Most common 1997 Jeep Cherokee problems
Share of the 390 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Jeep Cherokee complaints by model year
Best Cherokee years: 2022, 2021, 2020. Years to avoid: 2014, 2015, 2019, 2017, 2016. Compare all years →
1997 Jeep Cherokee recalls (4)
Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
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.
Remedy: U.S. Drive right will make all the required modifications. A representative will travel to the customer's location and make the modifications on site.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Rotor
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace these rotors with rotors that are coated with a corrosion protection.
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. Water and/or road salt in the proximity of the air bag control module could lead to corrosion.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the air bag control module and locate the new module on the top of the transmission tunnel.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicles. The fuel tank mounted fuel level sending unit accuracy can degrade over time, indicating significantly more fuel in reserve than is actually present.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel level sending unit.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 1997 Jeep Cherokee:
Crash Related Fuel Tank Fires
ODI has completed an extensive analysis of rear crash fuel tank system integrity data for the subject Jeep Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and Liberty vehicles (SVs).As of June 2013, ODI knew of 56 post-collision fatal fires, 28 non-fatal fires, and 6 fuel leak incidents (totaling 90 incidents, 75 fatalities and 58 injuries) involving the SVs.Based on this analysis, ODI issued a Recall Request Letter (RRL) on June 3, 2013…
Faulty gas gauge indicators
There is no summary currently available
What 1997 Jeep Cherokee owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 141 →
In response to the latest on the recall of Jeep grand cherokees and Jeep liberties, I respectfully request a full review of the 1993 - 2001 Jeep cherokees rear impact safety. In NHTSA's initial request to Chrysler, this group of cherokees was included as a subject vehicle, noting you had only received 15 voq's and only (1) was for a Cherokee, one is too many. NHTSA also stated that "assessment of available data for the Cherokee did not establish an unreasonable risk." was the available data at the time acceptable? Or have you subjected the owners of these vehicles to a life of fear driving vehicle not properly tested. Why was there no rear end impact testing of the cars when they initially came on the market? The location of the gas tank is in exactly the same position as the grand Cherokee and the gas tank is also "plastic". …
I have a 1997 Jeep with 150,000 miles on it and I am having a lot of issues with it stalling out for no reason. It's been doing this for over a year. It started all of a sudden out of the blue. I have taken it to the repair shop over 20 times to try and get the problem resolved and they are not able to find the problem. They have even kept it over night and had it on machines to figure out why it stalls and am not able to figure it out. I have replace sensors, fuel filter, battery, not to mention so many other parts and nothing is stopping it from stalling out for no reason. I have spent so much money and I love my Jeep but I am real nervous to drive it that I might go to turn and the Jeep will stall while turning a corner and get t-boned by oncoming traffic. Or driving on the highway and all of a sudden it will sputter and stall out. …
Brakes all 75 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Jeep Cherokee. Upon depressing the brake pedal, it traveled to the floorboard. The contact stated that there was a complete loss of brake power. The dealer (cueter Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in ypsilanti, michigan) was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 215,138.
Went out to go somewhere and it had a hard time starting. As I began to drive down the road my Jeep started to backfire, all of a sudden it cut off and the steering wheel locked up and the lights went out it was dark so I could of been injured. When I got it to crank back my ABS light has been on ever since and we have bought about 5 hundred dollars in parts and tried everything we know to do even the mechanics we have asked about it have no answers for us, we can't afford to buy another vehicle and no one wants to buy it from us because of all of the problems we have had with our Jeep!
Engine & cooling all 51 →
I have a 1997 Jeep with 150,000 miles on it and I am having a lot of issues with it stalling out for no reason. It's been doing this for over a year. It started all of a sudden out of the blue. I have taken it to the repair shop over 20 times to try and get the problem resolved and they are not able to find the problem. They have even kept it over night and had it on machines to figure out why it stalls and am not able to figure it out. I have replace sensors, fuel filter, battery, not to mention so many other parts and nothing is stopping it from stalling out for no reason. I have spent so much money and I love my Jeep but I am real nervous to drive it that I might go to turn and the Jeep will stall while turning a corner and get t-boned by oncoming traffic. Or driving on the highway and all of a sudden it will sputter and stall out. …
Vehicle has hard starts and frequent hesitation and stalling, at all speeds city street driving as well as highway driving. I have had a new distributor cap, rotor, plugs, wires, coil, installed, yet symptoms persist. Sudden deceleration at highway speeds is a seriously dangerous condition. My research suggests this is a common problem with the Jeep Cherokee xj. I narrowly escaped a crash on a busy interstate highway this morning at freeway speeds. Jeep ought to be aware of this problem, yet there seems to be no remedy for owners. I would at least like to know what the problem is. …
1997 Jeep Cherokee engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 18 / 23 / 20 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD | 17 / 19 / 18 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD | 15 / 18 / 16 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Jeep Cherokee a good car?
Based on 390 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Cherokee rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Cherokee at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Jeep Cherokee?
The fuel & propulsion system — 141 complaints, 36% of all complaints for this model year, most often about storage › tank assembly. Next are the brakes (75) and engine & cooling (51).
How many recalls does the 1997 Jeep Cherokee have?
There are 4 recalls for the 1997 Jeep Cherokee, the most recent from February 6, 2008 (instrument cluster/panel). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Jeep Cherokee?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2022, 2021 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2014, 2015, 2019, 2017 and 2016. See the full Jeep Cherokee years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Jeep Cherokee problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 108,000 miles; 10% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.