1998 Jeep Cherokee: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 553 complaints
553
Total Complaints
117,000mi
Median Mileage
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
Top Issue
42
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

66,454 25th Percentile
117,000 Median Mileage
151,843 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
42
AIR BAGS
26
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
25
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
18
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
17
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
16
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
15
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
15
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
14
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
13

Severity Assessment

42
Crashes
5
Fires
45
Injuries
1
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT DURING NORMAL OPERATION AND DURING BRAKING. THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK"
"WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP. TOOK TO DEALER WHO HAD VEHICLE FOR 3 WEEKS & COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG W/STEERING WHEEL OR COLUMN. *AK"
"CONDENSATION WEEP HOLE IN MUFFLER HAS AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF EXHAUST GAS ESCAPING, ALONG WITH SIGNIFICANT NOISE."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28