2001 Jeep Cherokee Sport 4.0 I6 from North America

Summary:

Wouldn't buy again

Faults:

Engine overheating after shutoff.

Radiator constantly going bad.

General Comments:

Not very comfortable. Back seat has no headrests so very dangerous in an accident.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 2nd January, 2019

3rd Jan 2019, 22:46

Wow. If no back seat headrests makes a vehicle "very dangerous" then there are hundreds of thousands of deathtraps out there on the roads right now!

4th Jan 2019, 23:20

I once had a 66 Jeep Pickup. I have had cars with low seats, metal dashes, no seat belts, non collapsible steering columns, drum brakes, nylon or bias ply tires, no air bags on and on. Loved them too. Still here.

4th Jul 2021, 13:54

Totally agree. Around 96% of car accidents are human error. Learn to drive if you want to be safe, rather than relying on airbags or other safety measures.

5th Jul 2021, 14:13

4th Jan 2019, 23:20:

A single anecdote doesn’t make meaningful data. You could have played a round of Russian Roulette and ‘still be here’. But many would consider that to have taken an unnecessary risk. People are bad at interpreting statistics, and by extension, levels of risk in mundane activities.

No one said that everyone driving a car without airbags would certainly be killed. Saying that you’re “still here” as a refutation is a complete straw man argument and fails to address the point.

Besides all that, all humans are entitled to a higher standard of living than mere survival. It’s great that you got to drive your old Jeep, but it’s also valid if someone wants more protection built in to their vehicle. We all have differing values.

2001 Jeep Cherokee Sport 4.0 from North America

Summary:

Bullet proof - almost the best car I've had - see 78 Dodge Aspen for my best car review

Faults:

Transmission 70,000 miles under extended warranty.

Radiator 120,000 miles.

Starter 153,000 miles.

Rear hatch struts got weak.

A/C leak somewhere.

Front brake rotors warped 75,000 miles.

Replaced head gasket due to radiator splitting open.

Water pump at 140,000 miles.

A/C compressor magnet assembly -- not coil.

Torque converter bad clicking noise at 153,000 miles.

General Comments:

Bulletproof, and we do 98% city driving with this vehicle. The few highway miles we put on the car were quite comfortable for hours -- the seats are wonderful - gas mileage was over 22 on the highway and bit under 20 in the city - so not too bad at all.

The automatic transmission made bad grinding noises at 70,00 miles, but was replaced under the extended warranty.

Front brake rotors kept warping - seems a common issue - replaced at about 70,000 miles with aftermarket from Pep Boys and never an issue since then.

Radiator spit open at the aluminum and plastic joint - total worthless design which most cars have now - old copper radiators went forever and were far superior - I recommend replacing the radiator with a better one immediately.

Head gasket blew because of the radiator blowing out at highway speeds. If the radiator stayed good, the engine would be perfect for 10 more years. I replaced the head gasket myself and it was fairly easy. Water pump and starter replaced, but after 10 years -- almost unheard of these days -- even Lexus cars have water pumps fail well under 10 years old.

This car is 2 wheel drive and has super handling. Huge cargo area has hauled EVERYTHING - bricks - lumber - couches - chairs - outdoor furniture - tons and tons of stuff -- roof rack has held maybe 500 pounds of lumber a number of times, but it has bent due to severe overloading - inside carpet in the back has not torn. Seats are not torn after 15 years of city driving everyday use.

I replaced the torque converter when it started making loud clicking-banging noises. It was not too hard to do myself - Jeeps are easy to work on. Lots of room to use wrenches.

I think this is a super solid reliable machine. I can't complain about anything except the junky radiator and having to put Freon in the A/C system for like 10 years now every couple of weeks when the cooling stops working. I live in Florida so the A/C is on almost every day of the year. I replaced the compressor clutch magnet -- the very front part with the single nut in the center that bends in when the A/C is turned on because this gets hot and metal expands and the compressor quits turning and the A/C quits very randomly -- I think it's a common issue that you can fix yourself if you get a new magnet assembly.

I believe one of the best newer vehicles made. 153,000 miles now and a daily driver - still looks good - paint is excellent - interior is still nice - no dash cracks.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th April, 2016