1996 JEEP CHEROKEE Power Train Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY. IN ADDITION, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED AND THEN BECAME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A NEW POWER STEERING GAUGE AND A FRONT END ALIGNMENT WERE NEEDED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIR OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER DUE TO BACK PRESSURE AND RATTLING IN THE ENGINE. ON AUGUST 25, 2006 THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR A CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROBLEM. THE RECALL WAS NOT IN THE NHTSA DATABASE. THE CONTACT SENT THE BILLING INFORMATION TO THE MANUFACTURER, WHO DENIED REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE THE WORK WAS DONE AFTER THE RECALL. ON MAY 4, 2006 THE WORK WAS COMPLETED BEFORE THE RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED. UPDATED 01/10/07. *JB

Mileage: 140,226

DT: CONSUMER'S CHILDREN WERE IN JEEP AND IT WAS RUNNING IN PARK. CONSUMER WAS GOING TO GET THEM OUT AND THE CAR JUMPED FROM PARK AND ROLLED INTO A DRIVE GEAR. *AK

Mileage: 112,000

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING INTO 2ND OR 3RD GEAR (SKIPS FROM 1ST TO 4TH) HOWEVER I CAN MANUALLY SHIFT IT INTO 3RD BY MOVING LEVER TO 3. *AK

Mileage: 89,000

NAR 05/28/2003 *MR THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AND ACCIDENT THE JEEP WAS LEFT IN A PARK POSITION, THEN WENT INTO REVERSE STRIKING ANOTHER CAR. AUTOMATIC SHIFTER DEFECTIVE. *CB

VEHICLE WAS UNATTENDED IDLING WHILE IN "PARK". AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME (10+ MIN) IT SELF-ENGAGED INTO "REVERSE" AND ACCELERATED BACK OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND INTO A TREE.

Mileage: 113,345

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

IF VEHICLE IS ON A SLGHT INCLINE WITH IGNITION ON AND SHIFTER IN PARK, VEHICLE WILL ROLL BACKWARDS, EVEN WHEN IGNITION IS OFF. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN.*AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE, VEHICLE ROLLS BACK WHILE IN GEAR

AFTER PUTTING VEHICLE IN PARK AND OPENING DOOR, STEPPED OUT OF VEHICLE AND IT STARTED TRAVELING BACKWARDS. CONSUMER GOT STUCK UNDER VEHICLE WHILE HOLDING ON TO STEERING WHEEL. CONSUMER WAS DRAGGED 20 FEET DOWN HILL, HITTING A POST. *AK *SLC

VEHICLE WAS LEFT IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, CONSUMER TURNED AROUND TO PICK UP SOMETHING OFF THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARD. CONSUMER SLAMMED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER FELT THAT CAR WAS IN PARK AND IT HAD TO HAVE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR. *AK *SLC

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM STOP ACCELERATOR WENT FULL THROTTLE, TURNED SWITCH OFF TO STOP THE VEHICLE. DURING RESTART VEHICLE FULL THROTTLED. UPON INSPECTION NOTICE THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NO REVERSE AND TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT TO OVERDRIVE AFTER THIS INCIDENT.

VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK POSITION IN DRIVEWAY, AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY JUMPED OUT OF GEAR SHIFTING INTO REVERSE. VEHICLE ROLLED INTO A NEIGHBOR'S YARD, CRASHING INTO DINING ROOM WALL. NO INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

WHILE PARKED VEHICLE JJUMPED OUT OF PARK INTO DRIVE CAUSING A CRASH WITH A MOBILE HOME AND CARPORT. VEHICLE WAS NOT PARKON AN INCLINE. *AK

THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTED MOVING BACKWARDS ALTHOUGH THE DRIVER NEVER SHIFTED GEARS, THE DRIVER HIT THE BRAKE BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE BACKWARDS, AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH THE TWO VEHICLES IMPACTED THE CONSUMER VEHICLE,IT CONTINUED PUSHING THE OTHER CAR BACKWARDS, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED EVEN WHEN TURNED OFF. NLM

VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND RUNNING. VEHICLE SLIPPED FROM PARK INTO REVERSE GEAR AND RAN INTO THE SIDE OF ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE. I WAS ALMOST CAUGHT BETWEEN THE TWO VEHICLES, BUT MOVED AWAY FROM THE COLLISION AT THE LAST MOMENT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE JEEP DEALER FOR INSPECTION ON 8/29/00 FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CHECKED OUT FINE. *AK

THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO MOVE WHEN IT IS PLACED IN "PARK". THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND HAS OCCURED APX 6 TO 8 TIMES IN THE LAST 6 WEEKS. I USUALLY NEED TO SET THE PARKING BRAKE TO BE SURE THAT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE.

ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WITH VEHICLE RUNNING AND SHIFTING GEAR INTO PARK POSITON, VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO REVERESE ON ITS OWN FROM PARK, ROLLING BACKWARDS. INSURANCE HAS COVERED SOME COST OF DAMAGE, BUT DID NOT DETERMINE CAUSE.*AK CONSUMER HAS MADE SIX TRIPS TO THE AUTO SHOP TO HAVE VEHICLE REPAIRED, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUES, ON THE FIRST OCCAISON, CONSUMER WAS ALMOST PINNED BETWEEN THE WALL AND VEHICLE, THE SECOND INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE RAN INTO THE HOUSE CAUSING DAMAGES WHILE KIDS WERE IN THE BACK SEAT, LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED. *SLC

VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED. DRIVER LEFT VEHICLE, WHEN IT STARTED TO MOVE BACKWARDS. DRIVER MANAGED TO GET INTO VEHICLE, AND NOTICED SHIFT LEVER WAS IN REVERSE POSITION, EVENTHOUGH VEHICLE HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. MANAGED TO SHIFT BACK INTO PARK.*AK

PE01021; VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF WHILE CONSUMER HOOKED A BOAT TO THE BACK OF VEHICLE. BOAT WEIGHED LESS THAN A 1,000 LBS. VEHICLE ROLLED BACK, HITTING SIDE OF THE TRAILER AND INTO LAKE HOUSTON UNDER 12FT OF WATER. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. CONSUMER HAD NOT MADE ANY CONTACTS TO MANUFACTURER AND DEALER AT THIS TIME*AK. CONSUMER STATES WHILE LOADING BOAT ONTO THE TRAILER, ALL 4 WHEELS OF THE JEEP WERE NOT IN THE WATER, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS PULLED AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, CONSUMER LEANED IN VEHICLE TO TURN KEY OFF WHEN IT BEGAN TO MOVE BACKWARD, BOTH THE TRAILER AND THE JEEP WENT COMPLETELY UNDERWATER, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OUT, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS STILL ON AND THE TIRES WERE ROLLING. *SLC

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON LEVEL GROUND WITH ENGINE RUNNING VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY CAME OUT OF PARK WENT INTO REVERSE, AND HIT TWO VEHICLES. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH MOTOR RUNNING WHEN IT SUDDENLY STARTED MOVING BACKWARDS.EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS NOT ENGAGED. CONSUMER RAN AFTER VEHICLE, JUMPED IN AND SHUT OFF ENGINE. NO ACCIDENT.*AK

THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM AS PER THE NEWS ON 07/04/2001 FITS THE INCIDENT. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, A TEENAGE FRIEND WAS DRIVING ALONE. HE BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED THE DOG WAS OUT OF THE YARD. HE SAID HE PUT IT IN PARK AND GOT OUT TO GET THE DOG. THE JEEP INADVERTENTLY ROLLED IN REVERSE INTO A NEIGHBORS FENCE CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER AND EXHAUST SYSTEM. I HAD TO PAY THE NEIGHBOR FOR THE DAMAGE TO HIS FENCE. INCIDENT WAS NOT REPORTED AS I DEEMED IT HIS ERROR AND DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL.*AK

REAR WHEEL MAKES A WINDING NOISE. TRANFER CASE, WHENAPPLIED FUEL /SPEED VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND DEALERSHIP MECHANIC COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. A FRONT AXLE WAS BENT,AND THERE WAS A LOT OF SHAKING.*AK

REAR WHEEL MAKES A WINDING NOISE. TRANFER CASE, WHENAPPLIED FUEL /SPEED VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND DEALERSHIP MECHANIC COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. A FRONT AXLE WAS BENT,AND THERE WAS A LOT OF SHAKING.*AK

LEFT FRONT CV BOOT TORN AND LEAKING. *MJS

I WAS TOLD BY A MACHANIC THAT THE 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION IS KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM. IN 1996 JEEP STARTED USING A TOYOTA TRANSMISSION AND THAT SHIFTING 1ST AND 2ND GEAR IS A PROBLEM. I HAVE NOTED THIS PROBLEM AFTER ABOUT 30000 MILES OR SO AND I WAS TOLD BY THE JEEP DEALERSHIP THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION OR CLUTCH.

VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK POSITION AND JUMPED OUT OF GEAR INTO REVERSE, ROLLING BACKWARDS, AND CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, MY JEEP WILL NOT GO, IT HESITATES BADLY, SEEMS TO HAVE NO POWER. IT DOES THIS DAILY. NOT EVERY TIME FROM A STOP BUT QUITE OFTEN. I HAVE TAKEN THIS TO A DEALER IN GERMANY WHILE STATIONED THERE AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT OR HAVE ANY EXPLAINATION ON WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. MY JEEP HAS LESS THAN 42,000 MILES ON IT NOW AND WAS UNDER WARRANTY WHEN IT FIRST STARTED DOING THIS, IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS. IT IS SCARY TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND HAVE THE CAR GO NO WHERE, IT IS NOT STALLING, IT SEEMS TO LOOSE GO-POWER, MAYBE NOT ENOUGH FUEL. I HAVE AM THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS VERY OFTEN. IS ANYONE ELSE HAVING THIS PROBLEM? PLEASE HELP. *AK

THE TRANSFER CASE FAILED AND REMOVAL SHOWED CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DUE TO LACK OF FLUID. THE COMPONENTS WERE DRY, AND THERE WAS NO SIGN OF LEAKAGE AT ANY TIME IN THE PAST. THE MECHANICS DOING THE REPAIRS BELIEVE THAT INSUFFICIENT FLUID WAS ADDED WHEN SOLD. *AK

I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE FOR 3 YEARS. DURING THIS PERIOD, THE TRANSFER CASE HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. THIS IS A MAJOR COMPONENT OF MY CAR AND IT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED THIS SOON AND THIS OFTEN.

TRANSMISSION SLIPS AT START-UP & COLD WEATHER

RANSFER CASE IS TOO NOISY DUE TO TRANSFER CASE BEING INOPERATIVE AND NOT BEING ABLE CHANGE GEARS WHILE DRIVING. THIS MAY CAUSE A CRASH. COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

VEHICLE HAS MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND WITH VEHICLE PARKED IN REVERSE WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED THE PASSENGER REACHED OVER AND STARTED THE VEHICLE WITHOUT DRIVER IN THE CAR. THE VEHICLE STARTED UP AND TOOK OFF IN REVERSE. DRIVER WAS RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE AND WAS ALMOST HIT. THEIR SHOULD BE A SAFETY SWITCH ON THE CLUTCH TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM STARTING WITHOUT THE CLUTCH FULLY DEPRESSED. UPON A INVESTEGATION BY CHRYSLER THEY STATED THAT THEIR WAS NO PROBLEM. THEY STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE DID NOT COME WITH A SAFETY SWITCH ON THE CLUTCH. I FIND THIS VERY DISTURBING AND ALSO VERY DANGEROUS.

WHEN STARTING THE JEEP THIS MORNING, VEHICLE WAS IN FIRST GEAR AND EMERGENCY BRAKE FULLY ENGAGED, AND CLUTCH WAS NOT EMPLOYED. THE CAR STARTED AND WENT IN REVERSE AND DOWN THE YARD, DRAGGING THE DRIVER CAUGHT IN THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE HIT THE HOUSE AND BROKE THE BACK WALL OF PORCH AND CRUSHED DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. HAS THERE BEEN ANY OTHER REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING. IT IS TOTALLY UNEXPLAINABLE. THANK YOU. *AK

THE CONSUMER STATE'S WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE TRANSFER CASE KEEP CRACKING AROUND THE OUT CAST, WHICH MADE'S THE FLUID LEAK OUT OF THE TRANSFER CASE AND THE CONSUMER HAD THE TRANSFER CASE REPAIR THREE TIME'S AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED A PERSON TRIED TO START VEHICLE FROM OUTSIDE WITHOUT STEPPING ON THE CLUTCH PEDAL.WHEN VEHICLE WAS ROLLING IN REVERSE, IT ALMOST RAN OVER ANOTHER PERSON. DEALER HAD TOLD CONSUMER WHAT HAPPENED TO VEHICLE WAS NORMAL. *AK

WHEN IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE, VEHICLE MADE ABNORMAL LOUD NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING. NOISE SOUNDED LIKE A LOUD "THUD" AND SHOOK FRONT END OF CAR. SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE HAD INTERNAL DAMAGE. CAUSE OF DAMAGE WAS AN "O" RING WHICH WAS WORN OUT,ALLOWING ALL OF THE OIL TO LEAK OUT. I NEVER NOTICED ANY LEAK SPOTS WHERE I PARKED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLACED THE TRANSFER CASE. COST OF THIS REPAIR WAS $1,150 ($960 FOR THE PART AND $189 FOR THE LABOR.) *AK

THERE WAS NO EVEDINCE OF THE POWER TRAIN LEAKING ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. THELEAK OCCURED WHILE DRIVING THE JEEP. THE SEALS LEAKED.

VEHICLE GRINDS WHILE TRAVELING BETWEEN 40 AND 55 MPH, EVEN WHEN SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL. OWNER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE HYDRAULIC STRUTS FAILED ON THE REAR HATCH. UPDAED 02/13/06.*JB

HYDRAULIC CLUTCH FAILED ON REAR DOOR HATCH.

WHILE GOING IN REVERSE NOTICED RUBBING GRINDING NOISE. DEALER REPLACED ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION BUT NOISE CONTINUED.

TRANSFER CASE NOISY/FAILED.

SECOND INSTANCE WHERE FLUID HAS LEAKED OUT OF TRANSFER CASE CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE CASE.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH OUT INDICATION, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER STATES STALLING OCCURRED DUE TO A FAULTY PCM. *SLC

TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SLIPPING WHILE DRIVING. THE COMPRESSION FITTINGS MELTED AND THE TRANSMISSION CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE MOTOR MOUNTS WERE REPLACED AND THE COMPUTER TO THE TRANSMISSION WAS ALSO REPLACED. OWNER HAS HAD VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR ON EIGHT OCCASIONS. *AK SINCE TIME OF REPAIR, 1 OF THE COMPRESSION FITTINGS SNAPPED OFF, HOSE WAS HELD IN PLACE BY A SCREW CLAMP. POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE. *SLC

OWNER STATES WHILE PULLING ON TO HIGHWAY VEHICLE WILL NOT CHANGE GEARS, OWNER NOTES THAT THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. VEHICLE ONLY PICKSUP TO 40MPH. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. *AK

TRANSFER CASE FAILED AND REPLACED.

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

WHILE DRIVING THE REAR TRANSFER CASE STARTED TO LEAK, CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE . *AK

DRIVE SHAFT DEFECTIVE.

TRANSMISSION CABLE FAILED, CAUSING VIBRATION.

DIFFERENTIAL DEFECTIVE.

SAFETY SWITCH ON CLUTCH PEDAL FAILED.

POOR TRACTION.

TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE, RUNNING OVER DRIVER AND RAGGING HIM FOR ABOUT 50 FT. *AK

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, UNABLE TO RECTIFY.

TRANSFER CASE LEAKS.

FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE TRANSFER CASE . *AK

VEHICLE WILL DISENGAGE FROM THE PARK POSITION INTO THE REVERSE POSITION.*AK

SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO PARK, LEFT ENGINE RUNNING, GOT OUT OF VEHICLE, GEAR SHIFTED ITSELF INTO REVERSE, SUCH FORCE, VEHICLE LURCHED BACKWARD, THEN FORWARD. *AK VEHICLE TRAVELLED BACKWARDS, HITTING A TREE AND CONSUMER JUMPED IN AND KNOCKED IT BACK INTO PARK. *SLC

CLUTCH PEDAL CUT A WIRE WHICH CONNECTS TO THE BRAKE LIGHTS, THUS MAKING BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORK. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION POPPED OUT OF PARK POSITION, RESULTING IN A ROLL AWAY. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION POPPED OUT OF PARK POSITION, RESULTING IN A ROLL AWAY. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION POPPED OUT OF PARK POSITION, RESULTING IN A ROLL AWAY. *AK

TRIP ODOMETER MISSING FROM DASHBOARD.