2.2

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
72,897 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1998 Jeep Cherokee electrical problems

electrical problem

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1998 Jeep Cherokee Owner Comments

problem #16

Nov 132019

Cherokee

  • 230,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Jeep developed communication issues, dash displayed "no bus." One morning I started the Jeep and went to shift to gear and the passenger air bag deployed. Took it up the road and back thinking I had a communication issue to diagnose, the drivers air bag deployed turning on my road. Seemed to happen when pressing the brake.I learned about the recall corrosion in air bag module may lead to inadvertent deployment. I dropped my vehicle off to nye Dodge Jeep Ram in oneida NY. Repair order was made Nov 14th 2019. I was given a 1-800 number to call, placed 4 calls before my case was escalated correctly. Made numerous calls to the 800 number and eventually on 12/5 maybe 12/6 an inspector came and inspected my vehicle. With basically no progress after a month and a half I picked up my vehicle. With a couple more calls to the 800 number and being told were "on hold" with Chrysler end my vehicle is still not fixed and the 800 number calls all end with well leave a message for whoever is in charge with your case to call you, they have yet to call going on 3 weeks. I was told the airbags are not available from Chrysler. Looking for a solution or to at least get the module installed in the right location and ill source airbags. It has been an absolutely ridiculous amount of time to not have any answers and my recall not completed.

- Canastota, NY, USA

problem #15

Feb 162017

Cherokee

  • miles
The contact owns a 1998 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that there was a loud noise coming from the front area of the vehicle and the suspension was unstable, the check engine, multiple gauges, and various warning indicators illuminated randomly. The dealer was notified of the failures and the contact was waiting for a response to determine if they could inspect and diagnose the failures. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The failure mileage was not available.

- Elmont, NY, USA

problem #14

Sep 072015

Cherokee

  • 130,000 miles
The contact owns a 1998 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the air bag warning light remained illuminated for an extended period of time and the instrument cluster failed to work due to the gauges not functioning properly. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 00V105000 (air bags). The contact was unable to pass a vehicle inspection due to the failure. The vehicle was to be taken to a dealer for further inspection. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

- Antioch, CA, USA

problem #13

Dec 012014

Cherokee

  • 198,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 1998 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the vehicle's computer software had a defect that caused the vehicle to stall without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 198,000.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #12

Mar 122012

Cherokee

  • 120,000 miles
It started with the lights turning off when I hit a bump. The whole Jeep would go dark. Instrument panel, overhead lights, driving lights, all of them! then after parking the Jeep, day or night, the alarm system would go off all by itself. The door switches locking and unlocking while I was driving down the road. Then there was the radio that would turn on and off by itself. Then the windows decided to stop going up and down. When I would start the Jeep the instrument panel gauges wouldn't move, turn on. So, I would turn off the Jeep and restart it. Some of the gauges, would turn on but others, would not, like the fuel tank gage, speedometer gage. During the summer months, there would be a puddle of water on the passenger side floor board. I still to this day don't know what caused it to happen every day and each time it was turned on. Then there is the transmission and rear end that started having problems. It started to slip out of gear and the rear end made a noise. I had all the oil levels checked out, but still it would happen. I do recall getting a flyer in the mail, regarding a recall, but it also said that the dealer, did not have the parts to fix the problem. Why would you send out a flyer that you have no way of fixing because you can't get the part's" ! and are you even concerned about the worry you put me through? it became another reason to park the Jeep. How could you do.this, to so many people" with all these strange things happening to the Jeep, I had to do what was best for my safety, as well as, those who were on the road driving around me. I just couldn't live with myself, knowing that I could have cost someone or myself injury or death, by having the Jeep on the road knowing it was having so many problems. It has now been close to three-years since the last time I drove it.

- Mesa, AZ, USA

problem #11

Jun 262014

Cherokee

  • miles
The ignition switch sticks, passenger door locks doors when opened and closed, passenger side window front and back will not go down all the time and sometimes they will.

- Eldorado, IL, USA

problem #10

Oct 012014

Cherokee 4WD 6-cyl

  • 217,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Air bag light comes on and all gauges stop working-- pressing hard on the face of the gauge cluster or smacking the top of the dash restores everything.. owned it for 4 years and previous owner said they experienced it before me.. now it has started a new additional problem, "check gauges" light comes on and volt meter pegs to the right at 19 volts. Smacking doesn't help this, it just goes away in a few miles...

- Locust Grove, VA, USA

problem #9

Apr 072009

Cherokee 6-cyl

  • 150,000 miles
The contact owns a 1998 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the instrument panel would only operate sporadically. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but not repaired. There were no recalls for the failure and the manufacturer advised taking the vehicle to the dealer for diagnostics and/or repairs. The manufacturer offered no further assistance. The failure mileage was 150,000. Updated 05/03/11 updated 05/16/11

- Orlando, FL, USA

problem #8

Feb 152010

Cherokee 4WD 6-cyl

  • miles
My 1998 Cherokee classic is having the same issues as many other complaints I have read. The issues involve the speed and tach gauges dropping to zero, the rest of the dash gauges not responding from whatever position they are in when rest of gauges go South, the "idiot" lights don't work, and the wretched airbag light luminates the whole time all this other stuff is going on. The speed is not a factor. It can happen at any speed, even when I first start the vehicle. It can happen once in a while to several times in a mile, cutting in and out. This problem has been going on even longer than what I listed. February of last year is when it started being more than a once in a while, sporadic issue. Before then, it happened less than 10 times, since owning the vehicle late 2007.

- Hart, MI, USA

problem #7

Feb 092010

Cherokee

  • 121,345 miles
Airbag light comes on and then the speedometer and tachometer go to zero so I have no idea how fast I am going at the time.

- Blacksburg, VA, USA

problem #6

Jan 012003

Cherokee

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Numerous problems with 1998 Jeep Cherokee sport. During the first year of owning the vehicle the vehicle was at the dealer 12 times for rust marks on the vehicle which the dealer described as fall out and they insisted it was something the consumer had done to cause it to happen so soon, the electrical system failed, as the consumer was driving all the gauges went out and the vehicle just stopped, the air condition and radio were inoperative and still is, there was a thumping noise which was attributed to the rotors which was supposedly fixed. The most recent problem was with the power windows.

- La Jolla, CA, USA

problem #5

Jan 062003

(reported on)

Cherokee

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Three months after the purchase of the vehicle, rust marks appeared. The electrical system malfuntioned with out any warning. There have been problems with the air conditioner and the radio. There is a thumping noise in the rotors that was fixed but the noise still remains.

- La Jolla, CA, USA

problem #4

Oct 292002

Cherokee 6-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
The dash functions are inoperative (speedometer, fuel gauge, tachometer, oil pressure, etc.). as a result the consumer has run out of gas on 3 occasions and received two speeding tickets. The vehicle has been taken to the dealer on several occasions but they have not been able to rectify the problem.

- New Fairfield, CT, USA

problem #3

May 022002

Cherokee 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Recall 00V136000 repairs have not corrected the recall problem. Rotors have been replaced 3 times since first taken into dealer for recall. 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.

- Elgin, IL, USA

problem #2

Jul 012000

Cherokee

  • miles
Electrical sysyem will go on and off at times. Also, while driving fog lights will go out. Contacted dealer, and dealer is not willing to do anything.

- Denton, TX, USA

problem #1

Jun 011998

Cherokee

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Electrical system malfunctions causing A/C & radio to intermittently fail.

- Long Beach, CA, USA

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