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 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The 2001 Jeep just came to a stop while it was being driven on the highway. It had always had engine issues. The front wheel suspension on the passenger side of the 2001 Jeep Cherokee laredo is bent and while driving it on the street or highway it causes the vehicle to pull to the left and is unstable when driving it on a highway or street. The engine has a knocking sound whenever it is running. The brakes to the vehicle has been slipping and making a grinding noise while driving it. Sometimes the Jeep doesn't want to drive over 70 MPH when driving in the highway or street. We have had to replace the brakes because they started smoking while driving on the highway. There is electrical issues with the car as well where the radio doesn't play as well as other electrical parts don't work. My 2001 Jeep has stopped while my husband was driving it on the highway and it is not drivable. …
I was driving in a mall parking lot looking for a parking space. I was turning the corner to go down the next aisle and all of a sudden I had no control of the Jeep. As I turned to the left to continue looking for a park, the Jeep was speeding out of control and I was slamming on the brake with both feet and the Jeep just kept accelerating! I was unable to steer away from the vehicles I was heading towards. As I was heading towards the first vehicle that I hit, I was trying to steer away from it and then the Jeep turned to the right and kept accelerating. I ended up hitting four other vehicles ( 5 vehicles total) and finally came to a complete stop after hitting the last vehicle. There is extensive damage to my Jeep and to the other vehicles involved. We have not had the damage accessed yet, so we do not know how much this will cost to fix. I believe my Jeep is totaled. …
Dt*: the contact stated while driving at night the headlights would not turn off, the battery was disconnected so the headlight would go off. Second, the car is not in park light illuminated on the overhead console while driving 45 MPH. Third, the antilock brakes vibrated while coming to a complete stop at a red light causing the vehicle to accelerate. The vehicle hit another vehicle from behind however no one was injured. A police report was filed at the scene. The vehicle sustained frontal damage and was driven home. The dealership inspected the vehicle but was unable to determine the problems. The manufacturer was alerted. Updated 6/23/2006 -
Dt: the contact stated while traveling 35 MPH another vehicle was turning to the right in front of the contacts vehicle. The contacts wife depressed the brake pedal and there were no brakes. The roads were dry. This was a frontal impact, and the air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained injuries. The vehicle was towed to a towing service were it is now parked. The manufacturer was contacted.
Consumer called complaining about brake problems. Stated that in less than a year the whole brake system had been replaced twice. Dealer was contacted, and was aware of the problem. But was telling the consumer that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. Manufacturer was contacted, and was telling the consumer that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle.
Driving down main street and it was dry road conditions and went to apply brakes and pedal would not engage at time. Had in past pulsing pedal, but no brakes at all this time resulting in a rearend collision with the car that had stopped in front of me.
I have had to repair my brakes due to warped rotors 3 times and am currently in need of a 4th brake repair due to the same problem. My vehicle only had 14,844 miles when it was repaired the 1st time. I inquired at the time why I would need a brake repair at such low mileage. The service manager said, "you have a 4wheel drive vehicle and they wear out the brakes easily, the brakes are not made heavy enough for the extra weight when stopping." I replied that this sounded like an error in the design and I would expect for the dealership to pick up the charges. He agreed and the warranty covered the expense the 1st time, but when the 2nd and 3rd time came around they would not pay for the repairs. The 2nd brake job was needed at 30,219miles. I tried a different dealership service shop for repairs, but the expense was out of my pock there also. …
Have experienced pulsation/vibration during braking since owning my 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The pulsation/vibration is moderate to severe, depending on braking speed. Dealer resurfaced the front brake rotors at 13241 and 23328 miles, and, applied TSB 0500302 at 35470 miles. Vehicle now has approximately 45000 miles, and, pulsation/vibration is now ocurring again. I have written daimler Chrysler concerning this ongoing problem, and, am currently awaiting their reply. This problem is not just an annoyance. Brake pulsation due to brake rotors having excessive run out (warped rotors) is a saftey issue. Operating a vehicle that has brake rotors with excessive run out will cause one or all of the following problems: a. Excessive heat in rotors, resulting in additional rotor warpage and possibly rotor failure, and, ineffective braking; b. …
I have owned a Jeep for 3 years. Since I have purchased the Jeep I have had nothing but problems. The rotors went bad, the steering manifold went bad, the engine went bad, and the motor in the window went bad and broke. Now I have replaced my left rear brake light six or seven times. It slowly started to fade out, and now the entire light goes out at night when our lights are turned on and we have to depress the brake. It is also barely noticeable during the day. We thought we had a faulty wire, but when we took it to a shop to have them look at it, they said that in every Jeep that has been brought in with the same problem has been the entire light and casing. The bulb gets too hot and warps the casing that holds the light. So the light no longer touches the casing and will no longer work. They told us also that our right rear light is warping also, so both of them need to be replaced. …
2001 Jeep Cherokee rotors and pads have been replaced every year in the last 3 we owned it. This year I will have to do it twice. Never buy Chrysler again, they have issues with a product and don't attempt any solutions to fix them. Brakes pulse very bad, very bad while braking and they are fine for the first 90 days of the repair but then go bad again. I believe while braking in rain or wet conditions warping occurs and once again the vibration comes back. I purchased high performance rotors and pads and at the same time as factory rotors and pads the same thing occurred again. Recommendations: don't drive in wet conditions and get rid of truck, they say buy American but why???? …
Brake complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 208 complaints about the brakes of the 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 24% of the model year's 883 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › rotor (122 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2001 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 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 27,000 miles, and 47% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 7 crashes, 0 fires 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.