IllustrationTHE REAR SEAT IN THE BACK DOES NOT HAVE SEATBELTS, DRIVER NEEDS THEM TO INSTALL A CHILD SEAT IN THE BACK. THE MANUFACTURER WILL INSTALL THEM FOR AN HIGH PRICE. *AK
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 →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
All reported categories
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
Seat Belts complaints
20 reportsSEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED. *SD
DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE DOES NOT FASTEN, REPLACED THE SEAT BELT. *AK
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT LOCK . TT
SEATBELT BUCKLE CAME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING. TT
DRIVER AND PASSENGER BUCKLE SPRING POPS OUT AND FAILS TO LOCK IN LOCKING POSITION. TT
DRIVER AND PASSENGER BUCKLE SPRING POPS OUT AND FAILS TO LOCK IN LOCKING POSITION. TT
SOMETIME YOU CAN BE BUCKLED UP IN THE SEAT BELT YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD AND THE SEAT BELT COMES LOOSE . TT
LEFT REAR SEAT BELT WON'T STAY TIGHT AND WILL WORK PART OF THE TIME/MIDDLE AND RIGHT REAR SEAT BELTS LOCK UP/JAM AND WORK PART OF THE TIME. *AK
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE COME LOOSE IT SLIP OUT. TT
Official recalls
0No 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
3PE89151 · 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.===