1997 Jeep Cherokee Country review from North America
"Priced right - fast and full of torque - don't buy it if you can't handle minor maintenance."
What things have gone wrong with the car?
A whole slew of minor things have made themselves obvious now that I've owned the car for a while. I noticed that there's lots of rust in the coolant bottle... meaning I'm going to have to replace my water pump, thermostat, radiator, and have the whole system flushed clean.
Another thing that failed on this car is the NSS (Neutral Safety Switch) and prevents the vehicle from turning on if it fails. Costs $150.00 - $350.00 + labor to replace.
In 4WD turning the car barely wants to move and creaks noisily.
Oil pressure sensor failed and oil gauge doesn't work anymore, even after replacement.
The A/C compressor whines and ticks when running, and in winter is a complete annoyance. Sound increases with acceleration.
General comments?
After I threw some new stuff in it worked a lot better. New spark plugs, wires, oil and filter, fresh coolant.. It's definitely reliable and the engine is strong.
The seats are miserable, and I'm a bigger guy, so the drive selector hits my leg and its pretty painful.
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| 1997 - Cherokee Country 4.0L I6 It's a Jeep thing... you wouldn't understand |
| 1996 - Cherokee Country 2WD 4.0L in-line 6 cylinder It is fun and reliable, so far |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1997 |
| Year of manufacture | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 2008 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.0L Inline six Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 116000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 125000 miles |
| Previous car | Toyota Camry |
| Date of Entry | 19th November, 2008 |