IllustrationVEHICLE FAILED EMISSIONS DUE TO A HIGH HYDROCARBON OUTPUT/ PROBLEMS WITH LIGHTS, BRAKES, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, STARTER, AND SEAT BELTS. *MR THERE WAS A CRACK FOUND IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. *SCC *JB
1988 Jeep Cherokee
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1988 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: 3 of 97 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 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 16 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
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
9 reportsVEHICLE STALLS OCCASIONALLY AFTER CLIMBING GRADES OR QUICK STOPS. *AK
ENGINE IDLES DANGEROUSLY HIGH AT TIMES. WILL GO TO 3000RPM AND STAY THERE. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT MAKING VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE/UNRELIABLE/USELESS. DEALER REFUSED TO ATTEMPT TO REPAIR DUE TO WIRING HARNESS BEING TAMPERED WITH BUT THE DEALER DID THIS ON PREVIOUS REPAIRS.
EXHAUST MANIFOLD KEEPS CRACKING. WAS REPLACED TWICE. CHECKED ALL RECALLS ON VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT CALIFORNIA HAD RECALL FOR SAME PROBLEM BECAUSE OF BAD OXYGEN SENSOR. IN CALIFORNIA THEY WILL REPLACE MANIFOLD BTU ON EAST COAST THEY WON'T. IF IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM, WHY WON'T THEY REPLACE THE MANIFOLD ON THE EAST COAST. CALIFORNIA…
Read full complaint
EXHAUST MANIFOLD KEEPS CRACKING. WAS REPLACED TWICE. CHECKED ALL RECALLS ON VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT CALIFORNIA HAD RECALL FOR SAME PROBLEM BECAUSE OF BAD OXYGEN SENSOR. IN CALIFORNIA THEY WILL REPLACE MANIFOLD BTU ON EAST COAST THEY WON'T. IF IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM, WHY WON'T THEY REPLACE THE MANIFOLD ON THE EAST COAST. CALIFORNIA RECALL NUMBERS ARE 316T AND #562. EAST COAST RECALL NUMBER IS#561. WOULD APPRICIATE A RESPONSE. THANK YOU. SINCERELY, DAVID L. SLAGLE. *AK
THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY CAME OFF THE VEHICLE, WHICH RESULTED IN NO POWER STEERING WHILE BEING DRIVEN. DLR HAS NOT SEEN. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
WHILE DRIVING AND PULLING INTO A STOP, VEHICLE BECAME FILLED WITH SMOKE AND CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. *AK *SLC
FAILURE ON THE THROTTLE, WHEN YOU PLACE THE VEHICLE IN PARK THE ENGINE RACES TO 1500 RPM; ALSO, REPLACED OXYGEN SENSOR. *AK
THE DESIGN OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND LEAKING EXHAUST MANIFOLD. PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
3PE89151 · Safety Belt Retractor
Opened Aug 11, 1989 · Closed Dec 11, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:retractor
===
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. #===
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.===