Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Jeep Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was on my way to work headed south on I-69 in fort wayne, indiana. I had just passed the indiana state road 14 underpass when a semi truck tire and rim (the whole thing) came off a semi truck and rolled across three lanes of traffic where my Jeep hit it. It hit the front passenger side of my Jeep. Directly in the front but the right half of the bumper/front end. The tire then went under my car where it forced me to slide in to the cement median in the middle of the highway hitting my driver side front bumper at about 35 miles an hour or so. My airbags did not deploy.
Local Jeep dealer key - moline, il) further damaged my vehicle while attempting to install safety recall n45/NHTSA 13v-252. The rear bumper attaching studs were twisted of the frame while preparing to install the (recall required) tow hitch to improve protection of fuel tank from a rear end collision. The safety of my vehicle has been further degraded - key dealership has contacted Chrysler - however, no solution has been presented to me to date. Meanwhile, I do not feel safe transporting my family in such an unsafe vehicle with a loose and rattling bumper!
While driving fuel gage fluctuates leaving the consumer with no knowledge of how much gas is in the gas tank. Also, the electrical locking mechanism for the doors malfunctioned. Upon using the automatic lock button, it will not lock unless consumer gets out of the vehicle, and uses the key. Also, consumer has to use the key to lock the tailgate. The consumer sited the recall for the fuelgage needed to fix the vehicle. The vehicle was not covered under the recall for the consumers vehicle.
I just found out I have a cracked manifold, my driver side door has broken put a new part in it and now that is broken,I have also had to put a new transmission in it with only 148,000.00 miles. In 2006 I had to fix the gas tank because it was broken too. Is this not a recall problem????? Any of these, I have had the Jeep since 2000 and I bought it when it had 20,000 miles on it. Please help because this is 2012 and I only have 156,000 miles on it now. Thank you.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 13V252000 (fuel system, gasoline, structure) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
My vehicle was turned on in park; while in park for less than 2 minutes the vehicle went from park to reverse; vehicle was stopped by hitting a tree. Now my trunk is damaged, and my power locks don't work; if I understand correctly there is a federal investigation going on with my particular brand of Jeep; the dealer said they will not fix my Jeep; so what I am suppose to do.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Jeep Cherokee. While the vehicle was parked, all the doors became difficult to open. The contact had to apply force to the push button on the door handles in order to open the doors. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the fuel tank was exposed due to the trailer hitch being removed and could not be replaced due to excessive rust on the frame. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 185,000.
Hood latches on 1998 Jeep Cherokee sport are corroded and hood would not stay closed, had one replaced already, now the one on the right side of vehicle is acting up causing both to malfunction. This is a severe hazard. We are the original owners of this vehicle.
As I have reported, I have had numerous serious issues with this vehicle and I do not feel it is a safe car. This vehicle has also been recalled twice, for front brake rotors and defective air bag module, (replaced and moved from under the passanger seat front to under the console). I have contacted Chrysler corp. With this same information and my feelings that this vehicle is not safe and am awaiting a reply. I do not expect any monetary or new vehicle etc., I'm just reporting the safety problems I have had with this vehicle to any and all agencies to have something on record. I wish to state also that the dealership I bought this vehicle from have been very accomodating and there has never been a problem with them at any time.
Body complaints in other Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 1998 Jeep Cherokee?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the body & structure of the 1998 Jeep Cherokee, 7% of the model year's 399 complaints. The component named most often is body › door (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Jeep Cherokee body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 1998 Jeep Cherokee, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1998 Jeep Cherokee body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 152,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 7 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.