1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 426 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 41% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 76,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “jumped park” (9% of reports).
- 426power train complaints
- 76,000median miles at failure
- 123mention a crash
- 76mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,750typical repair cost reported by owners
- 23%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 40 of 426 complaints (9%)
- Engine running: mentioned in 38 of 426 complaints (9%)
- Please provide: mentioned in 30 of 426 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee at $1,750, and half of them between $840 and $3,300.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (1999–2014), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 33 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 426 complaints, 123 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 76 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.
Takata recall. Since owning my 1998 jeep grand cherokee 4.0, i've replaced nearly every single part on it. The transmission needs to be recalled on this vehicle before someone gets killed just trying to drive it. The transmission will be fine 1 minute, the next it is putting itself in neutral or…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 jeep grand cherokee. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign id number: 02v053000 (power train) and stated that the part needed was not available for several months. The dealer did not give a specific date for when the part would become available. The…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 jeep grand cherokee. While the vehicle was parked downhill, the contact discovered transmission fluid leaking. Also, while driving 70 mph, the engine stalled and caught fire. The contact extinguished the fire. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokees have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 426 owner complaints about power train for the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee (41% of the 1,028 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 1998 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 76,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,750 (half paid between $840 and $3,300), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The most frequent phrase is “jumped park”, in 40 of 426 complaints, followed by “engine running” (38).
Other 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems
See all 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems or power train problems across all Grand Cherokee years.