Sorry it has taken so long to get back to you, but I have been on a business trip this week and just got home tonight.
I have a white Jeep Wrangler Sport with a black hardtop. I dearly love her (Her name is Thelma Jane, by the way: Wranglers are offended if they are not given a name.)
I have 3K miles on her now and I absolutely love her! She is more fun to drive than any of the other vehicles that I have ever owned (and that's been quite a few).
Come visit in Wrangler IV sometime. I post there almost every day- there's a real good bunch of people over there.
I'm ready to purchase another vehicle within the next month or two and have reduced my selections to another JGC 4x4 LTD or a Sequoia 4x4. Even though I probably don't need the extra room of the Seq., I do like the Toyota's attention to quality and reliability. I've owned (leased) a '95 and '98 JGC, but I'm not sure I can trust that a Jeep will last the 5-10 years I want to own one. My '95 was pretty much bombproof, but the '98 has front differential problems in 4wd full(which dealer says is normal), unusually loud engine in idle(also normal), front rotor warpage at 16k, annoying squeaks and rattles of the dash, small tear on the plastic passenger door armrest at 20k. Nothing major, mind you, but troubling. I really love the looks and the new v8 (and the $4k savings over what I want in the Seq.), so is there anyone who can talk me into another Jeep? Like I mentioned, I'm really concerned about the long term. Thanks. --Jimmy
I have a 99 JGC 4.0,selec-trac,I leased it in June 99,so far its been back for warranty repairs 15 times,which included 2 sets of front brake rotors,rebuild the rear end&diff.,front end alignment when it had 200 miles on it,replaced water pump,replaced fan clutch,replace rear window seal,replace transfer case vent,hook up console lights which were not hooked up at factory. Can anyone tell me if I have a case to engage the Iowa Lemon Law,I like the Jeep and I got a good deal on it,but I am quickly losing cofidence in the relability of the car,does anyone have any advice? EZ
Any thoughts on the quality bugs being worked out at this point? This is going into the third year for this vehicle, do you think they've figured it out yet? I'm considering an 01' JGC Ltd. ,among other vehicles. The price is right but the quality problems are down right scary!
Beside the quality problems, do your homework and you'll find it's not the safest vehicle in it's class according to both the NHSTA and IIHS. For a vehicle that was just redesigned, it doesn't even offer side-airbags.
I almost bought one too because DC is practically giving them away (>$6000 off of MSRP). There's a reason for that. I don't care how cheap it is, I won't put a price on my family's safety.
I have leased 3 GC's over the past 6 years. My first, the '95 Laredo V8 had no problems at all. Front pads had to be changed at 25k. rotors were fine. My '98 Laredo V8 was another story. The front pads only lasted 15k and the rotors warped, rear pads lasted 25k. The A/C drier receiver rusted away and had to be replaced at 30k. The quadratrac seemed to bind up in tight turns. I now am leasing a 2001 LTD and so far am satisfied. It seems noisier than the others but the quadradrive doesn't bind up and this car was much better in the snow. Of all three I liked the '98 best even though I had the most problems with it... go figure. It was a "Z" pkg and was the best looking by far.
I have 5500 miles on my 2001 V8 JGC with Quadra Drive. The only time it's been into the shop was when I had the oil changed (the first service was free). I haven't had any problems with my JGC.
By the way, does the fact that it doesn't have side airbags make it unsafe? I don't think so. In fact, the all-time awd, along with a long list of safety features that we now take for granted make it at least for me, a very safe vehicle.
When I first found this site I was hoping to read about Jeep adventures; you know, driving up Mt. Washington, or fording rivers. Instead, I have found it as interesting as reading the service log at my local Jeep dealer. Doesn't anyone have any adventures to share with us?
Quadra-drive is without a doubt one of the best off road systems made. Period. A JGC Limited can probably get un-stuck from situations that most vehicles don't even dare.
But there is a common misconception of what true full-time all wheel drive is. And it's exactly like it sounds: there is torque going to all the wheels, all the time. Quadra-trac is like many other "auto" 4WD systems out there, meaning that only one axle has torque on it normally (in the JGCL case, the rear). Only after some speed differential occurs does the front axle receive torque. Quadra-drive takes this a step further by putting individual gerotor couplings on each axle to allow torque transfer from side-to-side.
Will a JGCL get stuck? Probably never. But I'm not worried about my family get stuck going 65 mph on the highway.
True AWD systems have constant torque on all wheels giving you greater control and less of a chance that a particular wheel will break free from the pavement. Plus many of these vehicles have active skid control systems to prevent loss of handling and roll overs.
Besides front airbags, what are the JGC's "long list of safety features"?? Seatbelts? For a vehicle that was just re-designed in '99, it's IIHS scores have stayed the same or gone down.
I know what you mean. I am an ex JGC owner, and I was once an active poster in whichever JGC Consolidation Topic was current at the time (III maybe?).
I owned a '99 JGC Laredo 4 X 4 with the I-6 and the SelecTrac 4wd system. Mine was taupe forst metallic and was drop-dead gorgeous!
I was a "defender of the honor" of the JGC. My posts were positive, and it was depressing reading so many negative posts. Back then, there were about three negative posts for every positive post. I think it's even worse now.
I had some problems with mine, but I liked the vehicle so well, I was willing to forgive the few things that went wrong. I had brake rotor problems, like just about everyone else had. The front rotors were turned twice and finally replaced before I traded in the vehicle with 33K miles on it. The back rotors were turned once and needed it again when I traded the Jeep.
I had to have the power window motors replaced on both front doors, and the air conditioner control module in the dash had to be replaced.
I think if I had kept the Jeep, I would always have had brake rotor problems, since I had no reason to believe that the rotors they put on were any better than the original ones. That would have been my one and only concern, though. I think the reliability otherwise would have been just fine.
People who have serious problems are going to post and let off some steam, and I don't blame them one bit. Let's face it, although you hopefully have gotten a good one, there are LOTs of lemons out there.
Back when I was in this group, there were all kinds of posts concerning problems involving a gear whine and "ghost bumps." Most of these were with Jeeps like yours that had the V8 and the Quadradrive. I don't remember people with the I-6 and SelecTrac having any serious drive train problems.
It seems a terrible shame to me that such a gorgeous, smooth riding, extremely capable vehicles like the '99 and up Grand Cherokees have so many reliability problems!
Hey, I liked mine so much despite the problems, I think I would buy another one (But I would stay with the I-6 and SelecTrac, just to be safe.).
Hi folks, I'm new to this forum, which looks like a great way to exchange info. I am a second time Cherokee owner. I had a 1990 I-6 which I bought used and put 91k miles on in 4 1/2 years and loved every mile. I went back for more and recently bought a 1995 Grand Cherokee I-6 and have started hearing a noise that sounds sort of like a feint grinding sound. I originally thought it was a wheel bearing, but it doesn't vary with side to side loading induced by turns, nor does it vary with drive train loading. Is this the "whine" referred to by tsjay in mag #89. I love the vehicle in general, but what I'm hearing sounds like big $as to me. Has anybody had similar experiences? Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks, -skihodad
I am a very frustrated owner of a 99 GC lemon with about 27k miles on it(which, unfortunately, does not "qualify" for the Lemon Law here in California). However, I've had the rotors replaced three times, the rear differential replaced, the front differential replaced, both the driver and passenger window motors replaced, the actuators (sp?) replaced for the door locks, the fuel pump replaced, and a whole host of other problems.
Chrysler will only offer me an extended warranty on the vehicle; they claim that the problems are not severe enough to qualify for a buy-back. Has anyone had success in getting them to reconsider? I simply cannot afford to keep this vehicle. It's a liability from both financial and safety standpoints. Any advice for a disappointed consumer?
I am writing back to explain that not all 99 JGC are lemons. Yes, I dealt with the rotor and the bump problems. But my experience with the dealers and DC has been overall positive.
Yesterday, I took my Jeep to the dealer for oil change, warranty service, and the emission recall. I requested that they again look at the rotors; they had been resurfaced twice before. The dealer brought out the warranty and told me that there was only a 12m/12K warranty. I told them that they had resurfaced the rotors last time which was beyond the 12/12 warranty. Since they wanted me to pay for the inspection, I told them not to do the rotor work and that I would call DC.
At my office later that morning, I spoke with DC customer service, explained the rotor problem, set forth their TSB information and requested that take care of the problem. They told me that I should have the inspection and the a DC warranty re would review the dealer's findings and get back to me whether the repair would be under warranty or not. I decided not to have the rotors inspected until I put my rotor complaint in writing. However, when I picked up the car in the evening, the service invoice stated that the rotors had been replaced as per DC request.
Unlike many other '99 owners, I have been satisfied with the car. I have had a few minor problems, such a door lock and the bump. But those problems were fixed without complaint by the dealer and DC.
In dealing with the dealer and the DC customer service, any owner should document conversations, agreements and send letters of complaints as well as acknowledging good service.
By the way, I have had good experiences with the service departments at two different dealers: Reno, NV and Pleasanton, CA.
I have a 99 Jeep Grand Limited (2WD), and I regret my purchase nearly every day! What a waste of money! I have had 3 transmissions, 2 fuel pumps, rotor problems, alignment problems, and many other problems to boot! My dealer has offer to extend my warranty, but I feel that Chrysler should be offering some sort of monetary subsidation to off-set the monthly lease payments that we're having to make for something that isn't worth half of what we leased it for to begin with. Chrysler says that they won't do anything for us I/I we are out of our original manufacturer warranty. Anyone else out there I/the same concerns, and if so, what remedy are you being offered? Thanks! Next time it's the BOW Z5!
The only way to get compensation is to get a LAWYER who knows the lemon law. Our 99 JGC exhibited all of the above problems and spent over 60 days in the shop the 1st year. You better believe that we got our money back, and took them to the cleaners for this scrappy vehicle.
Regarding the above post regarding the front end wandering all over the road, get used to it. Ours would never track straight on the highway, never. After repeated attempts to fix it, we too were told that this was "normal" and the vehicle was within sped and operating as designed. Yea, right. That's why it tore up the front tires in 5,000 miles.
I know of another owner who was told his Jeep Grand Cherokee pulled sharply to the right as a safety issue, so if they fell asleep while driving, it would drift them onto the shoulder! That's a good one, and the service writer told it with a straight face.
The only way to make headway with DC is with a lawyer. Otherwise, they just keep stroking you until you give up, go away, or sell your Jeep (at a loss). It's how they do business.
Our 99 Jeep Grand Cherokee lemon spent over 2 months in the shop it's 1st year. So many problems it was unbelievable. I posted on this forum often back then. Or lemon law attorney got us out of it with our money back from DC, but it wasn't easy.
We then bought a Toyota Tundra, having since driven it to Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, all over the West Coast, and commuting every day. Guess what, not a single problem, not one. The jeep sure looks nice, but that's where the attraction ends.
I have written in many times about the countless times my 99JGCL has had problems. I have been accepted into the lemon-law arbitrationprocess and need some help. The Dept of Consumer protection told me that usually all I can expect is to have them pay off the lease company which would be $6000, goes to the lease company and I would receive the money I put down which is only $1500. Seems like so much work day off...to just accept $1500. I thought I would get some of my lease payments back. Haave had the vechile for 2 years and paid over $9000 toward lease. I know that many of you are under a gag order but please try to help me in any was possible, without violating your gag order conditions. Thanks so much, Christie
Just traded my '99 JGC Laredo for a beautiful Seq. SR5...highly recommend it! The ride, room, craftsmanship, etc. is FAR superior! Our Jeep dealer had a terrible service department which didn't help matters either....we had 2 sets of rotors in less than 20K miles, fuel pump replaced, alignment that never was right (and yes, I was also told this was "normal"). They even tried to charge me for lug nut caps every time they rotated the tires, because the caps would break and the dealer said "they have a faulty design, it's not our fault they break" (so I should pay for Jeep's faulty design...I don't think so!). It was our third Jeep since '91 and probably the last! If you're unhappy with your Jeep, go drive a Sequoia - you'll be hooked!
New to board. On my second JGC 28K pkg. Are the bumps those funny engine feelings going uphill, under load, at times?? also, what is "normal" gear noise. Also have had AM.. transmission problems. SUB won't move over 1-2 MPH until it warms up. Strange, or normal??
Hello Folks... been away from the forum for awhile and was just checking to see how things are going with fellow JGC owners. I see not much has changed and that ownership experiences may be deteriorating even further.
With all due respect, you aren't very likely to find a "magic answer" to your vehicle's problems here. If you feel you've experienced an abnormal amount of problems with your JGC, then you owe it to yourself to LEARN how your state lemon law works.
This is very simple... log onto www.autopedia.com and follow the links to your specific state law. It's all there, word for word. Plus, it also provides links to the state agency that administers the law in your state, as well as links (in some cases) to lemon law attorneys.
Every state has an official web site. If you can find your way here to Edmunds, you can find your state web site. With very little effort, you should find their link to their lemon law info.
Once you find this, read it! It's also a good idea to CALL THEM and run your vehicle's problems by them. They can tell you if you have a legitimate case or not and how to go about USING THE LAW.
Do not listen to or believe all the garbage that DC tells you. They don't control or administer your state law... they have to FOLLOW IT. It was written for you to use against them when the situation warrants it. This is the most consumer-oriented law you'll ever find on any state's books.
Look, what does it cost DC (or any other manufacturer) to tell you that your vehicle's problem isn't serious enough, or that it's not a lemon? Absolutely nothing! What do they gain by doing so? Hoping you'll just drop the issue and go away! They've got everything to gain, nothing to lose and it doesn't cost them a penny to tell you this crap
If you have a legitimate case, and you understand how your law works and follow it step-by-step, DC can cry and whine all they want too. It doesn't matter... they still have to obey the law.
For those of you who are new to this forum, I've owned a 93, 98 and currently a 99 JGCL. My 98 was bought back by DC under Wisconsin's lemon law.
I researched my state law, found that my vehicle qualified (even called the state to confirm this), simply followed procedure and wrote a certified notification letter to DC demanding a full refund or replacement of the vehicle.
What effort did this take? About 20 minutes to write a letter and attach copies of my service work orders and $2.76 to send it by certified mail. A wait of approximately 10 days to receive a response from DC. I didn't even call an attorney... what for? Pay someone to do what I'm perfectly capable of doing myself? No way! Hey, if I can do this, why can't you?
I wrote down my entire experience and what I learned while using it. My hope was to make it available to anyone who was dealing with the stress of living with a problem vehicle. I've had a few hundred people request it over the last year or so and I know a couple of people have successfully applied this info to win their cases without ending up in court, or using an attorney. That's all I need to make the effort worthwhile.
Once again, if you'd like to read what it's like to ACTUALLY USE the lemon law, send a "lemon law document" request to me at kkulig@aol.com and I'll be more than happy to send it to you. Note: this document was written in Word97.
hi all, I am the disappointed owner of a 2000 jgc-limited. I am on the final' attempt to have my jeep problems (gear whine-front & back, bump,etc) corrected. I've owned the car for 14mons, 28k i. I have had the rear gears replaced, 2 rear drive shafts, 2 front drive shafts, the front differential-new parts, and finally a whole new frnt differential put in a just few wks ago. Nothing has stopped the gear whine or that mysterious bump. A Chrylser Rep from my area ( Mass.) has driven my car, and wants one more attempt to fix the car, I will be dropping my jeep off Wed. The Rep. has given me an option to 'think about' , IF they cannot fix my jeep. The option they want me to think about is to put me in any new Chrysler product. Does anyone know what Chrylser uses as a rate for mileage depreciation ? The Rep said they use these 2 methods to determine my car value, mileage depreciation (mileage X net price I paid) and my window sticker, vs. the new car window sticker that I choose. Since this is only something for me to "think about", the Rep will not disclose at this time, what the mileage rate is. Thanks for any help..... Natalie
Hi everyone. Wow! I'm sorry to hear about your problems, I guess I got the pick of the litter. I was shopping for a v6 GCL and the salesman said, "we do have this one and only v8 with $3000 off the sticker price." Not quit in my price range, but why so cheap? It's a paint recall, we bought it back after the factory repainted it and put a 10yr 100,000 mile paint defect warranty on it. We have to sell it as a used vehicle. I'll take it for 25,000 cash. It's the luxury package, it's got everything a limited has except leather and dual climate control. 31,000? Nope. Let's test drive it. 3 hours later 27,000. Sold. 49 miles on it, 6 year bumper to bumper and the 10year paint warranty. So far it has 7,000 miles with not a single problem. Not a safe thing but toped it at 110mph and it was as smooth as my dad's mercedes S600. Out accelerates those other suv's and most sedans. I'm sorry to hear the problems, hope I don't get any.
I have had a JGC Limited V8 for about 14 months now and have clocked up about 35,000 km's. So far I have had none of the problems that seems to be happening with the US models (the Australian model is built in Grab, Austria, alongside the Mercedes 4x4 for the European, African and Asian markets). I do a fair bit of country (off road driving) in fairly hot (35+ (celsisus) heat). probably the only real pain has been the security system, you have to be so close for it to unlock the doors. Apart from that I had a cracked headlight which was replaced under warranty. As far as I know the European model has pretty much all the US options as standard, as well as a retuned engine for more power, folding and heated mirrors and larger wheels. Mine came with Michelin tires and so far are pretty good.
Ten months ago I was the proud owner of a 2000 Grand Cherohee Limited V8 with all the options that were available. The list price was $38.5. From the first day of ownership I had quality problems with the vehicle. The gear whine was intolerable even after the dealer changed the ring and pinion gears. The gear changes when shifting from 1 to 2, 2 to 3 and 3 to 4 were rough. There was a vibration starting at 48 mph that got louder as the temperature increased. There was difficulity in maintaining the vehicle on the road as it wanted to wander from side to side. The crowning moment was when the service manager from the dealer on a test ride said that he" never heard anything and the vehicle was perfectly normal and maybe I should increase the voulume on the radio if I was unhappy with the noise". Purchasing of this vehicle was a bad financial mistake and I would suggest that anyone planning a similiar purchase to consider carefully the other manufacturers of SUV's before buying a DC product.
I traded for a Toyota and love it. The Jeep was my first and last experience for any Chrysler product.
If the DC rep is willing to put you into a new vehicle, it's definitely worth considering. While it's probably fair to pay the difference in window sticker, be careful of the mileage charge they want to impose on you.
The question here is not "what's DC's mileage charge going to be"... it's what does the state of MA allow DC to charge you for mileage?
This offer from DC's rep in effect is a buy-back of your current vehicle. Your state lemon law governs what happens in a buy-back case, not DC.
I'd suggest looking up and reading the MA lemon law first (you can find this at www.autopedia.com). The info you're looking for should be clearly stated in the statute. If not, or it's unclear, they will also list who to contact in MA so you can call to find out.
New to the Board. I bought a JGC Laredo 6 cyl. last summer through carsdirect.com. No mechanical problems with the car yet, but I'm disappointed in the gas mileage. No matter what speed I drive for long trips, I never get more than 15 mph on the highway. Is this what I can expect, or should I be looking for a mechanical problem? I spoken to a few other Jeep owners and they are surprised I don't get close to 20 mph on the highway. My previous SUV was an Explorer with a 5 speed, but the mileage was much better (about 22 hwy). At this rate, I feel I may as well have gone with the 8 cylinder.
Dennis, I have a '97 JGJ Laredo w/54K. I get 19-20MPG on long trips, 17MPG scooting around the city. Have you tried manually calculating MPG (top off your tank, reset odom on dash, go for a long trip and run most of your gas out, top off your tank and record EXACTLY how many gallons you have to put back in, divide the mile by the gallons). Maybe your computer is misreporting.
Also, can you feel your Jeep kicking into overdrive. I am wondering if your constantly tach-ing real high and burning more petro. I had some idling-mechanism issue shich caused my JGC to idle at over 2K. It was easily resolved.
Glad to hear you haven't had the major mechanical issues. My '97 has been flawless. I think all the problems are related to the new 5-speed tranny and rear-end differential associated with the Quadra-Drive.
If I get a new JGC I am going to stick with Select-Trac.
piece of junk. Anyone else having problem after problem with theirs. I had a 94 Wrangler without a ingle problem thru 60,000miles. This GC has been a piece since day one. And, the dealer says they hhave a bunch of the same complaints I have. Trading it soon.
I have a '98 Laredo, and my highway mileage and method of calculating it is the same as mhplummer's. I've owned the car since new, and it has also been flawless. Wish I could say the same for my new Wrangler Sport.
I have owned a 99 grand Cherokee limited for about 2 years now ,and overall it has not been a bad vehicle. I've had a couple problems with it mainly the bad brake rotors and a fuel pump. have not had any of the noise problems, and I do have the quadradrive system. I currently have 38k hi on it, and one thing I found was yes the noise was there slightly when it was new, but over time it went away most likely I think because everything wore in over time,and now it is not there at all. By the way I just bought a new wrangler two weeks ago so now I have the wrangler and the grand Cherokee.
Does anyone know of an available front-mounted receiver hitch for the 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee or have any experience with having a custom receiver fabricated? Draw-Tite makes one for the JGC up through model year '98 but hasn't yet designed one for '99 to '01. Any help would be appreciated as this is a "must have" for me in order to spot my boat trailer into its tight parking place.
I am presently looking to lease a 2001 CL and would like to know what is a good lease deal. I receive a price on a CL with the I package. The MSRP was $31440.00, after rebates and discount the price was 27430. The monthly payment was 496.00 with ) down and only first months payment. The money factor used was .049 with seems very high. Is this a good price or is there room to play?
I paid $29k for a JGC Laredo 4WD ($2k cap reduction, tho) in 1998 and am currently paying $399.89/month on a 3 year lease (ending in 2 months). While your money factor seems quite high, I'm not really sure what mine is. $496 for how many months? DC is really trying to push the GCs out the door and they're really negotiating. I was getting prices like $32.5k for a Limited 4WD last month before I figured that I really couldn't live with the preceived problems of owning a JGC for the long term. My '98 lease is coming up and I'm looking to purchase probably a full size Montero or Sequoia.
What is the I package? 4WD? Leather? I think there's alot of room them to come down on the price. With rebates and factory to dealer incentives ONLY, that will bring the price down to $28440. Your dealer is only cutting $1000 on a vehicle that is currently being overproduced, as per my conversation with my local Jeep fleet/internet manager. Work from the invoice price according to Edmund's with all options minus the $3000 in rebates/incentives, and offer $500 over that price. That's what the fleet mgr. offered me for a LTD, $400 over for a Laredo. Hope this helps. --Jimmy
Hi all, You know the difficulty that I have been having with my 99jgcl. Lemon Law arbitration accepted me. DC called the other day and offered me two options. pay off lease, no down payment back and deduct for mileage. I declined that offer as I would be out plenty. 2. they would put me in another jgcl and I would pay the difference for sticker as there are no longer any new 99's. declined also. I am going for all fees and lease payments made over the two year period for the inconvenience of it being in repair a total of 24 times. For those of you who went through this process and are bold enough to speak out against your gag order, remember we are anonymous here, is this reasonable. Please comment as my hearing is in three weeks.
Does anyone have any first- (or second-) hand knowledge on one of these systems? I'm considering a stainless steel one from either Borla, Gibson, or K&N. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
Anybody use Mobil 1 oil? I've got 36,000 miles on my 98 Laredo, all highway. The car will now be used for around-town driving, and I wonder if the Mobil 1 would be better for the engine for this kind of driving.
Looking at SUV's and wow what an eye opener. I will not even test drive a Jeep after this visit. I remember when I was a kid before the government bailed them out and Chrysler had a reputation as being the worst car of the Big 3--GM, Ford and Chrysler. Guess nothing much has changed. Wow they sure look great on the outside. Import here I come--Pathfinder, QX4, RX300. Even Hyundai Santa Fe has some great reviews in that forum. They are only a bit over 20,000 and 100,000 miles warranty. Have new Honda CRV 2000 but want something a bit more plush. I am used to Honda quality--have not had my last two Honda serviced except for scheduled mint and oil. No trips back for rattles, on-functioning parts etc. That keeps me buying imports sorry to say--I would not know how to act if I had to go to a dealership and wait around or get a ride because of repairs.
I have a '97 GCL that has been virtually trouble-free for 34000 miles [aside from a balky rear wiper motor]. Lately, though, it's developed a disturbing quirk. When I'm stopped in heavy traffic and ease off the brake to creep ahead, the car will occasionally seem to "lurch" sideways on its tires. It almost feels as if the car was bouncing off a curb (unlikely, there being so few in the middle of the road) or half-running over a brick or something. It doesn't do it all the time, but the motion is getting progressively worse. It's a definite jolting motion. Anybody out there experience anything like this? I'm afraid to take it into my Jeep dealer without a good idea of what's going on; they're not the swiftest.
We have owned our dealer demo for approx. 5 months with 20,000 miles on her. About 4,000 miles ago we began to hear a metal on metal squeak whenever we drove over a speed bump or something. Brought it in approx. 2,000 miles ago and the dealer fixed a loose suspension mount. About another 1000 miles later, it started again and is now somewhat worse. We will bring it back to the dealer this week, however I am beginning to think this will be a problem we are not able to fix. Has anyone else experienced this issue? I am wondering if it is just a poor design or did I just get "lucky?" Thanks in advance.
Looking at the JGC laredo. I've heard the 6 lacks power. I would use this primarily to commute to work, and am used to lots of acceleration to help merge into traffic. Your opinion is appreciated.
i can relate to your question. my previous car was a pontiac firebird and i was used to its acceleration, handling , etc. i test drove the I6 and i don't think you'd have any problems merging into traffic, BUT the V8 is another story! awesome acceleration (but be sure to slow down for those corners)! one test drive and i'm sure you'll agree. i've had my '01 jgcl 2WD V8 for about 2 months now and i love it! but like i said, there's nothing like 1st hand experience.
Before you completly write off the JGC, I'd advise you to at least drive one. Evaluate what you will be doing with your 4 x 4 and if it is taking the vehicle off road, you will not find one better. If you will use it as a status symbol and expect a car like ride, get a car.
I've had my 99 JGC for almost two years and it did have some problems. Just for kicks, I started to test drive others to see how mine compared and I was amazed. Especially compared to the fit and finish of the Pathfinder.
I've had my JGC I-6 for approx. 18 months. I chose the I-6 primarily for better gas mileage. I regularly travel between the San Francisco bay area and Lake Tahoe (elevation change of about 6500 feet). I have had no problem accelerating on the city highways, going up the hills at 65+, passing, or merging. Before you pass on the I-6, test drive it.
I have also used my jeep to tow a boat. If I believed that I would towing a trailer or boat on a frequent basis, I would have chosen the V8. But I am very happy with the I-6. Good luck on your choice.
Don't give up, now that you've got em by the short hairs. The fact that they have made you offers before going into arbitration shows that you have a strong case. I hope you have all your documentation in order.
We did arbitration here, but it was a joke. It was paid for by DC in my state and the chimps never looked at our paper work, but they wanted us to give Chrysler "one more chance" to repair the vehicle properly (this after over 60 days in the shop!)
Finally our top gun attorney took em to the mat. Like you, after all our time, trouble, and aggravation, we were shooting for a FULL REFUND, and we got it! (even a little more, because the dealer did some bogus paper work on our original down payment). Don't settle for anything less than your full satisfaction on this deal. Best of luck to you.
I HAVE A 00 JGC WITH SEVERE VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END, IT HAS HAD THIS SINCE NEW, THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY THE TIRES OUT OF BALANCE, BUT HAS BEEN THROUGH EXTENSIVE SERVICE DIAGNOSIS AND LAST TIME THEY DECIDED IT WAS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE.HMMMM. I WONDER WHY THEY HAVE HAD IT IN THE SERVICE DEPT. SO MUCH IF IT IS NORMAL? HAD TIRES AND WHEELS SWAPPED, DRIVE SHAFT, HUNTER 9000 BALANCING MACHINE, ETC...I TEST DROVE (2) W/I6 BEFORE DECIDING ON THE V8, I WONDER IF ALL THE V8'S ARE DOING THIS, THE 6'S DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE A PROBLEM. I AM NOW IN THE ARBITRATION PROCESS. I HOPE I HAVE AS MUCH LUCK AS THE REST OF YOU GUYS..NEVER TAKE FOR GRANTED JUST BECAUSE IT'S BRAND NEW IT'S GOING TO BE GOOD...DRIVE THEM ALL!
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Steve
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I have a white Jeep Wrangler Sport with a black hardtop. I dearly love her (Her name is Thelma Jane, by the way: Wranglers are offended if they are not given a name.)
Here's a link to her web page:
http://members.aol.com/tjoh298765/thelma.html
I have 3K miles on her now and I absolutely love her! She is more fun to drive than any of the other vehicles that I have ever owned (and that's been quite a few).
Come visit in Wrangler IV sometime. I post there almost every day- there's a real good bunch of people over there.
tsjay
Have you hugged your Jeep today?
Happy Jeeping! Mark
15 times,which included 2 sets of front brake rotors,rebuild the rear end&diff.,front end alignment when it had 200 miles on it,replaced water pump,replaced fan clutch,replace rear window seal,replace transfer case vent,hook up console lights which were not hooked up at factory. Can anyone tell me if I have a case to engage the Iowa Lemon Law,I like the Jeep and I got a good deal on it,but I am quickly losing cofidence in the relability of the car,does anyone have any advice?
EZ
I almost bought one too because DC is practically giving them away (>$6000 off of MSRP). There's a reason for that. I don't care how cheap it is, I won't put a price on my family's safety.
By the way, does the fact that it doesn't have side airbags make it unsafe? I don't think so. In fact, the all-time awd, along with a long list of safety features that we now take for granted make it at least for me, a very safe vehicle.
When I first found this site I was hoping to read about Jeep adventures; you know, driving up Mt. Washington, or fording rivers. Instead, I have found it as interesting as reading the service log at my local Jeep dealer. Doesn't anyone have any adventures to share with us?
Quadra-drive is without a doubt one of the best off road systems made. Period. A JGC Limited can probably get un-stuck from situations that most vehicles don't even dare.
But there is a common misconception of what true full-time all wheel drive is. And it's exactly like it sounds: there is torque going to all the wheels, all the time. Quadra-trac is like many other "auto" 4WD systems out there, meaning that only one axle has torque on it normally (in the JGCL case, the rear). Only after some speed differential occurs does the front axle receive torque. Quadra-drive takes this a step further by putting individual gerotor couplings on each axle to allow torque transfer from side-to-side.
Will a JGCL get stuck? Probably never. But I'm not worried about my family get stuck going 65 mph on the highway.
True AWD systems have constant torque on all wheels giving you greater control and less of a chance that a particular wheel will break free from the pavement. Plus many of these vehicles have active skid control systems to prevent loss of handling and roll overs.
Besides front airbags, what are the JGC's "long list of safety features"?? Seatbelts? For a vehicle that was just re-designed in '99, it's IIHS scores have stayed the same or gone down.
Thanks, but no thanks.
I owned a '99 JGC Laredo 4 X 4 with the I-6 and the SelecTrac 4wd system. Mine was taupe forst metallic and was drop-dead gorgeous!
I was a "defender of the honor" of the JGC. My posts were positive, and it was depressing reading so many negative posts. Back then, there were about three negative posts for every positive post. I think it's even worse now.
I had some problems with mine, but I liked the vehicle so well, I was willing to forgive the few things that went wrong. I had brake rotor problems, like just about everyone else had. The front rotors were turned twice and finally replaced before I traded in the vehicle with 33K miles on it. The back rotors were turned once and needed it again when I traded the Jeep.
I had to have the power window motors replaced on both front doors, and the air conditioner control module in the dash had to be replaced.
I think if I had kept the Jeep, I would always have had brake rotor problems, since I had no reason to believe that the rotors they put on were any better than the original ones. That would have been my one and only concern, though. I think the reliability otherwise would have been just fine.
People who have serious problems are going to post and let off some steam, and I don't blame them one bit. Let's face it, although you hopefully have gotten a good one, there are LOTs of lemons out there.
Back when I was in this group, there were all kinds of posts concerning problems involving a gear whine and "ghost bumps." Most of these were with Jeeps like yours that had the V8 and the Quadradrive. I don't remember people with the I-6 and SelecTrac having any serious drive train problems.
It seems a terrible shame to me that such a gorgeous, smooth riding, extremely capable vehicles like the '99 and up Grand Cherokees have so many reliability problems!
Hey, I liked mine so much despite the problems, I think I would buy another one (But I would stay with the I-6 and SelecTrac, just to be safe.).
Good luck with yours
tsjay
I'm new to this forum, which looks like a great way to exchange info. I am a second time Cherokee owner. I had a 1990 I-6 which I bought used and put 91k miles on in 4 1/2 years and loved every mile. I went back for more and recently bought a 1995 Grand Cherokee I-6 and have started hearing a noise that sounds sort of like a feint grinding sound. I originally thought it was a wheel bearing, but it doesn't vary with side to side loading induced by turns, nor does it vary with drive train loading. Is this the "whine" referred to by tsjay in mag #89. I love the vehicle in general, but what I'm hearing sounds like big $as to me. Has anybody had similar experiences?
Any help or advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks, -skihodad
I am a very frustrated owner of a 99 GC lemon with about 27k miles on it(which, unfortunately, does not "qualify" for the Lemon Law here in California). However, I've had the rotors replaced three times, the rear differential replaced, the front differential replaced, both the driver and passenger window motors replaced, the actuators (sp?) replaced for the door locks, the fuel pump replaced, and a whole host of other problems.
Chrysler will only offer me an extended warranty on the vehicle; they claim that the problems are not severe enough to qualify for a buy-back. Has anyone had success in getting them to reconsider? I simply cannot afford to keep this vehicle. It's a liability from both financial and safety standpoints. Any advice for a disappointed consumer?
Thanks so much,
Megan
Yesterday, I took my Jeep to the dealer for oil change, warranty service, and the emission recall. I requested that they again look at the rotors; they had been resurfaced twice before. The dealer brought out the warranty and told me that there was only a 12m/12K warranty. I told them that they had resurfaced the rotors last time which was beyond the 12/12 warranty. Since they wanted me to pay for the inspection, I told them not to do the rotor work and that I would call DC.
At my office later that morning, I spoke with DC customer service, explained the rotor problem, set forth their TSB information and requested that take care of the problem. They told me that I should have the inspection and the a DC warranty re would review the dealer's findings and get back to me whether the repair would be under warranty or not. I decided not to have the rotors inspected until I put my rotor complaint in writing. However, when I picked up the car in the evening, the service invoice stated that the rotors had been replaced as per DC request.
Unlike many other '99 owners, I have been satisfied with the car. I have had a few minor problems, such a door lock and the bump. But those problems were fixed without complaint by the dealer and DC.
In dealing with the dealer and the DC customer service, any owner should document conversations, agreements and send letters of complaints as well as acknowledging good service.
By the way, I have had good experiences with the service departments at two different dealers: Reno, NV and Pleasanton, CA.
Good luck to all '99s owners
Regarding the above post regarding the front end wandering all over the road, get used to it. Ours would never track straight on the highway, never. After repeated attempts to fix it, we too were told that this was "normal" and the vehicle was within sped and operating as designed. Yea, right. That's why it tore up the front tires in 5,000 miles.
I know of another owner who was told his Jeep Grand Cherokee pulled sharply to the right as a safety issue, so if they fell asleep while driving, it would drift them onto the shoulder! That's a good one, and the service writer told it with a straight face.
The only way to make headway with DC is with a lawyer. Otherwise, they just keep stroking you until you give up, go away, or sell your Jeep (at a loss). It's how they do business.
NO MORE LEMON JEEPS FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our 99 Jeep Grand Cherokee lemon spent over 2 months in the shop it's 1st year. So many problems it was unbelievable. I posted on this forum often back then. Or lemon law attorney got us out of it with our money back from DC, but it wasn't easy.
We then bought a Toyota Tundra, having since driven it to Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, all over the West Coast, and commuting every day. Guess what, not a single problem, not one. The jeep sure looks nice, but that's where the attraction ends.
Thanks so much,
Christie
also, what is "normal" gear noise.
Also have had AM.. transmission problems. SUB won't move over 1-2 MPH until it warms up. Strange, or normal??
With all due respect, you aren't very likely to find a "magic answer" to your vehicle's problems here. If you feel you've experienced an abnormal amount of problems with your JGC, then you owe it to yourself to LEARN how your state lemon law works.
This is very simple... log onto www.autopedia.com and follow the links to your specific state law. It's all there, word for word. Plus, it also provides links to the state agency that administers the law in your state, as well as links (in some cases) to lemon law attorneys.
Every state has an official web site. If you can find your way here to Edmunds, you can find your state web site. With very little effort, you should find their link to their lemon law info.
Once you find this, read it! It's also a good idea to CALL THEM and run your vehicle's problems by them. They can tell you if you have a legitimate case or not and how to go about USING THE LAW.
Do not listen to or believe all the garbage that DC tells you. They don't control or administer your state law... they have to FOLLOW IT. It was written for you to use against them when the situation warrants it. This is the most consumer-oriented law you'll ever find on any state's books.
Look, what does it cost DC (or any other manufacturer) to tell you that your vehicle's problem isn't serious enough, or that it's not a lemon? Absolutely nothing! What do they gain by doing so? Hoping you'll just drop the issue and go away! They've got everything to gain, nothing to lose and it doesn't cost them a penny to tell you this crap
If you have a legitimate case, and you understand how your law works and follow it step-by-step, DC can cry and whine all they want too. It doesn't matter... they still have to obey the law.
For those of you who are new to this forum, I've owned a 93, 98 and currently a 99 JGCL. My 98 was bought back by DC under Wisconsin's lemon law.
I researched my state law, found that my vehicle qualified (even called the state to confirm this), simply followed procedure and wrote a certified notification letter to DC demanding a full refund or replacement of the vehicle.
What effort did this take? About 20 minutes to write a letter and attach copies of my service work orders and $2.76 to send it by certified mail. A wait of approximately 10 days to receive a response from DC. I didn't even call an attorney... what for? Pay someone to do what I'm perfectly capable of doing myself? No way! Hey, if I can do this, why can't you?
I wrote down my entire experience and what I learned while using it. My hope was to make it available to anyone who was dealing with the stress of living with a problem vehicle. I've had a few hundred people request it over the last year or so and I know a couple of people have successfully applied this info to win their cases without ending up in court, or using an attorney. That's all I need to make the effort worthwhile.
Once again, if you'd like to read what it's like to ACTUALLY USE the lemon law, send a "lemon law document" request to me at kkulig@aol.com and I'll be more than happy to send it to you. Note: this document was written in Word97.
I am the disappointed owner of a 2000 jgc-limited. I am on the final' attempt to have my jeep
problems (gear whine-front & back, bump,etc) corrected. I've owned the car for 14mons, 28k i. I have had the rear gears replaced, 2 rear drive shafts, 2 front drive shafts, the front differential-new parts, and finally a whole new frnt differential put in a just few wks ago. Nothing has stopped the gear whine or that mysterious bump. A Chrylser Rep from my area ( Mass.) has driven my car, and wants one more attempt to fix the car, I will be dropping my jeep off Wed. The Rep. has given me an option to 'think about' , IF they cannot fix my jeep. The option they want me to think about is to put me in any new Chrysler product. Does anyone know what Chrylser uses as a rate for mileage depreciation ? The Rep said they use these 2 methods to determine my car value, mileage depreciation (mileage X net price I paid) and my window sticker, vs. the new car window sticker that I choose. Since this is only something
for me to "think about", the Rep will not disclose at this time, what the mileage rate is.
Thanks for any help.....
Natalie
I have had a JGC Limited V8 for about 14 months now and have clocked up about 35,000 km's. So far I have had none of the problems that seems to be happening with the US models (the Australian model is built in Grab, Austria, alongside the Mercedes 4x4 for the European, African and Asian markets). I do a fair bit of country (off road driving) in fairly hot (35+ (celsisus) heat). probably the only real pain has been the security system, you have to be so close for it to unlock the doors. Apart from that I had a cracked headlight which was replaced under warranty. As far as I know the European model has pretty much all the US options as standard, as well as a retuned engine for more power, folding and heated mirrors and larger wheels. Mine came with Michelin tires and so far are pretty good.
I traded for a Toyota and love it. The Jeep was my first and last experience for any Chrysler product.
If the DC rep is willing to put you into a new vehicle, it's definitely worth considering. While it's probably fair to pay the difference in window sticker, be careful of the mileage charge they want to impose on you.
The question here is not "what's DC's mileage charge going to be"... it's what does the state of MA allow DC to charge you for mileage?
This offer from DC's rep in effect is a buy-back of your current vehicle. Your state lemon law governs what happens in a buy-back case, not DC.
I'd suggest looking up and reading the MA lemon law first (you can find this at www.autopedia.com). The info you're looking for should be clearly stated in the statute. If not, or it's unclear, they will also list who to contact in MA so you can call to find out.
http://www.petitiononline.com/hds2/petition.html
I have a '97 JGJ Laredo w/54K. I get 19-20MPG on long trips, 17MPG scooting around the city. Have you tried manually calculating MPG (top off your tank, reset odom on dash, go for a long trip and run most of your gas out, top off your tank and record EXACTLY how many gallons you have to put back in, divide the mile by the gallons). Maybe your computer is misreporting.
Also, can you feel your Jeep kicking into overdrive. I am wondering if your constantly tach-ing real high and burning more petro. I had some idling-mechanism issue shich caused my JGC to idle at over 2K. It was easily resolved.
Glad to hear you haven't had the major mechanical issues. My '97 has been flawless. I think all the problems are related to the new 5-speed tranny and rear-end differential associated with the Quadra-Drive.
If I get a new JGC I am going to stick with Select-Trac.
I've owned the car since new, and it has also been flawless.
Wish I could say the same for my new Wrangler Sport.
tsjay
What is the I package? 4WD? Leather? I think there's alot of room them to come down on the price. With rebates and factory to dealer incentives ONLY, that will bring the price down to $28440. Your dealer is only cutting $1000 on a vehicle that is currently being overproduced, as per my conversation with my local Jeep fleet/internet manager. Work from the invoice price according to Edmund's with all options minus the $3000 in rebates/incentives, and offer $500 over that price. That's what the fleet mgr. offered me for a LTD, $400 over for a Laredo. Hope this helps. --Jimmy
Thanks
Import here I come--Pathfinder, QX4, RX300. Even Hyundai Santa Fe has some great reviews in that forum. They are only a bit over 20,000 and 100,000 miles warranty. Have new Honda CRV 2000 but want something a bit more plush. I am used to Honda quality--have not had my last two Honda serviced except for scheduled mint and oil. No trips back for rattles, on-functioning parts etc. That keeps me buying imports sorry to say--I would not know how to act if I had to go to a dealership and wait around or get a ride because of repairs.
Thanks--
rjr425
good luck!
I've had my 99 JGC for almost two years and it did have some problems. Just for kicks, I started to test drive others to see how mine compared and I was amazed. Especially compared to the fit and finish of the Pathfinder.
I have also used my jeep to tow a boat. If I believed that I would towing a trailer or boat on a frequent basis, I would have chosen the V8. But I am very happy with the I-6. Good luck on your choice.
We did arbitration here, but it was a joke. It was paid for by DC in my state and the chimps never looked at our paper work, but they wanted us to give Chrysler "one more chance" to repair the vehicle properly (this after over 60 days in the shop!)
Finally our top gun attorney took em to the mat. Like you, after all our time, trouble, and aggravation, we were shooting for a FULL REFUND, and we got it! (even a little more, because the dealer did some bogus paper work on our original down payment). Don't settle for anything less than your full satisfaction on this deal. Best of luck to you.
Thanks.