1999 Jeep Cherokee Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 1999 Jeep Cherokee most often write about brakes — warped or rusted front rotors that cause vibration through the steering wheel, and rusted-through brake lines — as well as front-end shaking at highway speed after hitting a bump. Many complaints come from vehicles well past 70,000 miles, so wear and corrosion on older trucks feature heavily, though some brake, window and electrical complaints were filed under 60,000 miles.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Air bag light on or air bag does not deploy

   • 33 complaints (9%)
   • median 70,200 mi at 7.5 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • 18 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2023

   Complaints describe the air bag warning light staying on, or air bags failing to deploy in frontal impacts, in a few cases with only one side deploying. Several owners link the light to the air bag control module and corrosion, and one says a dealer declined coverage under the air bag control module recall. Others note the warning light appears along with instrument gauges dropping out. Spread from about 33,000 to 180,000 miles, with many reports in the 50,000 to 100,000 mile range.

   Recall 00V105000

   What to check: Confirm the warning light comes on at start-up and then goes out; ask whether the air bag control module recall was performed and get it in writing.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Randomly while driving the speedometer and tachometer (actually all gauges) will stop working, the airbag light comes on and sometimes the check engine light comes on too. If you hit the dashboard (sometimes it takes several hits) the gauges will start working again and the airbag light goes off. Haven't had it checked by a shop yet.”

   NHTSA complaint #10280486, filed 2009-08, 91,000 miles

   “Consumer was driving at approximately 30 MPH and t-boned a vehicle. Upon impact, the vehicle veered off to the right and hit a retaining wall, and the air bags failed to deploy.”

   NHTSA complaint #10107091, filed 2005-01, 75,000 miles
2. 2
   Brakes

   Front brake vibration and rotor wear

   Mentioned in 7 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the steering wheel and front end vibrating or shuddering when the brakes are applied, sometimes with longer stopping distances. Several say rotors and calipers were replaced more than once, and some mention a service bulletin on the subject. A few report the replacement rotors later rusted severely, including a set installed under a recall. Reported from under 10,000 miles to well past 100,000 miles, with most complaints between about 28,000 and 100,000 miles.

   Recall 00V136000

   What to check: Test-drive and brake firmly from highway speed to feel for wheel shimmy; ask for brake service records and inspect rotor faces and thickness.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The window regulators in both the front windows of my 1999 Jeep Cherokee have failed, and I have been unable to find replacements. No auto parts stores have them- they are all on back order indefinitely, no used parts dealers have any- too high of a demand, I have also exhaustively searched online for the parts with no luck . So I am unable to have my vehicle inspected due to lack of parts.”

   NHTSA complaint #10231464, filed 2008-06, 116,000 miles

   “Vehicle brake rotors found to be rusted severely. During a free brake check the technician determined that the rotors were severely rusted and disintegrated. This set of rotor were the replacement put on by the dealer for the recall. The vehicle has had 2 sets of rotors in five years. The consumer contacted the manufacturer for reimbursement.”

   NHTSA complaint #10089382, filed 2004-08, 100,045 miles
3. 3
   Steering

   Front-end shake at highway speed ("death wobble")

   Mentioned in 7 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report violent shaking of the front end at around 45-60 mph after hitting a bump, pothole or rough pavement, requiring them to slow down to regain control. Some describe the steering damper and track bar being replaced, and one complaint reports the lower ball joints separating from the control arm. Complaints note the symptom often returns after repairs. Mostly reported between about 50,000 and 180,000 miles, typically at highway speeds on uneven roads.

   What to check: Drive it at 50-60 mph over broken pavement; check the steering damper, track bar bushings and ball joints for play before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Hit a bump or pot hole or a man cover at 45 MPH and the car starts to shake and goes out of control. Almost been hit over 5 times because I have to slow down to stop the issue. Tires a new and I've been to the shop they say everything good for safety inspections but it's not good. If I would have known that Jeep is just try to kill it's car drivers I won't have buy the thing.”

   NHTSA complaint #10743434, filed 2015-07, 174,000 miles

   “I was driving at 50 MPH and the vehicle started shaking violently and I had to slow down and pull over before the shaking would stop. Another time I was driving at 50 MPH again and hit a small bump and the violent shaking again occurred. Again I had to slow down considerably before it stopped shaking. This is known as death wobble and chrysler knows it. They need to be held accountable for using cheap parts on jeeps.”

   NHTSA complaint #10498375, filed 2013-02, 125,000 miles
4. 4
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Power window regulators fail and glass drops

   • 21 complaints (6%)
   • median 61,226 mi at 4.4 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2008

   Owners describe front power windows dropping suddenly into the door, sometimes at highway speed, with a broken regulator assembly or cable. Several had the regulators replaced, in some cases with parts identical to the originals, and one owner could not find replacement parts at all. Complaints also mention window motors diagnosed as corroded. Reported from about 17,000 to 120,000 miles, often within a few years of ownership.

   What to check: Cycle both front windows up and down several times, listen for grinding, and ask whether the regulators have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving rear left side window suddenly dropped down into the door. This past saturday the right side window dropped down. Both front power windows' regulator assembly and steel cable broke. Dealer replaced front window regulator, but the replacement parts are identical to the old one which concerned the consumer that all windows might drop at the same time without warning.”

   NHTSA complaint #10061080, filed 2004-03, 17,144 miles

   “Warranty replacement of transfer case due to hairline fracture during manufacturing within first 7,000 miles on car. At 37,000 miles fuel sensor failed. At 69,000 window regulator failed. At 72,000 rear shock broke off car leaving bolts still in chassis. Very frustrated, chryster corp. Does not care!”

   NHTSA complaint #10086670, filed 2004-08, 12,000 miles
5. 5
   Brakes

   Brake and fuel lines rusted through

   • 64 complaints (17%)
   • median 88,522 mi at 6.9 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2018

   Owners report steel brake lines rusting through, sometimes with the pedal going to the floor and the vehicle having to be stopped with the parking brake or towed. One owner found both front and rear lines needed replacement for severe rot despite routine fluid changes. Complaints describe the lines as largely hidden, so the condition becomes apparent only when a line fails. Mostly reported on higher-mileage trucks, from about 100,000 to 225,000 miles, typically in rust-belt use.

   What to check: Have a shop put the vehicle on a lift and inspect the length of the steel brake and fuel lines for pitting and rust before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The rear brake line (steel) not the rubber line failed while pulling the vehicle out of the garage. It was completely rotted through, despite routine maintenance (bleeding of old fluid) being performed. It was determined both the front and rear lines needed replacement due to severe rot. These should have been made out of a corrosion resistant metal.”

   NHTSA complaint #10664750, filed 2014-12, 114,056 miles

   “Near miss rear end collision due to brake lights and turn signal lights working intermittently. At times either the turn signals left and right will not work or the left and right rear brake light lamp assemblies will not work. Found a electrical grounding issue with left and right rear lamp assembly with regards to brake lights. With regards to the turn signals working intermittently problem unresolved. In addition, when vehicle is parked and locked at night the headlights and tail lamps come on and off for unknown reason.”

   NHTSA complaint #10644255, filed 2014-10, 77,000 miles

Buying note. Have any 1999 Cherokee inspected for rusted brake lines, front-end play and air bag warning lights, and ask for receipts showing whether the open recalls were completed. Age matters more than mileage here, so maintenance records on brakes, cooling and windows are worth as much as the odometer.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.