Summary:
Most unreliable vehicle ever made
Faults:
Terrifying suspension issues.
Transmission issues.
Transfer case issues.
Fuel pump issues.
Exhaust manifold issues.
Electrical issues.
Steering issues.
General Comments:
This is a great vehicle, if you are a hobby mechanic with above average income and a well equipped shop, as it will keep you very busy.
If you ever wanted to know the true meaning of the phrase "it's a Jeep thing", you will find out rather quickly, and you will wish that you had never asked in the first place.
If you enjoy the adrenalin rush of not knowing when and where your Grand Cherokee will stall next, without any kind of warning whatsoever, this is your vehicle.
If you would like to know the meaning of a "death wobble", this is your vehicle.
If you like the continuous cycle of buying and replacing all kinds of sensors, this is your ride.
If you are looking for a vehicle, that will allow you to keep all the fluids fresh by slowly leaking them under your car, look no more... just keep adding.
If you like mysterious battery drains, and if you love finding and fixing complex electrical issues, this vehicle will keep you on your toes.
If you like replacing steering pumps, fuel pumps, cracked manifolds, transmissions and transfer cases, you will love the Jeep!
If you have a sense of adventure, you will get your fix every time you dare leaving the city limits with your Jeep, as you will be in a constant state of suspense, wondering if, when and where is the Jeep going to leave you stranded, and how much is it going to cost to tow it back to the shop.
If you always wanted to be on the first name basis with the guys at the parts counter, you have the right vehicle.
But if you are the kind of person who needs a vehicle to get from point A to point B without breaking down, you wouldn't waste your energy pushing it into the lake.
I'm also pretty sure, that the Jeep is otherwise very capable off road (of course providing it doesn't break down on the way there).
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 11th March, 2013
17th Mar 2013, 09:24
My cousin is currently going through some of those nightmares you have described with his 98.
I can't believe I once actually asked him to sell it to me first if he ever decides to sell, because it looks really cool!
Glad I didn't buy his piece of junk, as he sunk close to $6000 into it in the past 2 months, and it still won't run LOL.
Just take a look into any of the Grand Cherokee help forums, and you will find that most owners are pulling their hairs out, while trying to figure out what is wrong with their Jeep.
I'm surprised that there isn't a big class action lawsuit against Chrysler yet!
Also found out, that the Jefferson plant where the Grand Cherokees were manufactured, was voted the worst assembly plant in North America in the 90's, which would probably go long way to explain why most of the Grand Cherokees are such lemons!
30th Mar 2013, 18:14
I was shopping around for one, because I also thought it looked "cool" and I did all the research. Glad I did.
What I found is, that the lack of reliability of the Grand Cherokee is nothing short of spectacular. I actually did check the Jeep ZJ help forums, as per the above suggestion, and I was horrified by what I found there.
Half of those are just normal people trying to figure out what is wrong with their Jeep, and the other half (the regulars) seem to genuinely enjoy throwing their money away to keep their piece of junk on the road.
Not only they are encouraging each other, they are actually proud of it. It must be that "Jeep thing" LOL.
I want my car to work when I turn the key, and I have no interest in having to get dirty every time I need to go somewhere, nor do I want to became an apprentice mechanic and carry 100 lbs of spare parts whenever I want to leave the city limits with this POS.
I do have an interest of actually going places, none of which involve the mechanic's garage.
11th Apr 2013, 11:19
LOL... I looked up the Jeep Grand Cherokee help forums that you were talking about.
There is one single post, that probably summarizes everything being said above.
Here is the link: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f13/help-im-side-road-1507579/
14th Apr 2013, 17:51
This one is also a classic... LOL.
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f13/help-im-stuck-im-parking-lot-1509157/
14th Apr 2013, 18:05
OK, I'm having way too much fun with this:
So far we have:
"Help I'm stucked in the side of the road"
"Help I'm stucked in a parking lot"
And I would also like to add "Jeep won't start" to the mix.
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f13/97-jeep-zj-wont-start-1507786/
This is probably just a small peak into the typical everyday struggles of a Grand Cherokee owner :)