Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Bought this vehicle for transportation to work and have not been able to drive it due to safety issues as the timing belt has apparent issues that make the main computer read it wrong from what I am understanding. The vehicle wants to shut off at a red light or stop sign, then kicks back into gear. It seems to drive better on a main stretch, yet falters at slowing to a stop. It is at the manufacture now and has recalls, yet this was not on the list of repairs. However, I believe it is an issue that should be addressed without me having to pay a service bill for the amount they are wanting to charge me for repairs. I feel this is a manufacture defect that should be fixed. They mentioned the timing belt and crank shaft. Im no mechanic, however, these issues could cause me to loose control of this vehicle and should be corrected. …
This vehicle is a safety hazard!!! It just dies at any speed. My daughter and her newborn almost went off the road at highway speeds twice now. Just about everything has been changed and the problem is still there. Why is nothing being done to rectify this problem???? Just go to any Jeep forum and you will find a multitude of people pouring their hard earned money into this same problem and still no fix. What does it take to to get all of these potential killer SUV's fixed??? A certain amount of deaths?????????????
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving various speeds or while stopped, the vehicle shook and stalled without warning. The contact had to restart the vehicle to regain normal operation. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic and dealer who were unable to identify the cause of the failure. The manufacturer stated that due to the mileage of the vehicle, it would not be covered under warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 197,843.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic where the ignition coils were replaced. The failure recurred the same day the vehicle was serviced. The vehicle was in the process of being towed back to the mechanic for the second time. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, she began to see flames coming from under the hood. After the contact exit the vehicle it exploded. There was a police and fire report file. The vehicle was destroyed. The fire department was unable to determine the cause of failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving 65mph, the contact noticed a rattling noise in the front of the vehicle and it began to shake. Prior to shutting the vehicle off to observe the failure, she noticed black smoke coming from the engine area and a fire was underneath the vehicle. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. The current and failure mileage were 111000.
Engine stalls/cuts out without warning while driving at highway speeds, on city streets and sometimes while stopped in traffic. This is an ongoing issue for almost a year. Mechanic cannot find or duplicate the problem. Online forums seem to indicate this is an inherent problem in this product line the incident date below is the latest occurence.
Vehicle will stall out without warning while moving at any speed. Pulling over and restarting the car fixes the issue temporarily. This has been a problem for several years. No error codes are being generated . Replaced o2 sensors and this remains an issue. Looking online, many people have had this same issue.
My vehicle was sitting in the parking lot of central maine community college after having been parked for over an hour self combusted into flames .the aubrn firedepartment informed me that they had seen at least a half a dozen of this vehicle self combust as mine had.
I own a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee limited 5.9 liter engine. I drive the car 5000 miles/year and the car has 39000 total miles. The catalytic converter failed and began to rattle. The local Jeep dealership refused to admit it was the catalytic converter , and said it was the muffler. I took the vehicle to 4 different exhaust shops, and all 4 immediately said it was definitely the catalytic converter. I finally got the Jeep dealership to replace it and they too finally admitted it was indeed the catalytic converter. While I have been dealing with this issue I did much research on this cars catalytic converter. I found many websites with owners of my same car and other similar Chrysler cars that use the same catalytic converter. Every owner that wrote complaints described exactly what my problem has been. …
Engine complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 83 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 8% of the model year's 1,028 complaints. The component named most often is engine › gasoline (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee, though it has 4 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 Grand Cherokee engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 150,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 3 fires and 1 injury to engine & cooling 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.