Total Complaints
5 filings
JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE · model year
1990 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE
5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990JEEPGRAND CHEROKEE carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 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 1990 GRAND CHEROKEE is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 3 filings, followed by steering:linkages (1) and electrical system:wiring (1). 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 6 investigation files overlapping the 1990 GRAND 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.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 3 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20060308SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A NHTSA RECALL # 96V260000, CONCERNING THE ABS WAS RECEIVED IN 2004; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT COULD NOT FIND A DEALERSHIP WILLING TO PERFORM THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED TO ENCOURAGE DEALERS TO PERFORM THE REMEDY. THE CONTACT HAD PHASES OF THE ACTUAL RECALL WORK PERFORMED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS. THE MECHANIC NOW INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR ARE NOW ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION.
Mileage: 170,000
20011231FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL STALL. CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE AND IT WOULD NOT START. CONSUMER SAW SMOKE, TRIED TO GET OUT OF VEHICLE, BUT DOORS WERE FUSED SHUT. SOMEONE FROM OUTSIDE HAD DOORS OPENED. UPON CONSUMER'S EXIT. ALSO, WINDOWS BUSTED OUT FROM HEAT AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
20000322SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS BRAKES FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION, BRAKES FAILED AFTER RECALL REPAIR ALSO RESULTING IN COLLISION. MJS (96V-260)
19990805STEERING:LINKAGES
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, TIE RODS FELL OFF ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. *AK
19990525SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS BRAKES FAILED PIOR TO RECALL REPAIR RESULTING IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT, RECALL REPAIR COMPLETE HOWEVER VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE AND ACCIDENT AFTER COMPLETION. MJS
Compare 1990JEEPGRAND CHEROKEE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
PE19011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Seat Belt Retraction
PE15030Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Powered vehicle rollaway
PE15021Preliminary EvaluationClosed
False Positive Automated Braking
PE10031Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Crash Related Fuel Tank Fires
EA05020Engineering AnalysisClosed
FAN BLADE FAILURE (ENGINE COOLING FAN)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1990 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE have?▼
The 1990 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:LINKAGES and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING.
Is the 1990 JEEP GRAND 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.