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1997 Jeep Grand CherokeeProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 991 owner complaints about the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee, most often about the power train. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 13V-252 the manufacturer reports only 35% of affected cars repaired.

45
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.2× the Grand Cherokee median · #12 of 32 years by complaints
Safety recalls5Lowest repair rate 35%Owner complaints991197 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage95kPower train, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 6, 2024. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee has problems

991 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Power train25474
Service brakes, hydraulic16310
Fuel system, gasoline1505
Fuel system, other1170
Engine and engine cooling814
Structure612
Electrical system566
Steering476
Fuel/propulsion system462
21 other systems27858

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

5 recalls

1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

35%repaired · 2015 Q4

Storage: tank assembly

Recall 13V-252 · Jun 19, 2013 · 1,560,000 vehicles · 553,137 repaired

Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Disc: rotor

Recall 00V-136 · May 10, 2000 · 589,000 vehicles

Risk. THE REDUCED STRENGTH CAN ALLOW THE CAST IRON WEAR SURFACE TO SEPARATE FROM THE HUB, REDUCING THE BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE VEHICLE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Storage: tank assembly

Recall 97V-194 · Nov 7, 1997 · 360,000 vehicles

Risk. OWNERS MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT THEIR VEHICLE IS LOW ON FUEL INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH IF THE VEHICLE STOPS DUE TO NO FUEL.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 1 more recall

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Jeep.

Mileage at failure

When do power train problems start?

95kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 20 power train complaints. 60% were reported before 100,000 miles.

Only 20% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
2under 30k miles12under 100k miles8100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Service brakes, hydraulic

8 owners mentioned a cost

$850median

Middle half: $611 – $1,700

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

1997 vs. every other Grand Cherokee year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Grand Cherokee median. How we score

'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee safety ratings

1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4-DR. 4x4 in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
7 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Fuel Storage System Crash Related FiresDP09005 · closed Aug 23, 2010
    No recall
  2. ROLL-AWAY IN REVERSE WHEN PARKEDEA01017 · closed Dec 18, 2002
    Led to recall 02V-053
  3. HOOD LATCH FAILUREEA02029 · closed Feb 10, 2004
    No recall
  4. Crash Related Fuel Tank FiresEA12005 · closed Nov 14, 2014
    Led to recall 13V-252
  5. INADVERTENT ROLLAWAY IN REVERSE PARKPE01021 · closed Nov 1, 2001
    No recall
  6. HOOD LATCHPE02045 · closed Oct 16, 2002
    No recall
  7. Crash Related Fuel Tank FiresPE10031 · closed Jun 14, 2012
    No recall
In owners' words

What Grand Cherokee owners report

Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The contact owns a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power, prompting her to attempt to stop the vehicle. After which, with the brake pedal depressed all the way to the floorboard, the vehicle failed to…
Complaint 11606904 · Aug 6, 2024 · 250,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 02V053000 (POWER TRAIN) AND 13V252000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, STRUCTURE); HOWEVER, THE PARTS FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A…
Complaint 11001897 · Jun 28, 2017 · 165,893 miles
ENGINE STALL/SHUT OFF ON A HIGHWAY AT 70 MILES/HR IN CENTER LANE OF A FIVE LANE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WITH PLENTY OF GAS IN THE TANK. HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES ON DIFFERENT DAYS. I'M ORIGINAL OWNER. HEAVY FAILURE ANALYSIS DONE. ALLEGE THAT JEEP CUT CORNERS THAT RISK DRIVER SAFETY. THEY USED AND MAY…
Complaint 10851381 · Mar 24, 2016 · 247,000 miles

Own a 1997 Grand Cherokee?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.