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 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Jeep Cherokee. After the vehicle was serviced under NHTSA campaign number: 13V252000 (fuel system, gasoline, structure), the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. In addition, there was excessive smoke coming from the tire and rim on the front passenger side. The contact smelled a burning odor. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the entire braking system failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 141,501.
Jeep would stop completely while driving, would just pick up speed at random which caused an accident lucky no one was hurt.trouble with signal lights,visibility at night not good, seem like it wasn't getting gas,also 1 day it would start, next day it wouldn't start at all,it's been 10 months please help,im afraid to drive with my Grand-children. Jeep not starting heard sizzling sound then everything stop completely.
ECM has a fault circuit board per dealer and needs replacing . Causes completer power failure and engine will quit running , all electrical goes out -- no lights at night or emergency flashers -- and power brakes fail to work . This happens at any time , stopped or on the road .
I am complaining about the lack of service for my Jeep Cherokee. There is are a couple of recalls for this vehicle. One is the b02 and the other is the 879. I have made arrangements to have them fixed at the smithtown and bayshore dealerships and each appointment has been cancelled. I cannot take the car to a mechanic because the car rolls out of gear when it is in park (b02 recall). So the work that has to be done hasn't been taken care of because mechanics will not bring the car into the shop. As a matter of fact the one time someone allowed it into the shop it rolled out of gear and almost ran the mechanics over. Lets just say we are not on good terms because of this. Parts are worn out. But until this roll out of park issue is taken care of no one will see the car. Again I made several appointments to see Chrysler dealer but they keep canceling my appointments. …
Unexpected loss of brakes was experienced when brake pedal was depressed. Driver was approaching a parking spot when the failure of the brakes occurred. When the brake pedal was depressed it went to the floor. Inability to stop caused vehicle to jump the parking curb and crash into the corner of a concrete block constructed building. Damage to the vehicle was the primary damage experienced.test ing of brakes by owner was unable to recreare the failure. The master cylinder was suspect when it was noted the fluid level was below previous observed level. Master cylinder was removed and hydraulic fluid was found to be leaking around the plunger shaft. Also, a significant amount of hydraulic fluid was found inside the power brake booster. During discussion of the problem with the service representative at jimmie vickers it became evident this was a problem they have seen before. …
I purchased a certified pre-owned 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee from lansdale Chrysler Jeep in October of 2002. Within 1 week, the ABS light came on and I took it back to the dealer. They explained to me that the ABS unit had failed and would have to be replaced at a cost of over $1,000 dollars. I submitted a hand written complaint to them that the car was "certified" and nothing should fail within a week. The ABS was replaced without charge to me. Three years later the ABS unit has failed again! Estimate charge for repair is $1,200 dollars. My research on the internet shows this to be a common problem from 1993-1998 Grand Cherokee's. The following website: autos.msn.com cites this as a common problem for the ABS unit to fail. The dealer told me the ABS unit was out of warranty. How does a $1,000 part fail twice?!?
Tl contact owns a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving approximately 45 MPH on normal road conditions, the engine stalled intermittently. The vehicle restarted after several attempts and the engine and brake warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The indicators remained lit until the engine was turned off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic eight times, but the failure could not be duplicated. Recently, the dealer replaced the core wires, spark plugs, hoses, caps, and rotor distributor. The vehicle was also repaired according to NHTSA campaign id number 02V053000 (power train:automatic transmission;lever and linkage:floor shift). The failure mileage was 90,000 and current mileage was 103,000.
Tl* - the contact owns a 1997 Chrysler Jeep Grand Cherokee. The ABS warning light came on when it snowed and the ABS will not engage. This occurred since the contact purchased the vehicle, approximately 2 years ago. The repair shop could not t diagnose the failure. The dealer stated that if the ABS sensor got snowed on the system will not work properly. The current mileage was 160,000 and the failure mileage was 105,000. The failure occurred 20 times since the vehicle was purchased. Updated 03/19/07.
Dt: the contact stated that twice the driver's door had to be put back on. It had a defect in the body frame. The first time was in 4-04, the second time it was in 4-05. Currently, ABS brake system malfunctioned. A month ago, all of the pads on front and rear were replaced. Three days ago, the ABS light came on and would not go off. The contact took vehicle a service dealer, and they told him the control unit module and the hydraulic pump motor needed to be replaced at a cost of $2,300.00.
While both doors were open when backing vehicle backwards, noticed child walking on side of vehicle. Consumer put vehicle in park to get child, and without and indication vehicle slipped out of park, rolling backward, and child got cought between doors, draging child. Consumer jumped into vehicle and pulled emergency parking brake, but vehicle continued to roll about 15 feet before stopping. Child was rush to hospital. Please provide further information.
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 Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 173 complaints about the brakes of the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 17% of the model year's 991 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › rotor (82 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee brake problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 00V-136 (rotor, May 10, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 84,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 13 crashes, 1 fire and 5 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.