Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1994 Jeep Cherokee, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Structure205
- Engine and engine cooling79
- Service brakes, hydraulic64
- Vehicle speed control38
- Power train38
- Seat belts35
- Electrical system21
- Steering13
- Tires13
- Equipment12
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 30 injuries and 5 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 11 1994 Cherokee vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 11 people died inside them, and 5 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 1994 Jeep Cherokee failed the safety check 2.30% of the time — 74% more often than the average 1994 passenger car (1.33%). Median odometer at inspection: 178,872 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
43 first registered in 1994 are on Dutch roads; 51% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm17
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen13
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld9
- Remleiding door corrosie aangetast8
- Roestschade van 1,5 t/m 2,0E of meer dan 15% dikteafname5
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde5
- CO meer dan wettelijk toegestaan3
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse3
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
43 cars built in 1994 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 229 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
In Finland
5 of these cars first registered in 1994 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 260,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
49 1994 cars are on the New Zealand register; 92% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 1994 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… |
| 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… |
| 1993148 5 Nov 1993 | Seats And Restraints THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 210 - SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES. THE TWO REAR INBOARD SEAT BELT ATTACHMENT BOLTS MAY HAVE INADEQUATE THREAD ENG… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
U.S. DRIVE RIGHT IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1994-1996 JEEP CHEROKEE VEHICLES IMPORTED FROM JANUARY 2007, THROUGH APRIL 2011 FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT," FOR THE HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LAMP ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLES ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH THE REQUIRED THIRD BRAKE LAMP.
U.S. DRIVE RIGHT IS RECALLING 107 MY 1994-1998 RIGHT HAND DRIVE, 4-WHEEL DRIVE JEEP CHEROKEE VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 101, 'CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS;' NO. 108, 'LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT;' NO. 111, 'REARVIEW MIRROR;' NO. 114, 'THEFT PROTECTION;' NO. 115, 'VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER;' NO. 118, 'POWER WINDOW SYSTEM;' NO. 120, 'TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS;' NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION;' AND NO. 301, 'FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY.'
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.
DURING ASSEMBLY OF THE FRAME, A FILLET WELD THAT JOINS THE INNER STEERING GEAR ATTACHMENT REINFORCEMENT TO THE FRAME RAIL, WAS OMITTED.
THE TWO REAR INBOARD SAFETY BELT ATTACHMENT BOLTS MAY HAVE INADEQUATE THREAD ENGAGEMENT INTO THE FLOOR PAN ANCHOR NUTS.
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 1994 Jeep Cherokee: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 633948 | SUBJECT REGARDING FLOOR PAN CORROSION. *SLC |
| 633931 | SUBJECT REGARDING DOOR SAG/CREAKING SOUND. *SLC |
| 628224 | EXHIBITING A CREAKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT DOOR HINGE AREA OR THE DOOR MAY SAG. *TT |
| 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 |
| 6089311 | CONCERNS WITH A/C EVAPORATOR ODOR. *NLM |
| 6089038 | INFORMATION ON TIRE AND WHEEL RUNOUT. *NLM |
| 6088876 | INFORMATION ON FUEL PUMP DIAGNOSIS. *NLM |
| 6088786 | CONCERNS WITH ENGINE COOLANT USAGE. *NLM |
| 607963 | INFORMATION ON CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT |
| 603108 | OUTER EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS MAY FATIGUE/BREAK. *AK |
| 602327 | THE OUTER EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS MAY FATIGUE AND BREAK. *YC |
| 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 |
| 46491 | BULLETIN APPLIES TO VEHICLES EQUIPPED W/ 2.5L, 4.0L OR 5.2L ENGINE BUILT TO 4-1-94 (MDH 4-1-XX). INTERMITTENT ENGINE MISS AND/OR ROUGH IDLE, OR HARD START/NO START MAY BE EXPERIENCED. REPLACE ALL WIRES BY REFERRING TO APPROPRIATE SERVICE MANUAL. |
| 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. |
| 39989 | DRIFT LEFT UNDER HARD BRAKING. *TW |
| 39528 | NEW COATED PISTONS. *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 |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Crash Related Fuel Tank Fires
SUDDEN ACCELERATION
DOOR HINGE
DOOR HINGE
BRAKE ROTER DISC/HUD SEPARATION
BRAKE ROTOR DISC/HUB SEPARATION
STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY
VEHICLE SUDDEN ACCELERATION
REAR AXLE SHAFT SEPARATION
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation