Jeep Grand Cherokee Maintenance and Repair

ronbo42 · May 2006

Im new to this stuff, but I don't know where else to go.. Our 2002 JGC keeps misfiring especially between 50-65 mph. The whole car shakes. Our OBD sensor says misfire cyl 3. My husband changed all the plugs and also switched the wires between 3 and 1. Then it said misfire 1 and 3. I took it to a shop and the guy tested each cyl and said they are all working ok, but just not working together. ?? Please help.. I dont have a decent jeep dealership near me, and the shop guy said Im ruining my cat converters every time i drive it like this. My husband had had a lot of jeeps and hes stumped too..

tired of paying people to tell me misfire cyl 3!!

kikijeepster · May 2006

I have a 2004 jgc that I bought brand new, and I started experiencing the same thing shortly after I got it. Periodically and randomly it would be "stuck" in first and the only way I could stop the revving was to drop it into neutral and make my way over to the side of the road. After a try or 2 I'd be able to get going again. It took two trips to the dealership to get it fixed, but it has not recurred since. I'll look at my paperwork tonight and see what they say they did to correct it. The only problem I had after that (and I'm knocking wood) is that the engine wouldn't start...dealer said the computer wasn't recognizing the Drive position...quick fix was to start it in neutral, finally got that fixed, too.

lagu · May 2006

I have a 1999 JGC limited V8. I got one keyless remote wich works fine. I got another remote from a co-worker and I'm trying to program it. Does anyone know how to program these remotes? I'll apreciate your input.

blankster · May 2006

The crankshaft sensor has been known to fail on the jeeps. Might want to check that.

bmarkre · May 2006

When I make a left turn I get a vibration thru the steering column. Should the box go so quickly? Does $375 for the part sound reasonable?

andrewsp45 · May 2006

many thanks and looking to hear from you again, hopefully you can give me the right answer

deen_ad · May 2006

Had one burn out, it's a Sylvania 3454 tinted yellow. So far I've tried Shucks, NAPA and several local parts houses as well as Wal*Mart and none of them have it, it's not even listed in the Sylvania book or the other 4 that NAPA tried to cross reference with. Even my owners manual doesn't list the bulb, in fact there isn't even a mention of the front turn bulb in the listing of bulbs. The dealer says they have 7 of them but they're $5 each. Do I HAVE to use that bulb or can another more common one be used?

slege · May 2006

I have an '02 Jeep with the dual climate zones. When my blend door broke (which is 1000+ to repair), the computer recognized that the door wasn't working and shut the a/c blower down. Trust me, I tried to make it come on and it wouldn't. If you have a Chilton manual, there is a diagonistic test you can do on the a/c system to retrieve problem codes right on the display on the a/c controller. Good luck! By the way, this same "test" at the dealer is 50-100 dollars depending on the dealer.

gordjeep · May 2006

I have similar vibration problems on my 2000 Grand Cherokee. The vibrations occur when accelerating on the highway and the car shifts from 3rd to 4th gear (automatic transmission), especially on uphill grades. When I drop speed a bit and then accelerate slowly, the vibrations go away.
This problem has been "fixed" several times by two different Jeep/Chrysler dealers over the past couple of years. They say it's a cylinder misfire, and repace all the spark plugs, do a "carbon blast" to clear out the engine, and the problem goes away ..... for about half a year. I'm fed up with it. One service manager said it might need a valve job at $1,000, but I figured they were just trying things out at my expense. Jeep/Chrysler service just doesn't seem to know much about this problem or how to permanently eliminate it.
I'd appreciate hearing what solution you find on your 2002 G.C.
Thanks.

crookster · May 2006

My 04 wj is making squeaking sounds when I hit any bump and the noises are loud. They are coming from under the car, in the front. What could be the problem with this? Is this serious?
Thank You

pliskin · May 2006

I noticed that my temp. was in the red & my overflow was filling up. I turned the heat on to help. I've checked all the fuses & also did some checking on the water pump. The top and bottom hose are getting warm. However I noticed that if the vehicle sits running for a period of time that it heats up really fast. I than noticed the radiator fan is not coming on. What else should I check for? And is this something I could possibly repair at home?
Signed... Not Made of Money

pliskin · May 2006

My 2001 made a similar noise. I found that it was a bushing that needed greased. However the noise on mine went away as the ambiant temp. went up. So guess I'll have to wait till next winter to see if I need to grease it again. Hope this helps!!!!

crookster · May 2006

Thanks a lot the noise stopped. Now I wonder how long this is going to last.

blkhemi · May 2006

Same exact problem on my '01. Turns out it was the electric fan(radiator fan). The motor had burned out in it, resulting in the entire purchase of the fan and motor(about 350 bucks at the dealer). But if you're lucky, it could be the fan relay that has went kaput. Check the relay first to make sure.

These fans are prone to failure on JGC's and it is a common problem.

dixiecrawler · May 2006

You have to take the remote to the dealer. It's not something you can do yourself. I priced having that done and they charge $35. It may be different where you are. Same thing with a key. The chip has to be programmed. If you have a key made, it will only open your doors. It will start the truck, but it will shut off after 2 or 3 seconds. I believe they said a new remote would cost $35, with an additional $35 to program it too your vehicle. -dixiecrawler

dixiecrawler · May 2006

Try and remove the front bumper cover/facia and see if everything looks the same on both sides. Something had to cause this, whether its a broken or loose clip or someone bumped your car with theirs.

lukesjgc · May 2006

I have been living this nightmere for over two years. I have replaced the fan relay twice, which is almost impossible to get to behind the passenger headlight, and replaced the radiator fan. I was almost out of the habit of staring at the temp gauge when it started over-heating...again! If you come across some miracle cure, please share it with me.

jeepgrrl · May 2006

It has been one thing after another in the last 3 weeks a number of problems have occurred. one morning my 96 cherokee 2wd 4.0 6cyl wouldn't start. first it was the fuel pump, we thought the problem was fixed, 2 days later it started running rough and the check engine light came on. We took it to a auto parts store to run a diagnostic and it read that there was no fire in cyl. 1 and 4. We went ahead and replaced the spark plugs, wires, dist. cap, and rotor. It ran like a champ until we returned home from an errand. I went out and started it it fired right up ran aprox 10 sec and then died. We discovered upon checking that now there wasn't any spark coming from the coil. we replaced the coil last night but it still wont start! Please help all the fuses look good we are stumped.

ankors · May 2006

Hi folks - hope someone can help...

I've searched the web high and low to see the cause of this problem, but whilst I see a few people have suffered the same plight - I don't see any description of the problem and what can be done to cure it.

I have a 1995 JGC that has been a wonder, since it's still looking great and going strong with 240K on the clock. There are issues popping up here and there, most which I can live with or fix.

But now with summer coming to CA I have one I must fix.

The fan of the climate control system no longer pumps any air through unless on the high setting - so unless it is on high, the fan is not working at all (regardless of a/c setting). When turned to something other than high the code ER appears in the LED where the temp would normally be.

Cannot find anything in the book - and I've check fuses etc...

This was an intermittent problem for a while - now it's a full time one.

I don't want to go to a dealer and have them try and sell me a new back axle

Anyone any ideas?

Any help most highly appreciated - I want this car to keep on going, she's not ready for retirement yet!

Thanks.

philbo9 · May 2006

Having had my 2000 JGC "explode"(blown hose off of radiator) after running very hot, I can certainly relate to this. After replacing the thermostat, which was a real bear to begin with, we found that we were still overheating because the electric fan, yes, that's what I said...ELECTRIC fan(which we found we had to our surprise) was no longer working. After checking the fuses and relays etc. we decided to convert the electric fan system to a clutch fan system, this way it always runs off of the engine. You may want to look into this as an option of course, by checking with your local used parts dealer for this type of conversion.

vitlap7 · May 2006

Hello,

I have 2002 JGC with 6 cyl and I feel exactly the same when it comes to gas mileage. Were you able to figure anything that might help with gas mileage?

Also, do you have a problem where the truck shakes when you apply the breaks most of the time. According a dealer, it is a known problem for 2001/2002 Jeeps.

Regards,

Vitaly

homey · May 2006

I have also had this problem and have been told that there is a censor that may be causing it to read this.

homey · May 2006

I have a 1994 jeep grand cherokee and my husband replaced fuses in it (he actually replaced all of the fuses inside) that evening I went to turn the headlights on and my dash lights and running lights went. I noticed on the box that the fuses were for late model jeeps 96 and up would this cause the problem and if so would it have blown my whole wiring?

homey · May 2006

I have the same problem and a couple mechanics have told me that it is probably the censor.

tidester · May 2006

have been told that there is a censor that may be causing it to read this.

Censors usually try to keep stuff from being read - I think you mean "sensor!"

tidester, host

vgolfmaster · May 2006

Hi,

I have a 98 Grand Cherokee, and have a question! Everyime I start it for the day, and it is cold, The engine winds out to a higher rpm for a several seconds, before shifting into 2nd gear. Once it makes the shift, then everything is ok. It also only does this ONCE at initial startup. After this it shifts normally until allowed to completely cool down for the night. I thought it was just a cold weather issue, and didn't address it over the winter, but now it is warming up, and I still have the issue. I should add also, that the dashboard switch to override the over-drive works correctly, as well as the floor shifter for all other gears. This happens in drive only. Any suggestions?

vgolfmaster · May 2006

I should as also, that the dashboard switch to override the over-drive works correctly, as well as the floor shifter for all other gears. This happens in drive only.

andrewsp45 · May 2006

I think it is possibly the same problem i finished up finding on my jeep, did you check the contacts in the main fuse panel under the hood, if you open it you will see approx five most likely black topped cubes, if you look in your owners manual it will tell you which is for the starter system, don't just go out and buy one, you can switch that one out for one of the others, just check the pics on top of the cubes and you will see there are at least two more exactly the same in there, i believe you will find the one for the air is the same, just take them out and switch and see if it starts

shecanic · May 2006

This sounds almost exactly like the problem I was having. The dealership also told me the same thing. I went to a recommended mechanic for a second opinion and they immediately discovered I had a blown head gasket. I was not over heating or showing any other normal signs of a blown gasket, but sure enough that was it and it runs as good as new. Hope this helps.

shecanic · May 2006

I had the same exact problem and found I had a blown head gasket. Once fixed it has ran great ever since. By the way Jeep dealership told me I needed a carbon cleaning, a second independent mechanic found the REAL problem. When I confronted the dealership about their missed diagnosis they said they would have rechecked(after performing the non-warranty covered cleaning) and if it still wasn't fixed they would have looked further. What a bunch of crooks. Don't count so much on those dealerships. Hope this helps.

ajs077 · May 2006

:confuse: Hi, My Jeep has done 150000kms and I have noticed after idling for some time and the engine is hot, as soon as I stab the accelerator it puffs out a cloud of blue smoke. I have a suspicion it is the rings however it doesn't blow smoke all the time. Has anyone noticed this on theirs.

nylaw · May 2006

I have a THREE DAY OLD 2006 GC Laredo, vehicle details aren't important (I don't think)...

I noticed that the left partial signal, used for lane changing, doesn't work. The full turn signal works, and the right signal works BOTH for partial signaling and full turns, but the left partial doesnt work.
:lemon: ????
Add to that, I noticed that when I put the hazard flashers on, although the lights on the outside of the vehicle seem to flash in unison, the dashboard arrows appear to be off some. Related?

Can I fix this myself? Any chance of looking inside the shaft there to see if anything is loose or not contacting fully? THREE DAYS OLD! Come On Jeep! Any help, guidance, recommendations are greatly appreciated. (And, going to the dealer is already on my list of suggestions!) THANKS FOLKS!

scorpio1947 · May 2006

It rained for the first time since we bought a 2006 Grand Cherokee Laredo 65th Anniversary Edition with Grey (Slate)Cloth Seats.
When we got in, as always happens, the seats got a little wet. When they dried, they left some dark stains.
This can't be normal!
Anyone having the same problems or have any advice.
Thanks in advance.
Bill

bjonesva · May 2006

I have a 2005 Grand, light grey interior, and when it rains if the seats get wet, it will leave the dark stains also, but I find that if I vaccum the seats off the stains go away, must be the way the material is made. Have not seen this cause any permenant staining.

csize · May 2006

Have you changed the sensor yet? I have the same problem on a 1997 cherokee and was about to buy one when I saw your post. Per instructions on testing this sensor, I checked the resistance between 2 of the contacts on the sensor side at the plug on the intake manifold and did not get infinity but instead some resistance was measured which indicates a bad sensor if my instructions are correct.

lukeboy · May 2006

I have a 2005 grand cherokee laredo with 15000 miles from day one I have noticed a acceleration problem and have brought it back to the dealer several times each time they do something but the problem still exists it just feels like the car is holding back if I punch it the car goes well but if I accelerate slowly the car hesitates it is driving me crazy it has the 3.7 liter engine I just wonder if the car is under powered does anyone else have the same problem please help i am fed up with this car ... lukeboy

homey · May 2006

If it's new it should have a warranty. But I was told that it may be the flasher relay

homey · May 2006

try the map sensor, I had a van that did the same thing and that's what it was

homey · May 2006

check the valve seals and get your rods replaced

taffy3 · May 2006

I have a '98 GCL and the blasted dog has chewed away at a rubber pipe about 1/8 inch inside diameter which is attached to the top of the front differential casing. Has anyone any idea where the other end goes and what is it for? It looks like some sort of sensor connection to me

stever · May 2006

Differential vent tube?

Steve, Host

pbergin · May 2006

I have the same problem with my 96 JGC, did you ever find out what to do to fix it?

ajs077 · May 2006

Thanks. Is this a common fault with this motor? How big a job is this? Does anyone know a good place to get aftermarket or mopar parts for the 4.7i V8 as I'm in Australia and the Jeep dealers really like charging for simple cheap parts. eg: Sump plug $24.00AUS.

bleachl · May 2006

While Driving My 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited, 4.0L, 2WD, it just stops running and cuts off. Sometimes it will start right away and sometimes it will not start for at least 16 hours (that's the longest it took me). Has anyone else had this problem and what was the solution. I changed the fuel pump and it's still doing it. Can anyone help me.

vgolfmaster · May 2006

Hi, tried this last week, and didn't get any replys. Gonna try once more !!

I have a 98 Grand Cherokee, and have a question! Every time I start it, and it is cold, The engine winds out to a higher rpm for a several seconds before shifting into 3rd gear. Once it makes the shift, then everything is ok. It also only does this ONCE at initial startup. After this it shifts normally until allowed to completely cool down for the night. I thought it was just a cold weather issue and didn't address it over the winter, but now it is warming up and I still have the issue. This happens in drive only and only shifting from 2nd to third. Also, the dashboard switch to override the over-drive works correctly, as well as the floor shifter for all other gears. I do also get an occasional hard shift into reverse and an occasional slight tranny 'whine' when in reverse. Any ideas? Am I on the brink of a tranny failure? Fluid level ok, and seems clean..... tia

dillins · May 2006

I have a 2000 JeepCherokee Limited. Cracked block/head. Cost was $2500 to repair at Jeep dealer. Warranty is no good through Quality Guard. I have a $100 deductible and free rental car. They jerked both the service dept and me around for 3 weeks. Didn't send an inspector for 2 weeks. Started out by saying I didn't have a warranty. Had to refile the paperwork. Then the inspector said that the water pump had been replaced because he couldn't see engine paint on it. Funny, my engine has no engine paint. Dealer says its the original water pump. All told I am out $3200 between repairs and rental car. Dealer is still trying to appeal the decision. One word of advice -- don't buy the warranty from the dealer unless it is one from the factory. This Jeep dealer only sold non-factory warranties for their extended policies. Quality Guard does not answer any phone messages (oh yes, most of the time you end up with voice mail). When I called to start the process the adjuster on the phone told me from the beginning that he was going to refuse the claim. How's that for service!!!! :mad:

stever · May 2006

You may want to check out the Extended Warranties discussion and see if anyone in there has had problems with them.

You also may want to ask your state's insurance office about filing a complaint since most extended warranties are a type of insurance and insurance is a pretty heavily regulated industry.

Steve, Host

pinballgov · May 2006

HI all, my a/c problem is that the clutch will not engage, not sure why it was working untill I had to change the radiator and fan. I ahve checked all fuses and found all of them to be good I have looked in the book and see something about the transducer not sure if this is the problem, what should I check next any and all information will be greatly appiecated thanks

BILL

taffy3 · May 2006

Thanks Steve
Yes, you're right. I got under a parked Jeep and the pipe just runs along the front drive shaft tube. It's just a breather pipe.

stever · May 2006

Good to hear - time to buy that dog a new chew toy. :shades:

Steve, Host

Jeep Grand Cherokee Maintenance and Repair

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles