Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
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).
It started with the lights turning off when I hit a bump. The whole Jeep would go dark. Instrument panel, overhead lights, driving lights, all of them! Then after parking the Jeep, day or night, the alarm system would go off all by itself. The door switches locking and unlocking while I was driving down the road. Then there was the radio that would turn on and off by itself. Then the windows decided to stop going up and down. When I would start the Jeep the instrument panel gauges wouldn't move, turn on. So, I would turn off the Jeep and restart it. Some of the gauges, would turn on but others, would not, like the fuel tank gage, speedometer gage. During the summer months, there would be a puddle of water on the passenger side floor board. I still to this day don't know what caused it to happen every day and each time it was turned on. …
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.
Standard Jeep Cherokee (had been maintained by us gvt. Until I bought) hesitates or stalls when turning when gas tank below 25-35% . Is hazardous and have nearly been rearended a few times, from 2003 thru 2009. Chrysler says known problem with fuel filter/pump 'sock'--but no assistance in the 500$ plus potential repair costs. This is the biggest safety problem I have ever heard of in a modern car and it's rampant among Cherokee owners.
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.
A recall based on 37 fatal accidents over the course of 20 years, involving millions of cars and billions, possibly trillions, of miles driven is absurd. It is more likely that a person would be struck by lightning than dying in a fire caused be a car crash. I would be willing to bet that there are at least ten other cars with a similar incidence of fire and fatality after a crash.
1998 Jeep Cherokee limited 4.0 - when turning left and the fuel level is below aprox 1/3 full the engine stalls and stops running. This created a very dangerous situation when proceeding through intersections with on coming traffic. I am aware that many Jeep owners are experiencing the same problem which leads to a conclusion that this is a manufacturer defect.
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Jeep Cherokee. The vehicle was equipped with a plastic fuel tank located near the rear bumper. A trailer hitch had not been installed by the manufacturer. The manufacturer was not notified. The contact had not experienced a failure.
1998 Jeep Cherokee se has had a fuel pump replaced (5 years ago) before the recall of same and now the engine control module has to be replaced (both times at a cost of $1000+ which is excessive and really maddening.
NHTSA investigations
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…
Fuel System complaints in other Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 1998 Jeep Cherokee?
NHTSA has 61 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 1998 Jeep Cherokee, 15% of the model year's 399 complaints. The component named most often is storage › tank assembly (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Jeep Cherokee fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system 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 fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 98,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to fuel & propulsion system 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.