1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 1,349
- 2 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
- 286 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 1
- see below
- Reported harm
- 194 reported crashes · 132 injuries · 27 deaths · 18 fires
What owners report fails — 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH 286
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR 87
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 67
- FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 50
- FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 42
1 recall on record for the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
- NHTSA 13V252000 · 2014 · STRUCTURE A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee reliable?
NHTSA has 1,349 consumer complaints on record for the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 1 recall. The most-reported problem area is power train:automatic transmission:park/neutral start interlock switch (286 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Owners most often report problems with: power train:automatic transmission:park/neutral start interlock switch (286), service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor (87), power train:automatic transmission (67), fuel system, gasoline (50). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.