I understand Jeep's reliability is up in the air. I was just wondering where that reliability dropped? I'm in the Midwest (so a lot of snow) and going through the car buying process and I see a ton of Jeep's (specifically Grand Cherokee's); however, I'm hesitant to go deeper into Jeep's due to my lack of knowledge about where Jeep's reliability drops. I've looked at carcomplaints.com for the specific years that pop up and they seem reliable, but I just want to be cautious.
I would say they're real unreliability started about 20 years ago
100% agree with Scotty. Unfortunately Chrysler and the other companies that have owned Chrysler through the years have all but destroyed the once famed and insanely reliable Jeep name. I would only lease a Jeep if I was going to get a newer one. Trust me, I inherited a 2012 Liberty and before it even hit 60k motor blew. Luckily it was under warranty and a replacement was put in. Since though I’ve had to put a few hundred in it already. It’s not even 10 yrs old yet.
Around 03 04 05 ish
09 Fiat merged and that was absolute mess anything after that is a hunk of garbage
I know the Grand Chrokee was decent until 2004
Agree with Scotty though a good 18-20 years they have been failing miserably
Now this is when they became unreliable. They have been in decline for a lot more than that maybe 30 years or more.
If you value reliability and your money, I would steer clear of Jeep.
The best ones are from the era of the 4.0 inline six. Most Jeep Cherokees also use an Aisin-Warner 4-speed automatic transmission which is practically bulletproof. (The Grand Cherokees used a less robust Chrysler trans.) Even with the problems brought on by age Jeeps of that vintage on balance are going to be better than the Fiat-Chrysler junk.
Absolutely true. I have a 1994 Jeep 2WD Cherokee, 4.0L Been great. I bought it used with 174,000 miles on it. Has 350,000 plus. Love my Jeep. Has issues with suspension, and steering now due to age. . But it has 350,000 miles and is 27 years old. I work on my own cars . If you are not the type to do so, then get something else. I agree, the era of the 4.0L was the best. The big issue is the grounds which is really important. Loose battery or engine ground drives the computer crazy in its voltage regulator circuit. The dumbest thing ever done was the regulator circuit in the computer, not in the alternator. My computer committed suicide due to a loose ground. Sent high, then low, then high, low. Eventually , smoked the computer.
Refresh the bushings in the suspension and if the steering box is worn install a good quality replacment like one from RedHead Steering Gears (most of the chain store remans are junk) and you'll be good for another 350K miles! 🙂
On Jeeps of that vintage if the voltage control circuit in the computer goes bust it is possible to hook up an old-school external voltage regulator to the alternator.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV4cGwKmxv8
I'm with Scotty on this one. I can't remember a Jeep I would recommend to a friend for purchase. That says something right there.
Maybe there's a reason so many people are selling their Jeeps.
Like Scotty said, it started in the early 2,000s. There are better cars than a Cherokee like Toyota Rav4 or Subaru Outback.
