Problems · by component

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee exterior lighting problems

25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee cite exterior lighting, 2% of all 1,429 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 3 recalls on this component.

Complaints
25
2% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the exterior lighting

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE THE VEHICLE, THE REVERSE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V252000 (FUEL SYSTEM; GASOLINE, STRUCTURE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000. UPDATED 07/13/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE BACK UP LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING, AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED. UPDATED 07/20/16”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 9, 2016Fuel system, gasoline, Exterior lighting, StructureODI 10873395
“IT STARTED WITH THE LIGHTS TURNING OFF WHEN I HIT A BUMP. THE WHOLE JEEP WOULD GO DARK. INSTRUMENT PANEL, OVERHEAD LIGHTS, DRIVING LIGHTS, ALL OF THEM! THEN AFTER PARKING THE JEEP, DAY OR NIGHT, THE ALARM SYSTEM WOULD GO OFF ALL BY ITSELF. THE DOOR SWITCHES LOCKING AND UNLOCKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THEN THERE WAS THE RADIO THAT WOULD TURN ON AND OFF BY ITSELF. THEN THE WINDOWS DECIDED TO STOP GOING UP AND DOWN. WHEN I WOULD START THE JEEP THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES WOULDN'T MOVE, TURN ON. SO, I WOULD TURN OFF THE JEEP AND RESTART IT. SOME OF THE GAUGES, WOULD TURN ON BUT OTHERS, WOULD NOT, LIKE THE FUEL TANK GAGE, SPEEDOMETER GAGE. DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, THERE WOULD BE A PUDDLE OF WATER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD. I STILL TO THIS DAY DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT TO HAPPEN EVERY DAY AND EACH TIME IT WAS TURNED ON. THEN THERE IS THE TRANSMISSION AND REAR END THAT STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS. IT STARTED TO SLIP OUT OF GEAR AND THE REAR END MADE A NOISE. I HAD ALL THE OIL LEVELS CHECKED OUT, BUT STILL IT WOULD HAPPEN. I DO RECALL GETTING A FLYER IN THE MAIL, REGARDING A RECALL, BUT IT ALSO SAID THAT THE DEALER, DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO FIX THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 4, 2015Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10746163
“I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK HEADED SOUTH ON I-69 IN FORT WAYNE, INDIANA. I HAD JUST PASSED THE INDIANA STATE ROAD 14 UNDERPASS WHEN A SEMI TRUCK TIRE AND RIM (THE WHOLE THING) CAME OFF A SEMI TRUCK AND ROLLED ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC WHERE MY JEEP HIT IT. IT HIT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF MY JEEP. DIRECTLY IN THE FRONT BUT THE RIGHT HALF OF THE BUMPER/FRONT END. THE TIRE THEN WENT UNDER MY CAR WHERE IT FORCED ME TO SLIDE IN TO THE CEMENT MEDIAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY HITTING MY DRIVER SIDE FRONT BUMPER AT ABOUT 35 MILES AN HOUR OR SO. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 12, 2015Suspension, Exterior lighting, Air bags, StructureCrash reportedODI 10671740
“ALL OF MY DASH GAUGES GO OUT AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THERE WILL BE A BEEP AND THEN THE SPEEDOMETER AND ALL THE REST DO NOT REGISTER. THE CK ENGINE LIGHT WILL BE ON AND THE FUEL LIGHT. THE POWER WINDOWS WILL NOT GO DOWN, THE AC WILL NOT WORK, RADIO, AND NOW HEAD LIGHTS ARE BEING AFFECTED AND NEARLY CAUSED ME TO CRASH. I HAVE BEEN TERRIFIED !! I WORKED AND SAVED TO GET A NEW IGNITION SWITCH INSTALLED HOPING SINCE IT POWERS SO MANY PLACES AT ONCE THAT IT WOULD WORK, BUT AFTER $174.40 AND A WEEK WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION I PICKED MY CAR UP TODAY AND AFTER DRIVING IT ABOUT 15 MILES IT STARTED DOING THE SAME THING. NOW I AM READING THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL AND FINDING YOUR SITE GIVES ME HOPE THAT MAYBE I WILL GET SOME MUCH NEEDED HELP. THANKS FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE TO ME IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 15, 2014Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10622639
“I WAS BACKING UP OUT OF A PARKING PLACE IN A WALMART PARKING LOT WHEN A CAR COMING UP THE AISLE THAT WAS GOING REALLY FAST APPROACHED MY JEEP . THEY SAID THEY DID NOT SEE MY REVERSE LIGHTS. I CHECKED THE LIGHTS OUT AND THEY DO NOT WORK. I HAD THE RECALL FOR THE FLOOR SHIFTER FIXED IN NOVEMBER 2011. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP DIDN'T DO THE WORK IN ONE VISIT AND I HAD TO RETURN FOR A 'DETENT PART' BUT THEY GAVE ME NO PAPERWORK WHAT-SO-EVER FOR WHAT WORK THEY DID. I HAD TO RETURN TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THEM TO ADJUST THE SHIFTER BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE CORRECTLY. THEY ASSURED ME IT DID BUT IT DID NOT I'M MY OPINION. THE REVERSE LIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON WHEN I ENGAGE REVERSE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 28, 2013Exterior lightingODI 10495020
“RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V086000 CONCERNING LOW BEAM LIGHTING: CONSUMER HAS RECALL REPAIRS PERFORMED LESS THE 4 MONTH AGO, AND THE PROBLEM RECURRED WITH THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS FAILING AGAIN. DEALER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 18, 2005Exterior lightingODI 10111785

Showing 6 of 25 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

3 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 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 6, 2026

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