JEEP CHEROKEE · model year

1992 JEEP CHEROKEE

175 NHTSA complaints, 21 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1992JEEPCHEROKEE carries 175 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 21 crashes, 7 fires, 12 injuries, and 2 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1992 CHEROKEE is vehicle speed control with 18 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor (18) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (10). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1992 CHEROKEE. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

175
Complaints
21
Crashes
7
Fires
12
Injuries
2
Deaths

Total Complaints

175 filings

Crashes Reported

21 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL18
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR18
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP10
SUSPENSION:FRONT7
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS6
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION5
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK4
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE4
POWER TRAIN4
SEATS4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD3
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION3

Recent Complaints

20190802SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 98V005000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE CONTACT CALLED MOPAR AND THE CHRYSLER MANUFACTURER; BOTH CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY MOPAR TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIRED 21 YEARS AGO BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION UNTIL THE RECALL WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

20150815STEERING

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 65. WHEN I GOT TO 60 I NOTICED MY SUV BEGAN TO SHAKE. HITTING A BUMP MOST OF THE TIME STARTS THE PROBLEM. IT VIBRATED SO MUCH AND SO LOUDLY THAT I HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO 55. I TOOK IT TO THE FIRST MECHANIC WHO SAID IT WAS THE "STEERING STABILIZER" IT DID COST ABOUT $150-$300 TO FIX. I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY BUT IT WASN'T CHEAP. IT WORKED FOR AWHILE. I HAVE GONE TO SEVERAL OTHER CAR SERVICE COMPANIES AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PERMANENTLY FIX THIS PROBLEM. I'M AFRAID I WILL LOSE CONTROL OF STEERING. ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE AT THE MOMENT IT SHOULD BE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM. I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHEN THIS STARTED BUT IF I GO OVER 60 THERE IS A 90% CHANCE OF IT HAPPENING. IF I GO OVER 60 AND HIT A BUMP THERE IS A 100% CHANCE OF THIS HAPPENING.

Mileage: 110,000

20110915TIRES

DOUGLAS TIRE 215/75R15, 1200 MILES ON TIRES ALL AT 55 TO 60 MPH. I HAD THEM BALANCED AND AT SLOW SPEED THEY WERE SMOOTH. THE FOLLOWING DAY I GOT ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65 TO 70 MPH AND I COULD HEAR A LOUD SLAPPING NOISE AND THE CAR SHOOK. AT HIGH SPEEDS THE TIRES MUST TAKE ON A DIFFERENT SHAPE. WALMART REFUSED ANY CONCESSION SO I'M CONFINED TO SLOW DRIVING UNTIL I CAN AFFORD ANOTHER SET OF TIRES; ANOTHER BRAND THAT IS. MY TIRE LINE IS XTRA-TRAC II (ROMAN NUMERAL 2). YOU DON'T GIVE ME THE OPTION TO SELECT THAT LINE. I CANNOT TELL WHILE DRIVING WHICH TIRE OR HOW MANY TIRES ARE BECOMING DEFORMED WHILE DRIVING. PARKED, THEY ALL LOOK GOOD. *KB

Mileage: 125,880

20070307INTERIOR LIGHTING

(1) COVER ON INTERIOR HALOGEN LAMP FELL OFF. (2) HALOGEN LAMP WAS EXPOSED AND FIVE YEAR OLD CHILD SUFFERED BURNS TO HAND FROM HALOGEN LAMP. (3) HALOGEN LAMP WAS REMOVED FROM VEHICLE. *JB

20050411CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT

DURING AN ACCIDENT THE SEAT BELT EQUIPMENT ON THE 1992 JEEP CHEROKEE MALFUNCTIONED.*MR THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK ON IMPACT. THE OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED FACIAL AND HEAD INJURIES AS A RESULT. *NM

Mileage: 138,000

20040415VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

WHILE BACKING OUT FROM A PARKING LOT VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART, AND WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

Mileage: 11,000

20031230SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FUEL LEAK AND PROBLEMS WITH FRONT ROTORS.*MR AFTER HAVING PAID FOR REPAIRS ON HIS CAR, THE CONSUMER WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF A RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE REGARDING THE ROTORS.*CB ALSO WATER LEAKED ONTO THE FLOOR. *JB

Mileage: 202,223

20031230FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FUEL LEAK AND PROBLEMS WITH FRONT ROTORS.*MR AFTER HAVING PAID FOR REPAIRS ON HIS CAR, THE CONSUMER WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF A RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE REGARDING THE ROTORS.*CB ALSO WATER LEAKED ONTO THE FLOOR. *JB

Mileage: 202,223

20031230STRUCTURE

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FUEL LEAK AND PROBLEMS WITH FRONT ROTORS.*MR AFTER HAVING PAID FOR REPAIRS ON HIS CAR, THE CONSUMER WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF A RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE REGARDING THE ROTORS.*CB ALSO WATER LEAKED ONTO THE FLOOR. *JB

Mileage: 202,223

20031223SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE ABS LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND WOULD STAY ON THE REMINDER OF THE TIME THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED. THE CONSUMER IS NOT HAVING ANY OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS AT THIS TIME. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM

Mileage: 11,000

20031204CrashPOWER TRAIN

DEAR SIR/MADAM: I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION MATTERS RELATED TO A CERTAIN SAFETY DEFECT WHICH I BELIEVE RESULTED IN CAR CRASHES CAUSED BY THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OF DAIMLER/CHRYSLER'S, CHRYSLER GROUP VEHICLES. DAIMLER/CHRYSLER IS MY FORMER EMPLOYER AND I WORKED THERE AS AN ENGINEER. DURING MY TENURE THERE, I WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE GROUP THAT NOW HAS AS ITS MEMBERS, THE CORPORATIONS EXPERT WITNESS DEFENDING THE CORPORATION IN LAW SUITS RELATED TO THESE CRASHES. THIS SAME GROUP WAS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING AND RELEASING THE CONTROLS WHICH ARE BELIEVED TO BE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. AT ONE POINT IN TIME I WAS PART OF THE TEAM AT DAILMER/CHRYSLER THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR INVESTIGATING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS REGARDING CRASHES CAUSED BY UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. ACCORDINGLY, I BELIEVE THAT I MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME VERY GOOD IF NOT EXCLUSIVE INSIDE INFORMATION RELATED TO THIS MATTER. I BELIEVE THAT THESE CAR CRASHES ARE THE RESULT OF DAILMER/CHRYSLERS FLAGRAN

Mileage: 111,100

20031020ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

MY CAR HAS BEEN STEADILY LOSING OIL FOR THE LAST MONTH AND I AFTER I CAME BACK FROM LUNCH AT WORK ONE DAY, WHICH WAS LESS THAN A MILE FROM MY WORK, I NOTICED THAT MY CAR WAS SMOKING SO I PULLED OVER AND WAITED FOR A HALF AN HOUR THEN WENT DIRECTLY TO THE GAS STATION WHERE HE TOLD ME I NEEDED TO HAVE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD REPAIRED, I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE ADVISED ME THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND IF HE TOOK IT APART IT WOULD END UP COSTING MORE THAN THE CAR WAS WORTH. SINCE WE JUST PAID THE CAR OFF, I WAS HOPING THE DEALER WOULD REPLACE THE CRACKED MANIFOLD. IT HAS BEEN STEADILY LOSING OIL AND I HAVE TO PUT OIL IN ALMOST EVERY OTHER WEEK NOW, WHICH IS EXPENSIVE. THIS HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM UNTIL RECENTLY. ALSO AT TIMES THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH DOES NOT WORK AS THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE MY CAR WILL NOT START AND WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL IT WILL START. *LA

Mileage: 142,600

20030724FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

WHILE TOWING A BOAT VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

20030115ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

CONSUMER STATES HER JEEP VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING, AND WHEN SHE MAKES A TURN IT REALLY VIBRATES. SHE SAYS SHE HAS TAKEN IT TO FOUR DEALERS AND THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE TRUCK. *NLM

20020613SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

REAR BENCH MIDDLE SEAT SEATBELT ASSEMBLY HAS COME COMPLETELY APART. CONSUMER STATES PASSENGERS ARE NOT RESTRAINED IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

20020128VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN SHIFTING VEHICLE INTO DRIVE IT UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN DAMAGES TO GARAGE. *AK ONE PERSON WAS INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. *YH

20011016SUSPENSION:FRONT

WHENEVER CONSUMER DRIVES OVER A BUMP AT SPEEDS OF 55 MPH AND ABOVE, RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WOBBLES BADLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO 6 DIFFERENT MECHANICS FOR A TOTAL OF 9 TIMES, COULD NOT FIND CAUSE. *AK *SLC

20011003SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 20 TO 25 MPH BRAKES FAILED, CONSUMER'S FOOT WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN PRESSING BRAKE PEDAL. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO ROLL VEHICLE SAFELY TO A STOP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

20010928POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

LOCK ON TRANSMISSION TO KEEP VEHICLE FROM JUMPING INTO GEAR. RECALL 733 WAS REPAIRED BY ANOTHER PART AND CHRYSLER DOES NOT WANT TO PAY THE BILL.

20010906CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN PUTTING GEAR INTO REVERSE FROM PARK VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED BACKWARDS, CAUSING IT TO CRASH INTO A PARKED VEHICLE.*AK

Compare 1992JEEPCHEROKEE to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1992 JEEP CHEROKEE have?
The 1992 JEEP CHEROKEE has 175 NHTSA complaints, 21 crashes, 7 fires, 12 injuries, and 2 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1992 JEEP CHEROKEE?
The most-complained component for the 1992 JEEP CHEROKEE is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 18 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1992 JEEP CHEROKEE safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.