Jeep Grand Cherokee Maintenance and Repair

token · June 2005

Well I've read a lot of these posts and never thought it would happen to me, but my 2005 GCL of 6months is at the dealer for a new torque converter. Worst of all the dealership that I bought it from went out of business. The one that is working on it is trying to play the "you didn't buy it here" card. I should have went with the Toyota, but I did (famous last words) "love" my last Jeep. Live and learn.

kirkwill · June 2005

If you go to www.wjjeeps.com and go to the Headlight section and then to troubleshooting there is a section that tells you what could be the problem and when I took this to the dealer they fixed it right away after having taken it in 5 times for the same thing and them saying they can find anything wrong.

billyoverman · June 2005

I have a 2003 JGC Laredo that I bought brand new 2 years ago this August. About 3 months ago I asked them to take a look at the brakes because the front-end felt like it was about to fall apart from the shaking. When the service team called me at work, they told me the rotors were warped. He told me they would "re-tool" them for about $155. I asked him about the warranty (less than 20K on it) and they said the brakes weren't covered (go figure). I'm taking it back to the shop again tomorrow for the same problem, 3,000 miles later. Can anyone give me some advice so I don't have to pay for the repairs again? My sales person told me it must be the way I'm driving. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Or, does anyone want a 4 Wheel Drive 03' Jeep with low mileage?

jkram · June 2005

Hey token,
I have a 2005 Jeep grand Cherokee limited. I've been complaining for seven months about the drive train. May I ask what are the symptoms....what is yours doing? I've posted many times on this and other forums, and I am still driving it. It is making me crazy! Mine has been bucking and stuttering at constant speed of like 40 to 65 mph. Like the torque converter is locking and unlocking randomly.
jkram

fifth · June 2005

I think Jeep has isssued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) for this issue. It is for the NAG1 transmission(W5A580). The TSB number is 2101105 dated 20041104

fifth · June 2005

I had a 1999 GCL. As I recall, the air ducts had electronic controlled dampers to vary the temperature. I sounds that either the control module for the climate control has failed or you have something going on with the dampers. A damper motor could have failed. It also could be that the plastic air duct has deformed and has jammed the damper in one position.

fifth · June 2005

I have a 2005 Jeep GCL with the 5.7 Hemi. It has the NAG1 German 5 speed automatic in it. Shortly after I got it in Dec 2004, I noticed that at 60 MPH, sometimes the tac would read 2100 RPM and sometimes it would be at about 1750. I took it back to the dealer and after going for a ride with their diagnostic computed hooked up to it, I learned that the transmission does not shift into 5th gear until about 63MPH(100KM in metric). The torque converter also has lock up abilities in 3rd, 4th, and 5th. which made things a little harder to understand but the diagnostic computer clarified what was going on. I felt that it should be shifting into 5th gear at 45-50 like most vehicles do. The dealer was not sure and called Chrysler. They said that my transmissision is operating as designed. At 13MPG, it sure would be nice to have it shift sooner since the Hemi plays with the vehicle but it as it stands, it will spend most of its life in 4th gear. Has anyone else experienced this?

fifth · June 2005

I have a Jeep and an Audi. While I have not have the warped rotor issue on the Jeep, I have had them on every Audi I have owned and the fix is always the same. I go buy aftermarket rotors and put them on and that fixes the problem. The factory rotors even if replaced warp fairly soon but the after market ones work. Rotors for the Jeep are not that expensive and for 155 dollars, you should have gotten new rotors and not just resurface the existing ones.

jmt76 · June 2005

It's really niether. The coolant sensor plugs into the coolant reservoir. It measures the amount of coolant passing thru your system. You can pick a new one up for about $5.00 at the auto parts store or dealership and it'll take about five minutes to change.

don23 · June 2005

I have had this vehicle for 7+ years and have had to replace the ignition coil on a regular basis. It started out every 6-8 months and has gotten worse. Changed two today! My wife can even do it now. We carry at least one spare at all times. It was running real bad at 1900- 2100 rpms. Changed wires, distributor, plugs, etc and thought I had it. Wrong! This is a 5.2 liter and a snapon scanner shows no codes but a big analyzer indicates low spark from the coil. I have had numerous suggestions, anybody got an idea?

lovetheburg · June 2005

It is not the way you drive. I have a 2004 GJL, I put a lot of miles on my car, have 46,000, and my car is in the shop today, same thing, felt like the front was going to fall off. New rotors, some leaky something in the axel. My car is well maintained and serviced faithfully, funny how this was not seen last oil change. Guess I will be paying for this one on my visa, so much for the vacation fund. I think I am going to purchase a Ford Focus and this baby is going to sit Also, lady who sits near me at work, same thing with her Jeep, so don't let them play stupid.

token · June 2005

Hey jkram,

What got me to take it in to the shop was the engine light coming on and it wouldn't go off. I had acclerating problems also, and when I made a hard stop I could feel something rolling (like a heavy barrel) and hitting (boom!). When I was riding in the car with the rental car guy (who I thought worked for Jeep) he said, "I've never heard them describe a car like that" and I said "what do you mean?" and he said "undriveable". I'm glad I went in when I did and not try to travel over the holiday weekend like I had planned.

wlbrown9 · June 2005

I had a '00 Laredo 2wd (also had a '99 almost identical). Rotors warped on the front on both...before the TSB came out. Jeep service refused to replace the rotors under warranty at about 17,000 miles on the '00. I ended up getting replacement rotors from AutoZone for less that $100 for the set that lasted the next 50,000 or so miles until I replaced it with at NON D/C vehicle. These aftermarket rotors did warp when a caliper stuck and heated them up...burned my finger on the wheel they were so hot. Once they cooled down and I got the caliper pins lubed, the rotors un-warped and were fine. The TSB for the brakes 99-02 can be found at http://www.wjjeeps.com/tsb_list.htm#0500302b and might help your case, expecially since you already paid them $155 (they only wanted $90 to turn my rotors 3-4 years ago.

wheeler7676 · June 2005

Sounds like the viscous coupler in the transfer case is bad.
Your year and mileage are about right for this to be suspect.
This is not a cheap fix, ~$900 for rebuilt unit with new VC
(per transfercases.com), so you may want to take it to a
shop that specializes in 4WD for a diagnosis first. If this
is the problem, you need to fix it soon or it will cause wear
on the other drivetrain/steering components, thus complicating
repair.

(The viscous coupler is what allows the front and rear wheels
to turn at different rates when you are making tight turns.)

billyoverman · June 2005

Well, lovetheburg, I just hung up the phone with the service consultant at my dealer who tells me my Cherokee is ready to be picked up. They replaced the rotors, pads, and shoes at no charge. He said there was a service bulletin out for that problem. I asked about a refund on the work from 3 months ago, and he said no. We'll see when I get up there and raise heck about it.

Good Luck! Maybe I need to go by a GMC at the "employee discount"

jkram · June 2005

Wow, I never heard of that happening. I've been hearing mostly stumbling and hesitations, and other things. I hope everything turns out allright. Please post what they did to fix it when they do.
Thanks, jkram

scott26 · June 2005

How hard is it to work on a 98 Jeep Grand Cherokees rear and front differentials, (ie Carrier, Spider Gears). Is that something that I can do on my own, or should it be left to a proffesional?? Thanks!!!

paule · June 2005

I think the tricky thing is setting the gearlash?
I'm fairly competent from a mechanical standpoint but I left that one up to the dealer. Mine was a '98 also.

2ejohnson · July 2005

I have tried just about everything...water pump, Thermostat, flushing the system, change hoses, changed coolant and sensor. STILL overheating. Please, does anyone have any answers!!!

eric091572 · July 2005

I saw this about the fan recently issued -- maybe you have this issue???

07-002-05 HYDRAULIC RADIATOR COOLING FAN SYSTEM DIAGNOSTIC CHECK CHART AID

Date: 06/25/05

Model year(s): 2005

Description: The 5.7L hydraulic cooling fan is integral to the fan shroud and is located between the radiator and the engine.

The power steering pump supplies the hydraulic fluid and pressure to rotate the cooling fan blade, while the electrical part of the fan is controlled by the Front Control Module (FCM).

The hydraulic fan drive (motor) consists of the three major following components:

* Steering flow control valve
* Fan control valve
* Two stage G-rotor hydraulic drive

The hydraulic fan and drive is not serviceable, except for the fan motor solenoid. Therefore any failure of the fan blade, hydraulic fan drive (except solenoid) or fan shroud requires replacement of the fan module. Because the fan blade and hydraulic fan drive are matched and balanced as an assembly and servicing either separately would disrupt this balance.

CAUTION: Do not attempt to service the hydraulic cooling fan or fan drive separately, they are serviced as an assembly. Failure to do so may cause severe damage to the hydraulic cooling fan assembly.

Operation: The hydraulic radiator cooling fan used on the 5.7L gasoline and 3.0L diesel engines replaces both the electric fan and the engine driven mechanical fan. This provides 5.7L and 3.0L equipped vehicles with heavy trailer towing capability while at the same time reducing unnecessary power drain on both the engine and the vehicles electrical system.

Hydraulic fan strategy: The hydraulic radiator cooling fan is controlled by the Front Control Module (FCM). A Pulse With Modulated (PWM) signal from the FCM controls the fan speed. There are three inputs to the FCM that determine what percentage of fan speed is required by the vehicle. These inputs are:

* Engine Coolant Temperature
* Transmission Oil Temperature
* A/C System Pressure

By monitoring the desired operating parameters for these three inputs, the FCM can determine if cooling airflow is required. If airflow is required, the FCM will slowly speed up the fan until the parameter(s) are under control. Once the temperature or pressure is reduced to within operating parameters the fan will speed up, slow down, or hold its speed to maintain the temperature/pressure requirements.

NOTE: Even if the FCM is not requesting fan on operation, the fan blade will usually spin between 100 and 500 RPM when the vehicle is at idle.

Activating the hydraulic fan with the scan tool (starscan®): Under the Engine Systems test heading, there is a subheading. Hydraulic fan solenoid test, that has the selections, on/off. Activating the fan with the StarSCAN® will run the fan at 100% duty cycle, which will help troubleshoot any system problems, and also help with the hydraulic system deaeration procedure.

NOTE: Engine must be running to activate the fan with the StarSCAN®.

Radiator cooling fan hydraulic fluid path: Hydraulic fluid is pumped by the power steering pump though a high pressure delivery line to the fan drive motor. As fluid is diverted through one or both G-rotor stages, rotational motion is created as fluid moves from the high-pressure (inlet) side of the motor to the lower-pressure (high pressure outlet) side. Fluid exiting the drive motor is divided into two paths. In path one, fluid continues through a high pressure delivery line to the vehicle steering gear to provide steering assist. This fluid then exits the steering gear under low pressure and travels through a low pressure line to the power steering fluid cooler to be cooled before being returned back to the power steering fluid reservoir. In path two, excess fluid travels through a low pressure line back to the power steering pump fluid reservoir.

NOTE: There is a steering flow control valve located in the fan drive motor. This valve operates like the flow control valve found in the typical power steering pump. A failed pump and/or fan drive can produce contamination that may cause the steering flow control valve to stick.

fsmith · July 2005

I have a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee (Rocky Mountain edition) with the 4.7 engine. I bought it in May and have driven it 3,400 miles. I will take it back to the dealer next week for the fourth time since the beginning of June. The vehicle hesitates/stutters/bucks at speeds from 40 to 65mph. The problem is more noticeable from 40-50 and around 65. The service department is saying that they cannot detect the problem on their computers. They did find problems with two of the spark plugs and changed them. Unfortunately that did not fix the problem. Several of the service people have driven it and confirmed the malfunction. Twice they've told me it was fixed only to have to bring it back. They said they would get Chrysler involved when I take it in next week.

This is extremely frustrating.

fsmith

jkram · July 2005

Yeh, you got the problem. I've had mine since Dec. 2004. They have not fixed it yet. I am a Jeep enthusiast, and I hate to give up on Jeeps. But believe me when I say, I have lost many a nights sleep over this. I have been told they are working on it. I am going to wait one more week. I have only put 2,400 miles on it because it is REAL anoying to drive.
If you know how to get the build date off the door sticker I would love to know the date. Mine was built on Nov.10, 2004. One of the first 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokees built. The Rockys are pretty recent.

rsoto · July 2005

some times it starts right up but I've noticed that when its hot it will just turn over and over. wait 10 or 15 min and she starts right up...HELP, in El Paso

fsmith · July 2005

Mine was built in March 2005. The main reason I've put 3,400 miles on it is because I live in Dallas/Fort Worth and my commute to work is quite a distance. The more I drive it the more frustrasted I get. I traded a 2001 Jeep Wrangler for this one and never had a problem with it. I'm hoping something positive will happen next week. However, I've also checked out the Texas Lemon Law and may eventually have to go that route if I cannot get it fixed. Are they also telling you that they cannot detect a problem on their computers?

stever · July 2005

Check out the "No Start" Problems discussion while waiting for responses in here.

Steve, Host

paule · July 2005

Sounds like a fuel problem.
I replaced the fuel pump on my '98 when it started to take longer to turn over and I have never had a problem since.
Your options are to hook up a fuel pressure gauge and check it when you have that problem or just replace it.
I did it myself so it wasn't that expensive. It was a bit of a pain though since the fuel pump is in the tank so you have to drop the tank to get to it.

jkram · July 2005

Yes, there is no DTC's stored in the computer from this problem. I am a mechanic for heavy equipment, so I know enough about it. I know quite a few people with the same complaint. I just got back from a ride and I will agree, it is frustrating. I have the Hemi and at first we thought only Hemis have the problem, but the 4.7 v8 can too because people are posting on the Internet. Thanks for the build date info.

bobbyvee007 · July 2005

hes my problem my interior lights go on when i shut off the car when i start the car the lights go off i have to pulled the fuse so my battery does not go dead seems like something is sending a signal to the light mod to keep them on
this problem seem to start after we had rain in ny here for a few nites

some 1 else here had that problem looking to find the light mod and the security mod the location
any help on this would be great
check all the door jams swithes they are ok
thanks
Bobby nyc

kengaroo1 · July 2005

Have a 94 Grand Cherokee, 4.0 with an auto tranny. Has been fairly problem free till a month ago. It cuts out or "misses" at rpm higher than 1600 during the period it takes the engine to completely warm up, especially the mornings. After warm up, around 10-15 minutes of driving, it runs fine unless the rpms are over or around 2700-3000, and it will "sometimes" miss or cut out then. 3 repair shops have not figured it out. Any clues?? Replaced the crank sensor 3 days before the probelm started to occur. Shops replaced cam sensor and fuel filter, cleaned and drained entire fuel system. Never stalls, or misses at idle or up to 1500 rpm. Does seem to be getting worse, in the fact it is missing or cutting out even after warm up phase now. Also replaced plugs, wires, rotor, and dist. cap.

godhelm · July 2005

I had the same problem. They diagnosed sludge in the oil and took the oil pan off, replaced the oil pump, oil screen, sending unit, and flushed out. This all cost me $900. You may be able to get the job done cheaper if you shop around but, if you have sludge, it needs cleaning out. Let me know how you get on.

godhelm · July 2005

My 1996 JGC (105,000 miles) has been a great drive and ride up until the past year or so. Past 90,000 miles it began to develop a vibration that has been getting progressively worse. It can be felt through the steering wheel and sometimes through the seats. It occurs when standing still and idling as well as when driving on the highway. It is worse in drive than in park and disappears when in neutral. It is much less pronounced on smooth road surfaces. One Jeep specialist told me that it's not bad enough to bother to chase down, but it's probably a worn engine mount. Replacing two engine mounts and one transmission mount (while the engine is lifted) would cost an estimated $350 to $400. This Jeep ran like a dream before this problem developed and still runs and drives well, in spite of the age and mileage. I'd like to get the vibration fixed and keep this vehicle another year or two. Does anyone have any experience with this kind of vibration and suggestions about a solution?

tap2 · July 2005

I have a 1994 JGC Laredo that stalls...as if I hit a kill switch...happens at idle or 60 miles an hour. It usually starts right back up but obviously this is annoying and hazardous. I have replaced the distributor, plugs, and wires but none of those solved the problem. Any ideas?

mcatarsney · July 2005

My 98 Grand is driving me crazy I replaced 4 ball joints and front cv boots on drive shafts then the problems started my front diff carrier bearings went so I replaced them too I got the diff set by a jeep mechanic but both front and back diffs are still heating up and she is not happy turning? It is a quadra trac manual 2.5 turbo diesel and my jeep and I live in Ireland.

xscout · July 2005

The gray plastic connector you mention, did you have to remove the glovebox to see it? I have a black plastic connector of similar description at the top edge of the carpet from which the drain tube goes through the firewall, but no refrigerant lines. They enter high on the firewall.

mcatarsney · July 2005

Front diff replace is no big deal...I live in Ireland and got the bearings in a local bearing store Tere are three main bearings but if your lucky you will only need the two that go out to the wheels.the diff will need to be set up exactly right but is only a matter of getting some one with a guage for setting the crown wheel to a 0-20 degrees play over all around the wheel.Thats it no big-e and dont let anybody tell you any different.

paule · July 2005

That definitely sounds like it could be a motor mount.
It should be fairly easy to get underneath the truck and look at the mounts. If you see any cracks in them, they need to be replaced.

94jjgcgeek · July 2005

funguns....before I run out and buy a transfer case let me tell you about the symptoms on my '94 JGC I'm experiencing to compare to yours...
Generally the '94 JGC that I have doesn't make any odd sounds until I slow down to turn into a driveway or parking lot. When I slow down I get a wrrrrr wrrrr wrrr sound from both the front and rear as I round the corner. As I straighten the JGC out the sound goes away. The same thing happens if I turn left. I also noticed a front end wheel-hopping sensation and reluctance by the JGC to turn sharply into a parking spot and it even happens when I reverse out of the parking place....the wrrr wrrr wrr sound almost sounds as if all the tires are rubbing the wheel wells at once. My tires are original so I know it is not that. The transfer case causes all this noise? :confuse:

hil · July 2005

Does your radiator get super hot or it is cool? If it is really hot, you more than likely have a faulty radiator.

Good luck!

mstoverink · July 2005

I have a 97 JGC and the AC doesn't blow cold air. I think I know why it won't blow cold, but I'm not sure how to fix it or why it's doing what it's doing, so here goes:

At first I thought the system needed to be recharged (which still may be the case) but as I continued to troubleshoot, I found that the refridgerant line with the access port gets extremely cold when the AC is turned on so that tells me there is at least some charge left. But that is the only line that gets cold. There are two larger lines that look like they cycle to/from the compressor and they actually get hot as the engine continues to run. So here's the thing, the clutch (center part of the compressor) clicks and starts rotating (which I think is supposed to happen, right?) but then it kicks right back off. My understanding is that the clutch spinning is what actually cycles the freon, so if the clutch doesn't keep spinning it won't cycle the freon...right? Anyway, the clutch just keeps turning on and then back off...on for about 3 seconds, off for about 10 seconds. I live in Italy right now and the mechanics around here are extremely expensive (someone told me they paid 70 Euro (about $90) for an oil change, not to mention the language barrier scares me a little. Any help would be greatly appreciated, I really don't want to have to take this to a shop. Thanks.

prm01jgc · July 2005

I have a '01 GC laredo. At 11500, 15000 miles I had taken the jeep back to the dealer for brake problems. Both time were warped rotors. The 3rd time(35,000miles), being a mechanic and out of warranty I went to NAPA and bought there rotors and installed them. No problems since. I now have 113000 miles with only one brake pad change interval since.

smiley3 · July 2005

Can anyone tell me how to get statistics on all Grand Cherokee Jeeps that have had a gas petal stick causing the car to leap, increase speed and go out of control? The excelerator stuck on my 2004 grand Cherokee while I was in reverse, I was propelled over a hill and down a ravine nearly rolling 3 times, all while going backwards. Has anyone had problems with the excelerator sticking? Thank you for your response.

rtidwell · July 2005

Our 2005 GCL was built in February of '05. With less than 1000k we are having the same problems with bucking and stammering. Took it in to the dealership and they flushed out the system Did not help. We are taking it in tomorrow for a new torque converter. Will post again after we see how this does. :lemon:

states · July 2005

I've have had a nightmare of a problem with my 95 JGC laredo 4 Dr 4WD 5.2l 8cyl w/ 120k miles. About 2yrs ago, I started having problems where it wouldn't start sometimes and other times it would cut off while driving it. After replacing everything from the battery, starter, ignition coil, plugs/wires, crankshaft position sensor, fuel pump, EGR valve, fuel pump auto relay switch, auto shutdown relay switch and so on; it still seems to give me the same problems, I've taken it to two dealers and two mechanics and no one seems to know what the problem is. Would this be considered a manufacturing defect? After hundreds of dollars of parts and labor, what do I do? The closest guess has been that it has something to do with the auto shutdown feature (which is tied into both the anti theft and fuel systems) when the problem happens though it seems to cut power to the fuel system (pump/injectors etc;) Its always been tempormental, I'm currently pursuing replacing the brain box (PCM or ECM) hoping to fix the problem. CAN ANY ONE HELP ME PLEASE!?!

asiandude · July 2005

You just need the refridgerant topping up (R134) but find a place that looks like they know what they're doing (low side pressure = 20 to 30 psi, high side = 250 psi approx) Good luck.

padofarm · July 2005

Proper maintance to the 5.7 hemi is to change the oil at 3000 miles on the 8-4 displacment engine. I put a quart of rislone with every oil change to keep the oil lines in the block clean. I never have had any missing, bucking on take off. I also put a can of seafoam in the gas tank to keep the fuel injectors clean. I use 5w-20w oil sythetic blend. I have 9k miles on my grand cherokee and it runs smooth.

paule · July 2005

That sounds like you're not coming out of 4WD. Check the linkage to make sure it is shifting out of 4WD.

jkram · July 2005

My wife has a 2004 GC Freedom edition likewise a real nice truck.
My 2005 JGC has the Hemi, the Hemis and 4.7 engines share the same drive train components. So it does not suprise me. I want to hear from someone or anyone who has had a successful repair done. To make the bucking, stumbling, or stuttering go away. The 2004 and 2005 are totally different vehicles mechanically.

ky_jeep_lady · July 2005

i have a 95 gcl and at times it will start and times it wont. u can turn the key on and the lights will come on but it wont turn or crank or anything. we checked the fuses and there good. bout a month ago we had problems wth the crank postion censer. it seems like every month we have 2 replace something on it. we have only owned it for about 4 months. its auto matic, 4x4, 4.0 engine. if anyone has any ideals please help me!!!!! i beginning 2 think i bought a lemon. :lemon:

naatz1 · July 2005

I don't see any other replys to this 18 month old query, but just had the rear window smashed on a Sunday afternoon (busy street in medium sized midwest city ... I won't name it here as based on what I have heard from others the past few days their crime is way up in the past 10 years since we have been going there). We have a loaded 2001 JGC and had the security system armed, but it does not trigger with glass breakage - you must open a door or hood to trigger it, no pressure or motion sensing in this factory system. Luckily not much was taken, but think again in relatively "safe" areas how much you can trust these basic security systems (the cops said we should feel lucky they did not peel back the steering wheel and steal the car)! When the tech was replacing the window glass he commented even in our smaller city, there are daily smashings to get car stereos and other items in cars .... SUVs are not safe for valuables, computer laptops since all the jeep has is the flimsy pull over on the rear. You can't even lock the glove box or center console, although I may look into a way to add something (I tried to take out the full size spare tire and that would be a good spot since you can't open it without opening the hatch, but that is NOT easy to do).

Net: don't trust the basic security systems for much.

ky_jeep_lady · July 2005

i have a 95 jeep grande cherokee with 4.0 engine automatic 4x4. i love my jeep but hate the problems that i have been having wth it. sometimes it will start perfect and other times u can turn on the key and the lights and all will come on but the engine wont turn or crank or anything. we checked the fuses they are good. so if u have any ideals please tell me.

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