1998 Jeep Cherokee Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cherokee years
- About as many complaints as other years 9th of 19 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 399 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Jeep Cherokee. That ranks 9th out of 19 Cherokee model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (80 complaints, 20%), typically at around 112,375 miles. Complaints mention 34 crashes, 5 fires, 31 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 399owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 34complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Jeep Cherokee problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 80 | 20% | 112,375 | “brake rotors” (21%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 65 | 16% | 121,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags problems | 52 | 13% | 130,124 | “air bag” (54%) | — |
| Electrical System | 47 | 12% | 128,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 32 | 8% | 115,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 30 | 8% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 27 | 7% | 151,843 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 23 | 6% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 18 | 5% | 103,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 17 | 4% | 58,454 | — | — |
| Visibility | 16 | 4% | 41,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 14 | 4% | 50,900 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 13 | 3% | 175,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 13 | 3% | 160,796 | — | — |
| Seats | 12 | 3% | 96,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 12 | 3% | 56,403 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 3% | 78,900 | — | — |
| Equipment | 10 | 3% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 7 | 2% | 60,001 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 7 | 2% | 100 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 6 | 2% | 124,922 | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 1% | 146,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 1% | 204,157 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Jeep Cherokee recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel; equipment:other:labels; visibility:rearview mirrors/devices; visibility:power window devices and controls; exterior lighting; fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: U.s. Drive right is recalling 107 my 1994-1998 right hand drive, 4-wheel drive jeep cherokee vehicles. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 101, 'controls and displays;' no. 108, 'lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment;' no. 111, 'rearview mirror;' no. 114, 'theft protection;' no. 115, 'vehicle identification number;' no. 118, 'power window system;' no. 120, 'tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars;' no. 208, 'occupant crash protection;' and no. 301, 'fuel system integrity.'
Risk: These vehicles do not meet the required standards.
Fix: U.s. Drive right will make all the required modifications. A representative will travel to the customer's location and make the modifications on site. The recall will be performed on a regional basis beginning march 2008. Owners may contact u.s. Drive right at 1-888-632-5936.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger and multi-purpose vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the states of connecticut, illinois, indiana, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, or wisconsin, and the district of columbia. The front disc brake rotors can experience severe corrosion if operated for an extensive period in the "salt belt." if the rotors are not replaced, the corrosion can eventually compromise the structural integrity of the stamped steel center hub section of the rotor.
Risk: The reduced strength can allow the cast iron wear surface to separate from the hub, reducing the brake effectiveness of the vehicle.
Fix: Dealers will replace these rotors with rotors that are coated with a corrosion protection.
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. Water and/or road salt in the proximity of the air bag control module could lead to corrosion.
Risk: Such corrosion can lead to illumination of the air bag warning light or could allow inadvertent deployment of the air bags.
Fix: Dealers will replace the air bag control module and locate the new module on the top of the transmission tunnel.
Seat belts:front:anchorage
Problem: Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicle. The front seat belt shoulder turning loop anchors were not properly heat treated and are not properly hardened.
Risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, the front seat occupant may not be properly restrained increasing the risk of serious injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front seat shoulder belt turning loop on these vehicles.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum
Problem: Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicles. The power brake booster vacuum reservoir diaphragm can split or tear.
Risk: This can cause an increase in engine idle speed and a loss of power assist during brake application without prior warning.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the brake booster date code and any boosters with the suspect manufacturing date range will be replaced.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Crash Related Fuel Tank Fires (EA12005) — opened Jun 12, 2012, closed Nov 14, 2014, led to recall 13V252000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 1998 Jeep Cherokee equipped with Goodyear Tires, Tire Line: Wrangler Radial A/S, Tire Size: 275/75/R15, DOT Number: 1PJHLFNWR. The contact stated that he had purchased two tires from Walmart that were installed in the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated while driving from a…
Air bag light is on, we find a recall that is open and active. Bright vehicle to yaklin for repair and they declined the repair because the part has been discontinued.
Jeep developed communication issues, dash displayed "no bus." one morning i started the jeep and went to shift to gear and the passenger air bag deployed. Took it up the road and back thinking i had a communication issue to diagnose, the drivers air bag deployed turning on my road. Seemed to happen…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 jeep cherokee. The contact stated that there was a loud noise coming from the front area of the vehicle and the suspension was unstable, the check engine, multiple gauges, and various warning indicators illuminated randomly. The dealer was notified of the failures and…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 jeep cherokee. While driving at any speed, the air bag indicator remained illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 198,000.
Other Jeep Cherokee years
← 1997 Cherokee · 1999 Cherokee →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Cherokee | 8 | 4 |
| 2023 Cherokee | 3 | 1 |
| 2022 Cherokee | 51 | 3 |
| 2021 Cherokee | 173 | 4 |
| 2020 Cherokee | 324 | 3 |
| 2019 Cherokee | 1,661 | 11 |
| 2018 Cherokee | 687 | 7 |
| 2017 Cherokee | 1,336 | 6 |
| 2016 Cherokee | 1,409 | 9 |
| 2015 Cherokee | 1,789 | 11 |
| 2014 Cherokee | 2,650 | 13 |
| 2006 Cherokee | 17 | 0 |
| 2001 Cherokee | 229 | 2 |
| 2000 Cherokee | 369 | 1 |
| 1999 Cherokee | 366 | 2 |
| 1998 | 399 | 5 |
| 1997 Cherokee | 390 | 4 |
| 1996 Cherokee | 447 | 6 |
| 1995 Cherokee | 608 | 6 |
See all Jeep Cherokee problems by year, every Jeep model, or the Jeep VIN decoder.
Similar Jeep models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Jeep Cherokee?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, power train, air bags problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 80 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Jeep Cherokee?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 Jeep Cherokee a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cherokee model years, the 1998 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.