Problems · by component

2000 Jeep Cherokee exterior lighting problems

80 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2000 Jeep Cherokee cite exterior lighting, 4% of all 1,829 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 4 recalls on this component.

Complaints
80
4% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the exterior lighting

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I HAVE READ THAT !ANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME DRIVER'S SEAT ISSUE. THE HOLES FOR THE BOLTS HAS BEEN SHREDDED COMPLETELY AND THE DEALERSHIP TRIED TO CHARGE $3,500 TO REPAIR IT. IT'S A DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE FIXED FOR FREE. IT UNDER THE SEAT, HOW CAN THE OWNER DESTROY THAT. 2) THE HEAD LIGHT COVERS GETS THIS DISCOLORATION OR GRIME ON THE INSIDE DECREASING THE BRIGHTNESS BY 45% AT NIGHT, THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN IN MY BRONCO. I CALLED CHRYSLER AND THEY SAID THE RECALL # LISTED ONLINE DIDN'T MATCH THE FORMAT OF THE NUMBERS IN THEIR SYSTEM TO DO RESEARCH. WHAT? THIS IS RIDICULOUS, FIX YOUR RECALLS CHRYSLER!!!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 19, 2015Exterior lighting, Seats, Service brakesODI 10783483
“MY REAR CORNER BRAKE LIGHTS CONSTANTLY HAVE ISSUES EITHER IN THE TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY OR THE BULB INSTALLATION CONNECTION -- I AM STILL NOT SURE WHERE THE ISSUE IS REALLY. I WILL REPLACE THE BULB AND IN 3 MONTHS OR SO MY BRAKE LIGHT IS OUT ON ONE SIDE THEN A SHORT TIME LATER THE OTHER SIDE. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY JEEPS I SEE WITH AT LEAST ONE BRAKE LIGHT BEING OUT. ALSO IF MY LIGHTS ARE ON, THEN BOTH REAR BRAKE LIGHTS GO OUT. IF I TURN THE LIGHTS OFF, MAYBE ONLY ONE BRAKE LIGHT WILL NOT WORK. I'VE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE TELL ME WHEN THEY ARE BEHIND ME THAT I HAVE NO BRAKE LIGHTS, WHICH MEANS IF THEY WERE NOT PAYING ATTENTION THEY WOULD HAVE HIT ME! AND AS WE ALL KNOW, PAYING ATTENTION IS A HUGE ISSUE TODAY WITH SO MANY CELL PHONE DISTRACTIONS. I AM SHOCKED THERE IS NOT A RECALL ON THE GRAND CHEROKEE THAT I CAN FIND ON MY ORIGINAL FACTORY TAIL LIGHTS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 20, 2015Exterior lightingODI 10717552
“ALTHOUGH NO ACCIDENT YET, I WANTED TO SAY THAT I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICE FROM FCA ABOUT THE "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN" (BECAUSE ALTHOUGH THE GAS TANK HANGS UNDER THE REAR BUMPER, YEAR 2000 WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE "RECALL" TRAILER HITCH DEAL). I BOUGHT IT NEW AND AM STILL LIVING AT THE SAME ADDRESS. I ALSO WANTED TO NOTE THAT ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE GC IS THAT THE BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHTS OFTEN STOP WORKING. THE SOCKET GETS SCORCHED AND YOU HAVE TO GO TAKE IT APART, PRY THE CONTACTS UP JUST RIGHT AND PUT ALUMINUM FOIL UNDER THEM (GOOGLE GRAND CHEROKEE BRAKE LIGHTS). THAT WORKS FOR A WHILE, THEN YOU HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN. I'VE BEEN STOPPED TWICE IN 6 MONTHS FOR IT. SOMETIMES THE TAILLIGHT WORKS BUT ACTUALLY GOES OUT WHEN YOU STEP ON THE BRAKE. IN ANY CASE, HAVING A GAS TANK PRONE TO EXPLODING WHEN REAR ENDED ALONG WITH BRAKE LIGHT ISSUES IS NOT A GOOD THING. THE DOOR LOCKS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE ALSO CANNOT BE UNLOCKED EXCEPT FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE, WHILE THE DRIVERS SIDE HAVE TO BE LOCKED MANUALLY (AGAIN, IT'S ALL OVER GOOGLE. IT'S CALLED THE ANGRY DUCK FOR THE NOISE THE LOCKS MAKE. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR NHTSA TO MAKE A OTHER ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THIS -…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 14, 2015Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10716561
“I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY RIGHT SIDE BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY FOUR TIMES. FOR SOME REASON, IT CONTINUES TO GO BAD. THIS IS GETTING REALLY EXPENSIVE AND INCONVENIENT, AS I CONTINUE TO GET STOPPED BY THE POLICE FOR THIS PROBLEM. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH MANY OF THESE TRUCKS. I HAVE HAD THIS TRUCK FOR FOUR YEARS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 3, 2015Exterior lightingODI 10691877
“DRIVING AT NIGHT. THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL IN THE CAB. THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. DISCOVERED HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND PLUG HAD SHORTED CAUSING AN ARC FIRE DAMAGING THE WIRING LOOM LEADING TO THE SWITCH . *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 14, 2013Exterior lightingFire reportedODI 10547857
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL AND BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE SOCKETS AND BULBS WERE REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 156,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 23, 2013Exterior lightingODI 10513256

Showing 6 of 80 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

4 recalls on this component

Exterior lighting: headlights

Free remedy

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Exterior lightingReported May 11, 2009NHTSA 09E025000

Exterior lighting

Free remedy

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Exterior lightingReported Apr 7, 2009NHTSA 09E012000

Exterior lighting

Free remedy

CERTAIN AJ MOTORSPORT COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

Exterior lightingReported Jul 17, 2006NHTSA 06E065000

Exterior lighting

Free remedy

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

Exterior lightingReported Mar 23, 2006NHTSA 06E026000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.