Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1991 Jeep Cherokee, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic145
- Engine and engine cooling17
- Service brakes15
- Seat belts14
- Power train13
- Vehicle speed control12
- Electrical system9
- Service brakes, air7
- Seats6
- Fuel system, gasoline4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 14 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 6 1991 Cherokee vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 4 people 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 1991 Jeep Cherokee failed the safety check 0.79% of the time — 30% less often than the average 1991 passenger car (1.13%). Median odometer at inspection: 165,606 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
45 first registered in 1991 are on Dutch roads; 78% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm10
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld8
- Remverschil op 1 as te groot7
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen5
- Remvertraging / remwerking parkeerrem onvoldoende4
- Band onvoldoende profiel4
- Band beschadigd4
- Remlicht werkt niet (goed)3
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
1 cars built in 1991 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025.
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
6 of these cars first registered in 1991 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 317,000 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
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 1991 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 … |
| 1996050 19 Mar 1996 | Emissions NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5 LITRE ENGINE. THESE VEHICLES MAY NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 1103 - EXHAUST EMISSIONS. THE MAT SURROUNDING THE CATALYST BISCUI… |
| 1993044 31 Mar 1993 | Fuel System NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.0 LITRE ENGINES. THESE VEHICLES MAY NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 301 - FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY. ROLLOVER TESTING REVEALED FUEL LEAK… |
| 1991024 19 Feb 1991 | Brakes NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. A MISLOCATED BRAKE TUBE MAY CONTACT THE STEERING SHAFT RESULTING IN POSSIBLE FLUID LEAKAGE AND PARTIAL LOSS OF… |
| 1991004 4 Jan 1991 | Brakes THE LEFT REAR BRAKE TUBE IS ROUTED ALONG THE TOP OF THE AXLE IN SUCH A MANNER THAT MAY ALLOW THE SUSPENSION JOUNCE BUMPER TO CONTACT THE TUBE WHEN THE SUSPE… |
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.
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.
IMPROPERLY INSTALLED BRAKE FLUID TUBE MAY ALLOW THE TUBE TO CONTACT THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT DAMAGING THE TUBE.
SUSPENSION JOUNCE BUMPER COULD CONTACT LEFT REAR WHEEL BRAKE TUBE WHEN SUSPENSION IS AT FULL JOUNCE (BOUNCE).
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 1991 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 |
| 602327 | THE OUTER EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS MAY FATIGUE AND BREAK. *YC |
| 600862 | INFORMATION ON INSTALLATION OF RADIO TRANSMITTING EQUIPMENT. *AK |
| 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 |
| 46371 | BULLETIN SUPERSEDES TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 08-16-95, DATED APR. 14, 1995. IF THE VEHICLE OPERATOR **REPEATEDLY** PRESSES AND RELEASES THE SET BUTTON WITH THEIR FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR (A 'LIFT FOOT SET' TO BEGIN SPEED CONTROL OPERATION), THE VEHICLE MAY ACCELERATE AND EXCEED THE DESIRED SET SPEED BY UP TO 5 MPH (8 KM/H) AND THEN DECELERATE TO LESS THAN THE DESIRED SET SPEED BEFORE FINALLY ACHIEVING THE DESIRED SET SPEED. |
| 39539 | REDESIGNED LIFTGATE LATCH. *TW |
| 37858 | PCM NOT PROPERLY DISENGAGING A/C CLUTCH VIA THE RELAY ALSO THE PCM MAY NOT ENERGIZE THE A/C CLUTCH RELAY. *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
SUDDEN ACCELERATION
BRAKE DISC/HUB SEPARATION
BRAKE DISC/HUB SEPARATION
VEHICLE SUDDEN ACCELERATION
REAR AXLE SHAFT SEPARATION
DRIVESHAFT/UNIV.JOINT FAIL
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation