IllustrationBRAKES ARE LOCKING UP ON WET ROAD. WHEN TRYING TO STOP IMMEDIATELY THE RIGHT REAR BRAKES LOCKS UP; UNCONTROLLABLE. CONTACT DEALER WORKED ON IT THREE TIMES. AFTER FORTH REPAIR ATTEMPT, THE LEFT REAR IS NOW LOCKING EVEN ON DRY PAVEMENT WITH SPEEDS AS LOW AS 20 MPH.
1978 Jeep Cherokee
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Cherokee years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 1 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
1 reportsOfficial recalls
287V178000 · Visibility:glass, Side/rear
Nov 23, 1987
THE KEY OPERATED TAILGATE WINDOW WILL CONTINUE TO CLOSE IF THE SPRING LOADED KEY DOES NOT RETURN TO OFF POSITION WHEN RELEASED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: WINDOW COULD CLOSE ON A CHILD OR OTHERS RESULTING INPERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD NOT LEAVE KEY IN TAILGATE OF UNATTENDED VEHICLE. REPAIR MECHANISM TO ASSURE PROPER KEY RETURN OPERATION.
78V003000 · Vehicle Speed Control:springs
Dec 9, 1978
THE THROTTLE LINKAGE CONTROL SPRING MAY NOT CLOSE RAPIDLY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. IF THE THROTTLE DOES NOT CLOSE AS RAPIDLY AS EXPECTED, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT DECELERATE PROPERLY. THIS FAILS TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO.124, "ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS".
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL THROTTLE RETURN SPRING WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.