Faults:

Electric windows (passenger side) and door locks (driver's side and rear lift-gate) have broken and have been, or need to be, replaced.

Replaced A/C unit (which required removal of the dashboard).

General Comments:

This well-cared for vehicle has been reliable. Everyone who rides in it mentions how comfortable it is. Still looks new and runs well at 15 years old.

Faults:

I have a leak somewhere and cannot figure out where it is coming from. Sometimes the passenger side floorboard is soaking wet, and other times it is not. When the low coolant light comes on, the radiator is always full, but the overflow jug is down to the add mark. For a while I could go about 300 miles without putting in any water, but now it is about every 130 miles that I have to put water in it.

Yesterday I drove it to town, about 7 miles there and back, and when I got home and parked it, the water/antifreeze was leaking out fast. It looked like it was coming from the radiator, right in the middle, but when I checked it this morning, the radiator was full, and the overflow jug was low again.

I am visiting my Mom in Florida and have to drive it back to Georgia tomorrow. When I started reading all the problems that others are having with this year and model Jeep, I believe that I will sell this one and buy me a different model vehicle. Thanks everyone for posting these things; it was a big help to me in making my decision.

General Comments:

I like the look of this Jeep; it is very sharp looking.

However it has had a lot of mechanical issues.

Also the seats are very uncomfortable.

Faults:

The head cracked at 152,000 miles. I rebuilt the motor and replaced the pistons.

A little bit of body rust when I bought it, but sprayed the undercarriage with oil and never had any rust problems.

General Comments:

Not many problems.

Runs like a champ.

Faults:

Water disappearing at 80k. Replaced head gasket at 100k.

Tranny has a whine in O-D at 75000.

Door locks have been toast since 70000, along with hood & gate shocks.

Left front CV joints shot at 90k.

Brake rotors warped, and can't be reground, because they're hard faced.

Clockspring causes chime and airbag light to go on.

Gas tank valve replaced twice; leaks at the elect. plug in.

Bad alternator-regulator causes dash gauges to whack out.

Cheap crap plastic radiator and water pump replaced at 90k.

Tail-lights don't work because of broken plastic plugins.

Rear axle seals leaked at 70k.

Drive line u-joints at 85k -- no zerks.

Fan replaced relay hidden on frame under head light - morons.

General Comments:

These SUVs are sweet when all the problems are worked out, but unless you are a mechanic like me, it will bankrupt your wallet.

Stay away from most dealers, and find, through friend's referrals, a qualified mechanic who can be trusted to not take advantage, or not have the experience to troubleshoot problems.

Unfortunately vehicles, for quite some time, are built and designed by engineers that have no real life experience of having to work on them, and use many cheap unproven parts to improve the bottom line, then shun their screw ups, and that is why the Japanese cars rule the day -- they just don't do it as much.

Faults:

The 2000 model year, along with I think the 99-01-02 with the 4.0L I-6, changed to a different head. The heads that were used, if I remember, is casting #00331, which mine has, and more often than not, will crack.

My experience was that at approx. 140,000 miles, I started losing coolant out of the reservoir. About every 300 miles I had to put in about half a gallon. This went on about 4 months. Couldn't find the source of the leak, no oil in the coolant or no coolant in the oil?

Then later, the crankcase was full of coolant, had it torn down, and sure enough the head had two cracks; one that let the coolant in the combustion chamber, and one that let coolant in the crankcase, so $1500 later it's put back together with a rebuilt head --- yes it was another casting #00331, so we'll see!

(warning) I used a head and block sealer before I went to the expense of the new head. It was guaranteed to seal all cracks. Well when the engine was torn down, most all the holes that let oil lube the valves and lifters, then drain down to the crankcase, were all plugged from the sealer, so if it had worked, I would have had more engine expense.

Good luck.

General Comments:

I do like the Jeep though!