Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1988 Jeep Cherokee, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Vehicle speed control25
- Seat belts20
- Electrical system16
- Fuel system, gasoline11
- Engine and engine cooling9
- Power train8
- Service brakes, hydraulic6
- Steering5
- Tires4
- Exterior lighting2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 3 1988 Cherokee vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 1 person died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1988 Jeep Cherokee failed the safety check 2.19% of the time — 116% more often than the average 1988 passenger car (1.01%). Median odometer at inspection: 162,035 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
31 first registered in 1988 are on Dutch roads; 77% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Band onvoldoende profiel4
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm4
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen3
- Remverschil op 1 as te groot3
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse3
- CO meer dan wettelijk toegestaan3
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld3
- Remlicht werkt niet (goed)2
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
0 cars built in 1988 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 2 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1988 Jeep Cherokee.
| 1993071 21 May 1993 | Emissions NOTE: JEEP VEHICLES WITH 4.0 LITRE ENGINES, RENAULT VEHICLES WITH 2.0 LITRE ENGINES AND EAGLE PREMIER VEHICLES WITH 2.5 AND 3 LITRE ENGINES. THESE VEHICLES DO … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1988 Jeep Cherokee.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Jeep told its dealers about the 1988 Jeep Cherokee: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 633948 | SUBJECT REGARDING FLOOR PAN CORROSION. *SLC |
| 600604 | SUBJECT ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION NOTIFICATION #733--BRAKE PEDAL SHIFT INTERLOCK. *YC |
| 39539 | REDESIGNED LIFTGATE LATCH. *TW |
| 37855 | NEW FRONT OUTPUT SEAL AND OIL SLINGER FOR TRANSFER CASE. *TW |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR
THROTTLE CONTROL
FIRES CAUSED BY CLTCH LK
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation