Problems with 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

When driving at 50 mph, consumer states if you apply the brakes the steering wheel shakes violently. this is causing consumer to loose control. consumer was told by a mechanic that the problem is with the front brake rotors and calipers. please provide any further information. ts

Consumer states that the rotors wore out. dealer notified repaired and replaced 8 months later problem reoccurred. causing the vehicle to shake. mr the consumer also stated that the vehicle would vibrate violently whenever brakes were applied-new rotors installed, which were suppose to fix the problem, and a year later the problem happened again, more severely. there's a shimmy in the front wheels when braking-per invoice. different specialists have raised the issue and trying to get to the root of the frame out of alignment. scc

The rotors on my 2001 jeep grand cherokee warped at 12,000 miles. chrysler replaced the front brake pads, calipers, and rotors. the rotors warped again at 29,000 miles--only 17,000 miles later. during both failures, there was a noticeable pulsating, shaking sensation from the front end when braking at speeds of 30-35 mph and above. the key event leading up to the failure was use of the brakes--unfortunately the brakes are a very integral component of my jeep--as they are for the many other owners of 2001 jeep grand cherokees who are experiencing this very same failure over and over again. brakes that don't work or perform the way they are designed and intended to work are a huge safety issue. i implore you to issue a recall since chrysler will do nothing past the 12,000 mile point. chrysler must be forced to repair these vehicles with quality parts or someone is going to become another vehicle fatality statistic. *ak

While driving 45 mph brakes were applied and the vehicle vibrated uncontrollably. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the rotors needed to be replaced, and replaced them three times. however, the problem recurred. *ak manufacturer notified. problem occurs every 6-8,000 miles. *tt

Consumer states that the vehicle would vibrate and pulled to the left when brakes are applied at 30 or more mph. dealer notified and informed that the front rotors and the calipers have to be replace. nlm

The vehicle experienced the same problem with the rotors as stated in recall number 99 v 340 000, however the vehicle's model/year was not included in the recall.*jb

Front brakes warped the rotors. rotors had been replaced once and turned once. *ak front end pulsate when slowing down from freeway speeds. seat belts does not retract. there is whinning noise when taking sharp right turns. *ts

Vehicle vibrated/shook severely when braking from 40 mph or more. consumer stated the front rotors warped, and /or out of round every 10,000 miles. dealer was notified.*ak

The brake rotors have been replaced/resurfaced three times. the pads have been replaced, and they still do not stop the vehicle the way they should. the manufacturer offered no help, and the dealers have done all they could do. *ak the rotor become warped and the vehicle would shake violently at 50-60 mph. the consumer was made aware that there were many 2001 jeeps with this same problem. the brakes pulsate when stopping, the vehicle pulled slightly to the left and when hitting bumps, the leaking front steering damper was replaced and both front rotors were resurfaced. *sc *jb

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

While driving, consumer applied brakes and without warning brakes made noise and skipped. *ak the rear axle seals were leaking. left front out side mirror was loose. the right front window rattles. the rear hatch light was inoperable. the brakes pulsated and the rotors were resurfaced. shock absorber makes noise when hitting slight bumps. the vehicle rattle in front at 15-30 mph. the front tires were wearing out due to misalignment. the vehicle was hard to start after warmed up. *yh

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Consumer stated that since purchasing vehicle in 2001 the brakes, calipers and the rotors have been replaced three times and is do for replacement again. the manufacturer and the dealer has been informed of the problem but will not fix it. *ph

When i went to start the vehicle i stepped on the brake pedal the pedal went clear to the floor. i started the car and stepped on the brake again to shift the brake pedal again went to the floor. i pumped the brakes and the pressure came up. i took the car to the dealer, and they said they could not find any codes to indicate what happened. the brakes do pulse sometimes when you step on them. thank you. *ak

Miller jeep in lebanon, nh says this is a common problem with 2001/2002 jeeps. technical service has issued a service note that brakes are not limited to 12,000 warranty previously stated. however jeep has refused to replace the problem brake system. if this is a common problem, why can jeep get away with selling defective systems with no replacement policy?*ak

Rotors are not working correctly, and brakes make noise when being applied. also, there is extended stopping distance. *ak

When driving and applying brakes vehicle will shake and shimmy very hard. consumer believes that rotors are defective, the dealer found that the rotors were warped and replaced them under warranty, there is an odor and humming sound coming from the a/c when turning on the system, the deler has been unable to duplicate the problem, the vehicle experienced low idle while in gear, the dealer found it necessary to flash the pcm, exhaust manifold was loose causing it to make a rattling noise.*ak *nlm

I went to midas(brake specialists) and they told me the failure was due to failure on the rotors, they also explained that the majority of these cherokees have the same problem even if there are new vehicles. after this i went to the dealership and they indicate me that the problem exists but it was covered by the warranty for the first 12,000 miles. this car doesn't even have a year. please help!!!*ak

Dealer said rotors would warp at 24000 miles and would not be cover under warranty. *ts *jb ***dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12-12-02 cut over to artemis***760849

Consumer states while driving at 60 mph consumer press on brake and steering wheel started to shake violently left and right. consumer drove to dealer and they stated that the problem was caused by warped rotors. nlm

When applying brakes vehicle shakes, dealer determined that front rotors needed to be replaced.*ak

My complaint has been filed with daimler-chrysler, their file reference is 9879536.the brake rotors were replaced at about 14,000 miles due to warpage. the same condition has recurred now at 30,120 miles (i.e., the new rotors have about 16,000 miles on them. the dealer says that jeep uses a poor quality product from their supplier. while the warranty is 12,000 miles, the rotors meet that minimum. however, other manufacturers apply a 36,000 mile warranty on their brake systems with their rotors not warping at all, even beyond their warranty period. for example, my brothers ford f150 has over 70,000 on the original brakes & pads, with about 1/4 " pad remaining...and no warpage, nor "skewing" on the rotors. it is my feeling that jeep has a potentially dangerous brake system on the road. furthermore, since the other 19 nhtsa reports that i've read have no accidents or property losses, there has been no affirmative action taken on jeep. nevertheless, if jeep wants to cut costs, don't do it with a critical safety system like the brakes. their rotors just barely last through the warranty period. but just wait until there is a death due to the failed brakes. i'm most disappointed in daimler and chrysler.*ak

The vehicle is "hopping" up to stop signs/stop lights. the steering wheel shudders when applying brakes at 50-60 mph. the differential was faulty from day "one", and has been disassembled and reassembled/ parts replaced up to four times. it will be fine for awhile then the whinnying/whistling/groaning progressively gets worse until i fear for my safety and take it back to the dealer for repair again. i believe this repair is faulty from the factory. *ts *jb ****dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12-12-02 cut over to artemis****761448

Vehicle will start to shake when applying the brakes. steering wheel will also starts to vibrate.*ak *tt

When applying brakes at 30-40 mph vehicle pulsated, at higher speeds vehicle began to shake. dealer determined that front rotors and calipers needed to be replaced.*ak

The vehicle is less than a year old with 19,000 miles and my front rotors are warped. i'm experiencing severe pulsating in the steering wheel upon braking at any speed. dealer tells me the warrenty is only good for 1yr or 12,000 miles. they suggest i have them cut at my cost. all of the miles are highway miles and the brake system has not been abused in any way.*ak

Consumer states vehicle was involved in a frontal collision at 40-45 mph. upon impact the air bags did not deploy causing minor injuries to driver. the manufacturer has been contacted. nlm conusmer states that the abs brakes also failed. *tt

Steering wheel shook when braking at 50mph+ due to warped rotors. car has less than 10,000 miles. dealer resurfaced front rotors - no cost (this time)

Front brake rotors required machining after 18,000 miles. rotors had warped. dealer will not cover replacement or repair. rotor are considered to be part of brake system which only has a 12,000 mile, 12 month warranty.*ak

Jeep grand cherokee owner. defective brakes cause wheels shaking under routine use making vehicle difficult to control especially while driving at highway speed. experience terrible shaking of the steering wheel, seats, floor board and instrument pane. when pressing on the brakes. *nm

When braking at any speed, the steering wheel vibrates, front rotors were replaced by consumer. *ak at approximately 20,000 miles the rotors became warped, the front end would vibrate violently causing unsafe conditions, consumer replaced 1 rotor, consumer feels the original rotors are made of very poor metal that wears quickly and does not conduct heat well. *tt

Consumer states that when applying the brakes the vehicle will start to shake, the stopping distance has increased also. contacted dealer.*jb

When braking there was very bad vibration. took vehicle to mechanic, and they stated the rotors were warped.*ak.*yh

Just before 10,000 miles, the brakes started to shudder with every braking motion. it steadily got worse. i checked a few websites, called chrysler and discovered the problem was no doubt the rotors on the anti-lock braking system. the chrysler phone rep all but admitted that they had heard of this in other years of grand cherokees and the websites confirmed that. i took it in on february 15, 2002, to the dealer. they confirmed that the rotors were bad and replaced them. they did not charge me because i had just hit 10,000 miles, but indicated that the warranty would not cover future such failures. from my website reading, i learned that a recurrence was highly likely. within the last ten days, i have noticed the shuddering of the brakes coming back -- as before, i expect it will get worse and i will need another rotors replacement. i am now at 12,488 miles so these rotors are failing fast. it seems a safety issue because i am not sure if the brakes will hold particularly at higher speeds, it's very disconcerting to have the vehicle shake as you brake. i have driven for thirty years, had several new cars and never had a problem like this before ever. i do not ride my brakes, have a perfect driving record, and know from the websites that this is a real problem with grand cherokees of more recent vintage. i anticipate the dealer will tell me i have to pay next time, and i feel this would be wrong. not only should the warranty cover it, but chrysler should fess up that there is a brake rotor defect and fix it. i do not relish the thought of having this happen over and over again, and it definitely is a huge negative while driving - the brakes seem like they could fail. my long phone conversation with the chrysler rep in february led me to believe that chrsyler would act on this. so far, no news. i would like to have the problem fixed once and for all. thank you.*jb

When applying brakes steering wheel vibrates. took to dealer, and dealer indicated brake rotors were warped. please add vin. *ak

Front end shimmy occurs when decelerating from highway speeds or slowing down. took to dealer, and they've replaced brakes and rotors 5 times at 9000 miles. problem is still occurring. please provide any further information.*ak

Coming to a stop, foot on brake. felt power surge. slamed on brakes , put jeep in neutral.

When driving 45mph and applying brakes, the vehicle vibrates, consumer took vehicle to dealer, and dealer indicated that rotors had to be cut to stop vibration. *ak *yh

When applying brake at any speed steering wheel shakes. dealer determined the front rotors are warped. *ak

Brake rotors warped at 8300 miles. indicated by slight jerking motion when stopping. dealer fixed under warranty. no charge, no trouble.*ak

Violent shuttering of vehicle on all braking manuevers. *ak

I have owned a jeep for 3 years. since i have purchased the jeep i have had nothing but problems. the rotors went bad, the steering manifold went bad, the engine went bad, and the motor in the window went bad and broke. now i have replaced my left rear brake light six or seven times. it slowly started to fade out, and now the entire light goes out at night when our lights are turned on and we have to depress the brake. it is also barely noticeable during the day. we thought we had a faulty wire, but when we took it to a shop to have them look at it, they said that in every jeep that has been brought in with the same problem has been the entire light and casing. the bulb gets too hot and warps the casing that holds the light. so the light no longer touches the casing and will no longer work. they told us also that our right rear light is warping also, so both of them need to be replaced. shouldn't this be a recall, since it is happening to so many jeeps. and shouldn't it be a recall since they have a rebuilt one knowing the old ones are no good? i don't like it , i don't like knowing my tail lights are getting so hot that it is melting the casing. could you please let me know about this! *jb

When brakes are applied front end of vehicle will vibrate due to warped brake rotors. contacted dealer, dealer resurfacedrotors, but problem reoccurred. *ak

Vehicle started shaking when brakes were applied. dealer said that rotors were warped and had to be resurfaced. this happened at 18,000 and is now happening again at 28,000 miles. there is definitely a defect in the rotors and jeep should replace them at no cost to the consumer.*ak

There is premature wear of the front rotors. consumer has had rotors replaced once and cut twice. contacted dealer.*ak

Front brake rotors are wearing out excessively. dealer wants to turn them instead of replacing. feel free to provide any further information.*ak

Onsumer's foot was on brake when vehicle lurched in reverse. dealer will be notified. *ak

I believe the rotors to pre-maturely warp on the jeep cherokee. i brought them in for a "courtesy" servicing, but they soon warped 4,000 miles later. problem is vibration at highway speeds when applying brake. *ak

Purchased the jeep in september-1st incident occurred sept 30-engine cut off. trouble light indicated no oil. took jeep into dealer i was told it was a lose electrical switch. 2nd incident jeep had a sizzling sound from engine area like air escaping from valve or manifest. the brakes had a clicking sound when pressed. took in for repair to dealer. the dealer-prebul jeep replaces the gear box without informing me of the recall. i was not informed of a recall when i purchased the jeep. now the engine sounds like a race car, car shakes when idle,when changing gears sound is harsh like something is tearing, and the brakes click. i was told by prebul repair that there was no problems now and all the jeeps sound like that. the jeep now drives very rough. i have owned a jeep previously and it never sound like this one.*ak

The rotors on my jeep grand cherokee limited have warped while driving under light conditions (no towing). i previously had a 98 jeep grand cherokee which had the same problem. during november of 2001, i first encountered the violent shaking of my vehicle while stopping on the 405 freeway in los angles. the shuttering affected my braking distance and i nearly avoided rear-ending another vehicle. the rotors have warped so severly that it has impared the stopping ability of the vehicle and is a hazard. this is not a isolated incident with jeep rotors (nhtsa has 120 rotor complaints for the 2000 jeep grand cherokee...the 2001 is apparently following suit with the faulty workmanship) and it is extremely hazardous for daimler-chrysler to keep installing the defective rotors on our vehicles. i am currently fighting the dealer to replace my rotors and have suggested they do so with an aftermarket brand. the dealers feel their hands are tied from the manufacturer. please look into this problem. it is only a matter of time before a warped rotor cracks and sends a vehicle into a severe accident.*ak