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1988 Jeep Cherokee

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1988 Jeep Cherokee do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 113.

About this comparison →
97Owner complaints

Model-year median: 113

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

3Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
17
198521
198657
198797
1988191
1989270
1990233
1991
Compare all Cherokee years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Vehicle Speed Control
25Seat Belts
20Electrical System
16Fuel System, Gasoline
11Engine And Engine Cooling
9
All reported categories
Power Train
8Service Brakes, Hydraulic
6Steering
5Tires
4Exterior Lighting
2Structure
2Fuel System, Other
1Parking Brake
1Seats
1Suspension
1Visibility
1

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: 3 of 97 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.

  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports6 fire reports2 injury reports

Power Train complaints

8 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Jul 12, 2001
Power Train

VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED AND TURNED OFF. EMERGENCY BRAKES WERE APPLIED. VEHICLE HAD STARTED TO DRIFT BACKWARDS AFTER IT SLIPPED OUT OF PARK AND INTO NEUTRAL, PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT.*AK *JB

NHTSA ODI #892611

Mileage unknown · Apr 3, 2001
Power Train

ONE TRANSMISSION REPLACED THE SECOND IS FAILING IT SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL CAUSING LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ALSO CAUSED ONE ENGINE FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #743467

Mileage unknown · Oct 8, 1999
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

WHEN FIRST STARTING VEHICLE, ENGINE WOULD BE IDLING HIGH. SHIFTED VEHICLE INTO DRIVE & IT WOULD JUMP FORWARD. FEET WOULD REMAIN ON BRAKES WHEN THIS HAPPENED. ALSO HAPPENS WHEN ENGINE IS WARM, HIGH IDLE CONTINUES WHILE DRIVING. MECHANIC CLEANED THE OUT THE UNIT. ALSO INFORMED OWNER IT WOULD NEED REPLACING AFTER THE PROBLEM RETU…

Read full complaint

WHEN FIRST STARTING VEHICLE, ENGINE WOULD BE IDLING HIGH. SHIFTED VEHICLE INTO DRIVE & IT WOULD JUMP FORWARD. FEET WOULD REMAIN ON BRAKES WHEN THIS HAPPENED. ALSO HAPPENS WHEN ENGINE IS WARM, HIGH IDLE CONTINUES WHILE DRIVING. MECHANIC CLEANED THE OUT THE UNIT. ALSO INFORMED OWNER IT WOULD NEED REPLACING AFTER THE PROBLEM RETURNED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #850317

Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 1999
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #544157

Mileage unknown · Oct 14, 1997
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE SUDDDENLY ENGAGED, CAUSING FRONT DRIVESHAFT TO DROP TO THE GROUND AND WAS THEN PUSHED INTO TRANSFER CASE, DESTROYING IT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #524187

Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 1997
Power Train

AXLE BEARINGS SEIZED, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.

NHTSA ODI #519332

Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 1996
Power Train

VEHICLE BROKEN CLUTCH PEDAL,OMITTED WELDS ON CLUTCH PEDAL. TT

NHTSA ODI #979012

Mileage unknown · Jun 23, 1995
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

THE MASTER CYLINDER HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES AND TWO SLIDE CYLINDERS AND A NEW CLUTCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ODI #967641

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

3

PE89151 · Safety Belt Retractor

Opened Aug 11, 1989 · Closed Dec 11, 1989

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:retractor

===

PE88029 · Throttle Control

Opened Feb 23, 1988 · Closed Sep 19, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

SUMMARY:THE PE WAS OPENED TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER JEEP'S RECALL OF CERTAIN1987 MODEL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 4.0 LITER FUEL INJECTED 6 CYLINDERENGINE (87V-035) HAD INVOLVED ALL THE POTENTIALLY AFFECTED VEHICLES.AREVIEW OF THE ODI FILES HAD INDICATED THAT 1987-1988 JEEP VEHICLESEQUIPPED WITH THE 4.O LITER ENGINE ALSO WERE EXPERIENCING SOME THROTTLECONTROL PROBLEM.A REVIEW OF THE WARRANTY CLAIMS AND THE AVAILABLEINCIDENT REPORTS DOES NOT INDICATE THAT A POTENTIAL DEFECT TREND EXISTSOR IS DEVELOPING.THE WARRANTY CLAIMS ATTENUATE, AND THE ALLEDGEDINCIDENTS APPEAR TO BE CAUSED BY A VARIETY OF FACTORS. #===

PE88001 · Fires Caused By Cltch Lk

Opened Oct 23, 1987 · Closed Jan 28, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train

NO SAFETY DEFECT TREND HAS BEEN DETECTED.===