1986 Jeep Cherokee problems & reliability
21 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1986 Jeep Cherokee. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
3 complaints report injuries (5 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1986 Jeep Cherokee vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 0 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts → | 10 | 48% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 14% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 14% |
| Steering | 2 | 10% |
| Suspension | 2 | 10% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 5% |
| Structure | 1 | 5% |
| Tires | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I bought the car and drove it home on november 13, 2013 with the intentions of making a vehicle to use in the winter for bad weather or very bad snow. Here are issues I face. The speedometer goes crazy once I reach speeds over 35mph. It goes well pass the 85mph mark and back down to 15mph and bounce all between. The…”
Steering · filed May 8, 2014
“While having new tires put on mechanic noticed that back brakes were down to rivets, and will start tearing into the drums. Consumer stated this was why vehicle was leaking brake fluid very badly. Please provide any further information.*ak”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Jul 3, 2001
“In cold weather front driver's seat belt fell apart. Dealer has repaired seat belt twice, but problem has returned. *ak consumer examined pieces in question and found that they contained plastic parts and is questioning how plastic could be strong in the event of an accident. *slc”
Seat Belts · filed Feb 13, 2001
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR
Preliminary Evaluation PE89151 · opened Aug 11, 1989 · closed Dec 11, 1989
- ELEC. REAR WINDOW
Engineering Analysis EA88005 · opened Oct 23, 1987 · closed Mar 28, 1989 · led to recall 87V178000
- FIRES CAUSED BY CLTCH LK
Preliminary Evaluation PE88001 · opened Oct 23, 1987 · closed Jan 28, 1988
Technical service bulletins
3 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1986 Jeep Cherokee.
Subject regarding floor pan corrosion. *slc
2302602 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 10, 2002
Subject on customer satisfaction notification #733--brake pedal shift interlock. *yc
98733 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 1, 1997
Redesigned liftgate latch. *tw
231693 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 1993
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1986 Jeep Cherokee in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1986 Jeep Cherokee?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.