Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Jeep Grand Cherokee Maintenance and Repair

145791099

Comments

  • kkuligkkulig Member Posts: 150
    Going out and looking at some of the other Jeep boards, it's kind of amazing to see how many miles people have been putting on their JGC's. Seems to be quite a number of the early 90's models with 150-250K miles on them. From the sound of some of these posts, quite a few of these have seen some serious off-roading too.

    If I could expect that kind of life out of mine with decent maintenance, I'd NEVER complain about any of the problems I've seen posted out here. These people with the high-miler's offer some proof that the JGC is a reliable and durable vehicle... on or off the road.
  • canoe5canoe5 Member Posts: 3
    We have a 95 Laredo with 85,000 miles on it that has been falling apart once it went out of warranty. Now when heated up after driving for a while, it knocks badly and drags under the front wheels when turning slowly. C.V. joints and new axle did not cure the problem. No one, i.e. the dealer seems to be able to diagnose although have spent a lot on "diagnostic" costs.The air conditioning evaporator is broken and don't want to spend $800.00 until know what the noise is. But want to keep car for child if possible. Can anyone help diagnose the noise?
  • kkuligkkulig Member Posts: 150
    What engine, the I6 or V8? That could be caused by any number of things. If it only knocks under acceleration, it could be that you just need to use a better grade of gas. If it's doing this continuously, you probably have something else going on.

    The "dragging under the front wheels" is probably the viscous coupler going out in your transfer case. It's a hydraulic-type differential that when working properly, is supposed to open and allow the front tires to rotate at different speeds when turning. If it isn't, you'll feel that kind of fighting in the front end.

    As for the AC evaporator problem... you might want to look into this more with your dealer or directly with DC. This was a known defect and DC was replacing them under a TSB or recall, can't remember which. And I think they were doing this regardless of time/mileage. Sure doesn't hurt to ask.
  • milsuperdocmilsuperdoc Member Posts: 29
    Are you a mechanic? Do you work on Jeeps a lot?
  • canoe5canoe5 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks KKulig for the advice. Our jeep is a V8 and it only knocks under the front wheels when turning after the engine is heated. We took the car to the dealer who diagnosed the evaporator. Of course they did not mention this is an often occuring problem. I'll call DC.
  • kkuligkkulig Member Posts: 150
    No, I'm not a mechanic although several good friends are. As for the JGC, I've had 4 of them so far and hopefully more to come.

    I've always enjoyed the aspects of what makes a vehicle work and how they're put together. And I consider it important to know as much as I can about the vehicles I drive. I find all of this fascinating. Being a 3D CAD Mechanical Designer brings that out in me I guess. Hee hee.

    I'm not trying to brag because I sure don't know everything. But I can generally run circles around any car salesman I've ever dealt with. And I can hold my own pretty well against the service techs. Knowledge is power and people screw around with you less if they realize you know what you're talking about. I have a great relationship with my dealer because of this.

    I try to stay on top of the JGC issues based on my own experiences with them and that of others. We all can learn from each other this way. Like everyone else, I've had to learn a few things the hard way. If I can help someone else avoid this, then the effort is worthwhile.

    I had a 98 JGC go back under the lemon law. I wrote down my entire experience with that process and I've shared it with anyone interested in learning how it works. I think it's helped a couple of people so far, so it was worth the effort. The lemon law is the most consumer-orientated law your state has and a very powerful tool to use if the need arises. Anyone can get stuck with a lemon.

    I try to be honest in any opinion I post out here, despite having had a lemon. I just hope people have the intelligence to weed out the sour grape posts of a few out here in this forum. The JGC is still a great vehicle. Good luck, and enjoy yours!
  • milsuperdocmilsuperdoc Member Posts: 29
    I totally agree that we all should be on top of what we drive and how it works. I initially bought my JGC Limited in Oct. '93 because it had the best safety features and ride compared to the other models available at the time...including Land Cruiser, 4-runner, Pathfinder, GMC Jimmy, and many others. My JGC got me thru seven years of harsh winter weather in Pittsburgh, and it never let me down. I am a surgeon, and I really do need a 100% reliable vehicle to get to where I needed to be.

    Cars are like people. If you take good care of them and pay attention to what they need, like your significant other, she will take a good care of you...LOL.

    Anyway, thanks for all your good and helpful advises.

    MSD

    By the way, this 3-D CAD technology.....very fascintating! I recently had a chance to use a 3-D Stereolithographic models for one of my patients, and it helped me to reduce an 8 hour surgery to merely 4 hours!
  • kkuligkkulig Member Posts: 150
    Yes, the JGC is one of the all-time great 4WD's in the snow. I live in WI and can relate to a harsh winter.

    3D CAD is impressive and a blast to work with. I can appreciate your use of it to perform surgery. I recently had some major sinus surgery performed that used 3D imaging to guide my surgeon. Would've been extremely difficult to perform the operation without it. Glad he had it!

    Take care and happy Jeepin'!
  • katieonekatieone Member Posts: 3
    My 2002 grand cherokee V8 with qudra-drive has a very annoying pull to the right. I would appreciate any information (fix) from others with a similar problem.
  • fishrxmanfishrxman Member Posts: 31
    At 10,400 miles my 2002 JGC has squealing brakes, which I noticed just yesterday while camping. There is only a slight vibration through the brake pedal while depressed. Last oil change I mentioned to the service rep that I had to depress the brake pedal unusually far to notice braking. The brakes were checked and found to be within normal limits. My '93 had this problem and the rotors needed to be replaced at one point. But that didn't occur the first year I owned it. Hopefully it's nothing more than worn pads.
  • wlbrown9wlbrown9 Member Posts: 867
    Have the rotors checked out now. Brake warranty is 12,000 miles. There is also a TSB for JGC built before May, 2002:

    FRONT BRAKE PULSATION DURING LIGHT TO MODERATE BRAKE APPLICATION
    Date: 5/13/02

    Bulletin # 0500302 (supercedes 0500501 Dated Sep 14, 2001)

    Model Year(s): 1999-2002 (models built May 11, 2002 and prior)

    Description: Brake roughness or pedal pulsation when the brakes are applied. The customer may experience a vibration of the steering wheel, floor, seat, instrument panel, or a minor pedal pulsation (brake roughness) under light to moderate pedal application. The condition may be caused by excessive thickness variation of the brake rotor surface.

    Details: This bulletin involves the replacement of both front brake rotors and caliper assemblies.

    Parts required:
    52098672 Rotor
    05093174AA Caliper kit (2 calipers, pads and retaining bolts)
  • tigerwokietigerwokie Member Posts: 6
    Just a little sharing for those of you thinking of buying a Jeep Grand Cherokee (DON'T)or buying an Extended Warranty (DO). My current mileage is 65k and it has gone through: (4) automatic transmissions, rebuilt the front & rear ends once each, new front suspension bushings replacements, new catalytic converter replaced, exhaust system & new muffler replaced...that's about it for the running gear. Now the electrical system: new Vechicle Information Panel, new speedometer send sensor (still bad), new left & right side remote mirrors, power seat acutators, new horn, new CD player & radio. All paid for at the courtesy of Chrysler including car rentals. Am I worried? not now but yes in about 12,000 miles before the extended warranty runs out. Ever since Chrysler told me they are sorry but there is nothing "more" they can do, I have been telling myself that I am practically driving a new car (4) times over. Ha ha ha ...
  • bigorange30bigorange30 Member Posts: 1,091
    Doesn't that qualify to go back under the state's lemon law?
  • jefferson1964jefferson1964 Member Posts: 330
    I have a 98 JGC SE 4x4 I6 with 60K miles and the only thing I had to change was the fuel pump which was covered under warranty. I met someone in the course of my job who also has a JGC a 94 I6 4x2. We spoke about our jeeps and went over to her's. She has 245,000 miles on her's and has owned it since new. She told me she has just performed routine maintenance and when the time comes will only by Jeep. After her testimonial and my experience as well as my father and brothers experience with their JGC's the problems seem fewer than those would have use believe. My take is their seems to a few unhappy Jeep owners out there that yell loud enough to make it seem most jeeps are problamatic which i have found not the case. No need to try and change my mind cuz im not listening and if you dont like jeeps or cannot pay to properly service your vehicle then get something else and complain on that board...
  • itunnellitunnell Member Posts: 1
    Thanks for all the good info! I have read all the entries at this site re: problems. I'm having a problem with my 2001 limited 2wd that I have not seen posted. After driving at a steady speed (i.e. freeway) for a short period, I often have to stop for quick errands (1-2 minutes). If I leave the car running in park, it often over heats to the point of redline and flashing check gauges. The dealer has been "unable to reproduce the problem". Anyone else had this happen? Other than that I love my jeep and haven't had any problems with my 99 or my 2001. Thanks for the help.
  • tigerwokietigerwokie Member Posts: 6
    I intended for this thread to share info on Jeep problems, so tell us & share your problems and problems only. If you have a happy story, take it to the happy Jeepster board. They love to hear from you.

    Yes, the Jeep 5.9 is maintained regularly and serviced by a 5-star Chrysler-Jeep dealer. And the only reason I kept going back to the dealer was because I don't want to give Chrysler an excuse that I took it to a cheap automotive place. My catalytic converter failed at 8k miles and front end failed at 14k miles which gave me a bad vibe. And I forgot to mention the brake rotor problems in my last post. They were changed and resurfaced (3) times by the dealer. I finally took it to an independent brake shop and upgraded the brake pads & rotor myself.

    Everything that was replaced was covered under factory warranty and by the same 5-star dealer each and every time. And believe me, they do look up my maintenance records. And they will not give you a free rental car if it is not THEIR fault or if they don't have to keep your car overnight. In case you want to know, it is Chrysler's own Maximum Care Warranty. My only regret was that I went for the $50 deductible instead of the $0 but at least I got some air miles out of it. This policy pays for a maximum 5-day car rental in one stretch only, so if you have a big transmission problem like mine, take the car in for an assessment first and schedule the repair on a Monday. This was actually suggested by the Service Advisor and they sure know their stuffs. The dealer has to order the parts in from the warehouse. I understand sometimes you don't have this luxary if your rig needs to be towed to the dealership if it dies on the road as it happened to me once.

    Someone asked if my problem comes under the "lemon law". Yes, it does; but for Washington State I have to make a claim within 30 months of delivery and for the same & repeat problem. Who would have thought a new transmission replacement every 15k miles!

    The only thing that works good is the seat warmer but I feared that day that I may be electorcuted in it :)
  • kkuligkkulig Member Posts: 150
    "I intended for this thread to share info on Jeep problems, so tell us & share your problems and problems only. If you have a happy story, take it to the happy Jeepster board. They love to hear from you."

    ...Geez, was that really necessary for you to say? What's your point? And BTW, you didn't start this thread.

    "Someone asked if my problem comes under the "lemon law". Yes, it does; but for Washington State I have to make a claim within 30 months of delivery and for the same & repeat problem."

    ...What you're actually saying here is that "NO," it isn't covered under your state's lemon law because it's well beyond the time/mileage limits to file a claim.

    The 98 was probably one of the worst years for the JGC. The last year of the original design. DC wasn't interested in fixing any of the chronic problems that plagued this design. And it looked and felt a heck of a lot cheaper than the 93's.

    I had a 98 go back under the lemon law. It was a relief to get out from under that one. No complaints on my 93, 99 and 02 though. I SURE LOVE MINE!

    At least you were smart enough to buy an extended warranty. That's a must on ANY vehicle. Now your decision is to take a chance that it'll be okay and keep it, or ditch it before your warranty expires. That's a no-brainer.
  • vin_weaselvin_weasel Member Posts: 237
    I've heard that as well but mainly just the 5.9 models. It seems that the 360 was just too much engine for the rest of the drivetrain. What transmission does it have?

    I'm sorry you've had so many problems but I would like to ask how you drive it? I have a co-worker with 2 4.3 AWD Astro vans that he has replaced the drivetrain twice on. I was wondering why he had so many problems until I drove with him. He is an aggressive driver to say the least. I'm not saying you are but that it can make a difference.
  • tigerwokietigerwokie Member Posts: 6
    To clarify once again for those who responded, I started the thread on 5.9 Limited - and that is the flagship of the Jeep GJC line. Just read the title line. This thread is for info sharing, no need to be defensive unless you own a 5.9 Limited then we can swap some real stories. If you need to learn about about Jeep problems, go to NHTSA website. Buying an extended warranty is a personal choice and there is no need to label one as smart or dumb.
  • vin_weaselvin_weasel Member Posts: 237
    This 'thread' has 319 messages and was started to cover Jeep Grand Cherokee problems, not just your posts inside the public thread.

    I'm just wondering if I'm understanding you correctly: If I don't have a '98 5.9L I'm not allowed to reply to anything you've said or ask questions? Plus if people should just go to NHTSA to find out problems, why are you posting your bad experiences here?

    I don't own a GC but I do like all Jeeps and like to learn about them. I found your history with your Jeep very interesting and has actually taken my opinion of the 5.9 down a notch. The reason I'm asking questions is for my own benefit and so that if I run into a situation where the knowledge would be applicable I might be able to help someone out. Say, if they were going to buy a 5.9 or already owned one. People come here to share opinions and information and I don't understand your attitude.

    I'm still interested in what kind of transmission/transfer-case the 5.9 had. I'm assuming it had an aluminum-centred Dana 44 and a Dana 30 up front for axles. Does anybody know?
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    ... simmer down! We can all enjoy diverse discussion and ignore what we don't care to read!

    tidester
    Host
    SUVs; Aftermarket & Accessories
  • tigerwokietigerwokie Member Posts: 6
    Hi there, thanks for writing. In my first post, I shared my lessons learned on when to take the car into the dealership when faced with a major transmission rebuilt. This is because of the Maximum Care limitation and allowance on rental car reimbursement, and I also recommended the length of extended warranty and the $ deductable to buy based on my personal perception of Jeep quality. This sort of information can only be coming from someone who has had many real repair experience. You don't get the consumer insight (like what I have been sharing) from NHTSA. It is scarry when you read some of the NHTSA comments.

    This car was chosen as a 4x4 SUV of the year by many auto magazines in 1998. But the one I should have read is the Consumer Report and it listed many many years of Jeep's quality and reliability problem. Live and learn! The 5.9 has the Dana rear end and the Qudra-Trac transmission. It is fast but you paid for it with each fill up - premium gas only. This turns out to be pretty expensive like $30+ per gas station visit but I do enjoyed the amenities this car has provided so I can't complain. There was no option to choose from with everything loaded out the door.

    I appreciate people asking me how do I drive the car or the kind of gas I used or if I can afford to pay for the 5-star service..etc; but it really serves no true useful purpose for me or other readers. If a part is replaced and covered under the warranty, then it is a defect and quality problem as far as me and the public masses go. You don't have to go with any of my recommendations but at least you know the rationale and facts behind it. Let the lawyer or the big ego type sort out the nitty gritty like lemon law. In that reply I said WA State has the lemon law (which my car comes under) and the 30 month limitation (which my car does not qualify anymore, I thought that was an educational reply and yet someone has to have some witty response. That's when I tried to urge others to stick with the original theme(public or mine) discussion on Jeep problem sharing. If I want to hear a happy story or sales pitch, I can always get it from the Jeep salesman. I also own the Chrysler Town & Country mini van and I am happy with that product. Take care.

    So I want to hear 5.9 problems if there is any out there. Thank you.
  • vin_weaselvin_weasel Member Posts: 237
    late night last night.

    I didn't know the 5.9 took premium only. Learn something every day.
  • kkuligkkulig Member Posts: 150
    I guess I really don't understand what was said earlier to make your last couple of responses so defensive and worded to the point of begging for the "witty" replies you accuse some of making.

    What you fail to realize is that many of the regular posters out here have years worth of experience in owning, driving and fixing the problems they've had with their JGC's. I count myself as one of those people. I've owned four and I've successfully used the lemon law (without an attorney) to get out from under one of them. I'm happy to share my experiences out here with anyone. They (as well as you) are free to do with this info as they see fit. It's only one opinion of many out here, so read and believe whatever you want to and ignore the rest.

    Many of us are out here to learn a little more about our vehicles, find solutions to the mechanical problems and to share our experiences in general. The vast majority of posters out here are polite and respectful of one another. May I suggest that you give this a try the next time you post? You might be a little more pleased with the results.

    As anyone knows, if you post in any of these forums you're going to get a response. Some you may appreciate, some you may not. If you can't handle that then maybe you should look elsewhere. It's fairly obvious that you aren't really interested in what any one else has to say and you're just using this topic to vent. Venting's fine, but there are other more appropriate places to do this. No one "owns" this topic and it certainly isn't limited to 98 5.9L JGC's. I'm a little concerned that you think otherwise. And I'm a little surprised that one of our "hosts" hasn't found a polite way of pointing all of this out to you by now.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    And I'm a little surprised that one of our "hosts" hasn't found a polite way of pointing all of this out to you by now.

    Apparently "you" didn't read #320 above.

    tidester
    Host
    SUVs; Aftermarket & Accessories
  • tigerwokietigerwokie Member Posts: 6
    One of the standard feature for the 5.9 is the factory installed daylight running light. When the lights wouldn't turn off with the engine off and key in hand, I took it back to the dealer for a check up. The defective module was promptly replaced with a new one but they made me buy a new $80 Mopar battery. I bought it so not to give Chrysler-Jeep an excuse for not going along with their recommendation. A few days later, other strange electrical problems occurred. I took it back to shop again, and to my surprise. The supposedly bad module was not bad after-all, it was the Vehicle Information System that was miswired. When you open the right door, the left door indicator would be on & vice versa. A new VIS panel was ordered and replaced, under warranty of course and I did talk them out of charging me another $50 for deductible. But shortly after, my speedometer sending unit acted abnormally. Stay tuned.
  • kkuligkkulig Member Posts: 150
    "Apparently "you" didn't read #320 above."

    tidester... oh, but I did read it. I just found it lacking "something." Like being directed at the person who started this childishness. If I was interested in acting this way, I could always get my fill of this reading and participating in some of the other Jeep boards. So please don't chastise me for something I didn't start, or realized that I was even participating in.

    "I intended for this thread to share info on Jeep problems, so tell us & share your problems and problems only. If you have a happy story, take it to the happy Jeepster board. They love to hear from you."

    AND...

    "To clarify once again for those who responded, I started the thread on 5.9 Limited - and that is the flagship of the Jeep GJC line. Just read the title line. This thread is for info sharing, no need to be defensive unless you own a 5.9 Limited then we can swap some real stories. If you need to learn about about Jeep problems, go to NHTSA website."

    tidester... I wasn't aware that this thread has now become the exclusive domain of 5.9L JGC problems, or that we now have a resident expert. Did I miss something here? Would you please go back and reread the posts from where this started, then explain to me what anyone said that justifies the above responses?

    My responses in particular weren't intended to be sarcastic or witty... if anyone mistook them for that, then I apologize. That certainly wasn't my intent. In the future, I'll refrain from responding to any of tigerwokie's posts. EOD.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    No! I wasn't chastising you! Please don't take it that way. (Though I admit to putting you in quotes because you put hosts in quotes! Hosts are real people too! :-)

    Anyway, another member claiming responsibility for "creating" a thread is little more than a misunderstanding of the terms. The topic is JGC problems (created by cavman2x, btw) and that allows for wide latitude in the kinds of problems we can discuss including the 5.9 limited.

    A given "thread" within the discussion persists only as long as there is sufficient interest in discussing it. My only concern here is that the discussion remain focussed on the topic and is conducted with civility.

    I hope that helps.

    tidester
    Host
    SUVs; Aftermarket & Accessories
  • kkuligkkulig Member Posts: 150
    Yes, that was the only point I was trying to make, that this topic covers all JGC's (including, but not limited to the 5.9L JGC). And that the discussions remain focused and conducted with civility.

    No hard feelings... :o)
  • tigerwokietigerwokie Member Posts: 6
    Dear Tidester,

    Thank you for being fair and directed your admonition appropriately.

    I am sorry for the cat fight and wasted other Town Hall reader's valuable time. But the readers will be the final judge. Not only Edmund's storage space gets wasted when my entire post was "quoted" and "analyzed" line by line and paragraph by paragraph TWICE in a 3-day period; it is distracting for me when the questions and comments are not even Jeep related.

    I shall move on to another Jeep board. This is my last post.
  • badwolfbadwolf Member Posts: 1
    To Tidester, I think you have done a commendable job in containing the cat fight on this board. You came through as being both fair and understanding. Although I don't know much about Jeep, heck, I don't even own one yet. But I know a little about computing. Your view of what a "thread" is (#327)is exactly the way it was envisioned in the old BBS world. You start with a top level general heading and everyone chimes in, what differentiates one msg apart from the other is the "subject line", and when a person responds, it becomes a "thread". In this sense, tigerwokie is correct about starting a 5.9 specific discussion. But he probably didn't realize this is a town hall type setting where everyone sees everything. Some system allows auto branching and builds on and thus encourages discussion exchange on an item of interest. If I see a heading/subject/title on say Jeep Cooking 101, then I would just move on. As a previous BBS board moderator, I have a few suggestions:
    1. Encourage your members to ask clarifying questions in a positive manner. No extensive QUOTTING, in fact your member conduct rules already stated that. This will for sure PO the other guy as you have said so yourself. The host needs to enforce this rule.
    2. Do not attack the person. I saw words like "childishness, politness, smart enough ..." which for sure will invite a nasty come back. This is the most difficult job for the moderator & hosts to show fairness and encourage a healthy discussion.
    3. This board is for sharing and everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. You don't have to comment on or respond to every issue. Life is too short, move on, forget it.

    In closing, tigerwokie was on the defensive but if you were to read every post from the beginning, he is the one that kept his cool. I hate to see him leave with his bad Jeep experiences as this is exactly the kind of information I was seeking. We are all mature adults to read through one's emotion.

    Sorry for the long post and hope I have not offended anyone out there.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Thank you for the kind words and insightful advice!

    I do hope tigerwokie will reconsider and stick around. No one should feel compelled to leave over a minor dispute.

    tidester
    Host
    SUVs; Aftermarket & Accessories
  • jaworthjaworth Member Posts: 1
    I bought this thing, a 6 cyl, selec-trac model, new in July of 99. Since then it has had numerous problems which you have all seen before - window regulators 4 times, fuel pump 3 times, drive shaft, hard start followed by check engine light with weather change and, of course, warped rotors. I fixed the rotor problem (after Chrysler refused to do anything after they replaced them once at 15K miles) by installing cross drilled rotors at approx 38K. Now at 48K I had a check engine light which I diagnosed, using OBD, the shop manual and the odometer readout to be a transmission output sensor. I was going to do it myself but made the mistake of bringing to the dealer because I also have an intermittent "hard reverse" situation with the transmission which I wanted addressed via one of the TSB's issued by Daimler-Chrysler (they said they did not see the problem and therefore could do nothing about it). I was charged approximately $35 for the sensor (reasonable) and 2 hours of labor for diagnosis and replacement. I don't know how long it should take to replace the sensor but it seemed a simple job in the shop manual. All together, the bill was $216. Daimler-Chrysler not only built a piece of junk to begin with but is making a lot of money ob repairs. I will NEVER buy another Jeep. I've had several Chrysler products in the past with great success but this one is truly garbage. My other car is a 99 Maxima which is like a fine wine - it get better with age.
  • fishrxmanfishrxman Member Posts: 31
    This is 2002. Dealer repair rates are about $70/hour. The dealer gave you an estimate and YOU appoved it. You didn't provide enough information in your post to determine if you are angry and frustrated because 1)you felt cheated by the dealer or 2)you felt your vehicle no longer provided comfort, utility, and reliability.

    It appears that years of frustration with your '99 JGC have taken a toll and the last incident 'broke the camel's back'. That is understandable. I had lots of troubles with my '01, too. In fact, I bought a '02.

    While nobody has all the answers, the people on this forum are mostly Jeep owners who have experienced the same problems as you. If you have a SPECIFIC problem, someone will probably have a solution. Don't give up.
  • dkrhardydkrhardy Member Posts: 134
    Co-worker has a very nice '93 Grand Cherokee with 90,000 miles. Has had excellent service from the car, and has done all maint to ensure the car stays nice. HOWEVER - just recently he has found water in the rear passenger floor area. He dried it carefully, parked it in the garage and checked it several days later ... wet again. The seals around the doors look like new, there is no evidence of a hole/crack in the floorpan. It is water, not coolant from a bad hose or heater core. There does not seem to be any moisture around or near the doors either, and as I said it was parked in the garage so there was no chance for rain to have done this. There must be a leak and it is pooling someplace and leaking/wicking slowly into the rear passenger area. Anyone have any ideas?
  • kkuligkkulig Member Posts: 150
    This is probably a plugged AC drain tube, which allows water to back-up and leak into the interior of the car. This will generally get the carpeting wet in the passenger front footwell, but people have reported finding wet carpeting in the rear passenger footwell as well. Probably from the carpet's wicking action as you mentioned.

    The AC drain tube was kind of notorious for plugging up with debris on the earlier JGC's. I know there have been 2-3 TSB's issued over the years for this problem.

    I believe the AC drain tube can be found located inside the boxed section of frame on the passenger side of the engine compartment. It can be seen, or felt for, through one of the openings in the frame section. Your dealer should be well aware of this problem and know how to get to it if you don't want to mess with it. Either way, it's not a real big deal to fix.
  • dkrhardydkrhardy Member Posts: 134
    I'll pass that on, thanks. I saw the floor today and it is the rear passenger side and the front carpet "feels" dry. Strange, but we/he WILL look into the A/C drain line idea. There is a raised area between the front seats and the back so I wonder how it could wick over that thing .... but what do I know? Jeez, I drive an Intrepid R/T and SUV's are very foreign to me. Keep the ideas coming and we'll get it figured out soon.
  • 98jgcltd98jgcltd Member Posts: 2
    Just wanted to pass on Thanks for the help in diagnosing the lock up on the 98 GC Ltd. with the Quadra Trac all-time 4WD. Much appreciated (even though the v-coupler isn't cheap). How about the fast idling problem (getting stuck at 1500 rpm) or the lunging after being shifted into Park but still idling. Any ideas? The fast idling is sure a pain!! Forever having to stomp on the brakes and hold it back. Hope you/someone can help with more ideas. MANY THANKS!!
  • kkuligkkulig Member Posts: 150
    dkrhardy...

    I know that wet carpeting in the rear sounds awfully hard to believe, but other people have mentioned this happening as the result of a plugged AC drain line. The only explanation would be the wicking action of the carpet itself. But, you'd think the front would be wet also if it can make it into the rear. Who knows? It's just one more possibility to eliminate. Sorry I couldn't offer any other suggestions.

    98jgcltd...

    I had the viscous coupler go out on my 93. The symptoms are pretty apparent when that happens. The other two problems... I'm at a loss as to what to tell you. You've already replaced the only two items I could think of that would cause this. It's obviously a control problem. What does your dealer say about the vehicle computer itself?

    You could also try running a TSB search at www.nhtsa.dot.gov to see if anything sounds familiar to you. I'd assume your dealer has already checked into the TSB's, but who knows? That's about the only other thing I can think of for now. Good luck!
  • santy99santy99 Member Posts: 5
    I'm about to by this car. It's red w/black molding, just like the one in the movie w/Kirt Russell. It's loaded w/leather and power everything including a Premium Sound stereo system w/CD. The owner was very honest and showed me all the maintenance/service records including the recalls for the 97 models, it was all taken care of. However, it looks like this high-maintenance car needs to be on a tight service schedule to keep it reliable. Is this normal for Jeeps? The car looks very clean and the report from Carfax.com came out clean. I've been always been a Jeep fun although I've never owned one before. I love this particular model and I actually already put down an offer and we'll be closing the deal soon. However, after all the problems I'm reading about, especially on the 99s and 01s models I'm getting scared. Can anyone with experience with the 97 models give me some advice before making a $10K mistake... Thank you!
  • burningupburningup Member Posts: 1
    I have a 99 Jeep Grand Cherokee Larado. Last week when I hit the brake pedal the A/C quit blowing, when I release the brake it comes back on, I can pump the brake and it starts and stops, I'm not crazy, But the guy that works on my vehicles thought I was untill I showed him. Twice it went off and took a few minutes to come back on. This started while I was pulling my boat home, now its getting worse. Any Ideas. I'm stumped, so is my Mechanic..
  • kkuligkkulig Member Posts: 150
    Several others out here have mentioned having this problem also. Let me see if I can repeat what I've seen posted...

    Your AC/heat system has a plenum box under the dash with the dash, defrost and floor vent ductwork connected to it. The box has a door (or doors?) that control which vents the airflow is directed to. It's controlled by a vacuum motor... which opens the door under vacuum, and closes it when vacuum drops, or is cut-off.

    I believe I read that the problem is with this vacuum motor failing to hold a proper vacuum. When you apply your vacuum-assisted brakes, there's a serious enough drop in vacuum that the motor can no longer hold the door open. It shuts and cuts off the airflow to your dash vents. You let off the brakes, the vacuum comes back up, the door opens and airflow resumes.

    This isn't an uncommon problem with the JGC. You may want to take this in to a dealer as I'm sure they know exactly what's causing this. There may also be a TSB out there if you want to check. That way, if you don't want to mess with taking it to a dealer, the guy who works on your vehicle can find/fix the problem easier. Go to "www.nhtsa.dot.gov" to look for it.
  • sqibsqib Member Posts: 4
    Hi - What an experience - 10 days ago my 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited with 75,000 miles on it caught on fire while driving on the Highway. Yep - thats right - just cruising down the NJ Turnpike at 60 odd mph the car that I loved so much just caught on FIRE and was completely destroyed.

    It started in the engine compartment and by the time the Fire Department arrived it was too late. It was a charred shell. A truly traumatic experience!!!

    If ANYONE has heard of any such incidents please RESPOND. It is not abnormal for a 3 year old car of this type to do this and other drivers lives should not be at risk like this. My car was not recently touched by any mechanics so there was no malpractice on the part of any other mechanics.

    I intend on getting some answers from Chrysler and will take the time and effort - and $$ - to ensure that other lives are not at risk.

    In the meantime for all the rest of you - - - Go and BUY a Fire Extinguisher and put it in your car - its a small price to pay. Also there is a recall out on over 1 million Jeeps for a potential engine compartment fire in certain models - Recall # B-06. If you have not heard from Chrysler regarding this [just as I had not heard from them] call them with your VIN number and check if your car is part of the recall. Their tel. # is 800 853 1403.

    I look forward to hearing form anyone who can HELP. BE SAFE.

    Thanks - -
    ex-owner of a Grand Cherokee LTD.
  • kkuligkkulig Member Posts: 150
    That recall had nothing to do with fires caused by an electrical short or failure.

    Here's the recall...

    MANIFOLD DEBRIS ACCUMULATION

    Recall Date: 04/15/2002

    NHTSA Campaign ID number: 02V104000
    Potential number of units affected: 1,115,322
    Manufactured: 06/1998 - 03/2002

    Owner notification start date: May, 2002

    Defect: Sport utility vehicles equipped with a 4.0L engine only. The design of the intake and exhaust manifolds could allow debris to accumulate at the #3 cylinder location.

    Consequence: This could result in a vehicle fire.

    Solution: Dealers will install a manifold shield to modify the air flow characteristics and to prevent the accumulation of debris in the area of the #3 cylinder.
  • chrisg6chrisg6 Member Posts: 3
    It's nice to have people like yourself and others who post on this board. People who actually help with informative, TRUE, advice, instead of constant complaining. I had the debris shield installed on my manifold a couple months back. I found out about the recall online. Don't wait to be contacted, check the web for recalls on your vehicle about once a month. It's easy.
  • kkuligkkulig Member Posts: 150
    Thank you. And that's a very good suggestion about checking for TSB's and recalls on your own. Sometimes, the vehicle manufacturer can "lose track" of you. I've had that happen a couple of times myself.

    To all JGC owners... the web site www.wjjeeps.com is a very clear and informative site for info on the 99-current model years. It also has a pretty current listing of TSB's, recalls and links to other Jeep sites. Check it out!
  • chris029chris029 Member Posts: 2
    The check engine light in my 97 Jeep came on shortly after I had the Jeep in for service for another problem (the Jeep would not start after sitting outside in very cold temperatures for 5 days - had it jumped and took to the dealer). The dealer found nothing wrong - it started right up for them. I left the dealer and within 5 minutes the Check Engine Light came on. Took the Jeep back to the dealer for the Check Engine Light. Paid the $185 diagnostic charge and the "fix" was replacement of upstream oxygen sensor. Then they reset service engine light and rechecked and retested system. I drove out of the dealership again and in less than 5 minutes the Check Engine Light came on again. Has anyone heard of this problem? Any idea what the fix is? THANKS.
  • mmarshall79mmarshall79 Member Posts: 5
    My JGC engine's makes a horrible whining noise when it is started on cold mornings. It stays for about 5 minutes and goes away once the engine is warm. It make this sound whenever it drops below 50F. I have taken it to the shop multiple times only to be told no one has any idea what is causing it. It's so loud when it first gets going that it is quite embarrassing to drive. Any info or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
  • blazer10blazer10 Member Posts: 2
    I presently turned 20K miles and it is in dealer for 2nd chk.eng.light problem.1st time it was a gear on my distributer that broke.Flat bed towing charge 25 miles to shop.2nd time was last week while on vacation in Maine(500 miles from home).Started engine in AM,chk.eng.light came on again and the transmission would always start
    in 2nd or 3rd gear. Found dealer next day but he was too busy to work on it.He had a serviceman put computer on it and he said it was starting out in "safe mode" cause of the problem.He said it was probably a transmission sensor or solenoid or cable running to it.I drove home the next day and have a rental car since.Parts on order!
  • kkuligkkulig Member Posts: 150
    What year is your JGC and what engine does it have?
Sign In or Register to comment.