1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe the engine quitting without warning while driving or idling, and a fuel gauge that reads more fuel than the tank actually holds. Another cluster of complaints covers a violent front-end shake at highway speed, rear axle noise, and corrosion around the rear frame area where the fuel-tank recall work is carried out. Most reports arrive on vehicles well past 100,000 miles, and several owners describe replacing sensor after sensor without a lasting cure.

1. 1
   Engine cooling

   Engine quits while driving or idling, no warning

   • 127 complaints (13%)
   • median 132,260 mi at 13.5 yrs old (74 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,500 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 1997–2019

   Complaints describe the engine cutting out at any speed, sometimes idling in a driveway and sometimes at 60 mph on a freeway, with the vehicle restarting on its own or only after several attempts. Owners report spending heavily on crankshaft and camshaft sensors, ignition coils, computers and fuel pumps, and say the stalling returns. Several note that no fault codes are stored, and that dealers either could not reproduce the problem or declined to test drive a vehicle of this age. A few complaints tie the symptom to wiring or computer grounds rather than to a single failed part. Mostly reported on vehicles with well over 100,000 miles, though a few appear at much lower mileage.

   What to check: Ask whether the crank sensor, computer and fuel pump have been replaced and whether the stalling persisted afterward. A long test drive at both idle and highway speed, ideally repeated on a warm engine, is worth more than a short lot demo.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My vehicle will stop running while I am driving, the car will begin to shake uncontrollably and then it will completely die. This cause me to try to turn the car over several times till I get it started again and the vehicle will loss power, hesitate when I give it gas. This vehicle is not safe. Especially when I drive on the highway and it begins to shake and will completely shut down. I am afraid for my life, and my daughters.”

   NHTSA complaint #10363819, filed 2010-11, 132,520 miles

   “I own a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee laredo that will start and run fine and then at any time no matter the weather, time, highway or city it will just die. I was nearly in a head on collision this week during a passing situation on a two lane road. I have spent hundreds of dollars on mechanics trying to diagnose and fix the problem to no avail. I have started checking things out on the internet and have discovered that hundreds of other people are having the same problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10224598, filed 2008-04, 144,000 miles
2. 2
   Fuel system

   Fuel gauge reads wrong; sending unit inaccurate

   • 166 complaints (17%)
   • median 86,612 mi at 6.3 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • filed 1997–2020

   Owners describe a gauge that shows a quarter tank or more when the tank is nearly dry, a needle that swings up and down, or a gauge that never worked correctly after replacement. Some complaints describe the vehicle dying of fuel starvation with the gauge still showing fuel, and others describe the tank accepting far more fuel than the gauge suggests. Several owners specifically reference the fuel level sending unit recall and state they were told their vehicle was not covered by it; some paid for the repair themselves before the recall was issued. Reported from roughly 50,000 miles upward, with many cases in the 90,000 to 120,000 mile range.

   Recall 97V194000

   What to check: Run the tank down to about a quarter and compare the gauge against actual fuel added at the pump, and ask whether the sending unit has been replaced. Check the VIN against the fuel level sending unit recall to see whether the work applies.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I purchased this vehicle and noticed the fuel gauge was fluctuating excessively so I check if there were any recalls for this vehicle . When entering vehicles VIN # it states 0 opened recalls for this vehicle, not sure if it was previously repaired. Please help me resolve this issue. Electrical issues were with rear drivers side window constantly gows down on its on every time I started the ignition. Please help. Thank you”

   NHTSA complaint #11363851, filed 2020-10, 188,000 miles

   “While driving fuel gauge showed the wrong fuel level. This could have caused the consumer to run out of gas without warning. The consumer was having the same problem as stated in recall 97v194000. Dealership would not repair vehicle because the VIN number was not included.”

   NHTSA complaint #10044992, filed 2003-10, 92,000 miles
3. 3
   Steering

   Front-end shake at highway speed over bumps

   • 27 complaints (3%)
   • median 135,000 mi at 13.8 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • filed 1997–2016

   Complaints describe the front of the vehicle shaking violently after hitting a bump or expansion joint at highway speed, feeling as though the front end is coming apart and sometimes requiring the driver to slow to about 40 mph before it stops. Owners report the shake returns after replacing the steering damper, and that braking while it happens makes the vehicle hard to control. Related reports describe the steering suddenly going light with a snap or loud noise, traced to a sheared steering box mounting bolt or a broken power steering pump bracket. Generally reported on vehicles above 120,000 miles and triggered by bumps at highway speeds.

   What to check: Drive it at highway speed over a rough stretch and see whether the front end starts to shimmy. Have a shop inspect the steering box mounts, damper, track bar and front-end bushings before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving about 50mph and the front end felt like it was coming apart. Steering wheel shaking bad and wheels felt wobbly. I have had this problem before and noticeably when I hit a bump or pothole at or above 45mph. What scared me the most I was coming up on traffic and had to brake. Braking while the vehicle is wobbly is very scary and feels as if the whole thing is coming apart.”

   NHTSA complaint #10748018, filed 2015-08, 234,000 miles

   “Vehicle driven at 60-65mph on freeway, hit several bumps in road. Vehicle front right end began shaking like had a blown out tire. Took vehicle to dealership, checked out, told steering dampner needed replaced. Replaced dampner. Drove 20 miles, same problem occurred.”

   NHTSA complaint #10036940, filed 2003-08, 121,668 miles
4. 4
   Body and structure

   Rear frame and tank corrosion at recall repair

   • 100 complaints (10%)
   • median 141,501 mi at 17.3 yrs old (21 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2017

   Complaints describe the rear-impact fuel tank recall being difficult to complete: owners report waiting long periods for parts, or being told the repair could not be performed because of corrosion around the rear attachment points and frame rail. Some say the dealer wanted to charge for corrosion repair before installing the recall hardware. The concern described is that the fuel tank can be damaged and leak in a low-speed rear impact. Reported on high-mileage vehicles, mostly above 110,000 miles, often when owners brought the vehicle in for the recall itself.

   Recall 13V2520003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for proof that the rear-impact fuel tank recall was completed, and inspect the rear frame rails and tank mounting area for rust. A service bulletin describes adding a trailer hitch to the rear structure to better manage low-speed impact forces, so ask whether that upgrade was installed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My dealership would not address recall n45 without charging me to fix some corrosion damage. N45 is a safety recall. There's literally no reason why FCA shouldn't pay to fix the vehicle to make it safe again.”

   NHTSA complaint #10872163, filed 2016-06, 115,500 miles

   “The contact owns a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While having the vehicle inspected for NHTSA campaign number: 13v252000 (fuel system, gasoline, structure), the technician noticed that the frame rail was completely corroded. The dealer refused to perform the recall repair. The contact believed this to be a major safety issue. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 145,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10641606, filed 2014-10, 145,000 miles
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Growling rear axle and differential noise

   • 30 complaints (3%)
   • median 95,000 mi at 7.7 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2006

   Owners describe a constant roaring or growling sound from the rear while driving, and in some cases a growl when backing up, leading to replacement of axle bearings and, in one case, the entire rear differential at low mileage. Reports note the noise returning a few thousand miles after bearings were replaced, and that axles then also needed replacement. A related complaint mentions harsh or delayed shifting in cold weather. Reported from around 8,000 to 100,000 miles, with several cases between 55,000 and 96,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Listen for a steady roar from the rear at 40 to 60 mph and ask whether axle bearings or the differential have been rebuilt. A service bulletin on the transmission valve body mentions overdrive cycling, so check that overdrive engages cleanly on a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I am having problems with my 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee,I have read several other owners ,that are having the same problems with cold weather shifting of the transmission and also growling in rear end when backing.however I am convince that this is a company default.please contact me as soon as possible .”

   NHTSA complaint #10007709, filed 2003-02, 95,000 miles

   “Upon accelerating consumer noticed a loud noise coming from under vehicle. Dealership serviced vehicle, and determined differential needed to be replaced at 8,000 miles. The problem returned at 40,000 miles. The consumer found two other incidents where the rear differential failed in the 1998 Grand Cherokee.”

   NHTSA complaint #10057413, filed 2004-02, 8,000 miles

Buying note. With a vehicle of this age, the service history matters more than the odometer: ask specifically about the rear fuel tank recall, the fuel sending unit, and any repeated stalling repairs. A highway test drive that includes bumps and a cold start will surface most of what owners describe here.

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.