Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
1. Came out of gear when in park and crashed sustaining 5000.00 dollars in damage. Had received a letter from daimler-Chrysler in 2002,however it was not dated stating the car could do this. No recalls were present at the time. They denied any problem when car crashed. Called an attorney who was a relative that told without a doubt (100%) the car would do this. He then called me back and stated he could not represent me because he represented daimler-Chrysler. He was hired by Chrysler after he bought a viper from them that was a lemon and he shoved it you know where and won. They realized what an outstanding attorney he was then hired him. Talk about family ethics. They finally installed the secondary detent system in 12/2008. I was told it was repaired. 2 the car is stalling at high speeds,during u turns, while at stop signs. It to dangerous to drive. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the vehicle would sporadically and independently start. In addition, the vehicle surged and proceeded to increase acceleration while the brake pedal was being depressed. In order to stop the vehicle, the contact crashed and slid the driver's side of the vehicle into a truck. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure and current mileage was 90,000.
I was parallel parking the car on my residential street. I was in reverse and proceeded to back into the parking space. The cars both in front and behind me were some distance away. Suddenly the engine reved to a very high RPM and the car shot forward and crashed into the car in front of me. The car was still in reverse when I turned off the ignition. Several persons witnessed the incident. They heard the high rev of the engine, and also noted that the backup lites were on when I hit the car in front of me. I have owned 3 Jeep cherokees and have driven them for the past ten years so I am very experienced in driving this vehicle. I am positive that this car was in reverse when the sudden acceleration occurred.
At 07:45 am husband parked vehicle, placed drive selector in "park', engaged emergency brakes, left engine idling. Wife, jo, entered vehicle. As she was engaging safety belt the car suddenly accelerated to a very high RPM and , simultaneously, jumped into reverse gear. The Jeep struck a parked sedan and apparently the im[pact switched the gear into forward. Wife was unable to control and the Jeep struck a house . Husband opened door and turned off engine w/ ignition key. Engine stopped.. Emergency brakes remained engaged throughout. Police report confirms "not the driver's fault".investigation by insurance adjuster/repair shop ongoing.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact was in an idle position with the brake epressed when suddenly, the vehicle accelerated abnormally. The contact applied full body force on the brake pedal in order to stop the vehicle. The failure recurred three times. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the malfunction. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Vehicle was accelerating, when the vehicle reached 55 MPH the steering colum released and spun freely. The owner had no control over the vehicle and hit a telephone pole. The vehicle has been in the service center many times with steering and front end problems and all visits have been documented . These repairs have all been done at town and country gates are they responsible or is the manufacturer
We were on oour way home on the freeway, it was stop and go traffic, we were not going more than 3mphand my foot applied on the brake when the Jeep lurched forward and struck a boat and the outdrive causing $5000 to my vehicle and the boat is still in repair.
Vehicle was turned on and in park when it suddenly lurched forward, knocking consumer down and unconscious. Before stopping, vehicle turned in a counter clockwise motion, destroying all objects in its path. Dealer and manufacturer were notified.
Consumer was traveling in light snow and doing 5-10mph with foot on the brake and ABS engaged. Vehicle suddenly accelerated, causing him to rearend vehicle in front. No one was hurt, but the airbags didn't deploy.
When I stop with the brake firmly applied the engine surges sometimes and dies. If I put it in park and it will restart and I can proceed. This happens at traffic signals, when stopped, waiting to turn, etc.
Acceleration complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 36 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 4% of the model year's 991 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 1997 Jeep Grand 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 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 130,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 11 crashes, 0 fires and 6 injuries to speed control & acceleration 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.