1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee: problems, recalls and reliability
11 recalls and 991 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is power train (22% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall Jun 2013
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 991 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“The horn on my 1997 jeep grand cherokee stopped working a year ago, affecting my ability to warn others of safety issues. Mechanics tell me the horn "button" is embedded in the safety airbag in the steering wheel and can only be fixed by replacing the entire, costly airbag. That can be hundreds of dollars. I believe that horn switch replacement should be a recall item and the manufacturer should replace the switch , which required replacing the air bag. Or, the manufacturer should be required to add a supplemental switch on the dash to control the horn.”Owner report · Air Bags · May 2018
“Wiring harness lost connection to ground for the pcm. Ground would not allow fuel pump to work properly without major work to the wiring harness.”Owner report · Electrical System · Feb 2018
“Vehicle stalls randomly while driving . Car can be going 70 and stall or just fail to move while still running then stall. This will happen randomly and sometimes will result in a check engine light which then goes out again and the car will run fine for days then happen again.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Nov 2017
Show 7 more owner reports
“The coolant sensor bad is constantly on. Changed that . Went out on and off. Then about a month later my radiator blew apart at the seam side without any indication. No warning light .no change in coolant temp. And the coolant level was checked right before I left that day! Had to replace radiator at this point”Owner report · Electronic Stability Control (Esc) · Aug 2017
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 jeep grand cherokee. While driving, the vehicle seized and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. A dealer was not notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified and stated that they could not assist. The failure mileage was 172,000.”Owner report · Engine · Mar 2017
“The engine control module shorts out and causes an onset of problems from wrong air/fuel ratio to shutting off car power while in drive and/or stationary. The vehicle shut off on me going down the highway at a constant speed, then suddenly I was unable to accelerate and was nearly hit by an 18-wheeler. This short in the ecm even caused backfire in my muffler and flooded muffler with gas. I have become aware of this on many jeeps from 1993-1997. Was this a recall at one point? Also, the vehicle information center does not work, this also is common. Additionally, the evap canister fittings have just deteriorated, causing the hoses to not get a secure connection and improper emissions.”Owner report · Electronic Stability Control (Esc) · Dec 2016
“My dealership would not address recall n45 without charging me to fix some corrosion damage. N45 is a safety recall. There's literally no reason why fca shouldn't pay to fix the vehicle to make it safe again.”Owner report · Structure · Jun 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 jeep grand cherokee. While driving 35 mph, the vehicle began to vibrate violently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the front upper arm bushings and sway bar needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 166,000.”Owner report · Suspension · Mar 2016
“I purchased this vehicle and noticed the fuel gauge was fluctuating excessively so I check if there were any recalls for this vehicle . When entering vehicles VIN # it states 0 opened recalls for this vehicle, not sure if it was previously repaired. Please help me resolve this issue. Electrical issues were with rear drivers side window constantly gows down on its on every time I started the ignition. Please help. Thank you”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Jan 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 jeep grand cherokee. While driving at 45 mph, the power steering failed. In addition, water spilled from the vehicle's water pump. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 210,000.”Owner report · Steering · Oct 2015
When filing, owners marked a crash in 112 of these complaints and injuries in 89 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 11 campaigns
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FUEL TANK MOUNTED FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT ACCURACY CAN DEGRADE OVER TIME, INDICATING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE FUEL IN RESERVE THAN IS ACTUALLY PRESENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT.
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Remedy: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER AND MULTI-PURPOSE VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, OR WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS CAN EXPERIENCE SEVERE CORROSION IF OPERATED FOR AN EXTENSIVE PERIOD IN THE "SALT BELT." IF THE ROTORS ARE NOT REPLACED, THE CORROSION CAN EVENTUALLY COMPROMISE THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE STAMPED STEEL CENTER HUB SECTION OF THE ROTOR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE ROTORS WITH ROTORS THAT ARE COATED WITH A CORROSION PROTECTION.
THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT DESIGN ALLOWS THE POTENTIAL FOR AN INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT UPON VEHICLE IGNITION SHUT DOWN.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED MODULE.
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT BRAKE CYLINDERS FOR CERTAIN FORD, DAIMLERCHRYSLER, AND JEEP PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF NAPA, RAYBESTOS, AIMCO, AC DELCO, CARQUEST, BENDIX, AND WAGNER. ONLY PRODUCTS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 27, 2005 THROUGH JANUARY 17, 2006 (DATE CODES 0529 THROUGH 0602) ARE SUBJECT TO THIS RECALL. WHEN SUBJECT TO VERY COLD TEMPERATURES, AN INTERNAL SEAL IN THE MASTER CYLINDER COULD LOSE FLEXIBILITY AND MAY CAUSE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK.
Remedy: AFFINIA (BRAKE PARTS, INC.) WILL REPLACE THE SUBJECT BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 20, 2006. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AFFINA GROUP CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-323-0354.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Remedy: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 1993-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty vehicles. The fuel tanks in these vehicles are at risk of failure and leakage in certain rear impacts.
Remedy: Owners may take their vehicles to dealers and the dealers will perform a free inspection of the rear structure. On vehicles in the recall that are not equipped with a tow hitch, Chrysler will install a Chrysler designed tow hitch free of charge, provided the condition of the vehicle can support proper installation. On vehicles in the recall that are equipped with an aftermarket tow hitch, Chrysler will assess whether the hitch and surrounding areas show evidence of sharp edges or other puncture risks. If so, Chrysler will replace the tow hitch with a Chrysler designed tow hitch free of charge, provided the condition of the vehicle can support proper installation. On vehicles already equipped with a Chrysler designed tow hitch, Chrysler will inspect the area around the tow hitch installation, and if any installation issues are identified, they will be repaired free of charge. The recall began on August 1, 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign numbers are N45 (for the Grand Cherokee vehicles) and N46 (for the Liberty vehicles).
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET AIRTEX ELECTRIC FUEL PUMPS INSTALLED FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR CERTAIN 1997-2004 JEEP WRANGLER; 1997-2001 JEEP CHEROKEE; 1997-2004 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE; AND 2000-2003 DODGE DAKOTA VEHICLES. THE PLASTIC ELECTRICAL GROMMET CONNECTORS AT THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP MODULE ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH AUTOMOTIVE FUELS AND MAY DEGRADE CAUSING A POTENTIAL LEAK PATH FOR FUEL.
Remedy: AIRTEX WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 25, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AIRTEX CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT 1-800-880-3056.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, IF A DRIVER HAS NOT PLACED THE SHIFTER LEVER FULLY INTO THE "PARK" POSITION AND LEAVES THE VEHICLE RUNNING, THE VEHICLE MAY UNEXPECTEDLY MOVE REARWARD AFTER SEEMING TO BE STABLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SECONDARY DETENT SYSTEM TO THE FLOOR SHIFTER ASSEMBLY. DAIMLERCHRYSLER SENT INTERIM NOTICES TO OWNERS CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM ON MARCH 22, 2002. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 23, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
CERTAIN CURVED TEMPERED REPLACEMENT GLASS MANUFACTURED BY HANGZHOU SAFETY GLASS LTD AND SUPPLIED TO SAFELITE BY AUTO TEMP INC., IDENTIFIED AS DOT-430, AND SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN VEHICLES MAY NOT BREAK INTO SMALL PIECES AS EXPECTED OF TEMPERED GLASS AND FAILS TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 205, "GLAZING MATERIALS."
Remedy: SAFELITE WILL NOTIFY ITS RETAIL CUSTOMERS AND REPLACE THE GLASS FREE OF CHARGE. RETAIL CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT SAFELITE TOLL FREE AT 1-888-843-2906. SAFELITE WILL NOTIFY ITS WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS AND REIMBURSE WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS FOR CURRENT INVENTORY AND AT A SPECIFIED RATE FOR REPLACING THEIR CUSTOMER'S GLASS. WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT SAFELITE'S WHOLESALE DIVISION, SERVICE AUTOGLASS TOLL FREE AT 1-888-246-6298. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 15, 2008.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 1997 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Grand Cherokee by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee reliable?
NHTSA has 991 owner complaints and 11 recall campaigns on record for the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The most complained-about area is power train (22% of complaints).
At what mileage do 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 118,811 miles or less.
Does the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee have open recalls?
11 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.