TIME 4-WD: RECALL NUMBER IS 98V006000. JEEP/CHRYSLER HAS GIVEN ME NO SATISFACTION WHEN CONFRONTED WITH THIS INFORMATION -- THAT MY 1997 HAD THE SAME ISSUE AS THE 1996'S, THAT THEY SOLD ME A DEFECTIVE "BOOBY TRAPPED" CAR, AND THAT I SHOULDN'T BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE DEFECT THAT THEY, IN FACT, KNEW ABOUT AND SAID NOTHING TO 1997 OWNERS. SO FAR, DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN $516, BUT MAY REACH $1500-$2000 BEFORE IT'S FIXED. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT NAPERVILLE JEEP (630-505-8282 -- JEEP SERVICE DEPT). I GOT NO NOTIFICATION OF THIS DEFECT SINCE 1997'S WERE NOT RECALLED. I HAVE NOT BEEN OFFERED A FULL SIZED SPARE KIT EITHER. WHY NO RECALL ON THE 1997'S WITH FULL TIME 4-WD TOO? HOW ABOUT OTHER YEARS?

NHTSA complaint #10072547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 103,000 miles Braselton, GA

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH REAR PASSENGER'S TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, CAUSING A BLOW OUT. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO REPLACE TIRE. DEALERSHIPS MECHANIC WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10061188 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rossford, OH

TIRES

TO WHOM EVER I AM SPEAKING TOO, I RECENTLY PURCHASED A VEHICLE AT A LOCAL PUBLIC AUCTION. IT HAS THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS R15 TIRES THAT WERE ON THE RECALL. I WAS WONDERING IF I CAN STILL GET THE RECALL, AND GET NEW TIRES. THESE TIRES ARE NOT SAFE, AND I ENCOUNTER A BUMPY RIDE. THE VEHICLE I BOUGHT IS A JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE, AND THE CAR WAS A THEFT RECOVERY, SO THE FIRESTONE TIRES WERE ON THE CAR, SO NO RECALL COULD OF BEEN DONE. THE TIRES MAY STILL BE DANGEROUS, AND I WAS WONDERING WHAT TO DO TO GET NEW ONES. THANKS, I WOULD BE THANKFUL TO HEAR BACK FROM YOU.

NHTSA complaint #10016192 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lutz, FL

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

THE LEFT FRONT TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, WHICH CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE LEFT FRONT END.

NHTSA complaint #10015038 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bartonville, IL

TIRES

ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.

NHTSA complaint #562994 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bartonville, IL

TIRES

ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.

NHTSA complaint #562994 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dearborn, MI

TIRES

VEHICLE WAS GOING 40MPH AND THE REAR PASSENGER'S TIRE BLEWOUT. NO WARNING, IT SUDDENLY BLEW OUT. VEHICLE STARTED SWAYING, AND CONSUMER SAW SMOKE FROM BACK TIRE. HALF OF THE TIRE WAS GONE. ORIGINAL TIRES, SIZE P225/75R15 ON A 1997, JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE WITH 52,000 MILES.*AK

NHTSA complaint #894856 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Knoxsville, TN

TIRES

VEHICLE WAS GOING 50-55 MPH AND CONSUMER NOTICED ROAD WAS FEELING ROUGH AND UNEVEN. LEFT FRONT TIRE SUDDENLY BLEWOUT. THERE WERE NO SIGNS BEFORE IT HAPPENED. CONSUMER HAS A 1997, GRAND CHEROKEE, AFTERMARKET TIRES WITH 24000 MILES ON THEM, AND SIZE P225/75R15.*AK TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT, DOT NUMBER VDHHAWR 179. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #893232 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Atlanta, GA

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A BANGING NOISE. THEN SHE HEARD METAL TO METAL SOUND. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDERS, AND NOTICED THAT REAR PASSENGER'S TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. GOODYEAR, EAGLE LS.

NHTSA complaint #886133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Gallatin, TN 1 killed

TIRES

AT 45 MPH ON SMOOTH HIGHWAY TIRE SUDDENLY BLEW OUT AND WE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER. THE TIRE WAS DEMOLISHED TO THE POINT WE COULD NOT TELL WHAT THE CAUSE WAS OR THE TIRE REPAIR MAN. THIS TIRE HAD APPROXIAMATELY 2000 MILES ONLY ON IT AT THE TIME . *AK (TIRESIZE: 16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16 )

NHTSA complaint #739056 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Yorba Linda, CA

TIRES

SEVERE SIDEWALL CRACKING( DOT NUMBER: )

NHTSA complaint #732113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Yorba Linda, CA

TIRES:SIDEWALL

SEVERE SIDEWALL CRACKING( DOT NUMBER: )

NHTSA complaint #732112 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Titusville, PA

TIRES

DURING THE WEEK OF 10/18/00 I WAS RETURNING FROM A BUSINESS TRIP. I WAS TRAVELING WEST IN THE DRIVING LANE OF I-80 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:45 AM. IN FRONT AND BEHIND ME WERE SEMI TRUCKS AND, IN THE PASSING LANE, WAS A CAR. SUDDENLY I HEARD AN "EXPLOSION" AND MY VEHICLE SLAMMED TO THE PAVEMENT AND VEERED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT, TOWARD THE SHOULDER. AFTER NEARLY LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO A STOP ON THE BERM OF THE ROAD. THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE HAD LITERALLY DISINTEGRATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS RESTING ON THE RIM. AFTER RETURNING HOME I INSPECTED THE TIRE AND FELT IT WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I CONTACTED FIRESTONE AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED NO OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS MODEL TIRE. AFTER SOME NEGOTIATING THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE TIRE WHICH BLEW OUT AS WELL AS THE REMAINING THREE TIRES. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT, SINCE THE INCIDENT, I WAS EXPERIENCING SOME DIFFICULTIES WITH THE STEERING. THEY REFUSED TO DO MORE THAN REPLACE THE TIRES. AFTER THEY REPLACED THE TIRES I TOOK THE JEEP TO A REPAIR SHOP AND FOUND IT HAD A BROKEN FRONT-END SUSPENSION PART, WHICH I HAD REPLACED. I FEEL THIS HAPPENED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. ADDITIONALLY, I TOOK PHOTOS OF THE TIRE WHICH DISINTEGRATED AND HAVE THEM AVAILABLE ON JPG FORMAT, IF YOU WISH TO HAVE THEM. I FEEL THAT FIRESTONE, INC. LIED TO ME ABOUT HAVING NO COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS MODEL TIRE. IF I HAD NOT PUSHED THE ISSUE I WOULD HAVE BEEN RIDING ON THREE OTHER OF THE SAME MODEL TIRES. I PUT APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES PER YEAR ON MY VEHICLE AND I FEEL FIRESTONE TRIED TO DELIBERATELY COVER UP WHAT THEY KNEW WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. THANK YOU( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 70R16 )

NHTSA complaint #727286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Albuquerqu, NM

TIRES

DESIGN OF TRUCK MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO USE TIRE CHAIN DURING INCLIMATE WEATHER IF YOU HAVE TIRE LARGER THAN P215/70R15.

NHTSA complaint #528196 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Luling, LA

TIRES

VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT, ROTATED TIRES.

NHTSA complaint #522226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems

← Full 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee report