1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee Recalls, Complaints & Specs
5 safety recalls list the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and owners have filed 991 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
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5 safety recalls for the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Structure and tank assembly (fuel system)
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 1993-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty vehicles. The fuel tanks in these vehicles are at risk of failure and leakage in certain rear impacts.
Remedy: Owners may take their vehicles to dealers and the dealers will perform a free inspection of the rear structure. On vehicles in the recall that are not equipped with a tow hitch, Chrysler will install a Chrysler…
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Floor shift (power train)
On certain sport utility vehicles, if a driver has not placed the shifter lever fully into the "park" position and leaves the vehicle running, the vehicle may unexpectedly move rearward after seeming to be stable.
Remedy: Dealers will install a secondary detent system to the floor shifter assembly. Daimlerchrysler sent interim notices to owners concerning this problem on march 22, 2002. Owner notification began september 23, 2002.…
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Rotor (service brakes)
Vehicle description: passenger and multi-purpose vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the states of connecticut, illinois, indiana, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, or wisconsin, and the district of columbia. The front disc brake…
Remedy: Dealers will replace these rotors with rotors that are coated with a corrosion protection.
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Tank assembly (fuel system)
Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicles. The fuel tank mounted fuel level sending unit accuracy can degrade over time, indicating significantly more fuel in reserve than is actually present.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel level sending unit.
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Air bags: sensor/control module-inactive
The electrical circuit design allows the potential for an inadvertent air bag deployment upon vehicle ignition shut down.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the air bag electronic control module with a newly designed module.
991 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee have filed 991 complaints with NHTSA; 112 describe a crash and 17 describe a fire. Reports cite 89 injuries and 5 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 121,973 miles. Complaints peaked in 2001 with 223 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The contact owns a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power, prompting her to attempt to stop the vehicle. A”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 6, 2024 · Power train
“I purchased this vehicle and noticed the fuel gauge was fluctuating excessively so i check if there were any recalls for this vehicle . When entering vehicles VIN # it states 0 opened recalls for this”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 12, 2020 · Electrical system
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee (Grand Cherokee 2WD, Grand Cherokee 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 14–16 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 12–14 / 16–20 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Special Purpose Vehicles |
| Engine | 6/8 cyl, 4/5.2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
Compare Jeep Grand Cherokee model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Jeep Grand Cherokee model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee
How do I know if my 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 5 campaigns currently list the 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Jeep dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 00V136000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Jeep models
- Wrangler15,984 complaints
- Cherokee14,838 complaints
- Liberty8,881 complaints
- Compass3,705 complaints
- Patriot2,790 complaints
- Commander2,752 complaints
- Renegade2,202 complaints
- Wrangler 4-DR 4X41,366 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.