10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
12 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
7 / 0
Average Mileage:
35,926 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 Grand Cherokee engine problems

engine problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee Owner Comments (Page 2 of 2)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #16

Jul 272001

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • miles

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

Transmission would slip out of gear and rpms would rise. This would cause vehicle to jerk forward while driving. Problem only happens when gears are between 2nd & 3rd, and traveling between 25 and 45mph.

- Medina, OH, USA

problem #15

Jul 122001

(reported on)

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Vehicle was parked. Consumer was behind vehicle checking on garage door closure when vehicle started moving backwards. Consumer was nearly ran over before getting out of way. Vehicle's rear end hit a tree in the back yard. Owner felt jerking, and revving was part of problem with vehicle going into reverse. Took vehicle to dealership to check. Was informed nothing wrong after placing on diagnostic machine.

- Forest, VA, USA

problem #14

Jun 152001

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • miles
Patricia nadel was driving alone at the time of the incident. Our neighbors have a gate on our 1/4 mile long driveway. We have to open it to proceed through. Patty put the Jeep in "park" and then got out to open the gate. When she reached the gate, all of a sudden the Jeep lurched into "reverse" and sped backwards approximately 200 feet until it hit the neighbor's flatbed trailer and came to rest. A 6 inch deep gauge from the corner of the trailer dug into the rear door of the Jeep, along the driver's side, through the back driver's side door and also through the driver's door. Thus causing $6,000 worth of damage. This happened to her once before, a few months back, when she was getting out of the car, and at that time she was able to jump back in and stop the car. At that time she thought she had perhaps not put the gear shift all the way in park, so forever after that first incident, when stopping, she has first put it in park, and then jiggled it slightly to make sure it was firmly in park. That is what she did at this present incident.

- Jasper, OR, USA

problem #13

Apr 012000

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • miles

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

The air bag readiness indicator comes on when the vehicle is started. I took the vehicle into to dealer to have it investigated. They told me that it was the clockspring assembly. The indicator light will go off usually after driving for 30-45 minutes. I tested the cruise and horn when the indicator lamp is on. Both work whenever I checked.

- Raleigh, NC, USA

problem #12

Jan 262001

Grand Cherokee

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Vehicle would accelerate on its own after shifting into gear. Engine would rev up when first starting up, and would remain until vehicle was shut down. Vehicle was very hard to stop due to brakes not working properly.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #11

Dec 161999

(reported on)

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
Irregular acceleration causes vehicle to stall or move very slowly.

- Newark, DE, USA

problem #10

Sep 121999

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • miles

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

At 67mph(65-70) Jeep vibrates - not corrected by tires, drive shaft, rear differential, or 2 transfer cases. Dealer doesn't know how to fix. Also cruise control not working properly. Tach jumps while cruising even on flat land.

- Sturgeon Bay, WI, USA

problem #9

Oct 091999

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • miles
Sudden acceleration, unable to stop using brakes had to force car into park, resulting in vehicle to hit building and causing considerable damage to vehicle and building. One injury resulted.

- Bridgeport, CT, USA

problem #8

Apr 011999

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
Cruise control on & off switch malfunctioned when in use. Has happened several times. Had taken vehicle to dealer to check & was informed by the manufacturer that the vehicle was built that way & there was nothing wrong with the cruise control. Went to another dealership & was informed of the samething. All the Jeep were built like that.

- Petaluma, CA, USA

problem #7

Oct 091998

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
Vehicle was in park position and was left idling. Consumer then put vehicle in drive, vehicle suddenly took off. Tried to step on brakes, but brakes were inoperative, causing consumer to go through a wall. Consumer suffered bruises.

- Anniston, AL, USA

problem #6

Mar 051998

Grand Cherokee

  • miles

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

Upon applying pressure to rear lift gate door, vehicle moved backwards, knocking driver down, resulting in injury.

- Duxbury, MA, USA

problem #5

Dec 301998

Grand Cherokee

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Leased company vehicle. While pulling into driveway applied brakes and vehicle accellerated and went through a concrete block wall and window. Wet pavement, 5mph. Neither air bag deployed when incident occurred. Dealer aware of the problem with $6, 900. 00 damage and investigation pending. Provide further information.

- Fenton, MO, USA

problem #4

Oct 011998

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • miles
Vehicle suddenly accelerated in reverse and would not stop even when brake was applied with considerable force. Accelerated backwards across a street and into a parked car.

- Milford, MI, USA

problem #3

Oct 091997

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Sudden acceleration, resulting in a vehicle collision.

- Stamford, CT, USA

problem #2

May 041998

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Driver was putting the truck into reverse, and all of a sudden applied the gas pedal just a little and the truck took off backwards, hitting a tree. The truck went about 150-175 feet before hitting the tree. The truck just picked up speed all at once.

- Dendron, VA, USA

problem #1

Jan 071998

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Consumer states that while the vehicle was in park and idling, she exited the vehicle and walked approximately 20 feetthen heard movement behind her. She saw the vehicle rolling backwards and ran after it in an attempt to bring it to a stop. Driver was able to open drivers side door but was unable to enter and stop the vehicle. Driver was knocked to the ground suffering head injuries as well as an injured foot when the vehicle ran over her foot. Vehicle impacted a school building that stopped it from moving any further. The dealership examined the vehicle and determined that nothing was defective.

- Munster, IN, USA

Not what you are looking for?