10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
107 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
76 / 3
Average Mileage:
0 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee transmission problems

transmission problem

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1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee Owner Comments (Page 12 of 15)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #66

Dec 221998

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle was left in park with engine on. I had gotten out of the vehicle the driver's door open while I walked over and gave the postman mail. When I turned around to return to my vehicle it was rolling in reverse (flat parking lot). I pursued the vehicle, was unable to get into it before it hit an Explorer which damaged my driver's door and then hit a Suburban.

- Scottsdale, AZ, USA

problem #65

Dec 101998

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • miles
Jeep was at idle in park, unoccupied, then slipped into reverse and ran backwards, knocking owner down as they attempted to enter to stop vehicle. Nearly ran over owner, broke glasses and cut head when hit by door. Jeep went backwards into a woods and struck a tree, badly damaging entire driver side and rear of vehicle. Shift lever not in reverse when vehicle was entered, still halfway in park.

- Rives Junction, MI, USA

problem #64

Jul 012000

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
Left the car running in park and went to pick up child at daycare and in a minute or so the car went into reverse and traveled across the parking lot, and stopped when it hit another car.

- Greenwood, SC, USA

problem #63

Aug 282000

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

At the time of the accident, the vehicle was left idling in park. It slipped out of park and rolled backwards down a hill and hit a light post. After the accident, the mechanics check the transmission, but could find nothing wrong. To this day, the vehicle still slips out of park and we have to push the shifter forward before starting the vehicle. The vehicle will not start if it isn't in park and you can not remove the key from the ignition unless it is in park. We feel very uneasy about this problem and since the incident we never leave the vehicle running unattended and we always put the emergency brake on when the vehicle is parked.

- West Bath, ME, USA

problem #62

Jan 231999

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
Vehicle put in park, left unattended for 10 seconds with motor running. As I turned to get back into the car, the car was moving backward, under it's own power on the level street. The rear end of the Jeep struck the rear end of a parked car in the street. A man was under the front end of the parked car performing an oil change. The parked car pinned the man who suffered internal injuries and died the next day in the hospital.

- Altamonte Springs, FL, USA

problem #61

Jun 282000

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • miles
This vehicle was parked, engine running, in park and it jumped into reverse gear, backed down the mountain side, landed on the road below.

- Livermore, CO, USA

problem #60

Jun 202001

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Pulled head first into parking space and walked 15 yards away. Then, went into reverse, and rammed into side of a brick building, wiping out glass door. Rear bummper/tailgate and frame were damaged. Consumer will contact manufacturer.

- Bohemia, NY, USA

problem #59

Apr 152001

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
When putting vehicle into park it will jump out. Contacted dealer. Please add VIN #.

- Shippensburg, PA, USA

problem #58

Feb 102001

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
While idling in park, the vehicle jumped into reverse resulting in a collision. Please provide additional information.

- Burlington, NC, USA

problem #57

Jul 162001

(reported on)

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
While driving and when going around a left hand curve vehicle jumps from drive to neutral. Contacted dealer. Please add VIN.

- Jackson, MO, USA

problem #56

Nov 022000

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The car was parked (gearshift in park position) while talking to a friend beside the left fender of the car. After two to three minutes the car was suddenly backing-up. I tried to jump into the car to remedy the situation. I opened the driverside door unfortunately the door hit me causing me to fall on the ground causing lacerations on my left elbow. The side front right-wheel also rolled-over my right foot causing a swelling on the foot and a minor sprain on my right ankle. The car continued to back-up until the opened door hit a mail post causing it to stop. I did not contact NHTSA nor the dealer because I thought nobody would believe what happend except my friend whom I was talking with. I assumed this was just a freak accident until I read in the news regarding your investigation. Now irealize that there is a probability that what happened "might" have been caused by a defect in our car. Please contact me for any advice or update regarding your investigation. Thank you.

- Juneau, AK, USA

problem #55

Mar 231999

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • miles
While at idle my vehicle jumped out of park and into reverse. My driver's side door was open and my vehicle started rolling back towards an open parking lot. I was at a drive up atm machine at the time. The whole driver's side door and front quarter panel was bent back and totaled. I had to chase the car down to stop it from bashing into other parked vehicles. I was brused up pretty badly however, I did not require medical attention. The vehicle was not driveable and had to be towed to the dealership for repairs. I wrote a letter to Chrysler informing them of the incident. The send an inspector out to the vehicle at the dealership. He wrote back to me stating "daimler Chrysler recommends that the gear selector be placed in park with an automatic transmission and first gear with a manual transmision, the parking brake set, the ignition turned off, and the keys removed whenever the vehicle is left unattended. Therefore, we must, respectfully decline participation with any cost associated." I have a copy of this letter dated 3-25-1999 and signed by R.a. bott, 248-944-7056.

- Warren, MI, USA

problem #54

Feb 102001

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • miles
Transmisson jumped out of gear from park.

- Burlington, NC, USA

problem #53

Jan 142000

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
Vehicle switched from park to reverse, causing the vehicle to roll backwards, and hitting a building.

- Moletta, ID, USA

problem #52

Oct 011998

Grand Cherokee

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Vehicle was parked with engine running, emergency brake not applied, vehicle suddenly went backwards. Open driver's door was torn off by garage door, consumer ran after vehicle, jumped in, and turned off engine. She sliced her wrist. Consumer no longer owns this vehicle.

- Merritt Island, FL, USA

problem #51

Jul 091999

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Vehicle was parked at curve, consumer turned engine on, and vehicle was still in park. Vehicle took off backwards, then dashed forward. Vehicle hit a tree, and almost a pedestrian. Consumers leg was injured.dealer was contacted. Upon impacting the tree both the driver and passenger air bags deployed, the driver's side air bag exploded from the force of the driver's impact, the driver sustained serious right hip and right femur fractures. Nlm

- E. Brunswick, NJ, USA

problem #50

Nov 012000

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
I would like to know what is being done about this vehicle. I dont trust it all someone may be killed if my children were in the vehicle. No safety defect stated.

- Amissville, VA, USA

problem #49

Oct 241998

Grand Cherokee

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
I stopped in a level driveway, put the car in park with the engine idling, and got out to unlock a gate. While I was outside the car, the transmission slipped into reverse, and the car drove backward across the street and into the neighbor's tree. I managed to catch up with the car there and switch it off. The bumper, left rear taillight and left rear fender were damaged. My husband took the car back to the dealer where he was able to repeat what had happened (ie. Putting the car in park and having it fall into reverse). Chrysler refused to take responsibility for the problem, but the dealer repaired the damage at no cost and tightened the transmission linkage.

- Los Altos, CA, USA

problem #48

May 201999

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
I recently read about reports to NHTSA concerning other Jeep owners having problems with their Jeep Grand Cherokee similar to a problem I had back in 1999 but never reported for various reasons. The problem concerns the Jeep lurching into reverse after the gear shift was placed in the "park" position. In my case, I pulled my car out of my garage and onto my driveway, placed the gearshift into "park" and temporarily exited the car with the driver's side door open and engine running (to get something from my garage). After I walked about 15 feet to the garage (about 5 seconds after the car had been placed into "park"), the car bolted into reverse, and I had to chase the car down. I was able to jump in and slam on the brake, but not until after the open driver's side door had hit the side of my house, causing extensive damage. I had the car fixed by the dealer and reported it to my insurance company, who paid for some of the damage.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #47

Jul 092001

(reported on)

Grand Cherokee 4WD

  • miles
Jumped into reverse while idling in park - once at mailbox - once on side of road as I got out of vehicle, door caught my jacket and car dragged me down the street until I could free myself.

- Boston, NY, USA

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