Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Jeep Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
At 45 MPH the vehicle began to shake violently and front end felt like it was vibrating apart, hit bakes and slow vehicle to 25 MPH for it to stop. Have replace almost the whole front end steering components and still having the same issue. Have researched this and it is a problem with the vehicle that is being described as a death wobble. Now were going to try replace the track bar, as they are saying that the brackets for the track bar are getting waddled out due to only a 3/16 bolt to secure the track bar and cause the hole in bracket to get waddled out in the steel bracket. We have found that this is an issue that seams to be on all jeeps. In some case people have replaced the brackets with after market parts that are much thicket steel and using a grade 8 bolts and tack welding the bolt to bracket to stop the hole from being waddled out. …
I have a 200 Jeep Cherokee sport, 4wd. I also had a 1996 Jeep Cherokee sport, 4wd. Both have the same 2 problems. #1 is a broken drivers seat. The bracket is too small and splits near the bolt holes. You can't drive like this, the current one (2000) started with a small noise when I was exiting the car. The next day it let loose on a bumpy road on a corner. I didn't think much of it the first time with the 1996, which I traded for the 2000, but since it has happened again, I did some research and it is a common problem. I stumbled onto this site: http://vlane.com/poll/30/2001-Jeep-grand-Cherokee-has-your-driver-side-front-seat-broken-on-this-Jeep problem #2, and more serious is a huge wobble, shimmy, shake problem at around 50 MPH. So much so that you feel as if the car is going to be thrown off the road or flip. …
I have a 2000 Jeep Cherokee sport 4x4 with no lift kits, etc. At highway speeds when hitting a bump in the road it goes into what is termed a "death wobble." this is very searchable on the internet. The vehicle will so violently shake in the front end it is hard to keep it on the road and not roll the vehicle before I'm able to slow down enough for it to rebalance itself. It is extremely terrifying. I've had the tires rotated and balanced thinking I might have lost a wheel weight or something but it did not correct the problem. Today I took it to the shop and was told I had a bad steering damper. But from what I've researched, others have had these replaced and the problem will come up again. Jeep/Chrysler needs to do something about this very dangerous situation as if no one has been killed yet I'd be surprised. …
My Jeep first started to shake violently when I was exiting onto an off-ramp. I pulled off the road; it was awful. I took it to a repair shop and they could not find anything wrong as the issue did not occur again right away. However, as time went on it did. It now happens rather frequently and it is terrifying every time. I have to get it repaired (new track bar) before something tragic happens. Please help! This is a known issue and yet no recall has been issued yet. By the time one is, due to accidents, I will hopefully have mine fixed. Therefore, this complaint is my plea on behalf of other Jeep owners. When this happens, it honestly feels like the front wheels will likely fly off; it's rather disturbing for those in the vehicle and those driving nearby in other vehicles.
Severe brake problems with 2000 Jeep Cherokee. There was an ongoing braking problem and difficulty diagnosing the problem. The problem was thought to be the rotors which were cut and replaced (the front pads). The problem still continued. Then the front rotors were diagnosed as being warped and the brakes were 50% worn. There was a tapping noise in the shifting area as well as a rubbing noise in the steering column that comes and goes. (unable to diagnose) the vehicle had been diagnose as the rear brake drums being out of round. The water pump leaked and was replaced along with the thermostat. The comsumer requested a refund
Dt: the caller said that while driving at 10 MPH lost steering control. He just got off the highway and was starting to turn into a parking lot when he lost control of the vehicle. He said the steering wheel would spin freely into circles. There were no accidents or injuries. Vehicle was towed to a repair shop. He was told that the compression bolt that holds the steering knuckle and the steering wheel spindle together came loose and caused the loss of steering. The repair shop tightened the bolt. Dealer said they never heard of that problem. Manufacturer has not been contacted yet.
When driving my 2000 Jeep Cherokee sport at 45-50 miles an hour the Jeep violently shakes from the front end. I researched this online and come to find out its called a "death wobble" among many Jeep owners. This is a scary phenomena as driving at highway speeds the vehicle wobbles back and forth and violently shakes.
I had several trips to the dealership with the Jeep. I purchased the Jeep on July 26, 2000 new. I took excellent care of the vehicle, have it checked and oil changed every 2500 miles. Before the three year warranty was up I had a total of 15,000 miles on it. I complained of it shimmying and grinding sound in the back, but they said they couldn't find a thing wrong. In February having about $18,000 miles on it that I needed a new fuel pump - $900.00 worth. Since then it has been down hill. I have complained since day one that my vehicle shimmies out of control intermittently, and no one could find anything wrong, just put new control arms and bushings on it and, steering pinion, tight steering, and a host of other such remedies, to no avail. …
There was a grinding noise coming from front of vehicle during normal operation and was difficult to control/ prevent vehicle from wandering. Dealership replaced front side, and pinion bearings twice. Also, replaced steering dampner. Problem is occurring again, and dealership is not providing any assistance to consumer. Please provide any additional information/attachments.
When making a right or left turn ,the steering wheel did not come back automatically. The dealer attempted to repair the vehicle four times but was not successful. The cause of the problem had not been determined. The service dealer had done everything that the manufacturer said to do in order to remedy the problem but the problem remained the same.
Steering complaints in other Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2000 Jeep Cherokee?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the steering of the 2000 Jeep Cherokee, 6% of the model year's 369 complaints. The component named most often is gear box (other than rack and pinion) (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Jeep Cherokee steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2000 Jeep Cherokee, though it has 1 recall 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 2000 Jeep Cherokee steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 22% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 0 injuries to steering 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.