Jeep Grand Cherokee

bo_chung

I am new to this board and DC products in general. I am picking up my '03 GC Laredo tomorrow. Can anyone explain to me the differences between Selec-Trac, Quadra-Trac and Quadra-Drive? I belive I am getting on equipped with Quadra-Trac. Thanks in advance.

jimlyon1

http://www.jeepz.com/Glossary-kop-listletter-letter-Q.html

bo_chung

Thanks. That's a nice website.

daviward

I have a 1999 JGC with 25K miles.
I parked the car under a tree to avoid hail damage and a tree limb fell off and neatly broke off the drivers side external mirror. This is a LTD elctric with heat. I found a replacement at a wrecker for $35. Jeep wanted $325! Have also seen them for sale on eBay.

Re transmission noises. I have had a recurring clunk at low speed and ALSO a whine at high speed.
Dealer replaced drive shaft and was much better BUT I have driven Range Rovers, Nissan Patrols, Toyota Landcruisers - they ALL whined. Its a combination of the extra drive train componenets and sometimes the heavy tyre treads too.
Mine is pretty good now.
The diff clunk has been fixed but seems to be a JGC trait too.

daviward

Some of you may/may not know that the transmission is the same for 99-02 JGC. However the 5speed transmission introduced into JGC in 2000/2001 is actually available to you just by having a "flash" applied to the electronic transmission. Gives you slightly better fuel economy. So if you haven't had this done automatically by your dealer, drop by and see if he will do it for you.

jimwei

I went to see a 97 JGC today. It's limited, 4wd, V8. Got just about every option except for the Cd changer and mud flap. Up Country Suspension is in there. It's got 150K miles, but judging by the look, it looks like 50K vehicle. Drives great, smooth. New brakes. The water pump was recently replaced. Nothing else appears to be wrong. Was recently checked Jeep Dealer and no problems were discovered.

The thing I had to ask, am I crazy considering a 150K Jeep? The price is great. If I do get it, what should I expect to fix in the near future?

Also, what kind of mileage do you get with this truck?

Thanks,

sebring95

The V8's are great motors and 150K wouldn't worry me if it's had oil changes and not had the crap run out of it. The condition of the vehicle usually corresponds with how well the engine has been cared for. The tranny could be a problem spot and that could cost you a couple grand to have properly rebuilt by a good tranny shop. The other things are rather typical to any other vehicle with a lot of "luxury" options. Power seats, auto-climate controls, etc can be expensive to fix. If you realize there are going to be repairs that have to be made to keep the vehicle like it is now, there's no reason not to buy it. Your either going to pay more for a new vehicle with warranty or buy this one and spend money on repairs. There's also the chance you could drive the thing for quite awhile without doing much of anything, but be prepared anyway. If I drove average miles and had time to spend dealing with the occasional repair, I'd buy something like that in a heart-beat.

Mileage wise, your should see 15 in the city and 17 or so on the highway. That's in the allpark of any SUV with a decent sized motor. I see very little difference in mpg between SUV/Trucks regardless of size. 1-2mpg at most usually.

daviward

I have a 99 JGC 25K miles and since the first 100 were completed it has hovered at an avg 15.1 MPG continuously. We are in Dallas/ Ft Worth so we do quite a bit of high speed, longer trip driving. A bottle of milk is a 5 mile drive!
I recently did a trip to Florida and also Branson for Camp Jeep. MPG improved dramatically to 15.2 MPG!
By the way, if you haven't ever gone to Camp Jeep - Do It! My first time was this year and its fantastic. $289 for 5 people for 3 days. It was extremely well organized, lots of activities for all ages..my 3 kids are 8,10 & 12 and were flat out the entire time. Signup for a JGC roundtable. The one I attended had engineer reps from all the divisions of Chrysler Jeep: Engines, Design, Interiors, Body etc. They spent an hour asking US for feedback, gripes, design wishes..and it turned out the German accented man on my right hand side was the CEO of Daimler Chrysler!
They have already tested a JGC with a 2.5 Ltr Mercedes Diesel in it..gave 25% better fuel economy!
So if you want to improve your Jeep go to Camp Jeep! It also gives you plenty of chance to drive the JGC (a factory model) through some real off road challenges and see for yourself how it handles it.
We will be there next year for sure!

erickpl

Is this 5 speed you are referring to the one with basically 2 second gears, one for accelerating and one for decelerating / downhill control?

Gears
1
2a accelerate
2b braking/descent control
D
Overdrive

-Paul

tidester

Welcome aboard! I am sure the "oldtimers" will be more than happy to help out!

tidester, host

stever

Y'all (I spent a lot of time in the Deep South myself <g>) should check out the Child Seats that Fit discussion too.

Steve, Host

evaddave

According to the info on my '02 JGC, here are the gears in the 5 speed tranny:

Gears (ratio)
1 (3:1)
2a upshift (1.67:1)
2b kickdown (1.5:1)
D (1:1)
OD1 (0.75:1)
OD2 (0.67:1)

That's right, two overdrive gears and six different gear ratios. Interestingly enough, pushing the OD OFF switch will cause the transmission to stop at D, circumventing both overdrives.

-Dave

livetodrive

I use the OD off button to downshift, especially when exiting highways. It saves wear on the brakes and is also more enjoyable than stepping on the brake pedal.

redsx1

Hi everyone! Well, I previously leased a 1997 JGC Limited and just last nite came back to the fold with the lease of a 2003 JGC Laredo--I paid the following:

$335.83 per month (includes MA tax, plates, registration)
39 months
12,000 miles per year
$848 due at lease signing

As is always the case I am wondering if I got ripped off--anyone that has leased care to comment if I got a "good deal" or not!! Thanks in advance I appreciate it--it is nice to be Jeep-guy again!

REDSX1

erickpl

I just replaced my brakes for the first time. My 2000 JGC Limited has 63,000 and I just did them. Very slight warping of rotor, but not enough to warrant milling them.

Even with the new brakes, the pedal is a bit mushy and if I pump the brakes, the brake itself sounds a bit funny. Any idea what might cause that and help return the quicker braking?

-Paul

jrparker

I have the above model with 86,000 miles. I purchased the vehicle new and have pampered it since day one. My transmission just went out and my mechanic said, "that's the Jeep tranny, I've rebuilt 4 already this year".

I have done some investigating and found 5 other people whose tranny has given out, one as early as 30k miles!

Is there anything out there whereby I can recoup some of my loss from Jeep-- settlements, buybacks, etc.

kupper25

I would like to get some comments on tire wear for I6's with Selec-trac that are run almost exclusively on highways in 2WD. Which are the drive tires in 2WD? Fronts or rears? My assumption is that the fronts wear out more quickly than the rears. Also, what about the wear differential between the driver side front and passenger side front tires? Is there usually greater wear on the passenger side?

As to tire rotation, I see that the 99 Laredo owner's manual only shows rotating front to back on the same side, no forward cross option. What tire rotation systems are you using out there for four tires and with what success? Also how often are you doing your tire rotations?

Would appreciate any tips you can give on this, thanks.

kkulig

Transmission failures were fairly common on 93-95's and at best, DC replaced these with rebuilt transmissions if they failed within the warranty period.

What luck did the 5 people you found with failures have with DC? That should give you some idea of what to expect in your case.

With 86K+ miles on your vehicle, I'm doubtful that DC will do anything in your case. Too much time and too many miles. They can make a case for "normal wear and tear" as it's not unheard of for any transmission to fail with that mileage. It certainly doesn't hurt to call DC and ask though. Good luck.

kkulig

I can't speak for tire wear on the I6 with Selec-Trac. I've had 4 JGC's with the V8 and either Quadra-Trac or Quadra-Drive.

Running Selec-Trac in 2WD drives the rear wheels.

Maybe I'm lucky, but I've never had a problem with excessive tire wear between F/R or S/S. Tire wear has been about as equal as I could expect between all 4 tires. I've gotten very good life from the tires on all my JGC's.

I rotate tires F/R (same side) at least every 7.5K miles. I rebalance the tires every other rotation, or at least every 15K miles. I've never believed in cross-rotation, even though the tire manufacturer's say it's okay to do this.

I also run 40 psi tire pressure at the recommendation of a relative who's a front-end alignment specialist. It does make for a slightly harsher ride, but it has also made a dramatic difference in tire life because it helps the tire wear more evenly across the entire face of the tread. Whether you choose to try this is your decision, but regardless, regularly checking and keeping your tires at the proper pressure is very important.

Noticing excessive tire wear on the front, or different wear patterns between the front tires can be indicative of a front-end alignment or drive train problem.

sailor16

I went through tires every 40,000KMS(about 24,000 miles) on my '98 V8 with Quadra-Trac on .I know that fairly frequent alignments didn't seem to help the rapid tire wear issue. I also remember several occasions when the alignment turned up front end problems that had to be fixed before the alignment could be completed. Recently I read somewhere in these forums something to the effect that older JGC's didn't have adjustments for camber or castor on their ball joints? While I'm no expert,I wonder if this design feature might have had something to do with what I considered premature tire wear? BTW-I just returned my leased '98 after 4 years(I got it as a leftover in the Fall of'98)with 115,000kms(approx. 68,000 miles) on the clock. The third set of tires just barely passed the lease return inspection.

erickpl

I got a flat on a tire (through the sidewall) and had to replace it. The other three tires have worn about 20%. Is there a way I can accelerate the weardown on the new tire or slow down the wear on the other three? Kkulig's post gave me an idea...

Could I boot the tire pressure on the old ones to 40 psi, then reduce the new tire to about 30-35?

Any thoughts on if this would work or even be safe?

-Paul

sandyrich

I purchased my 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo (six cylinder) new in October 1998. This was my fourth Jeep (CJ7, Wrangler, Cherokee and then this Grand Cherokee) and my ownership experience with the brand had been positive. Unfortunately, this has not been the case with this vehicle. I have spent over $9,300 on repairs alone. This does not include just under $4,000 of regular maintenance. I have driven this vehicle a lot of miles (for owning it only four years) traveling around the United States and Canada. It has approx 114,000 miles. All of my problems occurred after 46,000 miles. They included having to replace the rear differential bearings twice and the entire engine once. Other repairs included steering tie rods, oil leaks with transmission and transfer case seals, a door module switch that controlled the power window and other miscellaneous items. I will continue to own it because the new engine has a three year, 36000 mile warranty. However,I would not recommend purchasing a 1998 or earlier Jeep Grand Cherokee.

kkulig

Paul, I don't think that would be very safe to have one tire at a different pressure in hopes of wearing it down to the other three. You could have handling issues that may not appear until you need to make some kind of emergency avoidance manuever. That wouldn't be the time to find that out. Doing this may also create excess or unusual tire wear on any of the three originals.

If your original three tires only have about 20% wear, then I'd suggest using your spare (assuming it's still new) along with the new tire. Put them both on the front. If you then run a few more miles than normal before a tire rotation, you should see fairly even tire wear between all four tires. It would also be safer.

erickpl

That is a good idea about the spare. I hadn't thought of the simple solution. Guess I always look for the wierd ones. Happens when you work with computers sometimes!

-Paul

sebring95

try www.jeepsunlimited.com You can get those power numbers but it will take lots of $$$. Of course adding that much HP to any motor is going to cost. The 4.7L V8 is a lot more powerful and it might cost you less to just sell the 4.0L and buy one with the V8. You gas mileage won't change much if at all.

celiapms

My 18 yr. old son wants me to buy him a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ltd. It is clean and my niece who owns it says she's never had any problems with it. It has 170,000 miles on it. Supposedly highway miles. She's asking $5,000 for it which is good from what I've seen, but I've heard from many guys where I work that I shouldn't buy it because of transmission problems,etc. Most say do not buy a Chrysler product, period. Many tell stories and name names of friends who've had repeated problems from these vehicles. Any input is appreciated. Son is driving me crazy. I don't want him stuck with a piece of junk.

sebring95

What $5,000 SUV are you going to buy that might be better? Knowing it's had a trouble free past is a good thing. A $5,000 car would certainly be a better idea because you're going to get something with a fraction of the miles.

98jettavr6

I have a '99 JGC Ltd.
My gear selector area - transmission shifters between the two front seats - no longer illuminates when I turn on the headlights. All of the other intereior lights work.

Can anyone provide directions on how to get to this bulb, or reference an Internet site where I may find the directions? I've already checked on a couple JGC enthusiasts sites, but have had no luck.

Thanks.

chicagoland

The Hummer H2 features angles of 41.7 degrees and the new Range Rover has a 35-degree approach, 30-degree departure. The Grand Cherokee provides an approach angle of 36.7 degrees and a departure angle of 28.6 degrees. The Cayenne is even better! Remember the Cayenne has fully controllable differential lock and up to 10.75 of ground clearance!

IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE!

Chicagoland

chicagoland

The Cayenne is a capable off-roader with lockable differentials and a low-ratio gear set to add to its full-time four-wheel drive. It can ascend or descend hills as steep as 45 degrees, and lean more than 35 degrees without threatening to fall over. Yet it is also intended to feel sporty and Porsche-like on the road despite its high build, helped by height-adjustable pneumatic suspension.

Chicagoland
'02 Volvo V70
'02 MB S-Class

gregoryc1

DO NOT PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE! --My wife and I leased one of these vehicles, and it was the "VEHICLE FROM HELL"! (Electrical problems, drive train problems, and brake rotor problems)-----Just my opinion. ----Greg

cacorona

Does anyone know if Jepp plans to continue the rebate/special financing after 12/4?

Has anyone bought a jeep through Carmax - can you give me some details about the experience, whether is was a good deal, etc.

tloke1

"DO NOT PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE!..."

Really? I had a friend who owned a 1996 Ford Explorer and he had a ton of problems with it - does that mean no one else should buy a 1996 Explorer?

ronald15

Just leased a 2003 JGC LAREDO with a sticker price of $29,795 for $349 sign and drive. 39 Mo with 12K. So it looks like you got a good deal.

stevejeep

I'll be replacing the front disc pads in my 2001 JGC. Does anyone know what tool is needed to remove the caliper slide pins? I looked at them and they look like they're hex heads but I can't determine the size. Also, what is a good lubricant to use on the slide pins. All response appreciated. Thanks

heng

Get the special stuff from your auto parts store. Comes in a tube, less than $5. Its a high temperature lubricant. Anything else will bake dry in short order.

wlbrown9

I changed my front pads on a '00 Laredo a couple of months ago (went with ceramic pads for less dust). I don't remember having to remove the slide pins. They slide back out into their covered little slide tube. The cover on the end of these slide tubes just pops off and you can load that up with the lubricant. (I first got two of the tiny packets of brake lube at Autozone, 99 cents each. Finally got a 5-6 ounce bottle at Napa for less than $4...much better deal unless you are an expert and don't waste any.)

You will need some type of clamp to force the caliper pistons back in. The pad attaches to them pistons loosely with 3 metal prongs that pop into the center of the piston. I had real trouble understanding exactly how the pads fit back in and finally got the hang of it...they kind of look like they will not quite go back in then when you get them just right, they kind of pop back into where they go. On mine the metal prongs did not quite want to stay down in the piston hole until I finally just kind of got the pads kind of where they go and then popped the caliper/pad assembly back where it goes. Then bolted it back on.

Speaking of bolts...that was one of the problems I had. Ended up investing in a 1/2" socket x 18" breaker bar when I replaced rotors after about 15,000 miles. The 2 bolts that hold the caliper on were extremely tight and there is not a whole lot of room to work in...If you have air tools, it should not be a problem.

How many miles do you have on your 2001? Have you had any problems with rotors or do you just need to change pads? Mine had about 37,000 miles and after I got the pads off, I realized that I still had at least 15,000 miles left before even getting close to metal-metal but decided to go ahead and change them due to the dust issue. There is a TSB for '99-'02 Grand Cherokee that may entitle you to replacement of rotors, calipers & pads. TSB 0500302 more details at:

http://www.wjjeeps.com/tsb.htm#2001

quikls

Has anyone had any problems with the built-in garage door opener? I have a 2001 GJC and typically park it about 30 feet from the garage door. Sometimes it works fine, and other times I have to pull up closer before it will work. Dealer looked at it once and came back with the standard "well, it tests out fine" yada yada. For what it's worth, my other car's built-in garage door opener will open the thing from 200 yards away from the house, so it seems to be either a malfunction in the transmitter in the Jeep or perhaps a design limitation/flaw.

Any input or similar experiences? Thanks...

dlcleav

I also have experienced the garage door opener on my '02 Overland working intermittently. I have a "rolling code" garage opener that works fine with other cars in the family. The strange thing is the Jeep device seems to work best when approaching the garage from the south. I can open usually 40-50' away but if approached from the north, I have to drive right up to the door and then must push the opener numerous times to get the door to come up. I have not been into service yet to hear their story.

oxx93

I have an 02 LTD. and have noticed that the same thing. I have also noticed that the key fobs do not work as well(need to be closer to the vehicle) and that the heated seats are either very hot(on HI setting), or you hardly feel anything(on LOW setting). We had a 99 previous to this and these are the three things that we really notice a difference with. It seems "cheaper" to us--if that's a word. The vehicle runs fine and we have not had any problems, it's just little things that we have noticed.

laxmom

Notice the time on the message? I've been up since 4am (EST) trying to figure out the right decision. Last night, went to look at a 99 Laredo. Nice. 41K miles. Right now, I own a '02 Explorer Ltd. I'm sure your asking why would I trade - long story short, put the kids (2)in private school, need (2) vehicles instead of one. (The other vehicle we're purchasing does not apply to this message board)

Dealer is offering to pay off the Expl. and priced the JGC at 15,500. Read mostly all messages on the board. Considering the tranny problems, warped rotors, etc., seems like 99 was the beginning of the problems - should I look at an 00 or 01? Did they correct some of the problems in the later models? Would the problems described have already shown up since it the vehicle has 41K miles on it? Is the dealer offer fair? Edmunds price is 13K. You guys seem really great at responding to everyone, I hope I have the same success. Thanks in advance. KKulig---looking for your input too!!

quikls

I guess there's not much you can do about the Garage Door opener problem. I have no idea how one would increase the power output of the transmitter, but I'm 99% convinced that's what it needs to work better.

Regarding the heated seats, hi being too high and low being too low, I agree. I wonder if there would be a way to rig it to limit the power that the heat elements receive (adding resistors somewhere, etc).

On the key fobs, I've had the same frustration as well. We had a '98 Explorer before this vehicle and let me tell you, when you pressed the key fob the door unlocked instantly. You pressed it twice and they all unlocked instantly. No delay, worked perfect every time. There seems to be a delay on the Jeep, and that's frustrating sometimes. I've noticed the same problem with the Lincoln LS (my car; the Jeep belongs to the wife).

I suspect that perhaps the key fob and the garage door problem could be due to some kind of recently increased government restriction on power output of radio devices on cars. Why else would they reduce the power output?

Anyone know if this is/could be the reason? Any electrical tinkerers, engineers, or master mechanics out there have any ideas or comments? Does anyone know of any discussion boards where people who might know how these items work hang out?

quikls

Laxmom,

I've no idea what's a good price, but I can tell you that my 2001 ltd had the rotor problem and has been fixed by the dealer once, prior to my finding that the best fix is aftermarket rotors. If and when the problem comes back, I will install aftermarket rotors myself. And, I'm sure that any competent brake mechanic could do it for you for a reasonable price.

Luckily, I've never had tranny problems.

In general, your plan to sell your brand new '02 for a used '99 seems like a waste, since you've already taken the initial hit (I assume you bought it new). So, it sounds like you're just trying to lower your payment. If it's feasible, consider keeping the Explorer and just buying the best you can on the 2nd car.

Also, in my experience, Edmunds price on a used vehicle means nothing because is does not take market conditions into consideration. That's how I got screwed when I traded in my '98 Explorer; the best I could do was about $4-5K less than I expected based on Edmunds price.

Another thing, does the 99 have an extended warranty? Based on my experience (which may or may not be typical), I would probably not buy a used Jeep without a warranty on it.

If you have time this morning, you might try calling Ed Wallace's radio show. He's in Dallas, TX, Saturday mornings, from 8-1. He's good at analyzing your situation and helping you determine a good plan of action. You can listen to him on the web at www.klif.com, and you can call him at 1-800-583-1570.

Good luck!

cam408

I'm looking at a 2000 GCL and Carmax, 23k miles and asking $18,000. I'd appreciate if you can tell me if this is a good deal. After reading many of the messages posted, I'm concerned about this purchase. Opinions?

deejay16

I have a 2000 JGC Laredo. My lease is up in May of 2003. My front brakes have recently started to squeek when stopping. My concerne is whether or not I can make it the six months and 6,000 miles until my lease is up. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

janz

is not necessarily an indication of a problem in my experience. Last time I had my 1999 JGC serviced, I had a brake squeek that resolved itself after a couple of weeks. There was some wear on the pads, but no need for a brake service of any kind at the time.

What you want to watch for is the thump, thump of warped rotors when you apply the brake. If you have not yet had your rotors (or brakes serviced) and find this is happening, have them looked at. The TSB recall on the rotors should help make sure the dealer is aware. When I had mine services after the brake warranty (18K mi?), I had to pay for a small portion, but the rotors and brackets were covered. If you find this is happening, I would check it our sooner rather than later it WILL get worse.

Sounds like you need to have them evaluated by a shop or two to see if they will require service sooner rather than later.

erickpl

The squeak can be one of two things:

Glazing on the pads - nothing you can really do about it except maintenance, not a big deal
You are rubbing the part of the brake that tells you it is time to replace. Just take a wheel off (front would be best I think) and see how much pad is left. You should see the metallic wear indicators. If there is a gap there, then it is probably just glazing. If not, you may want to replace them yesterday.

-Paul

darionlow

Hi guys, thanks so much to everyone posting on the boards, it's so helpful. I was just wondering, I'm looking into buying a 2000 JGC Laredo 4WD from a person, not a dealer, and wondering if this is a good deal. Stats:
Leather/auto,power everything/ABS/10 disc changer/premium audio/tow package.
It's got 34k miles and he's asking 17,500. The KBB on this is a bit higher (18,100) so it seems like a good deal...? I'm going to check it out today. Oh, and I did a carfax on it and it came up totally clean.
Any help you all could lend would be great.
Thanks,
Darion

scott1001

Bought right out today, a 2000 JGC Laredo I/L 6 cyl. 4x2, which was a lease return with 27K miles. My brother in law, a Jeep master mechanic, found it for me, and certified it for 8/80000. I have my fingers crossed, because it appears from what your all saying, the transmission and brakes have serious problems.

Being a owner of a 1990 Cherokee Laredo I/L 6 cyl. 4x4 with 185K miles, which I&#146;m now going to give to my daughter, I think the risk is very low. Was always a good, reliable means of transportation, with what I considered to be, a very low maintenance automobile. Cost only a transmission at 140K miles.

Any opinions?? My new JGC really looks so good, and drives like a dream.

From Raleigh, N.C., Scott.

kkulig

laxmom... I seriously think it's a mistake to trade down from an 02 on any older vehicle and that even with the dealer willing to pay off your Explorer, the price is a still a little steep on the 99 JGC. It's your financial situation and your call though.

Personally, I'd stay away from used 93-98 JGC's unless you have access to their service records and are familiar with the problems they're noted for. They have many more serious problems than the 99-03's do.

Carfax, despite what many believe, is not always able to show if a vehicle is/was a lemon. And it does not give a vehicle's service history. You need to read the fine print of this service. There is no national system for identifying lemon vehicles. This is regulated by state, and also whether they choose to share this info. Surprisingly, several states do not share lemon vehicle info even between themselves, much less to commercial third parties like Carfax.

Another loophole used to get out of having to brand a vehicle as a lemon is a manufacturer's buyback. If the manufacturer voluntarily buys the vehicle back (without being ordered to by a court in a lemon lawsuit) the vehicle may not necessarily be considered a lemon in some states and the title may not be branded as such. And a title branded as a "manufacurer's buyback" is every bit as much a lemon, so beware. Most vehicles are taken back this way. This makes it a lot easier for the manufacturer to resell the vehicle at wholesale auction. Many can and do end up being resold out of state this way. So a Carfax search may come up clean when in fact it really isn't.

Case in point... I had a 98 JGC Ltd go back under the lemon law a little over a year after I purchased it new. DC took it back voluntarily and it was handled as a manufacturer's buyback. To this day, I can run the VIN on Carfax and it comes back clean, with no indication that it was a lemon. It makes me sick to think of the poor guy/gal that ended-up with it and what they've probably had to live with.

As for the 99-03 JGC's, they're much improved over their predecessors. The 99 had many "new design" bugs and this was especially true of any 99 built prior to 4-99. After that date, fixes were implemented on the production line and they've improved considerably. I loved my 99 but my 02 (so far) is the best of the 4 I've owned. No complaints yet! I also highly recommend finding a JGC with the Up-Country suspension package. You'll definitely appreciate how much better the vehicle will ride and handle compared to the standard suspension.

While there still are some transmission problems, they aren't breakdown failures like on the earlier JGC's... they're usually shift quality problems related to the PCM computer software that controls the shifting. This is a simple fix by the dealer that involves reflashing the PCM (wiping out its memory and letting it relearn itself) and/or downloading updated PCM software. The problem is simply one of annoyance.

Brake rotor warpage is still a problem on vehicles built prior to 5-02. After that, they've installed redesigned calipers and rotors. My 02 was built just after that date, and so far with 8K miles, not one indication of rotor problems. DC has issued a TSB to install these new parts on 99-02 JGC's. I'm not sure how time/mileage affects free replacement... that's something to find out from your dealer. If yours isn't covered, leave the dealer and simply have any competent brake shop replace the rotors with any decent aftermarket brand and the problem will be solved once and for all. And it's considerably cheaper than having the dealer replace them with potentially defective OEM rotors.

Sure, there are other problems. None are catastrophic part failures, or "horror stories" as so many out here fondly refer to them as. Compared to the same year for any other make/model, you'll probably still find fewer TSB's issued on the JGC.

An excellent site for detailed vehicle info and TSB's on 99-03 JGC's is at http://www.wjjeeps.com

A simple check of the TSB's issued for a particular model year will show you what potential problems you may encounter. If you're buying a used JGC from a dealer that originally sold it new, ask to see the vehicle's service history records. Compare that to the TSB list and you'll see what problems the vehicle has encountered and what's potentially still waiting to happen. Work out some kind of warranty agreement. I don't care what you're buying... all vehicles are prone to problems and are expensive to fix. An extended warranty is always a smart thing to look into, especially on a used vehicle. Only you can decide if the peace of mind is worth that expense.

As for key fob and Homelink transmitter ranges... I can easily unlock the doors on my 02 from 40+ feet away. Sometimes even farther if there's nothing interfering between me and the vehicle. I never encountered Homelink transmitter range problems on my 99 (can't speak for the 02 as I've been too lazy and haven't programmed my garage door opener into it yet).

Buildings, structures, trees, terrain features, etc., can affect the transmitter's signal. Cell phones and radar detectors in your vehicle can too. Not having the door opener antenna properly extended or placed can cause problems. Try making the opener antenna longer by adding several feet of matching gauge wire to the antenna and play around with the placement of it. Even electrical wiring running through your garage roof and/or walls can block a signal from getting through to your opener. For the person who can't get his transmitter to work when approaching from the north... I suspect your problem may be one of the above. )