Your vehicle report
1991 Jeep Cherokee
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 233
- Received Jan 1995 to Nov 2022
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up96 complaints · 41% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Seat belt fails to latch or retract17 complaints · 7.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly13 complaints · 5.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #98V005000Vehicle 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.
- Recall #96V260000Vehicle description: vehicles equipped with antilock brake system (ABS). The antilock brake system (ABS) hydraulic control unit can experience excessive brake actuator piston seal wear which could cause pump-motor deterioration.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 13 crashes, 9 fires, 14 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 16 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 45 |
| 1996 | 29 |
| 1997 | 36 |
| 1998 | 30 |
| 1999 | 16 |
| 2000 | 13 |
| 2001 | 9 |
| 2002 | 12 |
| 2003 | 8 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 6 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 233 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 96 | 41% | – | NHTSA recall #96V260000 |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 17 | 7.3% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 13 | 5.6% | – | |
| Jeep Cherokee stalls while driving | 11 | 4.7% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 10 | 4.3% | – | NHTSA recall #98V005000 |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 9 | 3.9% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 9 | 3.9% | – | NHTSA recall #90V206000, #91V063000 |
| Brake booster fails, leaving stiff pedal | 8 | 3.4% | – | |
| Vehicle rolls backward out of park | 8 | 3.4% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 5 | 2.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 4 | 1.7% | – | |
| Exhaust manifold cracks and leaks fumes | 4 | 1.7% | – | |
| Axle breaks while driving, wheel detaches | 3 | 1.3% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 3 | 1.3% | – | |
| Brake master cylinder leaks fluid and fails | 3 | 1.3% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 3 | 1.3% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #98V005000January 12, 1998293,369 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: rotor
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.
The reduced strength Can allow the cast iron wear surface to separate from the hub, reducing the brake effectiveness of the vehicle.
Remedy
Dealers will replace these rotors with rotors that are coated with a corrosion protection.
NHTSA recall #96V260000December 27, 199652,000 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Vehicle description: vehicles equipped with antilock brake system (ABS). The antilock brake system (ABS) hydraulic control unit Can experience excessive brake actuator piston seal wear which could cause pump-motor deterioration.
If this occurs, the ABS function would be lose and reduced power assist would be experienced during vehicle braking. The instrument panel warning lights will signal system impairment and the base manual brakes will remain functional.
Remedy
Dealers will test the vehicle's ABS and repair as necessary. The warranty on all ABS components will be extended to 10 years or 100,000 miles (except for the brake actuator piston assembly and the pump-motor assembly which will have a lifetime coverage). Owners will be reimbursed for previous ABS component repair costs.
NHTSA recall #91V063000April 15, 199117,000 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Improper insertion/crimping of the hose-to-end fittings of the high pressure hose on the anti-lock brake system Can cause detachment of the hose from the ABS system, and discharge of hydraulic fluid.
Detachment of the hose from the ABS system causes theloss of the ABS function and hydraulic brake assist, leaving only manual brakesand decreasing stopping ability, which could result in an accident. Discharge ofhydraulic fluid in the area of the hot exhaust system could result in an enginecompartment fire.
Remedy
Replace the ABS high pressure hose.
NHTSA recall #91V023000February 11, 1991425 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Improperly installed brake fluid tube may allow the tube to contact the steering intermediate shaft damaging the tube.
Brake fluid leakage could occur and result in partialloss of braking capability.
Remedy
Reposition brake tube to avoid contact with steering shaft; also, replace any damaged brake tubes.
NHTSA recall #90V206000December 18, 1990160 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Suspension jounce bumper could contact left rear wheel brake tube when suspension is at full jounce (bounce).
Contact at full jounce may cause the brake tube tocollapse and restrict the hydraulic brake fluid pressure to the left rear brakewhich affects the braking capability of the vehicle.
Remedy
Replace left rear brake tube with tube designed to eliminate contact with bumper.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1991 Jeep Cherokee.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN