IllustrationWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE NOTICED THERE WAS SMOKE SEEPING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK
1987 Jeep Cherokee
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1987 Jeep Cherokee do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 113.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Cherokee years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 7 of 57 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports6 fire reports2 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
4 reportsENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE AFTER VEHICLE WAS PARKED. *AK
THE ACCESSORIES WIRE [BROWN IN COLOR] OVERHEATS AND MELTS CAUSING THE SOCKET ASSEMBLY AND THE IGNITION SWITCH TO ALMOST CATCH ON FIRE. THAT ONE WIRE ON 1987 AND EARLY MODELS HAPPENS ALOT. I RESEARCHED A NUMBER OF JEEPS IN SALVAGE YARDS LOCALLY. JEEP MUST HAVE DISCOVERED THE DEFECT LATER MODELS HAVE AN EXTRA RED WIRE ON THAT SOC…
Read full complaint
THE ACCESSORIES WIRE [BROWN IN COLOR] OVERHEATS AND MELTS CAUSING THE SOCKET ASSEMBLY AND THE IGNITION SWITCH TO ALMOST CATCH ON FIRE. THAT ONE WIRE ON 1987 AND EARLY MODELS HAPPENS ALOT. I RESEARCHED A NUMBER OF JEEPS IN SALVAGE YARDS LOCALLY. JEEP MUST HAVE DISCOVERED THE DEFECT LATER MODELS HAVE AN EXTRA RED WIRE ON THAT SOCKET TO TAKE UP SOME OF LOAD ON THAT WIRE. I HAVE'NT FINISHED MY RESEARCH YET TO FIND WHAT YEAR THEY ADDED THE EXTRA WIRE. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES STARTING PROBLEMS/STALLING. *AK
Official recalls
588V106000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:hydraulic
Jul 1, 1988
BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM RESERVOIR CANISTERS MAY DEVELOP LEAKS DUE TO BUMPER IMPACT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS WOULD RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER BRAKE ASSIST AND ANINCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE.
Remedy: REPLACE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM CANNISTERS WITH NEW TYPE CANNISTERS; ALSO, INSTALL A RESTRICTION ORIFICE TO ENSURE SUFFICIENT VACUUM IN EVENT CANNISTER LEAKAGE OCCURS.
87V035000 · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
Mar 18, 1987
VEHICLE MAY CONTAIN AN OUT OF TOLERANCE THROTTLE BODY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD PREVENT THE ACCELERATOR FROM RETURNING TOIDLE WHEN RELEASED.
Remedy: REPLACE SUSPECT THROTTLE BODIES.
87V022000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Feb 25, 1987
CRUISE CONTROL MODULE COULD HAVE INCONSISTENT CRUISE CONTROL OPERATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INCONSISTENT CRUISE CONTROL OPERATION COULD RESULT INLOSS OF CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE MODULE, AS NECESSARY.
86V160000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Dec 11, 1986
A STUD MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON TOP OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD OF ENGINE THAT COULD CONTACT THE FUEL SUPPLY HOSE. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: CHAFING OF THE FUEL HOSE COULD OCCUR WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FUEL LEAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: REMOVE STUD AND REPLACE FUEL SUPPLY HOSE AND LINE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES WITH ACCUMULATED MILEAGE.
86V159000 · Steering:linkages
Dec 9, 1986
STEERING LINKAGE COUPLERS REMAINED IN ACID ETCHING BATH TOO LONG. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: COUPLERS COULD BE OUT OF TOLERANCE RESULTING IN STEERING WHEEL MISALIGNMENT WITH EVENTUAL LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: REPLACE OUT OF TOLERANCE STEERING LINKAGE COUPLERS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
7PE89151 · Safety Belt Retractor
Opened Aug 11, 1989 · Closed Dec 11, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:retractor
===
PE89095 · Cruise Control Erratic
Opened Mar 1, 1989 · Closed Jun 28, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
===
EA88025 · Stalling
Opened Mar 10, 1988 · Closed Oct 3, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:THE MULTI-POINT INJECTIONSYSTEM (MPI) USED ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES HAS HAD WIRING HARNESS FAILUREAND FAILURE OF THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR (CPS).BOTH FAILURES HAVE A HIGHFREQUENCY AND ARE THE SUBJECT OF JEEP TASK FORCES.NUMEROUS MODIFICATIONSTO BOTH ITEMS HAVE BEEN MADE.ANALYSIS:THE STALLING PROBLEM IS SEMI-INTERMITTENT, THAT IS WIRINGHARNESS FAILURE IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS WHERE THEHARNESS IS DISTURBED (CORNERING AND ROUGH ROAD).CPS FAILURE CAN OCCUR ANYTIME, BUT FAILURE APPEARS TO BE ACCENTUATED BY HIGH UNDERHOOD TEMPERATURES(EXHAUST MANIFOLD LEAKS, ETC.) AND DISTORTION OF THE CPS HOUSING FROMEXHAUST HEAT DAMAGE OR THERMAL FLEXING.BOTH CONDITIONS RESULT IN NOSIGNAL.STATUS:RECOMMEND OPENING EA AND SENDING A MORE REFINED IR.===
PE88029 · Throttle Control
Opened Feb 23, 1988 · Closed Sep 19, 1988
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
SUMMARY:THE PE WAS OPENED TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER JEEP'S RECALL OF CERTAIN1987 MODEL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 4.0 LITER FUEL INJECTED 6 CYLINDERENGINE (87V-035) HAD INVOLVED ALL THE POTENTIALLY AFFECTED VEHICLES.AREVIEW OF THE ODI FILES HAD INDICATED THAT 1987-1988 JEEP VEHICLESEQUIPPED WITH THE 4.O LITER ENGINE ALSO WERE EXPERIENCING SOME THROTTLECONTROL PROBLEM.A REVIEW OF THE WARRANTY CLAIMS AND THE AVAILABLEINCIDENT REPORTS DOES NOT INDICATE THAT A POTENTIAL DEFECT TREND EXISTSOR IS DEVELOPING.THE WARRANTY CLAIMS ATTENUATE, AND THE ALLEDGEDINCIDENTS APPEAR TO BE CAUSED BY A VARIETY OF FACTORS. #===
EA88005 · Elec. Rear Window
Opened Oct 23, 1987 · Closed Mar 28, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility
ANALYSIS OF THE COMPLAINTS AND ODI EXAMINATION OF VEHICLES SUGGESTS THATIMPINGEMENT OF THE TAILGATE LOCK DUST COVER AGAINST THE KEY MAY EITHERINDUCE OR CONTINUE UNINTENDED UPWARD MOVEMENT OF THE TAILGATE WINDOW.STATUS:CHRYSLER RECALLED BY LETTER DATED NOVEMBER 19, 1987.HOWEVER,WE BELIEVE THAT THE SELF EXAMINATION CALLED FOR IN THE RECALL NOTICE DOESNOT MEET WITH THE INTENT OF THE LAW.CHRYSLER HAS BEEN REQUESTED TOREEXAMINE THE RECALL BY LETTER DATED 11/20/87.
PE88001 · Fires Caused By Cltch Lk
Opened Oct 23, 1987 · Closed Jan 28, 1988
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
NO SAFETY DEFECT TREND HAS BEEN DETECTED.===
PE87048 · High Speed Stalling
Opened Aug 19, 1987 · Closed Mar 10, 1988
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:THE FUEL INJECTED 6 CYLINDER(242 CID) IN-LINE ENGINE IS APPARENTLY NEW TO THE INSTALLATION INTO THEJEEP CHEROKEE.ANALYSIS:THE FUEL INJECTED ENGINE ALLEGEDLY STALLS WHILE THE VEHICLE ISCRUISING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (35-55MPH).TWO FAILURE MODES HAVE BEENIDENTIFIED, STALLING WHEN CORNERING OR GOING OVER A BUMP AND THE OTHERIS ENGINE STALL WHILE CRUISING--USUALLY IN HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURESITUATIONS.JEEP HAS IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM WITH THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDGASKET FIT TO THE CYLINDER HEAD WHICH AFFECTS THE HIGH TEMPERATUREPERFORMANCE OF THE CPS (CRANK POSITION SENSOR/ENGINE SPEED SENSOR)MODULE. CHRYSLER/JEEP HAS A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE PROBLEM.STATUS:CRECOMMEND CLOSING THIS PE AND CONTINUING THE ANALYSIS IN AN EA.#===