2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo In-line 6 cyl. 4.0L from North America - Comments

We purchased a 2000 Grand Cherokee Laredo in Feb. of 2004 with 61000 miles. on it. When we first bought the vehicle, we really liked it because it seemed to be a great value for the price. That was until we got it home the first night and the check gauges alarm beeped because the engine had lost all oil pressure. Their explanation was that the previous owner had never changed the oil and the engine had to be overhauled. New rings, bearings, gaskets, etc, the whole nine yards. We bought the extended warranty on the vehicle, but since it broke down the first night, the dealer picked up the cost of the repair. So everything was fine, we had a vehicle with basically a new engine right, wrong! After a few months it started using coolant. Took it to a dealership and the pressurized the block and said there was no leak pressure loss in 15 minutes. It has been about 23500 miles now since the overhaul (500 miles left on the warranty) and the engine has started loosing oil pressure again. My assumption is that there is a crack in the head and coolant is getting into the oil and they didn't catch it last time and simply blamed the old owner. Is this a common problem? I have read a couple articles on-line that sound familiar. It is going into the shop tomorrow and the jeep place close to where we live now seems to take really good care of the customers, so I feel fairly confident they will fix it. My concern is will it be fixed for good, or for another 24,000 miles?

Also replaced the rotors twice, but the second time I had the calipers replaced at this dealership under the warranty and did the rotors myself to save a couple hundred $.

Nice car with all the bells and whistles (that is mostly why we bought it, its my wife's car). I6 is a little sluggish and shifts a lot on hilly interstate, wishing we had the V8.

Next time you buy a car, buy from someone who can show you the car was properly maintained from new.

Don't take the dealer's word.

A sensible owner keeps all repair & maintenance invoices to prove that the car has been well maintained.

But some people are daft, like my first wife (after we split) who drove her new Sable for 90,000 km without getting the oil & filter changed.

She just had the oil topped up.

I'm amazed it lasted so long, esp in Canada's winters.

No-one can tell you how long this car will last.

To answer your question, No, that is not a "usual" problem for the 4.0 liter in-line six.

The 4.0 liter engine is one of the most durable engines ever made, and dates back to a Nash design from the 1920's.

This engine if properly maintained, should give you at least 200,000 miles of trouble-free motoring.

It may not be as smooth of quiet as modern V6 engines,

but it is virtually indestructible!

We sold one of these a few weeks ago used, and it also had a oil pressure problem. The crank bearings were OK, and we replaced oil pump. Still lost pressure when hot, it was sent to the local Jeep dealer and it ended up having worn cam bearings. They replaced the cam, bearings, lifters, and oil pump. Our dealer bought it back, oops!

Well let me tell you that I had the same problem with my 2000 grand Cherokee and I mean the same! at 65,000 miles the engine finally blew and not one stealer ship could tell my why. I ended up have a new engine built by jasper engines and installed by a mom and pop car repair shop. they were great and knew what they were doing. I think some 1999/2000 jeep 4.0l engines were flawed, but that's just my opinion. anyway after spending 4 grand, I'm confident that my new engine... built by jasper will last alone while.

This is like the twilight zone. i purchased a 2000 jgc in 2003. it only had 18000 miles, great looking inside and out. it even rode well. at about 35000 miles check guages lite came on. couldnt figure out the problem until I noticed coolant low indicator lite came on. needless to say I had it pressure tested and sure enough block cracked. rather then paying $4000 thousand for a new motor I picked up a bottle of block seal. almost 30000 miles later I'm still rolling.

I bought a 2000 cherokee in June 2005, I replaced the water pump in Nov 2005,it was leaking anti freeze bad. Everything was fine until yesterday (Feb 26 2006) with the coolant low light came on. Is this normal? live in New York and it has been cold last couple days.

To the previous poster with the low coolant issue: I would suspect that when you replaced your water pump, the coolant system was not fully re-filled. I know you fully believe that you filled it, but you didn't, because you filled up the radiator while leaving the block empty, not waiting for the thermostat to open and draw the coolant into the block. Your warning light finally came on after driving the car for a couple of months with the cooling system only half full. Take off the radiator cap and check the fluid level. Fill the radiator to the brim. Then let the engine run until it warms up and physically observe the level of the radiator with the cap off. Don't put the cap back on until the temperature gauge moves off cold, or fluid starts spilling over the radiator cap neck. After you put the cap back on, then fill the overflow bottle to the proper level. The same thing happened to me when my car went to the body shop. They replaced a freeze plug, and the mechanic's flunky was given the responsibility to refill the cooling system. He would have sworn on the Almighty Throne that he filled it, he believed it, but driving it home the car overheated with the temp gauge buried, and I knew the stupid SOB had only filled up the radiator, without bothering to wait for the thermostat to open. They all do it, even though they're the experts and know it all...

I can't believe what I am reading. At 69,000 miles I had to replace the water pump and fan clutch in my 2000 GCL 4.7 V8. It is still overheating. I do not know what to do. I have heard that the fan relay could be bad, but the fan is kicking on. My next guess is that the radiator in obstructed. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know. I may go ahead and replace the thermostat just in case. This is a nightmare.

Well add another ditto to this forum. I have a 2000 JGC. I bought it used and I had the dealer replace the clutch fan and water pump when the low coolant indicator came on. After a month or so it returned. It seems that I am intermittently losing coolant. Last month I started getting the check gauges indication at start-up. (Low or no oil pressure) Combined with having to replace two of the door locks (grinding sound) I know there is definitely something wrong with this model year. Why else would I find other owners experiencing the same issues?

I have been having issues with my 2000 Grand Jeep Cherokee. Just recently, the vehicle kept cutting off while driving, I had the crank position sensor changed, I had the oil pressure switch changed. The tie rods had to be replaced they broke one day on the way to work and now there is another issue with the oil pressure.

The back brake lights stopped working properly the third day after purchase, three traffic stops by the the New York Police Department for faulty equipment and three years later.

I love this vehicle and it handles very well on the road, but I think I made a bad choice with the 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Wow sounds like some people got some bad Grand Cherokee's. one of my coachs have an old 97 Grand Cherokee with the 4.0L (same drivetrain as in the newer Grand Cherokee's) and it has over 170,000 and not one problem with it. and they didn't change the motor design at all from 87-04. anyways. for the coolant problem, are you sure you don't have a hole in the radiator? our Neon got just a small hole and the car kept over heating for the longest time, with no sign of leakage, until we parked it on a hill and came back like 5 min. later and there was nothing, but coolant all over the ground. I put some of that stop radiator leak thing and so far its worked great.

I own a 1997 JGC 5.7l V8. Got it last year 20Sept06. 30days later coolant light came on and we found coolant mixed with the oil. Fixed the everything, I mean everything. Still I am loosing oil pressure and heat build gauge seems to be working over time. I always wanted a jeep finally got one... and seeing how many people have the same issue as me... I will never buy one again.

I have a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee and I'm having the same coolant issue I have changed the thermostat, fan motor, water pump and the coolant sensor and it's still running hot the only other thing we can think of is the coolant fan relay. Any suggestions for this?

I purchased a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, it came with all the bells and whistles, 131,000 miles. Looks and runs great and got it for a good price. I love this truck. The only major problem I'm having is that the Low Coolant Level warning indicator keeps coming on about every 2 weeks or so, and won't stop beeping until I top off the reservoir.. I've gone through almost 10 jugs of coolant / antifreeze in the almost 3 months that I own it.. I keep 2 jugs on board now at all times. This is really starting to annoy me. I met a guy with the same truck and same problem. What's going on? There aren't any visible signs of leakage anywhere so where is all this coolant going??

I have a 2000 jeep grand cherokee also and am having the same problems that most of the other people have stated.. It keeps over heating when it gets hot outside. Every four or five days I need to put coolant in the car.. There is know leak, get a new thermostat, new water pump, I don't know what else to do.. Plus the locks make this funny noise and I have to lock them manually. Also the real tail lights don't work when my lights are on.. But during the day they work fine.. I will never buy a jeep again. So many little problems that the manufactuer should deal with not me.