1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee Structure Problems
Owners have filed 61 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 6% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 142,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “fuel gasoline structure” (41% of reports).
- 61structure complaints
- 142,500median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Fuel gasoline structure: mentioned in 25 of 61 complaints (41%)
- Driver side door: mentioned in 7 of 61 complaints (11%)
- Give specific: mentioned in 5 of 61 complaints (8%)
- Provide estimated: mentioned in 5 of 61 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do structure problems happen?
Based on 14 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 61 complaints, 2 mention a crash.
Jeep Grand Cherokee structure complaints by model year
| Model year | Structure complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Grand Cherokee | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2025 Grand Cherokee | 3 | 4% | 18,034 |
| 2024 Grand Cherokee | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2023 Grand Cherokee | 10 | 3% | 50,000 |
| 2022 Grand Cherokee | 4 | 2% | 58,900 |
| 2021 Grand Cherokee | 6 | 1% | 82,000 |
| 2020 Grand Cherokee | 8 | 3% | 21,000 |
| 2019 Grand Cherokee | 9 | 2% | 16,600 |
| 2018 Grand Cherokee | 16 | 2% | 40,000 |
| 2017 Grand Cherokee | 10 | 3% | 7,900 |
| 2016 Grand Cherokee | 11 | 4% | 74,000 |
| 2015 Grand Cherokee | 31 | 2% | 19,225 |
| 2014 Grand Cherokee | 65 | 3% | 24,090 |
| 2013 Grand Cherokee | 12 | 1% | 34,725 |
| 2012 Grand Cherokee | 26 | 2% | 68,000 |
| 2011 Grand Cherokee | 43 | 3% | 52,925 |
| 2010 Grand Cherokee | 5 | 4% | 49,800 |
| 2009 Grand Cherokee | 9 | 7% | 40,500 |
| 2008 Grand Cherokee | 13 | 2% | 43,737 |
| 2007 Grand Cherokee | 14 | 1% | 140,300 |
| 2006 Grand Cherokee | 119 | 9% | 69,500 |
| 2005 Grand Cherokee | 405 | 20% | 75,000 |
| 2004 Grand Cherokee | 36 | 3% | 82,000 |
| 2003 Grand Cherokee | 9 | 1% | 101,500 |
| 2002 Grand Cherokee | 13 | 1% | 84,776 |
| 2001 Grand Cherokee | 15 | 2% | 61,204 |
| 2000 Grand Cherokee | 31 | 2% | 88,100 |
| 1999 Grand Cherokee | 32 | 2% | 81,808 |
| 1998 Grand Cherokee | 68 | 7% | 140,000 |
| 1997 Grand Cherokee | 61 | 6% | 142,500 |
| 1996 Grand Cherokee | 85 | 10% | 174,000 |
| 1995 Grand Cherokee | 49 | 7% | 139,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Structure; fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 1993-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty vehicles. The fuel tanks in these vehicles are at risk of failure and leakage in certain rear impacts.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Fix: Owners may take their vehicles to dealers and the dealers will perform a free inspection of the rear structure. On vehicles in the recall that are not equipped with a tow hitch, Chrysler will install a Chrysler designed tow hitch free of charge, provided the condition of the vehicle can support proper installation. On vehicles in the recall that are equipped with an aftermarket tow hitch, Chrysler will assess whether the hitch and surrounding areas show evidence of sharp edges or other puncture risks. If so, Chrysler will replace the tow hitch with a Chrysler designed tow hitch free of charge, provided the condition of the vehicle can support proper installation. On vehicles already equipped with a Chrysler designed tow hitch, Chrysler will inspect the area around the tow hitch installation, and if any installation issues are identified, they will be repaired free of charge. The recall began on August 1, 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign numbers are N45 (for the Grand Cherokee vehicles) and N46 (for the Liberty vehicles).
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
My dealership would not address recall n45 without charging me to fix some corrosion damage. N45 is a safety recall. There's literally no reason why fca shouldn't pay to fix the vehicle to make it safe again.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 jeep grand cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at 20 mph and hauling a trailer, the tow hitch fractured. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who diagnosed that the hitch needed to the replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was previously inspected…
Consumer writes in regards to dealership not able to complete vehicle hitch repairs, due tot he age of the vehicle. *smd
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokees have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 61 owner complaints about structure for the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee (6% 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 structure?
Yes: 1 safety recall list structure. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do structure problems start?
The median reported mileage is 142,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about structure problems on the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The most frequent phrase is “fuel gasoline structure”, in 25 of 61 complaints, followed by “driver side door” (7).
Other 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems
See all 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems or structure problems across all Grand Cherokee years.