2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo review from North America
"Not worth the inflated sticker price-poor, poor, poor"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Maintenance:
Brake rotors warped and replaced after 15,000 miles. Causing the steering wheel to shake violently. Dealer recall, and fixed without any questions.
A computer chip that controls the firing of the cylinders was replaced at 27,000. A pretty major problem. Took fours days to get my Jeep back. Still under warranty, so no cost out of my pocket.
Brake rotors warped again at 35,000 miles. Not replaced this time, because the warranty was up. Took my Jeep to a local shop and milled the rotors to make them true again. Cost $180. Not bad, but I feel Jeep didn't fix the problem in the first place. I was pretty angry that I had the same problem after a recall notice. Very bad business.
4 speed transmission acting like it's starting in second or third gear, instead of first gear. Had this problem show in the past, but it went away. Now resurfacing after the warranty expired. Coincidence?
During the same time as the transmission problem, the check engine light is now on. Of course this also happens after my warranty expires. So I won't be taking this problem up with Jeep. I'll visit my local car shop and have them diagnose the problem. Then decide how I want to fix it.
General comments?
I only test drove Jeep's around the block of my local dealership. A big mistake. I'd recommend any future Jeep buyers, to take the vehicle out on the highway and city streets for a decent amount of time. I know that Jeep's are legendary "off-road" vehicles, but when driven for long periods of time on city streets is a total nightmare. Imagine yourself on a large boat in choppy water when driving this vehicle. The body roll and sway is tiring. Driving this vehicle in windy conditions is scary. First you feel that your forearms are going to give out, trying to keep the Jeep in it's lane, then the mental fatigue will kick in after a short 2 hours on the road, because of the fight your having with the steering wheel. I don't feel very safe behind the wheel of this SUV.
It's a shame that such a legendary vehicle with a such a great past, is succumbing to corporate greed and quality control problems.
I'll never buy another Jeep or Chrysler brand again.
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| 2001 - Grand Cherokee Laredo 4.0 Good vehicle for the price I paid ($24,500) |
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| 2001 - Grand Cherokee 28k 4.7 liter Good vehicle if you have the time and money to make repairs all the time |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 2001 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.0L Inline 6 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 5 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 2 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 0 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 2 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 10 miles |
| Most recent distance | 37000 miles |
| Previous car | Volkswagen Jetta |
| Date of Entry | 17th May, 2004 |