Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1990 Jeep Cherokee, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic143
- Vehicle speed control54
- Engine and engine cooling28
- Power train17
- Fuel system, gasoline13
- Electrical system8
- Seat belts7
- Tires6
- Service brakes6
- Seats6
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 13 injuries and 5 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 5 1990 Cherokee vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 5 people died inside them, and 2 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 1990 Jeep Cherokee failed the safety check 0.00% of the time — 100% less often than the average 1990 passenger car (1.16%). Median odometer at inspection: 166,490 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
36 first registered in 1990 are on Dutch roads; 69% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm6
- Gordel beschadigd6
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde5
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen4
- Remleiding door corrosie aangetast4
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld4
- Ruitensproeierinstallatie werkt niet2
- Zijrichtingaanwijzer(s) werkt niet (goed)2
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In Finland
15 of these cars first registered in 1990 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 301,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
8 Transport Canada recalls for the 1990 Jeep Cherokee.
| 1998012 23 Jan 1998 | Brakes NOTE: VEHICLES ORIGINALLY RETAILED IN ONTARIO, QUEBEC AND THE MARITIME PROVINCES. THE COMPOSITE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS ON THESE VEHICLES MAY FAIL DUE TO CORRO… |
| 1996179 12 Nov 1996 | Brakes Vehicles with ABS brakes may experience premature actuator piston seal wear in the ABS hydraulic control unit and/or actuator pump motor deterioration. If this … |
| 1995062 7 Apr 1995 | Emissions NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5 LITRE ENGINES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 1103 - EXHAUST EMISSIONS. CATALYSTS AND OXYGEN SENSORS MAY BE DEF… |
| 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 … |
| 1991109 24 Jul 1991 | Brakes ON VEHICLES WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES (ABS), IMPROPER INSERTION/CRIMPING OF THE ABS HIGH PRESSURE HOSE AND FITTINGS COULD RESULT IN HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAKAGE. THI… |
| 1991018 29 Jan 1991 | Engine ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 4 LITRE ENGINE AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, A FAULTY THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR (TPS) CAN RESULT IN AN INTERMITTENT HIGH IDLE CONDI… |
| 1991007 9 Jan 1991 | Brakes ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS), MATERIALS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE AND INSTALLATION OF THE ABS LOW PRESSURE HOSE MAY CONTAMINATE THE … |
| 1990156 5 Oct 1990 | Emissions THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S 1103(2) EXHAUST EMISSIONS. - MISSING EMISSION MAINTENANCE TIMER FUSE. CORRECTION: FUSE WILL BE INSTALLED ON AFFEC… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER AND MULTI-PURPOSE VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, OR WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS CAN EXPERIENCE SEVERE CORROSION IF OPERATED FOR AN EXTENSIVE PERIOD IN THE "SALT BELT." IF THE ROTORS ARE NOT REPLACED, THE CORROSION CAN EVENTUALLY COMPROMISE THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE STAMPED STEEL CENTER HUB SECTION OF THE ROTOR.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS). THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT CAN EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE BRAKE ACTUATOR PISTON SEAL WEAR WHICH COULD CAUSE PUMP-MOTOR DETERIORATION.
THERE MAY BE HYDRAULIC FLUID CONTAMINATION FROM CONDENSATION FORMATION THAT CAN PLUG THE ABS BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP FILTER; STRESS CORROSION OF THE MASTER CYLINDER SNAP RING HAS BEEN TRACED TO CHLORINE LEAKING FROM THE LOW PRESSURE HYDRAULIC HOSE WHICH MAY CAUSE IT TO BREAK; FRONT BRAKE HOSE TO TIRE INTERFERENCE WHICH MAY CAUSE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE HOSE.
IMPROPER INSERTION/CRIMPING OF THE HOSE-TO-END FITTINGS OF THE HIGH PRESSURE HOSE ON THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM CAN CAUSE DETACHMENT OF THE HOSE FROM THE ABS SYSTEM, AND DISCHARGE OF HYDRAULIC FLUID.
MALFUNCTION OF FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM THROTTLE POSTITION SENSOR COULD CAUSE INTERMITTENT HIGH ENGINE IDLE SPEED IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING ENGINE.
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 1990 Jeep Cherokee: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 633948 | SUBJECT REGARDING FLOOR PAN CORROSION. *SLC |
| 618049 | SUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB |
| 615688 | SUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT |
| 612160 | SUBJECT ON THE CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *MJS |
| 610635 | SUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT |
| 609995 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES A REVISED WIRE SPLICE PROCEDURE AND RELATED PARTS. *TT |
| 6088786 | CONCERNS WITH ENGINE COOLANT USAGE. *NLM |
| 607963 | INFORMATION ON CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT |
| 600862 | INFORMATION ON INSTALLATION OF RADIO TRANSMITTING EQUIPMENT. *AK |
| 600604 | SUBJECT ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION NOTIFICATION #733--BRAKE PEDAL SHIFT INTERLOCK. *YC |
| 52963 | VARIOUS CAR OWNER'S HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN USING ENGINE COOLANTS MADE WITH PROPYLENE GLYCOL INSTEAD OF ETHYLENE GLYCOL. *YC |
| 51942 | DIFFICULT TO CLEAN LIGHT COLORED "CHALKY" RESIDUE FROM PLASTIC BODY COMPONENTS THAT ARE MOLDED IN BLACK. *TW |
| 43047 | UNKNOWN |
| 41032 | RECALL 558 - FAILURE OF THE OXYGEN SENSOR AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER MAY CAUSE A VEHICLE TO BE IN VIOLATION OF CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS STANDARDS. TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION, THE OXYGEN SENSOR AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER MUST BE REPLACED WITH IMPROVED DESIGN PARTS. *TW |
| 39539 | REDESIGNED LIFTGATE LATCH. *TW |
| 39014 | IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE 1990 JEEP VEHICLE, EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.5L ENGINE, MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL EMISSIONS STANDARDS. HYDROCARBON, CARBON MONOXIDE AND OXIDES OF NITROGEN LEVELS COULD BE ABOVE ALLOWABLE LIMITS, WHICH WERE ESTABLISHED TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH FROM THE DANGERS OF AIR POLLUTION. TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE OXYGEN SENSOR. *TW |
| 37855 | NEW FRONT OUTPUT SEAL AND OIL SLINGER FOR TRANSFER CASE. *TW |
| 10150552 | Child Seat Tether Anchor Installation This bulletin describes procedures to install Child Seat Tether Anchors based on Customer Request. Retrofits are subject to part availability. Vehicles in the following list that are marked **** for the model year are no longer supported with OEM retrofit kits. NOTE: Dealers are encouraged to honor any customers? request for the installation of the Child Seat Tether Anchors and Dealer reimbursement will be made by FCA US LLC regardless of vehicle age or mileage. See the Warranty Policy and Procedure Manual and/or Warranty Bulletin D-08-33 for reimburseme |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
BRAKE DISC/HUB SEPARATION
BRAKE DISC/HUB SEPARATION
REAR AXLE SHAFT SEPARATION
DRIVESHAFT/UNIV.JOINT FAIL
STEERING GEAR LOCKUP
FAILED ANTILOCK BRAKES
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation