Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Jeep Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was at a stop sign, proceeded to accelerate, arriving at a stop-light when vehicle would not stop, brake pedal was pushed all the way to floor, pedal seemed to have no leverage to it. I coasted to a safe place to pull over, had to use emergency brake to stop. Checked all fluids and pads, those components seemed to be fine. And had to get vehicle towed it was unsafe to drive.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Jeep Cherokee. While the vehicle was stationary, the brake lines became severely rusted and corroded. 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 223,827.
No crash, no accident this is a complaint on safety and lack of availability to a "do it yourself" (diy) certified mechanic on brake bleeding. I am a certified aviation mechanic and well versed on bleeding brakes. On the Jeep listed there is a requirement to use a scanner (the Chrysler drb III scan tool) which plugs into the OBD-2 system to run the pump in the ABS system. This running of the ABS pump should move any air within, into the lines so that subsequent bleeding of the wheel lines will remove the air. The scanner cost is prohibitive for the diy mechanic and the owner is forced to take the vehicle to a dealer for proper bleeding of the brakes. Even a used scanner is valued at $3977 on ebay this date. …
Driver's side seat frame broke. Seat wobbles back and forth. Obviously an unsafe situation being strapped into a seat that is not properly secured to vehicle. Will force of pushing brake pedal totally separate seat from vehicle? This is a major safety issue relative to passenger restraint (me) and braking or stopping of the vehicle(others). I have read where this is a common occurrence on jeeps of the same model and year as mine. Clearly, this is a manufacturing defect. I have never had a seat frame fail on any other vehicle that I have operated. This is not rust related. It is simply a failed vehicle weight reduction program that has blossomed into a full blown safety concern for both those in the vehicle and anyone else outside of the vehicle in its general proximity. …
Near miss rear end collision due to brake lights and turn signal lights working intermittently. At times either the turn signals left and right will not work or the left and right rear brake light lamp assemblies will not work. Found a electrical grounding issue with left and right rear lamp assembly with regards to brake lights. With regards to the turn signals working intermittently problem unresolved. In addition, when vehicle is parked and locked at night the headlights and tail lamps come on and off for unknown reason.
Front brake rotors and calipers had to be replaced for the third time. TSB # 05 033 02 was issued by the manufacturer but they would not repair the brakes. The front brake rotors were replaced by the dealer under warranty. The consumer replaced at own expense. At 56K miles, the brakes needed to be replaced again. When the brakes were applied lightly, the steering wheel vibrated severely and was hard to control.
The rear brake line (steel) not the rubber line failed while pulling the vehicle out of the garage. It was completely rotted through, despite routine maintenance (bleeding of old fluid) being performed. It was determined both the front and rear lines needed replacement due to severe rot. These should have been made out of a corrosion resistant metal.
Jeep lemon!!! Terrible vehicle, terrible company!! This vehicle should be recalled immediately for these two issues, among others! I have almost rearended someone, by lookingback to see if I was rear ended due to the hard shift. The brakes shake so much under braking that I did rear end someone, however there was no noticable damage to either vehicle.
Vehicle brake rotors found to be rusted severely. During a free brake check the technician determined that the rotors were severely rusted and disintegrated. This set of rotor were the replacement put on by the dealer for the recall. The vehicle has had 2 sets of rotors in five years. The consumer contacted the manufacturer for reimbursement.
Vehicle was involed in sudden acceleration while drivingon hwy at approximately 55 MPH. As soon as driver lifted foot off brake pedal, vehicle suddenly took off out of control, hit a parked vehicle before stopping. Upon impact, both air bags failed to deploy. Dealer notified. Can NHTSA help in this matter.
Related recalls
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.
Brake complaints in other Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 1999 Jeep Cherokee?
NHTSA has 102 complaints about the brakes of the 1999 Jeep Cherokee, 28% of the model year's 366 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › rotor (48 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Jeep Cherokee brake problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 00V-136 (rotor, May 10, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1999 Jeep Cherokee brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 87,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries to brakes 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.