Four problems related to service brakes have been reported for the 1999 Jeep Cherokee. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
No crash, no accident this is a complaint on safety and lack of availability to a "do it yourself" (diy) certified mechanic on brake bleeding. I am a certified avaition mechanic and well versed on bleeding brakes. On the Jeep listed there is a requirement to use a scanner (the Chrysler drb iii scan tool) which plugs into the obd-2 system to run the pump in the abs system. This running of the abs pump should move any air within, into the lines so that subsequent bleeding of the wheel lines will remove the air. The scanner cost is prohibitive for the diy mechanic and the owner is forced to take the vehicle to a dealer for proper bleeding of the brakes. Even a used scanner is valued at $3977 on ebay this date. There are various "tricks" to get the abs pump to run, such as a panic stop on a slick grassy surface and that will get the pump to run, but the brakes must be bled immediately to get the desired results, on the slick, grassy surface. This complaint is about the disservice to the mechanic in the field and the great safety issues that could arise with improperly bled brakes. Without the abs bled properly, the brakes are mushy and even after pumping, are not the brakes they should be for the safety of nearly a two ton vehicle. There should be an affordable scan tool that will do the job for the basic machanic who wants to do thier vehicle him/her self and those same folks shouldn't be forced to take the vehicle to the dealer just to achieve the proper safety standards.
Driver's side seat frame broke. Seat wobbles back and forth. Obviously an unsafe situation being strapped into a seat that is not properly secured to vehicle. Will force of pushing brake pedal totally separate seat from vehicle? this is a major safety issue relative to passenger restraint (me) and braking or stopping of the vehicle(others). I have read where this is a common occurance on Jeeps of the same model and year as mine. Clearly, this is a manufacturing defect. I have never had a seat frame fail on any other vehicle that I have operated. This is not rust related. It is simply a failed vehicle weight reduction program that has blossomed into a full blown safety concern for both those in the vehicle and anyone else outside of the vehicle in its general proximity. Something needs to be done as vehicle owners will continue to operate these vehicles until the seat totally severs its compromised mounting and becomes totally detached from the vehicle. In the mean time, anyone in its path is at serious risk.
My brakes "fused" together, and I had to down shift quickly in order to stop. The auto repair shop said it was caused by faulty brake "knuckles", and that Jeep is aware of the issue, but does not feel it is a safety issue. My children were in the car, and it's not a safety issue?.
When the brakes were applied, the vehicle experienced extended stopping distance.