Your vehicle report
1994 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
- 519
- Received Jan 1995 to Oct 2015
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Rear door latch fails to open or close149 complaints · 29% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Seat belt fails to latch or retract42 complaints · 8.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Vehicle rolls backward out of park20 complaints · 3.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #11V279000U.S. Drive right is recalling certain model year 1994-1996 jeep cherokee vehicles imported from january 2007, through april 2011 for failing to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment," for the high mount brake lamp assembly. The vehicles are not equipped with the required third brake lamp.
- Recall #08V056000U.S. Drive right is recalling 107 my 1994-1998 right hand drive, 4-WHEEL drive jeep cherokee vehicles. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 101, 'controls and displays;' no. 108, 'lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment;' no. 111, 'rearview mirror;' no. 114, 'theft protection;' no. 115, 'vehicle identification number;' no. 118, 'power window system;' no. 120, 'tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars;' no. 208, 'occupant crash protection;' and no. 301, 'fuel system integrity.'
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: 54 crashes, 12 fires, 30 people injured, 5 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 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
- Front brake rotors warp and wear early
- Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines
- Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up
1 more problem
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
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
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 | 66 |
| 1996 | 81 |
| 1997 | 54 |
| 1998 | 54 |
| 1999 | 54 |
| 2000 | 71 |
| 2001 | 54 |
| 2002 | 36 |
| 2003 | 23 |
| 2004 | 10 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 519 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 149 | 29% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 42 | 8.1% | – | NHTSA recall #93V161000 |
| Vehicle rolls backward out of park | 20 | 3.9% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 18 | 3.5% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 16 | 3.1% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 14 | 2.7% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 14 | 2.7% | – | NHTSA recall #99V340000 |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 13 | 2.5% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 12 | 2.3% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 11 | 2.1% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 9 | 1.7% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 9 | 1.7% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 8 | 1.5% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 8 | 1.5% | – | |
| Exhaust manifold cracks and leaks fumes | 8 | 1.5% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 8 | 1.5% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 7 | 1.4% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 6 | 1.2% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 6 | 1.2% | – | |
| Transmission will not engage reverse gear | 6 | 1.2% | – |
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 #11V279000May 6, 20111,126 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: brake lights
U.S. Drive right is recalling certain model year 1994-1996 Jeep Cherokee vehicles imported from january 2007, through april 2011 for failing to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment," for the high mount brake lamp assembly. The vehicles are not equipped with the required third brake lamp.
Inadequate lighting could reduce visibility of vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
U.S. Drive right will notify owners and mail kits along with instructions to have the vehicle repaired by a qualified mechanic of their choice, free of charge. The safety recall began on september 12, 2011. Owners may contact U.S. Drive right at 1-888-632-5936.
NHTSA recall #08V056000February 6, 2008107 vehicles affected
electrical system: instrument cluster/panel; equipment: other: labels; exterior lighting; fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings; visibility: power window devices and controls; visibility: rearview mirrors/devices
U.S. Drive right is recalling 107 my 1994-1998 right hand drive, 4-WHEEL drive Jeep Cherokee vehicles. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 101, 'controls and displays;' no. 108, 'lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment;' no. 111, 'rearview mirror;' no. 114, 'theft protection;' no. 115, 'vehicle identification number;' no. 118, 'power window system;' no. 120, 'tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars;' no. 208, 'occupant crash protection;' and no. 301, 'fuel system integrity.'
These vehicles do not meet the required standards.
Remedy
U.S. Drive right will make all the required modifications. A representative will travel to the customer's location and make the modifications on site. The recall will be performed on a regional basis beginning march 2008. Owners may contact U.S. Drive right at 1-888-632-5936.
NHTSA recall #99V340000December 13, 1999334,047 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 #97V069000April 28, 19972,500 vehicles affected
steering: gear box (other than rack and pinion)
During assembly of the frame, a fillet weld that joins the inner steering gear attachment reinforcement to the frame rail, was omitted.
Due to high steering load events, vehicles Can exhibit broken steering gear attaching bolts or frame rail cracking at the steering gear attaching point increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the vehicles for cracks in the frame rail. Vehicles that show cracks will be equipped with reinforcement plates. Vehicles that are found to be free of cracks will have a slot cut in the cross member and the fillet weld will be added.
NHTSA recall #93V161000September 27, 199312,000 vehicles affected
seat belts: front: anchorage
The two rear inboard safety belt attachment bolts may have inadequate thread engagement into the floor pan anchor nuts.
The safety belt attachment bolts may not support theload of rear seat passengers in the event of a sudden stop or accident; theassembly fails to comply with the static load requirements of FMVSS 210, "seatbelt assembly anchorages." the inability to support the load of rear seatpassengers increases the risk of injury to seat occupants.
Remedy
Replace the two inboard safety belt anchor bolts with longer bolts on all vehicles.
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 1994 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