1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 254 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 26% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 95,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “jumped park” (7% of reports).
- 254power train complaints
- 95,000median miles at failure
- 54mention a crash
- 38mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 38%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Jumped park: mentioned in 18 of 254 complaints (7%)
- Engine running: mentioned in 15 of 254 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 20 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 254 complaints, 54 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 38 an injury.
Jeep Grand Cherokee power train complaints by model year
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, if a driver has not placed the shifter lever fully into the "park" position and leaves the vehicle running, the vehicle may unexpectedly move rearward after seeming to be stable.
Risk: Inadvertent movement of the vehicle could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a secondary detent system to the floor shifter assembly. Daimlerchrysler sent interim notices to owners concerning this problem on march 22, 2002. Owner notification began september 23, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power, prompting her to attempt to stop the vehicle. After which, with the brake pedal depressed all the way to the floorboard, the vehicle failed to…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 jeep grand cherokee. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 02v053000 (power train) and 13v252000 (fuel system, gasoline, structure); however, the parts for the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a…
Engine stall/shut off on a highway at 70 miles/hr in center lane of a five lane interstate highway with plenty of gas in the tank. Has happened three times on different days. I'm original owner. Heavy failure analysis done. Allege that jeep cut corners that risk driver safety. They used and may…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokees have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 254 owner complaints about power train for the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee (26% of the 991 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 95,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The most frequent phrase is “jumped park”, in 18 of 254 complaints, followed by “engine running” (15).
Other 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems
See all 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems or power train problems across all Grand Cherokee years.