1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems & reliability
991 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee, alongside 3 safety recall campaigns. 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.
68 complaints report injuries (89 injured, 5 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles were involved in 50 fatal crashes with 40 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 254 | 26% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 163 | 16% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 150 | 15% |
| Fuel System, Other | 117 | 12% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 81 | 8% |
| Structure | 61 | 6% |
| Electrical System | 56 | 6% |
| Steering | 47 | 5% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 46 | 5% |
| Suspension | 43 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 118,811 miles (middle 50% between 88,000 and 158,000 miles), based on 197 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power, prompting her to attempt to stop the vehicle. After which, with the brake pedal depressed all the way to the floorboard, the vehicle failed to stop, only coming to a…”
Power Train · filed Aug 6, 2024
“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…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Oct 12, 2020
“The horn on my 1997 jeep grand cherokee stopped working a year ago, affecting my ability to warn others of safety issues. Mechanics tell me the horn "button" is embedded in the safety airbag in the steering wheel and can only be fixed by replacing the entire, costly airbag. That can be hundreds of dollars. I believe…”
Unknown OR Other · filed Nov 18, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Crash Related Fuel Tank Fires
Engineering Analysis EA12005 · opened Jun 12, 2012 · closed Nov 14, 2014 · led to recall 13V252000
- Crash Related Fuel Tank Fires
Preliminary Evaluation PE10031 · opened Aug 23, 2010 · closed Jun 14, 2012
- Fuel Storage System Crash Related Fires
Defect Petition DP09005 · opened Nov 6, 2009 · closed Aug 23, 2010
- HOOD LATCH FAILURE
Engineering Analysis EA02029 · opened Oct 16, 2002 · closed Feb 10, 2004
- HOOD LATCH
Preliminary Evaluation PE02045 · opened May 17, 2002 · closed Oct 16, 2002
- ROLL-AWAY IN REVERSE WHEN PARKED
Engineering Analysis EA01017 · opened Nov 1, 2001 · closed Dec 18, 2002 · led to recall 02V053000
- INADVERTENT ROLLAWAY IN REVERSE PARK
Preliminary Evaluation PE01021 · opened Jun 28, 2001 · closed Nov 1, 2001
Technical service bulletins
105 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The 10 most recent:
Charging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin discusses using the correct test equipment for testing batteries and charging systems, and also warranty reimbursement when battery…
08-049-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 22, 2020
Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.
3100519 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.
3100319 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.
3100619 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.
31-005-19 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.
31-003-19 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.
31-006-19 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Valve Body. These may cause over drive cycling.
R2118796A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 26, 2016
Child Seat Tether Anchor Installation This bulletin describes procedures to install Child Seat Tether Anchors based on Customer Request. Retrofits are subject to part availability. Vehicles in the following list that…
23-014-15 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 23, 2015
Towing Capacity For Vehicles Modified With N45 Or N46 Trailer-Hitch Assembly This bulletin specifies the approved tow rating for vehicles not equipped with trailer tow package that have received a trailer-hitch assembly…
1300214 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 18, 2014
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
The 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
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 1997 Jeep Grand 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.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 118,811 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.