1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0L V8

Faults:

Bought this Gr Cherokee with 36K miles back in 1998 - currently have over 150K on it. Minor issues over the years - usual wearing out items replaced. Has been pretty reliable car though. One minor, but irritating problem - how to replace dash lights that are burning out one by one... currently guessing speed while driving at night. Oil and electrical power easily seen, but the speedometer is quite dark. I've pulled dash to replace radio/cassette with radio/cd, but not sure about pulling gauge area. Did I mention I'm fairly brain dead when it comes to car repairs? Detailed instructions would be more than appreciated! Thanks!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 6th September, 2006

1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Faults:

Everything went wrong once I went past 100k miles.

Changed transmission 3 times, changed water pump, radiator, thermostat, gasket, etc, too many times. Nice car to drive, but a major nightmare to maintain.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 6th June, 2006

7th Jun 2006, 10:55

You bought the car with 80k miles on it. Do you know how it was driven & maintained for those first 80k miles???

If not, I wouldn't complain too loudly about things wearing out.

If you don't want to take a chance on things breaking and costing you $$$$, buy a new vehicle and spring for an extended warranty.

You pay one way or the other Sport!

3rd Mar 2013, 20:00

Unfortunately the transmission here had been replaced three times, plus other parts that may have been replaced multiple times. If it was entirely the fault of the previous owner (who had to have driven off-road/at high rates of speed repeatedly for these many problems to result), it would only affect the initial components. The 2nd and 3rd transmission replacements (if authentic GM) were fault of Jeep, not the previous owner, which makes this post entirely valid.

1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4.0L

Summary:

So far I love it!

Faults:

Fog lights keep blowing fuses.

Heated seats don't always work.

Sounds like I have a cracked exhaust manifold, but not sure yet. Considering what I've read I'm pretty confident I'm right though.

Doesn't always start on the first try.

Some of the upholstery is peeling off the inside of the rear doors. Like the vinyl if warped or something. This is weird.

Heater only blows to the floor, defroster vents don't operate at all.

General Comments:

I bought this JGC Limited just this last fall to replace an old Chevy Blazer I use for winter driving. I liked it's looks and it seemed like it was well taken care of, and got it for what I think was a fair price. I've gotten a lot of compliments on the Jeeps good looks.

The interior is very plush and this thing has tons of options. A little overkill for what I need, but I like it. I love the heated leather seats even though they sometimes just don't seem to work. However, they are always soft and comfortable!

There is some drive train noise which may or may not be normal for a Jeep like this, I just don't have any experience with Jeeps. The tires were almost new when I bought it, and they do howl quite a bit. New (different brand) tires would probably help a lot. The ride and handling are great, and it's a joy to drive.

I have a Mustang with the premium sound system so I have a good reference to compare this Infinity Gold system. It can't match the Fords Mach6 system, but it's still pretty nice. A decent sound system is a must for me, and this one does just fine. No complaints at all.

It's true I haven't had this very long, but so far I love it. I'm glad I bought it. Hopefully it stays reasonably reliable. I don't expect miracles, but I do take care of my stuff and expect major repairs to be few and far between. Time will tell I guess.

It goes into the local auto shop in a couple of days for routine maintenance and to check the exhaust manifold as it won't be driven much in the summer months. I'll use it here and there throughout the summer, but it's the Wisconsin winter I need it for the most. It made it through the last one with ease, and drove absolutely perfectly on the slippery early morning roads.

So far what's gone wrong with this JGC LTD is what I would consider about normal for a 10 year old vehicle.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 31st March, 2006