IllustrationSEAT BELT BUCKLE WOULDN'T SNAP CLOSED, AND WOULDN'T STAY LATCHED UNLESS THE INSERT WAS JIMMIED, THEN TENSION PUT ON THE BELT. *AK
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
What owners actually said
97 reportsABS BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED.
VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY ACCELERATES TO 45-50 MPH AS ITS IDLE SPEEDS. *AK
WHILE THE TRUCK IS IN DRIVE CAN TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND THE TRUCK WOULD STILL BE IN MOTION, CAUSING THE TRUCK TO KEEP ON GOING WHILE THE KEY IS OUT OF THE IGNITION. *AK
FUEL INDICATOR INDICATES 4 OR 5 MORE GALLONS OF FUEL IN FUEL TANK, WHEN THE TANK IS ACTUALLY EMPTY. THE DEALER IS NOT AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
REAR AUTO BRAKE ADJUSTERS FAILED.
WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE SUDDDENLY ENGAGED, CAUSING FRONT DRIVESHAFT TO DROP TO THE GROUND AND WAS THEN PUSHED INTO TRANSFER CASE, DESTROYING IT. *AK
SPINDLE SNAPPED ONE INCH FROM TIE ROD HOLE. *AK
AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE THROTTLE STUCK, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO INCREASE SPEED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
SEAT BELT BUCKLE ON DRIVER SIDE FAILED TO LOCK IN PLACE. *AK
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.===