2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 174,000.

The contact owns a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for the windshield replacement; however, after the repair was completed, the vehicle failed to start up. The vehicle was waiting to be towed to the local dealer. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

THE CAR COOLANT FINISHED

AS WITH MANY OTHER JEEP OWNERS WITH THE 4.0 ENGINE (HUNDREDS THAT I HAVE SEEN) MY 2001 JEEP CHEROKEE'S CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED. MINE WAS AT 117K MILES, AND THE AVERAGE MILEAGE FOR FAILURE SEEMS TO BE 100K - 120K MILES. THIS IS A DEFINITE DESIGN FLAW. MY JEEP WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. I ASK NHTSA TO CONTACT CURRENT OWNERS OF JEEP 4.0 ENGINES TO REALLY SEE HOW OFTEN THIS FAULT OCCURS. CHRYSLER SEEMS TO TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS, WHICH IS WHY I AM ASKING THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE.

IN THE 2000 AND 2001 CHEROKEES WITH THE 4.0 ENGINE HEAD CASTING 0331 CHRYSLER KNEW ABOUT THE CYLINDER HEADS CRACKING. IN 2002 THEY CONTRACTED WITH TUPY MANUFACTURING IN BRAZIL TO REMAKE THE HEAD CASTING THAT RAN UNTIL THE 4.0 WAS STOPPED BEING USED BY THEM. MINE HAS SINCE CRACKED AND CHRYSLER SAYS THAT NO FACTORY RECALL WAS DONE AND SUCH I'M STUCK WITH A CRACKED HEAD THAT THEY KNEW WAS FAULTY.

I TOOK MY VEHICLE INTO LARSON JEEP DODGE IN PUYALLUP, WA TO HAVE TWO RECALLS PREFORMED. ONE OF THE OPEN RECALL CAMPAIGNS ARE RECALL F25. THIS RECALL INVOLVES REPLACING THE ELECTRIC COOLING FAN. IF NOT REPLACED IT COULD SEPARATE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE RADIATOR, ENGINE, OR BODILY INJURY. I PICKED UP MY VEHICLE ON THE DAY THAT IT WAS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I SIGNED AND WAS GIVING A REPAIR ORDER NUMBER JECS380694 DATED 2/25/2016. THE INVOICE STATES THE RECALL WAS PREFORMED AND THE COOLING FANS WERE REPLACED AS DIRECTED BY THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. ON THE DRIVE BACK TO MY RESIDENCE I NOTED A RATTLE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE WITH INCREASED SPEED OR WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS. WHEN I RETURNED TO MY RESIDENCE I OPENED THE HOOD TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS CAUSING THE RATTLE. I NOTICED NONE OF THE UPPER GRILL BOLTS WERE INSTALLED AND THE GRILL WAS LOOSE. I THEN INSPECTED THE LOWER SKID PLATE OF THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED IT WAS LOOSE AND UNFASTENED AS WELL. I THEN INSPECTED THE COOLING FAN BLADES AND FOUND THEY HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED AS DIRECTED BY THE RECALL OR AS STATED ON THE REPAIR ORDER. I HAVE ATTACHED A COPY OF THE REPAIR ORDER AND PICTURES OF THE UNREPAIRED VEHICLE. I HAVE OPENED A CASE WITH DAIMLER CHRYSLER, CASE #28814838. I DID RETURN BACK TO LARSON DODGE 2/26/2016 AND REQUESTED THE HARDWARE BACK TO FASTEN MY GRILL AND SKID PLATE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AND SHOP FOREMAN INSPECTED MY VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. THEY INSPECTED, DETERMINED, AND ADMITTED THE RECALL WAS NOT PREFORMED. I INFORMED THEM I WOULD BE RETURNING HOME AND CONTACTING THE VEHICLES MANUFACTURER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE STARTED TO RISE INDICATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVER HEATING. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BLADES ATTACHED TO THE MOTOR FAN FRACTURED INTO PIECES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE FAILURE IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V199000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED OFF AND RESTARTED WITHIN FIVE MINUTES OR LONGER, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE TO START OR HAVE A ROUGH START AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THIRD CYLINDER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V104000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.

AFTER LOOSING COOLANT AT ABOUT A 1/2 PER WEEK, FINALLY DECIDED TO PULL THE HEAD AND CHECK TO SEE IF IT HAS THE FAMOUS JEEP 4.0L, 0331 HEAD CASTING AND IS KNOWN TO BE WEAK. YEP, I HAVE THE BAD HEAD WITH CRACKS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS AS IT HAS A HIGH FAILURE RATE..... *TR

CAR WILL NOT START ON THE FIRST TRY, AND WHEN I DID GET IT RUNNING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHEN WE STARTED THE CAR THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS OUT AND WHEN HE PUT THE TESTER ON IT PULLED NO CODES AND NO MONITORS. SAID THEY HAD ALL BEEN ERASED. I HAVE HAD THE CAR STALL ON MY WHEN SITTING STILL, THE CHIME WORKS INTERMITTENTLY WHEN YOU PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE HEAD LIGHTS WILL SOMETIME STAY ON AND SOMETIMES TURN OFF RIGHTAWAY WHEN YOU SHUT THE CAR OFF. *TR

SLOWLY LOOSING ANTIFREEZE, ANTIFREEZE MIXED WITH OIL. FOUND TO BE CRACKED HEAD, APPARENTLY A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. REPLACED HEAD. A FEW MONTHS AFTER REPLACEMENT OF HEAD, STARTED TO LOOSE ANTIFREEZE AGAIN REPLACED HEAD AGAIN IN NOV 2014. HAD VEHICLE BACK FOR ONE WEEK, LOST ALL ANTIFREEZE, MIXED WITH OIL AGAIN. HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT 2000 AND 2001 JEEP CHEROKEES AND GRAND CHEROKEES HAVE A VERY HIGH RATE OF THIS HAPPENING. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR

STARTED NOTICING LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AND THEN COOLANT. THE ENGINE CONTINUES TO RUN FINE BUT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT ITS LOSING 1 GALLON OF ANTI. EVERY TWO WEEKS OR SO. WHEN I STARTED TO LOOK AROUND ON LINE AND OTHER PLACES, (JUNK YARDS) EVERYONE I TALKED TO SAYS THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR JEEPS. WHY IF D.C. PRODUCED THESE FAULTY HEADS ON THEIR JEEPS DIDN'T THEY RECALL THEM TO FIX? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT, THE CONTACT NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF WHITE SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE TAIL PIPE. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READING INCREASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHO STATED THAT THE HYDRAULIC FAN MODULE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. ADDITIONALLY, THE HEAT WOULD NOT ACTIVATE. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE BLEND DOOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE BLEND DOOR WAS REPLACED BUT FAILED A SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000. UPDATED 11/13/12 *CN UPDATED 11/28/2012 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING THE COOLING FAN FAILED. THE FAN EXPLODED AND BLEW OUT TWO HOLES THROUGH THE RADIATOR AND SHROUD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 10/12/12 *CN UPDATED 10/17/12

MY DAUGHTER CALLED BECAUSE OF A NOISE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I WENT TO HER WORK, RAISED THE HOOD, STARTED THE ENGINE, AND SHORTLY 1-2 MINUTES THEREAFTER, A LOUD POPPING/GRINDING OCCURRED. THE FAN DISINTEGRATED SENDING PARTS THROUGH THE RADIATOR, SHROUD, AND TOES OF MY LEFT SHOE. AND INJURY COULD HAVE OCCURRED BUT DID NOT. I FOUND 1999-2004 JEEPS HAD A RECALL FOR THIS VERY TYPE OF EVENT. HOWEVER, IT MISSED HE VIN. I BELIEVE ALL OF THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. MY YOUNGEST SON HAS A 1999 THAT THE FAN CAME APART DAMAGING THE RADIATOR AND RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE. I HAVE OWNER 7 JEEPS BUT NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE. ANY ASSISTANCE IN ALERTING THE PUBLIC WILL BE APPRECIATED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAN RELAY MODULE FAILED AND CAUSED THE RADIATOR TO STOP AND THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT HE FAN RELAY MODULE HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 128,970 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL AT ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ONTO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,500.

CAR STARTED TO RUN REALLY BAD THEN WHEN I TRIED TO CRANK IT BACKUP IT RAN FOR A FEW MINUTES AND DIED. I NOTICED GAS THEN FLAMES COMING FROM EXHAUST PIPE. IT WILL RUN FOR FEW MINUTES BUT REALLY BAD , THEN IT WILL DIE. IT WANT CRANK IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT DIES YOU HAVE TO WAIT A WHILE BEFORE IT WILL CRANK AGAIN. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE TO CORRECT THEM. *TR

COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY LOOSE ALL POWER. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE PISTON SKIRT HAD CRACKED AND EVENTUALLY BROKE AWAY CAUSING A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. RESOLUTION WAS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE JEEP 4.0 ENGINE AFTER THE PISTON WAS REDESIGNED AROUND 2000-2001. JEEP SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THE VEHICLES AND REPLACED THE PISTONS BEFORE THEY STARTED CRACKING AND CAUSING ENGINE FAILURES. *TR UPDATED 05/29/13*LJ