Problems with 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

I was driving in a mall parking lot looking for a parking space. i was turning the corner to go down the next aisle and all of a sudden i had no control of the jeep. as i turned to the left to continue looking for a park, the jeep was speeding out of control and i was slamming on the brake with both feet and the jeep just kept accelerating! i was unable to steer away from the vehicles i was heading towards. as i was heading towards the first vehicle that i hit, i was trying to steer away from it and then the jeep turned to the right and kept accelerating. i ended up hitting four other vehicles ( 5 vehicles total) and finally came to a complete stop after hitting the last vehicle. there is extensive damage to my jeep and to the other vehicles involved. we have not had the damage accessed yet, so we do not know how much this will cost to fix. i believe my jeep is totaled. we are thankful nobody was injured and that i am ok, just shaken up a little.

2001 jeep cherokee rotors and pads have been replaced every year in the last 3 we owned it. this year i will have to do it twice. never buy chrysler again, they have issues with a product and don't attempt any solutions to fix them. brakes pulse very bad, very bad while braking and they are fine for the first 90 days of the repair but then go bad again. i believe while braking in rain or wet conditions warping occurs and once again the vibration comes back. i purchased high performance rotors and pads and at the same time as factory rotors and pads the same thing occurred again. recommendations: don't drive in wet conditions and get rid of truck, they say buy american but why???? poor workmanship and ignorance of the danger that could come of this shows they have no concerns for the american consumer so why should i have concerns for a business that is suppose to be a staple in the american economy. our government bailed them out... i bailed them out and this is the thanks i received,new rotors and pads at my expense. i hope they fold so that the product the bear their name to does not injury or cause death to people that hold trust in them. my only hope is that they close the doors on this company forever so that people can once again be proud of american products. signed, a very disappointed american consumer. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 jeep grand cherokee. the contact stated that the brake line was rotted out and extends through the fuel line. he does not know if the fuel lines are damaged. the chrysler manufacturer stated that the vehicle was submerged in water, which was the cause of the failure. the contact stated that the vehicle was purchased brand new. if it was submerged into water, the dealer sold it to him after the fact. the dealer stated that the vehicle had not been submerged in water and would not repair the issue. the failure mileage was 51,544.

Bought new 2001 grand cherokee limited. currently at 84,000 miles. i have had to replace the front brakes and rotors at least 6 times. like all the other complaints from jeep owners, the brakes wobble when applied after about 3-5 thousand miles. three sets were replaced under warranty. also as i have read many others complaining about, the driver and passenger side front windows have fallen out. when we complained to the dealership about the car being a lemon, they said it did not apply since they repaired the problem. all they did was prolong the problem by replacing parts until the warranty expired. the date below is the most recent, but has been ongoing since purchase. *tr

Loss of brakes due to brake line rusting out. no warning. slow speed. replace brake lines from master cylinder to rear brake line fp-number 3051 brake line fp-number pa351. *tr

I own gene's automotive repair. i have been repairing vehicles for over 40 years. my customer brought in his 2001 jeep grand cherokee for a brake check due to squealing. the pads were fine, but i noticed a lot of rusty dust. i was going to remove the caliper anchor pins to grease them and found them seized in the bore. prior to this, i test drove the jeep and noticed the brakes didn't seem to be slowing as fast as i felt it should. the seized pins are the reason for this because as the pads wear, the pins should slide inward to accommodate the wear. if this problem had continued for an extended period of time, i suspect the anchor pins would eventually bend or shear off under the hydraulic pressure from the caliper. if the angle were to get severe enough, i believe it would seize the piston in the bore. the cause of this is possibly water intrusion past the anchor pin seal. i believe this design is dangerous and should be redesigned. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 jeep grand cherokee. while driving approximately 30 mph and depressing the brake pedal, the steering wheel began vibrating. during acceleration, the steering wheel would vibrate uncontrollably. there were no warning indicators prior to the failure. the vehicle was immediately taken to an independent auto service and the technician stated that the piston in the braking system had locked up on the front driver's side. the front driver and passenger side rotors, pads, and calipers were replaced. the contact was very concerned of the safety risk involved. the failure mileage was 70,300 and current mileage was 70,400.

Driving down main street and it was dry road conditions and went to apply brakes and pedal would not engage at time. had in past pulsing pedal, but no brakes at all this time resulting in a rearend collision with the car that had stopped in front of me. *tr

As i drove on local roads, i noticed the brake pedal sank lower and lower with each stop. the brake light came. i made it to the repair shop, where the mechanic found two metal brake lines had ruptured due to corrosion, resulting in loss of brake fluid. also, he noted the metal fuel rail had ruptured due to corrosion. all three are being replaced. this vehicle, which was purchased new, is not driven on the beach or along the ocean shoreline. it is driven only on surface streets and has never been submerged in a flood. it has never been in an accident. it is well-maintained, with oil changes every 3,000 miles, and regular tune-ups and filter changes. it is kept washed and waxed. i find it unnerving that two crucial systems suffered catastrophic failure in just 5 and half years, leaving the vehicle vulnerable to accident or fire. i don't know if this is due to a lack of corrosion protection or just an inferior metal, but i can tell you that in 32 years of vehicle ownership, i have never encountered such safety failures. *tr

I own a 2000 jeep grand cherokee that has 2 potentially dangerous issues with it. due to a manufacturers design flaw, the brake lights malfunction on a regular basis. the light shorts itself out when the headlights are turned on leaving me with no brakes at night. in addition, the door lock actuator in my rear passenger door has broken. since jeep saw fit to only provide a key on the drivers door, this rear door neither locks nor unlocks which would result in a potentially lifethreatening situation if i were involved in a wreck and was unable to exit the vehicle from this door. my cooling fan broke, i replaced with a non-oem model which chewed a hole in my radiator after 100 miles. replaced radiator and fan. radiator broke after a year, re-replaced. after searching online i found that these are fairly common problems and not the result of some action on my part. *tr

Tl*- the contact stated that while driving the 2001 jeep cherokee with 73000 failure mileage at any rate of speed and then applying the brake, the steering wheel shook uncontrollably, and was getting worse, but the vehicle stopped normally. the vehicle had been taken to the dealer seven times for repairs. the most recent time they changed the rotors and calipers, but the failure recurred. *ak updated 03/19/07. *jb

On 2001 i bought a brand new jeep grand cherokee limited from a jeep dealer, little after i bought it i noticed a vibration when applying the brakes, but i did not think there was anything wrong, brand new and my first 4x4 i thought it was the way 4x4 works. until about a year ago that i received a letter about a demand made to chrysler from some other owners of grand cherokees that have the same problem and when they went to have it check at the dealer they were told that there was a problem with an uneven surface of the brake rotors. chrysler never took any action about this factory defect and denied repair of defect. after i received this letter i took my jeep to the dealer to have it check and i was told the same problem with the front disk rotors was causing the vibration on my car. i contacted daimlerchrysler by mail on october 2006, asking them to repair the factory defect and they never answer back, then i called them by phone to their customer relations center at 1-800-992-1997 and asked for an answer to my problem but they denied paying for any repair since i was out of the warranty period and i asked for a written decision but it was also denied and only given a reference number 15833938 for my inquire on 1-3-2007. as i said earlier in this letter, i was unaware of any real brake problem with my vehicle until i was contacted by a letter from a third party with the same problem as i dated june 1, 2006. daimlerchrysler never contacted me about this problem or did any recall on this and that is why i was out of the warranty period. thank you for reading my complaint and hope something can be done about it so this big corporation take responsibility for their products. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, the vehicle pulsated, when the brake pedal was depressed. it was taken to the dealer on several occasions, where different parts of the brakes were replaced however; the problem recurred.

Rotors, calipers and brakes need cut or replaced anywhere from 1 to 4,000 miles. as of this date, this is my 7th time! a pulsation in braking... the manufacturer has replaced or cut the rotors 6 times, the drive once, the calipers once and the brakes one or two times... i went to an independent on 11-29-06 and had 2 rotors replaced, 2 resurfaced/cut and brakes replaced with 26,500 miles on vehicle. a 2001 jeep grand cherokee limited. *jb

After going through some online troubleshooting, i just confirmed that the blend door went bad. and yes it is not one first problem i had with my 2001 limited grand cherokee jeep. 8 months ago the drivers side window regulator broke (as in all jeeps), my four brake calipers went bad by just replacing the old pads, and now this. one day, the car just started to blow cold air. before that, i could hear the noises under the dashboard but i thought it was the way it should sound. i had most of the times limited heat in my side and more in the passenger's side. i thought i'm too hot for the car and the sensor just plays with me. but enough is enough. for god sake, how do you want to sell "hardcore" cars, when your cars fail to work under climate garage kept conditions, and driven mostly on a flatland (florida) on road... you should be ashamed of your products. you should call the cheap and not jeep. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while braking the steering column vibrated. the harder the brake pedal was applied the more the steering column vibrated. the vehicle was taken to the dealership in 2003 and the rotors were replaced. the vibration returned and the dealership stated the rotors need to be replaced a second time. the vehicle was located in a salt belt state. updated 10/25/2006 - *nm

Brakes started smoking and sticking 5.5 hours away from home while going on vacation. went to brake repair place and they determined calipers were sticking. couldn't get a rental car, jeep dealership wouldn't give us a rental car. calipers are covered under warranty. proceeded on to vacation destination w/brakes still not fixed. called the local jeep dealership and they couldn't even look at the jeep until a week and a half later, and we'd be back home by then. had jeep towed to a jeep dealership further away and it took some convincing on our part to get daimler chrysler to pay for the tow to the dealership that was further away. that jeep dealership had the calipers sent to them, but they got lost in the mail and they couldn't repair the calipers. they had the jeep the whole week we were on vacation. why didn't they (a) have calipers in stock and (b) overnight the calipers so they could be sure they got them? had to drive back home for over nine hours with brakes and calipers still not working properly. had jeep towed to our local dealership and they replaced 3 calipers, brake lines and brake pads. the calipers were covered under our warranty, but brakes pads and everything else wasn't and we had to pay over $500 for those to be replaced. i believe daimler chrysler should not have charged us for replacing anything because the calipers caused the brake pads and rotors to fail. i also think since the dealership couldn't repair the calipers they should have had the jeep towed to our local dealership and given us a rental car to get home. jeep only had 46,000 miles on it when this all happened. *nm

Brake rotors went bad. vehicle would vibrate when brakes applied. no problem with stopping if pressing hard enough. took to dealership, and mechanic indicated rotors needed to be replaced after test driving vehicle & felt the vibration. i felt there was a design defect and requested chrysler replace the calipers under safety issue because it was a design defect. they informed me it was not a design defect and i would have to pay for it. while researching the repair, i learned there was a redeigned caliper kit to alleviate the problem. why would they go to the effort and expense to redesign a systen that was functioning well? this happened at 55,000 miles. i feel this is a safety issue and should be addressed as such

Dt*: the contact stated while applying brake pressure at high speeds, there was a pulsation and an increased stopping distance. the vehicle was seen by a dealer and the rotors were replaced. afterwards, the brake pulsation continued to persist.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving at night the headlights would not turn off, the battery was disconnected so the headlight would go off. second, the car is not in park light illuminated on the overhead console while driving 45 mph. third, the antilock brakes vibrated while coming to a complete stop at a red light causing the vehicle to accelerate. the vehicle hit another vehicle from behind however no one was injured. a police report was filed at the scene. the vehicle sustained frontal damage and was driven home. the dealership inspected the vehicle but was unable to determine the problems. the manufacturer was alerted. updated 6/23/2006 - *nm

Dt*: the contact stated when the vehicle reached between 8,000 and 10,000 miles, the rotors begin to warp. the vehicle's rotors were previously warped 10,000 miles before the last occurrence. this primarily occurred while driving 40mph and above. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. the dealer determined this was normal wear of the rotors; however, the dealer suggested resurfacing the rotors again.

Purchased the car used august 2005. first noticed a vibration in the steering when braking around february 2006. took in to mechanic for oil change and had brakes changed. was advised that the rotors were warped and needed replaced. *jb

Dt: the contact stated while traveling 35 mph another vehicle was turning to the right in front of the contacts vehicle. the contacts wife depressed the brake pedal and there were no brakes. the roads were dry. this was a frontal impact, and the air bags did not deploy. the contact sustained injuries. the vehicle was towed to a towing service were it is now parked. the manufacturer was contacted. *ak

Dt*: the contact stated while applying brake pressure the front of the vehicle the steering wheel and the brake pedal vibrated. the dealership replaced or resurfaced the rotors and replaced the pads three times. the repairs temporarily solved the problem, but it recurred. the local dealer is unwilling to complete further repairs. *ak

Vehicle shakes when trying to break again. took in for service and told they had safety notice that the brakes and rotors were to be replaced. new mfg on the rotors, since they were having a problem. brakes and rotors replaced when 2 yrs in services with about 9k. 3 yrs later (29k per dealer) rotors need to be cut due to warping again. in 2003 was told when they changed the metal rotors, i should not have the problem again. now the vehicle is out of warranty and rotors are warped. *nm

we purchased a 2001 grand cherokee limited from a local dealership with 50,000 miles in may of 2005. no heat from both passenger or drivers side vents. blend door hinges separated and inop. recirculation door also inoperable vehicle had 53,500 miles at this time. drivers seat heater failed at 65,000 miles. pcm failed at 75,000 miles and this was the only repair covered under warranty. the jeep now has 81,000 miles and we have had vibration and pedal pulsation from the front brakes three times since we purchased the vehicle. *jb

1. window regulator faulty: 1st incident occurred 9/2003 at 40,000 mi; driver window fell down due to faulty window regulator. although warranty had expired, manufacture replaced, charged me $50 deductible. 2nd incident occurred 11/05 at 79,700 mi.; front passing window, it fell down due to faulty window regulator. dealer stated known problem, as did daimler chrysler, but told me i would have to file a complaint with nhtsa. was told that is what extended warranty is for. (they apparently do not back their product and are not quick to resolve known defects.) 2. 12/2004 transmission problems (clutch ring): car would not go in reverse; shifting rough. was told known problem and was told i was lucky that it wasn't the whole transmission. repairs approximately $600. 3. brake problems: warped rotors/calipers/pads replaced at 24,000. i am currently on 3rd set of brakes (just now have 80,000 mi on car). last set did not last a year. premature warping, squeaking brakes, rattling car, steering wheel, just like the other complaints listed at nhtsa. have had a few near accidents due to the shaking. replaced at my expense except for the 24,000 mi job. 4. emissions code on check engine light: due to faulty gas cap. dealer charged me $100 for the diagnostics, and almost 18 for a gas cap. i have never heard of such a think, and feel it is something the mfg should be responsible for since it is an environmental issue. again, was told i was lucky that it was only a gas cap?? why should i feel lucky when i spend $28,000 for a car that has known issues with the model and the mfg acts as if they didn't care, and tells me i should pay $2500 for an extended warranty. no, they should fix the known problems. we pay that much under the misconception that they stand by their product. as a result, i have problems with tires wearing out sooner than they should and front end alignment issues. *jb

I purchased a new jeep grand cherokee laredo in may of 2001. in july 2005, i noticed a pulsation in the brake pedal when decelerating from highway speeds greater than forty mph. the dealer said the rotors were warped, and recommended replacing the front brake rotors and brake pads. the cost would be over $300.00. the car has 13,00 miles. but it is over 3 years old, so repairs are not covered under any warranty. this problem is very common, and appears to be linked to the calipers as well as the rotors. replacing the calipers with design, as well as the rotors and pads reportedly eliminated recurrent problems. is a recall justified to correct this problem? *jb

2001 jeep grand cherokee limited. had front brake rotors replaced twice due to warping and dc paid eventually as warranty or good faith by dc or dealer (last was due to new service bulletin); brake rotors still warping in service at 39,000 miles--dealer refaced rotors again (3rd time) and at my request replaced rear brake pads--not warranty work or good faith; i had to pay $400. dealer admits rotors still may only last 5,000 miles since dc jeep has poorly underdesigned the braking system. why won't dc jeep fix problem and reimburse for repairs to inferior equipment?

Consumer complained about a brake problem. the rotors warped, causing the brake pads to wear out prematurely and effect the brake performance. vehicle is currently out of warranty. provide further details. *ak

Consumer complained about a brake rotor problem. took vehicle back to the dealer on 3 separate occasions, and was informed that it was possible that the pads were different from the pads that were recommended for this vehicle, giving the driver a spongy effect when applying the brakes. consumer contacted the manufacturer, who was not trying to remedy this brake rotor problem. *ak

On my 2001 jeep grand cherokee limited climate control is not functioning properly. no matter what the setting is, it blows cold air from some vents and hot from others. the repair cost is estimated around $1200. the brakes were almost causing a loss of control while driving down the mountain road. the truck would start shaking violently as i apply the brakes, to the point where the steering was not affecting the behavior of the truck. repair and part replacements cost $820. outrageous! *jb

Vehicle vibrated/shook when braking. vehicle was takento the dealer, who turned the rotors on two separate occasions. however, problem recurred. *ak

While driving,the driver noticed that the vehicle would vibrate uncontrollably without warning. the driver was able to drive it to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic informed the driver that the brake pads,and rotor needed to be replaced due to corrosion. consumer informed mechanic that this problem happened on more than one occasion.*ak

First noticed condition about month or so. vibrations when slowing down from above 50 mph speed. i thought maybe alignment problem. last week the vibration became very bad, the steering wheel vibrated as well as the front end of the car. hard to control the car. seemed there was pulling to the right also. (the car has 36000+ mi. it's a 2001 gc jeep. ) took the car to a goodyear dealer who said it was warped rotors. they made front brake disc pad replacement, resurfaced left & right front rotor as well as rear ones. the dealer mention this can happen on these vehicles when the rotors/brakes get wet. well, dah! what happens when it's raining and your running through puddles of water. how often is this going to happen with this vehicle? it is not covered by warranty which is specifically mentioned in the maintanence booklet. sounds to me to be a common problem with this vehicle. *ak

While applying the brakes from a high speed front end shakes violently. *ak

I have a 2001 jeep grand cherokee laredo 6cyl. at approx 27,000 i experienced a vibration/pulsation when the brakes were applied. i took it into the dealer for diagnosis and was informed that the front pads were worn out and the rotors were out of round and needed turning. i had that work performed with dismay that every 27,000 miles that would need to be done. it is now 48,000 miles (21,000 later) and the same problem has occurred. according to jeep a revised brake caliper design has been built to correct the problem. as of this last changing (using the new rotors and calipers per tsb 05-003-02b) i will have spent $700 in less than 2 years on brakes that should not have worn out once inl 50,000. i was informed that this replacement was not covered under warranty, but being that it is premature failure of a poor design, i believe that it should be. *jb

I bought my 2001 grand cherokee laredo 4x4 on aug. 20, 2001, in november 2002, with 8,000 miles on the vehicle i felt the steering wheel shake when braking at high speeds. the front rotors, calipers, and pads were shot. rockland auto plaza replaced them at no charge under the warranty. this past week, with 17,000 miles on the car, the front rotors were warped again. white plains chrysler replaced them at no charge but advised me that this type of wear was normal for an suv. obviously, from the complaints here, this is not normal but a problem that diamler chrysler needs to address. 3 pairs of rotors on a car with 17,000 miles, driven mostly on the highway, is un-excusable.*ak

Original incident april 03. front brake system replaced. service bulletin at dealership was issued. vehicle was under warranty. approx 34,000 miles on jeep. july 27, 2004, 5,100 miles after repaired and problem thought corrected, vehical began pulsating. dealership adv rotors warped and would not cover it since it is now out of warranty.*ak

The rotors have been replaced three time since the consumer owned the vehicle. *nm *sc *jb

April of 2002 noted pulsation in the steering wheel, dealer resurfaced front brake rotors. august of 2003 noted pulsation in steering wheel, dealer replaced front brake rotors, calipers and pads and resurfaced rear brake rotors. ak july of 2004 noted the plusation in the steering wheel, dealer replaced the front brake rotors august 2004 the vehicle has only 26,000 miles on the odometer and the amount of repairs to the braking system seems excessive

Dec 01 (4882 miles) vibration when braking at highway speeds, difficulty steering upon braking, warped rotors. march 03 (about 15000 miles) same problem, warped rotors fixed in july 03. feb 04 (about 22000 miles) same problem, daimler chrysler will not fix. warranty is almost over, july 14 2004, spoke to manager, he stated that daimler chrysler will not fix problem. it is dangerous for highway speeds as there is vibration and steering difficulty upon braking. *nm

Pulsating and grabbing brakes when applied. to the point of possible steering loss at higher speeds. first failure at aprox 12000 miles dealer replaced all rotors and front calipers. stated brakes were under rated. aproximately 12000 miles later vehicles is still under warranty and has the same problem only more severe. i will be replacing the rotors with an aftermarket brand. (not the defective rotors used by chrysler). old rotors will be available for inspection. chrysler refuses to cover these defective parts under warranty. vehicle only has currently 28000 miles.*ak

I bought my jeep new in july, 2001. within he 3 years of owning it, it is now in the dealership for its 5th time being serviced for brake failure. out of those 5 times, it is now having its 3rd set of rotors. i have spent an unacceptable amount of personal time and money in having this vehicle repaired and will be seeking resolution both from the manufacturer and michigan state lemon law if necessary. dealer states that manufacturer is aware of the problem and unwilling to pay for the repairs once outside of standard warranty. i feel the brakes are unsafe and the vehicle should be recalled.*ak

My 2001 grand cherokee is experiencing a severe vibration problems when braking. i've contacted the nw jeep dealership in beaverton oregon and they have informed me this problem is not taken care by the jeep corporation. i believe this is an inherit defect to the car since i had this same problem fixed a year ago and now they are refusing to fix the same issue since it is not under warantee any longer. i've spoken to several jeep owner on the similar vintage vehicle and they are also having the same issue. i believe the government should force the jeep corpoartion to put the vehicle as a recall item. *ak

Rotors warped between 16000 - 18000 miles. dealer davis-moore replaced front rotors, calipers and pads. resurfaced rear rotors and replaced rear pads. no charge. rotors warped again at 34k miles. this time dealer charged me $170 to turn all four rotors. i complained about the longevity of the rotors and that the turning is not a permanant fix. there is a material or system problem with the brakes. please look into. mv .*ak

Front brake rotor warpage. font rotors became so warped that causing pulsation in the steering wheel almost resulting in loss of control. i contacted chrysler dealership, and they said there was nothing wrong with them. there is a service bulletin where they replace the calipers, rotors etc under warrenty provisions. why was there a redesign of the brakes if there was not an design issue with them in the first place. and why are they covered under warrenty and not under a safety recall. if the brakes are involved is that not a "safety" issue. it is nice to be able to stop when needed. *ak

Have a recurring issue with my 2001 grand cherokee where violent shaking happens when the brakes are applied at higher speeds. the dealer replaced the calipers and rotors at 13,000 miles per a service bulletin from chrysler. i had same issue again at 19,000 miles, rotors were warped again. i am having same issue now at 26,000 miles and the dealer stated that although this is recurring issue known to them and chrysler, "i am on my own" and i would have to pay for the rotors again. i had no choice but to pay as this is the vehicle used to take my children to school and back and i do not want to risk an accident. i contacted the chrysler consumer center and they stated that brakes are only covered until 12,000 and unless a recall was issued, they would not assist me. i feel that it is not reasonable to have to have the rotors and calipers replaced or adjusted every few thousand miles and the violent shaking that occurs from this defect could cause a serious accident.*ak

Dealer replaced at 10,000 miles the fronts rotors and pads. at 30,000 miles the front rotors/pads, and calipers were replaced. at 46,000 miles the front and rear rotors were resurfaced and the pads were replaced. *ak *nm

After having rotors resurfaced three times and having them replaced once, the rotors have once again warped to the point of causing violent shaking of the steering wheel when the brakes are applied. this has become a serious problem and people are going to get hurt if a safety recall is not done. chrysler seem to believe it is the comsumers problem and they do not want to work with the comsumers on a solution. for $35,000 you expect to at least have working brakes.*ak