IllustrationENGINE IDLES REAL HARD WHEN STARTING IT UP, AND SITTING STILL. RECALL 90V177000 MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 301T DOESN'T AFFECT THIS VEHICLE. *AK
1989 Jeep Cherokee
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 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: 10 of 191 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 86 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports15 fire reports14 injury reports
What owners actually said
191 reportsCONSUMER HEARS LOUD NOISE FROM THE ABS PUMP, CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO PURCHASE THE PUMP, BUT WAS TOLD THAT HE COULD NOT DO SO, CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 96V026 AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY COULD HEAR THE NOISE, BUT COULD NOT REPLACE THE PUMP BECAUSE THEY DID NOT READ THE PROPER CODES, IN NOVEMBER OF 99, THE BRAKE WARNING…
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CONSUMER HEARS LOUD NOISE FROM THE ABS PUMP, CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO PURCHASE THE PUMP, BUT WAS TOLD THAT HE COULD NOT DO SO, CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 96V026 AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY COULD HEAR THE NOISE, BUT COULD NOT REPLACE THE PUMP BECAUSE THEY DID NOT READ THE PROPER CODES, IN NOVEMBER OF 99, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS BEGAN TO LIGHT, THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A RUSTY TONE WHEEL THAT COULD NOT BE CLEANED, THE CONSUMER CLEANED THE WHEEL AND THE NOISE HAS GOTTEN MUCH WORSE. *SLC
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CALIPER PINS HAD COME COMPLETELY OUT OF THE WHEEL KNUCKLE ALLOWING CALIPER TO MOVE AND RUB ON ROTOR AND BANG ON DISK PAD SLIDING SURFACES. UPPER PIN WAS MISSING, LOWER WAS STILL IN RUBBER BUSHINGS ON CALIPER. NO THREAD DAMAGE TO EITHER THE LOWER PIN OR HOLES ON WHEEL KNUCKLE.*AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION OF 45 MPH, AND DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT DID NOT LOCK IN PLACE, CAUSING DRIVER TO HIT STEERING WHEEL AND FORCE OVER TO PASSENGER'S SIDE, AND HIT SIDE WINDOW. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO HIGHER GEAR. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WAS TRAVELING 50MPH & HAD HEARD A NOISE. STARTED TO HAVE SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. STOPPED VEHICLE & CHECKED TIRES. LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT & THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED & WAS SHREDDED. HAD TO GET TIRE REPLACED, BUT DID NOT HAVE TIRE. TIRES WERE NOT THE ORIGINAL TIRES ON THE JEEP CHEROKEE. FIRESTONE ATX, 0235/75RF15 WITH 20…
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WAS TRAVELING 50MPH & HAD HEARD A NOISE. STARTED TO HAVE SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. STOPPED VEHICLE & CHECKED TIRES. LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT & THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED & WAS SHREDDED. HAD TO GET TIRE REPLACED, BUT DID NOT HAVE TIRE. TIRES WERE NOT THE ORIGINAL TIRES ON THE JEEP CHEROKEE. FIRESTONE ATX, 0235/75RF15 WITH 20,000 MILES ON A 1989 JEEP, CHEROKEE.*AK FIRESTONE REPLACED THE THREE TIRES AT NO CHARGE TO CUSTOMER. *YH
ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT; TIRE EXPLODED WHILE INSIDE OF VEHICLE. *AK TIRE WAS A MICHELIN XW4 (P205 75 R15) DOT #M3CC861X508, MICHELIN WILL NOT COVER COSTS OF VEHICLE DAMAGE THAT WAS CAUSED TO THE INSIDE OF THE ROOF, THE DOME LIGHT, AND THE ROOF LINER DUE TO THE EXPLOSION OF THE TIRE. *SLC
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A TREAD SEPARATION. CONSUMER COULD KEEP CONTROL OF VEHICLE. FIRESTONE 15. *AK
Official recalls
396V260000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip
Dec 27, 1996
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS). THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT CAN EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE BRAKE ACTUATOR PISTON SEAL WEAR WHICH COULD CAUSE PUMP-MOTOR DETERIORATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE ABS FUNCTION WOULD BE LOSE AND REDUCED POWER ASSIST WOULD BE EXPERIENCED DURING VEHICLE BRAKING. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHTS WILL SIGNAL SYSTEM IMPAIRMENT AND THE BASE MANUAL BRAKES WILL REMAIN FUNCTIONAL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TEST THE VEHICLE'S ABS AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. THE WARRANTY ON ALL ABS COMPONENTS WILL BE EXTENDED TO 10 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES (EXCEPT FOR THE BRAKE ACTUATOR PISTON ASSEMBLY AND THE PUMP-MOTOR ASSEMBLY WHICH WILL HAVE A LIFETIME COVERAGE). OWNERS WILL BE REIMBURSED FOR PREVIOUS ABS COMPONENT REPAIR COSTS.
91V003000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Oct 2, 1991
THERE MAY BE HYDRAULIC FLUID CONTAMINATION FROM CONDENSATION FORMATION THAT CAN PLUG THE ABS BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP FILTER; STRESS CORROSION OF THE MASTER CYLINDER SNAP RING HAS BEEN TRACED TO CHLORINE LEAKING FROM THE LOW PRESSURE HYDRAULIC HOSE WHICH MAY CAUSE IT TO BREAK; FRONT BRAKE HOSE TO TIRE INTERFERENCE WHICH MAY CAUSE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE HOSE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONTAMINATION OF THE HYDRAULIC FLUID CAN CAUSEMALFUNCTIONING OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM; LOW PRESSURE HOSE LEAKAGE CAUSESLOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND ALSO RESULTS IN CORROSION AND FAILURE OF THE MASTERCYLINDER SNAP RING, RESULTING COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE; FAILURE OF THE FRONT BRAKEHOSE DUE TO HOSE TO TIRE INTERFERENCE WILL CAUSE FAILURE OF ONE HALF OF THEBRAKE SYSTEM RESULTING IN A LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE THAN EXPECTED.
Remedy: REPLACE ABS LOW PRESSURE HOSE; REBUILD MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER; INSPECT, SERVICE INTERFERENCE PROBLEMS, AND REPLACE FRONT BRAKE HOSE AS NECESSARY.
90V177000 · Vehicle Speed Control:cruise Control
Oct 2, 1990
MALFUNCTION OF FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM THROTTLE POSTITION SENSOR COULD CAUSE INTERMITTENT HIGH ENGINE IDLE SPEED IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING ENGINE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: HIGH ENGINE IDLE WHEN CAR IS FIRST PLACED IN GEAR COULDRESULT IN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION.
Remedy: REPLACE THROTTLE POSITION SENSORS WITH SENSORS THAT WOULD SEND CORRECT SIGNALS TO THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM.
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
3PE93057 · Driveshaft/univ.joint Fail
Opened Jun 14, 1993 · Closed Oct 29, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
There is no summary currently available
EA90024 · Failed Antilock Brakes
Opened Apr 26, 1990 · Closed Jan 14, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
PE90033 · Failed Antilock Brakes
Opened Jan 16, 1990 · Closed Apr 26, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available