1991 Jeep CHEROKEE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
142 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
172,602 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1991 model year. Data snapshot: . 22 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip is the most frequently named component, appearing in 60 of 142 complaints (42.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 100 | 70.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 2.8% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 1.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 0.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 60 |
| Service Brakes | 15 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 8 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 6 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 5 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 5 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder | 5 |
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 60; Service Brakes: 15; Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 8; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components: 6; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 5; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 5; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 5; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 5 |
| 150,000 and above | 15 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 15
150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (15). 120 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 45 |
| 1996 | 20 |
| 2000 | 13 |
| 2001 | 9 |
| 2002 | 12 |
| 2003 | 8 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 6 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
1995: 45; 1996: 20; 2000: 13; 2001: 9; 2002: 12; 2003: 8; 2004: 5; 2005: 6; 2006: 1; 2007: 1; 2009: 1; 2010: 2; 2012: 3; 2013: 2; 2014: 1; 2015: 4; 2016: 5; 2017: 2; 2019: 1; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 100 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10001632 · 2002-12-30 (December 30, 2002)
AFTER HAVING RECALL DONE FOR THE ABS BRAKES 96 V 260 000 BY THE DEALERSHIP LEHIHAN JEEP; MARLTON NJ;[phone removed]. THE PROBLEM RECURRED TWICE. REMEDY FAILURE. TS
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001632 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008775 · 2002-04-17 (April 17, 2002)
THE ONE PROBLEM I HAVE HAD IS WITH THE ABS NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP. IT HAPPENED EARLY DECEMBER 2001. IT WAS REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE AS IT IS UNDER LIFETIME WARRANTY. THINKING ALL IS OK I DRIVE MY CAR AND ON MARCH 30, 2002 MY BRAKES AGAIN FAILED. HAD IT FIXED UP FROM THE DEALER AND DROVE IT ABOUT A MILE ONLY TO HAVE NO BRAKES AGAIN. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED. I BELIEVE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. ****DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****7650836. *AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 185,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008775 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10155234 · 2006-04-12 (April 12, 2006)
PARTICULAR INCIDENT INVOLVED SAID VEHICLE ROLLING BACKWARD DOWN A SUBTLE GRADE AFTER THE OWNER EXITED THE VEHICLE W/KEYS IN HAND. THE VEHICLE SHIFT LEVER WAS ENGAGED IN D (DRIVE) AND THE VEHICLE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE IMPACTED ANOTHER CAR INCURRING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE REAR OF SAID VEHICLE. WHEN VEHICLE MOTOR IS TURNED OFF, WHILE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER IS ENGAGED IN D (DRIVE), R (REVERSE), 3, OR 1-2 (LOW GEAR) AND IGNITION KEY IS REMOVED, VEHICLE CAN MOVE FREELY FORWARD OR BACKWARD (AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL GEAR). …
Owner-reported narrative. 170,468 miles reported. Look up ODI 10155234 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 726289 · 2000-07-31 (July 31, 2000)
THE JEEP CHEROKEE EQUIPPED WITH THE AW4 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHICH IS ALL AUTO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED SINCE THE BEGINING OF THE 1987 MODEL YEAR HAVE A SERIOUS DESIGN DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION THAT WILL CAUSE UNWANTED AND DANGEROUS AUTOMATIC DOWNSHIFTING INTO FIRST GEAR FROM SECOND GEAR AT AN UNACCEPTABLE HIGH RATE OF SPEED. IF THE OPERATOR HAS MOVED THE SHIFT LEVER INTO THE 1-2 GEAR SHIFT POSITION FOR BETTER CONTROL AND ENGINE BRAKING AND THE VEHICLE SPEED DROPS BELOW 28 TO 23 MPH THE TRANSMISSION WILL WITHOUT WARNING ABRUPTLY DOWNSHIFT TO F…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 726289 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10855159 · 2016-04-12 (April 12, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH EXTREME PRESSURE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONTACT FILLED THE VEHICLE WITH BRAKE FLUID, THE FLUID LEAKED OUT QUICKER THAN ANTICIPATED. AS A RESULT, THE MANUAL BRAKING SYSTEM HAD TO BE USED INSTEAD OF THE POWER ASSIST BRAKING SYSTEM. THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE HORN SOUNDED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE POWER STEERING SEIZED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHI…
Owner-reported narrative. 184,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10855159 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 959506 · 1995-02-02 (February 2, 1995)
WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURN, PRESSING ON BRAKE, ENGINE DIES; NO STEERING; NO BRAKES; PROBLEM WITH THROTTLE BODY CONTROL SENSOR. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 959506 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 760086 · 2002-04-01 (April 1, 2002)
WHILE DRIVING, THE DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT. I TURNED THE DIMMER CONTROL AND THE DASH LIGHTS WOULD ONLY BE ON FULL BRIGHTNESS OR OFF, THERE WAS NO DIMMER CONTROL. APPROXIMATELY 60 SECONDS LATER WE COULD SMELL SOMETHING HOT. APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES LATER WE NOTICED A GLOW COMING FROM UNDER THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH BOARD. WE WERE CLOSE TO OUR HOME AND TURNED INTO THE DRIVEWAY, AT WHICH TIME I WAS FORCED TO OPEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW DUE TO BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE LEFT AIR CONDITIONING VENT. I PULLED UP TO THE GARAGE,SHUT OFF THE IGNITION, PUL…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 760086 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10467361 · 2012-07-19 (July 19, 2012)
CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINEERING ANALYSIS ON 1993- 2001 JEEP CHEROKEE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED, NHTSA IS CONDUCTING AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS ON 1993-2001 MODEL YEAR JEEP CHEROKEE'S DUE TO POTENTIAL, EXTRAORDINARY FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARDS. APPARENTLY, THESE HAZARDS STEM FROM THE FACT THAT THE CHEROKEE'S FUEL TANK IS LOCATED NEAR THE REAR AXLE, MAKING IT VULNERABLE TO REAR-END COLLISIONS. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, WHY IS THE ANALYSIS ONLY LIMITED TO 1993-2001 WHEN HIS 1991 MODEL HAS THE SAME FUEL TANK LOCATION. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10467361 at NHTSA ↗