1998 Jeep Laredo

Routine

Owners filed 33 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train › automatic transmission › park/neutral start interlock switch. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch6
403
Power Train › Automatic Transmission4
302
Air Bags › Frontal2
200
Vehicle Speed Control1
000
Suspension › Rear1
000
Suspension1
000
Steering › Gear Box (other Than Rack and Pinion)1
000
Steering1
000
Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner1
000
Power Train › Manual Transmission1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Apr 2, 201910 milesVA

JEEP STALLS OUT AT ANY GIVEN TIME. HAVING TO REPLACE GAS TANK. INSIDE LINE FOR TANK HAS ERODED AWAY AND PLASTIC FLAKES CLOG THE LINE AND CAUSES VEHICLE TO DEAD STOP RUN.

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch
Filed Jul 18, 2016125,000 milesPA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JEEP LAREDO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH FRACTURED AND ALLOWED THE DOOR TO OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE LATCH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 125,000.

Engine and Engine CoolingFire
Filed Jan 27, 2015206,604 milesTX

IT FIRST STARTED OUT AS THIS.. THE A/C QUIT WORKING ,WINDOWS DON'T ROLL, CLUSTER QUIT WORKING, COMPUTER QUIT WORKING , NO POWER GOING DOWN THE ROAD, AND NOW THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE HOUSE AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE MY HUSBAND DID A COMPLETE TUNE UP, FIXED THE A/C, THE WINDOWS, CHANGED ALL FLUIDS, PUT A NEW A COMPUTER, BASICALLY FIXED EVERYTHING, THEN TODAY IT CAUGHT ON FIRE . *TR

Exterior Lighting › Headlights › High/Low Beam Dimmer Switch
Filed Sep 9, 2014206,000 milesMO

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JEEP LAREDO. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO OPERATE. WHENEVER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON THE VEHICLE, HE HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. WHEN PARKED ON A HILL, THE VEHICLE ROLLED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 206,000.

Electrical System
Filed Feb 4, 2014100,117 milesCA

I HAD JUST PURCHASED A LIFTED 1998 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO FROM A PRIVATE PARTY. WHEN I TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, ON MY WAY HOME WITH MY NEW PURCHASE, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING STEERING AND BRAKE FAILURE. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS A FLUKE BUT THEN IT HAPPENED REPEATEDLY OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. I BEGAN SWITCHING PARTS HOPING TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AS MY CHILDREN SOMETIME RIDE IN THE VEHICLE. AFTER HEARING OF SIMILAR INSTANCES HAPPENING I BELIEVE THAT CHRYSLER HAS A BIG PROBLEM ON THEIR HANDS. THE PRODUCT HAS FAULTS AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER BEFORE A COSTLY/ LAWSUIT/DEATH OCCURS. I LOVE MY JEEP, AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT A SOLUTION IS TO FIX AN INFERIOR PRODUCT. *TR

Power Train › Automatic TransmissionCrash1 injured
Filed May 19, 2011215,782 milesGA

YESTERDAY AFTERNOON MY WIFE WAS PREPARING TO RUN ERRANDS WHEN SHE BACKED OVER SOMETHING IN OUR GARAGE. SHE PULLED THE JEEP FORWARD, PUT IT IN PARK. SHE LEFT IT RUNNING AS SHE GOT OUT, AND TOOK A COUPLE OF STEPS TO THE BACK TO FIND WHAT SHE RAN OVER. SHE TOLD ME SHE HEARD THE CAR REV BRIEFLY, THEN SUDDENLY ACCELERATE TOWARDS HER. SHE COULDN'T JUMP OUT OF THE WAY AND GRABBED THE DOOR. IN A FEW SECONDS, SHE WAS DRAGGED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY, ACROSS THE STREET, ACROSS A NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY AND INTO HIS LAWN. WHEN SHE REACHED GROUND SHE DROPPED AND THE JEEP CONTINUED UNTIL IT REVERSED INTO A TREE, SMASHING THE REAR. *TR

Steering
Filed May 10, 2011218,920 milesNJ

VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL AT 70 MPH. *TR

Power Train › Automatic TransmissionCrash1 injured
Filed Feb 13, 2006GA

AFTER PARKING THE JEEP IN MY GARAGE, I LEFT IT RUNNING TO CHECK FOR CLEARANCE. AFTER ENSURING THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND IN PARK I EXITED THE CAR. THE CAR STARTED MOVING VERY QUICKLY AND THE DOOR WAS BENT BACKWARDS AND THEN PROCEEDED TO HIT ME AND TRAVEL ABOUT AN EIGHTH OF A MILE BEFORE CRASHING. *JB

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Nov 3, 2005MO

DT CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED. HE TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC SHOP, THEY STATED THE COMPUTER'S DASHBOARD CLUSTER FAILED, A SHORT WAS FOUND IN THE WIRING TO THE SPEEDOMETER, BUT THE CLUSTER HAS TO BE REPLACED. THE DASHBOARD CLUSTER CONTROLLED THE SPEEDOMETER, AMP GAUGE, FUEL GAUGE, AND OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR LIGHTS. THERE WAS NO FOREWARNING. *AK

Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
Filed Aug 29, 2005147,000 milesNY

DT: THE CALLER STATED DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE ON THE LEFT SIDE. WHEN HE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE WHOEVER HAD IT BEFORE HELD IT DOWN WITH SOME KIND OF STRAP. HE WAS USING A COAT HANGER WRAPPED THROUGH THE HOLE IN THE BRACKET AND AROUND THE BAR THAT MOVED THE SEAT TO HOLD IT DOWN. THE HOLE IN THE BRACKET ON THE FLOOR GOT BIGGER AND THE BOLT WAS ABLE TO FIT THROUGH IT. DEALER SAID HE NEEDED TO GET ANOTHER SEAT. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE STRAP THAT HELD THE SEAT WHEN HE FIRST BOUGHT IT LASTED UNTIL LAST MONTH. *AK

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Nov 22, 200420,000 milesRI

FUEL INDICATOR GAUGE FLUCTUATES BETWEEN FUEL SUPPLY AND EMPTY, AND LOW FUEL ALARM ACTIVATES EVEN WHEN FUEL TANK IS FULL. ATTEMPTED TO TRACK ACTUAL FUEL SUPPLY BY OVERHEAD CONSOLE DISPLAY, BUT THAT DISPLAY FLUCTUATES WITH FUEL INDICATOR GAUGE ALSO. WHILE DRIVING, EVEN WITH FULL TANK, FUEL INDICATOR GAUGE AND LOW FUEL ALARM KEEPS ACTIVATING. THE ONLY TIME IT IS POSSIBLE TO BE SURE OF FUEL SUPPLY IS WHEN FUEL TANK IS REFUELED. TOLD DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF PROBLEM WHILE IN FOR SERVICE, BUT THEY STATED THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL INDICATOR GAUGE. FOLLOWING THIS, I WROTE DAIMLER CHRYSLER CORP. IN 2002 INFORMING THEM THAT I WAS HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH NOT ONLY MY PERSONAL JEEP CHEROKEE LAREDO, BUT ALSO WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S VEHICLE. I RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL FROM DAIMLER CHRYSLER CONCERNING MY LETTER, AND THEY ALSO SAID THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEM. UPON SPEAKING TO OTHER OWNERS OF JEEP CHEROKEES, I HAVE LEARNED THAT THERE ARE OTHERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM, WHICH IS NOT ONLY A SOURCE OF AGGRAVATION, BUT ALSO A DISTRACTION WHEN THE ALARM ACTIVATES. ONE INDIVIDUAL I SPOKE TO INFORMED ME THAT WHEN SHE COMPLAINED OF THE PROBLEM AT HER DEALERSHIP, SHE WAS TOLD THAT WHEN SHE FUEL HER VEHICLE TO REPLACE THE GAS CAP AND TURN IT UNTIL IT CLICKED 3 TIMES, WHICH IS LUDICROUS. *JB

Air Bags › FrontalCrash
Filed Nov 3, 2003156,230 milesNC

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 45 MPH CONSUMER HIT A WOODEN BOX HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER OF THE FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
Filed Jun 10, 200380,000 milesPA

WELDS BROKE ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed May 7, 2003NJ

OUR JEEP CHEROKEE LAREDO (72994 MILES AS OF YESTERDAY 5/6/03) WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, PRESSURE IS JUST LOST; NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE PRESS ON THE GAS PEDAL THE SPEED WILL JUST DROP DOWN TO ZERO. THEN IT WILL TAKE A WHILE TO GET IT TO MOVE AT ALL. WE HAD TAKEN IT TO THE MECHANIC, NOT BEING ABLE TO PINPOINT WHY (BECAUSE WHEN WE GOT THERE IT WAS NOT DOING THAT) THEY DID A FEW TEST AND A TUNE UP. AFTER A FEW DAYS, SAME THINGS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING AGAIN. NOW WHEN IT HAPPENS IT WILL TAKE 45 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR TO GET IT TO STAY STARTED FULLY (INSTEAD OF ON/OFF). WE TOOK IT TO A JEEP DEALER (SALERNO DUANE JEEP-EAGLE), THEY TEST DRIVE IT AND TRIED EVERYTHING THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY TO DRIVE IT AND FRUSTRATING TOO BECAUSE NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. MAYBE WITH YOUR HELP WE CAN GET TO THE MANUFACTURER BEFORE IT GEST WORSE AND THE PROBLEM CAN BE DETECTED AND FIXED. ANY SUGGESTIONS WILL BE VERY HELPFUL AND APPRECIATED. YOU CAN ALSO CONTACT MY HUSBAND, EXCELLENT OCCEAN, AT WORK IF NECESSARY: 908-918-9547. REGARDS, KETTLY M. OCCEAN

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Nov 7, 2002CA

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO GET CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE TO DEACCELERATE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

Parking Brake › Driveline › Hydraulic › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Filed Apr 12, 2002MI

EMERGENCY BRAKE SHOE LINING COME OFF DO TO CORROSION CAUSING THE REAR WHEEL TO LOCK UP AT ANY SPEED ANY CONDTION. WHERE IS YOUR WISTLE BLOWER SITE FOR MECHANIC'S TO REPORT THESE ISSUES WITH OUT JUMPING THREW HOOPS

Suspension › Rear
Filed Mar 18, 2002IL

VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING IT SUDDENLY TOOK OFF. LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW IN THE PROCESS.*AK THERE IS A RECALL CAMPAIGN 02V053000 REGARDING THIS CONDITION. PHOTOS ATTACHED. FRONT SWAY BAR LINKS WERE REPLACED. VEHICLE WON'T GO OVER 20 MPH AFTER ENGINE IS WARMED. FUEL PUMP REPLACED. SERPENTINE BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED. FRONT AND REAR PADS WERE REPLACED AND FRONT AND REAR ROTORS RESURFACED. *TT

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch1 injured
Filed Feb 18, 2002CA

WHILE MY JEEP WAS IN PARK AND THE MOTOR RUNNING, I HAD TO GET OUT OF THE CAR, IT SHIFTED BY ITSELF TO REVERSE, AND IN TRYING TO STOP THE CAR FROM RUNNING INTO MY NEIGHBORS HOUSE THE CAR ROLLED OVER MY FOOT. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Park/Neutral Start Interlock SwitchCrash1 injured
Filed Aug 14, 2001MA

WHILE PUTTING VEHICLE IN PARK AND GETTING OUT NOTICED VEHICLE WAS ROLLING BACKWARD, AND ON CONSUMERS LEG. HOWEVER, CONSUMERS LEG STOPPED VEHICLE FROM ROLLING FURTHER. *AK *JG

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch1 injured
Filed Aug 14, 2001MA

AFTER PUTTING VEHICLE INTO PARK AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS. *AK *JG

20 of 33 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2000
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
200620000Routine
200357010Routine
200280020Routine
200170010Routine
200081010Routine
199960010Routine
1998 — this page33010Routine
199738000Routine
199647000Routine
199520030Routine
199416010Routine
199326030Routine
19926000Routine
199110010Routine
199014010Routine

Compare every Laredo year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.