Your vehicle report
1997 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
- 390
- Received Nov 1996 to Oct 2020
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Fuel gauge reads erratically or incorrectly69 complaints · 18% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine suddenly shuts off while driving24 complaints · 6.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Front brake rotors warp and wear early23 complaints · 5.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- 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.'
- Recall #00V136000Vehicle 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.
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: 44 crashes, 7 fires, 27 people injured, 1 death.
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
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 |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 2 |
| 1997 | 41 |
| 1998 | 68 |
| 1999 | 49 |
| 2000 | 66 |
| 2001 | 52 |
| 2002 | 22 |
| 2003 | 37 |
| 2004 | 13 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 7 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 390 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel gauge reads erratically or incorrectly | 69 | 18% | – | NHTSA recall #97V194000 |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 24 | 6.2% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 23 | 5.9% | – | NHTSA recall #00V136000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 20 | 5.1% | – | NHTSA recall #00V105000 |
| Vehicle rolls backward out of park | 20 | 5.1% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 17 | 4.4% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 8 | 2.1% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 8 | 2.1% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 8 | 2.1% | – | |
| Hood latch fails and hood flies open | 7 | 1.8% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 7 | 1.8% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 7 | 1.8% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 5 | 1.3% | – | |
| Jeep Cherokee stalls while driving | 5 | 1.3% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 5 | 1.3% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 5 | 1.3% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 4 | 1.0% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 4 | 1.0% | – |
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 #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 #00V136000May 10, 2000589,000 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 #00V105000April 11, 2000395,000 vehicles affected
air bags: frontal: sensor/control module-inactive
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. Water and/or road salt in the proximity of the air bag control module could lead to corrosion.
Such corrosion Can lead to illumination of the air bag warning light or could allow inadvertent deployment of the air bags.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the air bag control module and locate the new module on the top of the transmission tunnel.
NHTSA recall #97V194000November 7, 1997360,000 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicles. The fuel tank mounted fuel level sending unit accuracy Can degrade over time, indicating significantly more fuel in reserve than is actually present.
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.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the fuel level sending unit.
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 1997 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