IllustrationABS, BRAKE FAILURE, ABS PUMP FAILURE BRAKES BECOME VERY HARD, YELLOW LIGHTS STAYS ON. *AK
1989 Jeep Cherokee
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 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: 10 of 191 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 86 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports15 fire reports14 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
86 reportsANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED 3 TIMES. *SD
THE ONWER HAS LOST HIS BRAKES FOUR TIMES, ABS, WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES HAVE FAILED WHEN TRYING TO STOP AND PUSHING THE BRAKES TO THE FLOOR. *AK
BRAKES FAILED SEVERAL TIMES. *DH
ABS BRAKING SYSTEM PROBLEMS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
WHEN DRIVING JEEP ACCELERATE SOMETIMES WHEN AT A STOP SIGN ITS HARD TO STOP . TT ALSO VEHICLE RACES AND IS HARD TO STOP FROM RACING RPM IS ABOUT 2.5, THE SUDDEN DROP TO.5 WHEN VEHICLE RACES VERY HARD TO STOP, NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.*JB
ABS: EXTENSIVE PROBLEMS WITH ABS; COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE; PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR; NO WARNING. TT
ABS BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE, TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING. TT CONSUMER STATES HIS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HOME WHEN SHE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE SHE REPORTED THAT THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK RIGHT, ON ANOTHER OCCASION CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE SHE STATED THAT THE YELLOW CHECK ANTI LOCK LIGHT HAD COME ON…
Read full complaint
ABS BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE, TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING. TT CONSUMER STATES HIS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HOME WHEN SHE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE SHE REPORTED THAT THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK RIGHT, ON ANOTHER OCCASION CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE SHE STATED THAT THE YELLOW CHECK ANTI LOCK LIGHT HAD COME ON THAT TIME, CONSUMER STATED THAT EVEN WHEN PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH BOTH FEET ALMOST NO BRAKING ACTION WAS PRESNT, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE ENTIRE ABS WAS REPLACED, CONSUMER STATES THE NORMAL BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION AS WELL.*JB
REAR BRAKES HAVE EXCESSIVE WEAR W/DAMP WEATHER RESULTING IN ERRATIC PERFORMANCE. TT IT WAS HARD TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN DRY WEATHER ALSO. THE PEDAL WAS FIRM WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, BUT THE VEHCILE WOULD NOT STOP. THE CONSUMER WAS WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE ARBITRATION BOARD. *YH
ABS: ANTI LOCK AND BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON, LASTS FOR 20 MINUTES; PEDAL BECOMES HARD; CAUSES DIFFICULT STOPPING. TT CHRYSLER INFORMED CONSUMER IN ORDER TO FIX PROBLEM, A NEW PUMP ASSEMBLY NEEDS REPLACED. *SLC
Official recalls
396V260000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip
Dec 27, 1996
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS). THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT CAN EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE BRAKE ACTUATOR PISTON SEAL WEAR WHICH COULD CAUSE PUMP-MOTOR DETERIORATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE ABS FUNCTION WOULD BE LOSE AND REDUCED POWER ASSIST WOULD BE EXPERIENCED DURING VEHICLE BRAKING. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHTS WILL SIGNAL SYSTEM IMPAIRMENT AND THE BASE MANUAL BRAKES WILL REMAIN FUNCTIONAL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TEST THE VEHICLE'S ABS AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. THE WARRANTY ON ALL ABS COMPONENTS WILL BE EXTENDED TO 10 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES (EXCEPT FOR THE BRAKE ACTUATOR PISTON ASSEMBLY AND THE PUMP-MOTOR ASSEMBLY WHICH WILL HAVE A LIFETIME COVERAGE). OWNERS WILL BE REIMBURSED FOR PREVIOUS ABS COMPONENT REPAIR COSTS.
91V003000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Oct 2, 1991
THERE MAY BE HYDRAULIC FLUID CONTAMINATION FROM CONDENSATION FORMATION THAT CAN PLUG THE ABS BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP FILTER; STRESS CORROSION OF THE MASTER CYLINDER SNAP RING HAS BEEN TRACED TO CHLORINE LEAKING FROM THE LOW PRESSURE HYDRAULIC HOSE WHICH MAY CAUSE IT TO BREAK; FRONT BRAKE HOSE TO TIRE INTERFERENCE WHICH MAY CAUSE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE HOSE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONTAMINATION OF THE HYDRAULIC FLUID CAN CAUSEMALFUNCTIONING OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM; LOW PRESSURE HOSE LEAKAGE CAUSESLOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND ALSO RESULTS IN CORROSION AND FAILURE OF THE MASTERCYLINDER SNAP RING, RESULTING COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE; FAILURE OF THE FRONT BRAKEHOSE DUE TO HOSE TO TIRE INTERFERENCE WILL CAUSE FAILURE OF ONE HALF OF THEBRAKE SYSTEM RESULTING IN A LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE THAN EXPECTED.
Remedy: REPLACE ABS LOW PRESSURE HOSE; REBUILD MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER; INSPECT, SERVICE INTERFERENCE PROBLEMS, AND REPLACE FRONT BRAKE HOSE AS NECESSARY.
90V177000 · Vehicle Speed Control:cruise Control
Oct 2, 1990
MALFUNCTION OF FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM THROTTLE POSTITION SENSOR COULD CAUSE INTERMITTENT HIGH ENGINE IDLE SPEED IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING ENGINE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: HIGH ENGINE IDLE WHEN CAR IS FIRST PLACED IN GEAR COULDRESULT IN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION.
Remedy: REPLACE THROTTLE POSITION SENSORS WITH SENSORS THAT WOULD SEND CORRECT SIGNALS TO THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM.
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
3PE93057 · Driveshaft/univ.joint Fail
Opened Jun 14, 1993 · Closed Oct 29, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
There is no summary currently available
EA90024 · Failed Antilock Brakes
Opened Apr 26, 1990 · Closed Jan 14, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
PE90033 · Failed Antilock Brakes
Opened Jan 16, 1990 · Closed Apr 26, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available