Problems · by component
2000 Jeep Cherokee engine problems
46 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2000 Jeep Cherokee cite engine, 3% of all 1,829 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
46
3% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“After sending my Jeep Grand Cherokee to Pugh’s Service Center in Greenville, NC, in December 2018, because it would turnover, but not start. They replaced the ECM, but had to be taken to the local Jeep dealership for an OE ECM replacement and a crankshaft sensor, in order to get it to crank. Upon getting my Jeep back in March 2019, it ran fine for a few days. Then I went to start it, and it started, but after a few seconds, all of the GAUGES stopped working and all of the WARNING LIGHTS came on. I contacted both Pugh’s and the Jeep dealership, telling me I should just bring it in, to run more diagnostics. The Jeep only has 94,000 miles, and I spent about what the vehicle was worth upon getting it back in March 2019; so I’ve been hesitant on taking it back. There are many other people who have similar issues with the instrument panel gauges and warning lights, from the information I’ve researched online; with no indications of the problem being resolved.”
“THE SUV RANDOMLY SHUTS DOWN LIKE SOMEONE UNPLUGGED IT AND WILL NOT START. SOMETIMES IT WILL START AFTER 10-15 MINUTES AND SHUT DOWN AGAIN. I REPLACED THE OXYGEN SENSOR, THE CRANK SENSOR, IDLE CONTROL SENSOR, AND THE CAR COMPUTER. *TR”
“THE JEEP WILL SUDDENLY CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING, THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME AND MY FAMILY SEVERAL TIMES ON THE HIGHWAY. I REPLACED ( CRANKSHAFT SENSOR, CAMSHAFT SENSOR, AIR IDLE CONTROL VALVE, & PCM) . STILL SHUTS DOWN. TOOK IT TO SEVERAL SHOPS AND KNOW ONE CAN FIND THE PROBLEM WHY? I'VE BEEN DOING ALOT OF RESEARCH, AND NOTICED ALOT OF JEEP OWERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS?”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, A LOUD TICKING NOISE EMERGED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000.”
“CRACK CYLINDER HEAD .WHEN DRIVING START TO OVERHEAT.WHEN CHECK ON IT I FOUND THE PROBLEM AND I RESEARCHED AND FOUND THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CYLINDER HEAD FOR JEEP YEARS 2000,2001,2002.THEY SAY THOSE YEARS THE IRON ORE WAS VERY EXPENSIVE ON THE WORLD MARKET.”
“TAKATA RECALL I OWN A 2000 JEEP CHEROKEE INLINE 6 AND SINCE I GOT IT IT HAS HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAD AND BLOWING THE GASKETS I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY RECALLS AND THERE WASN'T ANY. THE LADY THAT WAS WORKING ASKED ME WHAT WAS GOING ON AND I TOLD HER AND SHE SAID THAT MY YEAR JEEP SHOULD'VE HAD A RECALL FOR IT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS REALLY THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE WITH MY JEEP AND EVERYONE I TALK TO THAT HAS A JEEP LIKE MINE AND THE SAME YEAR HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS WILL BE THE SECOND HEAD GASKETS IN 4 YEARS I WILL BE PUTTING ON NEW HEAD GASKETS. I CAN'T AFFORD A NEW HEAD FOR IT AND I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE HEADS WERE BAD ON MY YEAR OF JEEP. IT ALSO CAME WITH DEXRON ANTIFREEZE THAT AFTER A WHILE GOOKS UP IN THE RADIATOR AND LOOKS LIKE MUD”
Showing 6 of 46 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.