Faults:

A/C condenser cracked (my fault I believe from a minor accident).

Vacuum pump for cruise control/ventilation.

Need to replace brakes/rotors for 1st time recently.

Rear wiper motor.

Occasional evap code with service engine light/check gages light going on/off at times... Mechanic says gas cap seal is bad.

Heat shield needs to be tightened over exhaust pipe.. causing a rattle.

General Comments:

4x4 is excellent, aggressive looks with brush guard, very comfortable front seats.

Visibility is fairly decent.

Acceleration is fine for everyday driving unless going up steeper hills. Decent cargo room.

Tight rear seat.

Front suspension squeaks when going over large bumps, tranny downshifts hard when stepping on it. Gas mileage could be better than 18 mpg/gall.

Faults:

Transmission at 72000 right after the warranty.

Fan relay switch. I am on my 5th one at 90.00 per switch, and it happens at the most inopportune times, like in traffic.

General Comments:

Other than the sensor issue, it is OK and handles well.

Faults:

1) Radiator fan relay failed. This causes the Jeep to overheat in idle, but run at a normal temperature while driving. I replaced the relay myself, but it required removal of the front bumper to get at it, since it sits below the passenger side front headlamp.

2) Driver side window regulator cable broke. I replaced this myself by taking the entire door panel off.

3) Passenger side window regulator cable broke. Yep, about 12 months after the driver's side. I replaced this one myself by taking the entire door panel off.

4) Heater blend door sticks. This makes hot air during the winter months intermittent. Currently trying to fix this.

5) Multiple OBD-II codes for evaporative leaks and pedal position sensor problems.

General Comments:

My Jeep has been mechanically reliable on the "big ticket" items (engine, transmission, AC, and suspension) so far, which is good.

I change my own oil, but have not serviced the transmission regularly. The small things that have broken have been annoying to be sure, but they were fixable by me with a little mechanical know-how and a lot of reading on the Internet.

I've found that my problems are relatively common to this year model.

Faults:

Brakes cause rumbling and jumping at approx 15000 miles.

Crankshaft position sensor replaced at approx 4000 miles.

Front left window regulator cable snapped at 20000 miles.

Front right window regulator cable snapped at 25000 miles.

Rear left window regulator cable snapped at 85000 miles.

Emergency brake cable snapped at 30000 miles.

Radiator fan and relay and cable replaced at 40000 miles.

Radiator fan relay replaced again at 85000 miles. Dealer improperly installed it per the service manual.

Turn signals work intermittently. Dealer claims it needs $1000 worth of repairs. The subsystem specified in their report does not appear to be related, so the verdict is that they don't know what they are doing and/or are bilking the customer.

Throttle valve position sensor replaced approx 70000 miles.

Vacuum system leaks reoccur and make good money for the dealers. Charged $135 to "diagnose" and replace a gas cap. Problem re-occurred after the OBDII computer had a chance to determine that it was not resolved. Questionable dealer service department.

General Comments:

Dealers in my area areas replace too many parts and don't get to the real cause of problems. At least one repair was performed using a shortcut and the part (fan relay) failed again -- most likely to to overheating because of improper installation.

The 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo is a solid vehicle with a truck feel rather than a gooshy granny suspension. The automatic transmission appears to use actual clutch plates, which provides a rugged shift with some sacrifice of smooth shifting. Again, think truck.